December 2, 2011

VFS, US Based Advocacy NGO Welcomes Kenya’s Court decision to Arrest Bashir

Filed under Press Releases

Contact: Ryan Brenner, Voices for Sudan

E-mail: info@voicesforsudan.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VFS, US Based Advocacy NGO Welcomes Kenya’s Court decision to Arrest Bashir

Voices for Sudan welcomes the decision by the Kenyan court on Monday of issuing an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued two arrest warrants on Bashir on ten counts including crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide for his involvement in the genocide in Darfur starting in 2003. Kenya ratified the Rome Statue of the ICC effectively agreeing the international obligation of carrying out the ICC’s warrants. However, Bashir freely visited Kenya over a year ago to celebrate their new constitution. This court order is a direct response to the lack of action taken by the Kenyan government at that time.

The ICC relies on its State Parties to implement its arrest warrants and deliver the individual to The Hague. This new warrant orders the government of Kenya to fulfill their obligation as a state party to the ICC and to arrest Bashir should he enter the country. This is an important step to uphold international justice, and end impunity. “The continuation of unchecked impunity in Sudan hurts the Sudanese people and weakens international law everywhere,” says Jimmy Mulla President of Voices for Sudan. It is important to end the international acceptance of impunity in order for there to be peace and justice in Sudan and South Sudan. The international community must make ending the cycles of impunity a priority, as it is in every country’s national interest to do so because it sends a message to would-be committers of war crimes that if they commit such crimes they will be arrested and sent to trial. Voices for Sudan encourages courts in Chad, Malawi and all African countries, especially those signatory to the ICC, to bar Bashir from stepping foot in their country. African countries should lead this effort because these neighboring countries have witnessed first hand the suffering of the innocent Sudanese people in the refugee camps located in their country.

Voices for Sudan recently supported a student-led protest outside the Embassy of the Republic of Malawi due to Bashir’s recent visit there and will continue with this campaign until Bashir is arrested and brought to trial.

About Voices for Sudan: Voices for Sudan is a U.S.-based coalition of a diverse network of Sudan-led organizations in the Diaspora dedicated to resolving the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. VFS envisions a modern Sudan at peace with itself and its neighbors, where human rights are protected by the government and where sustainable economic development can flourish.

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For more information, please go to: http://www.voicesforsudan.org/. To schedule an interview with Voices for Sudan, please Ryan Brenner e-mail info@voicesforsudan.org.