Sudan's president risks Turkey arrest
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Source: AfroNews
President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has been warned to be wary of being arrested if he goes ahead with his planned trip to attend the Turkish-African heads of state summit in Istanbul this week.
The two-day summit starts on 19 August. The risky trip will be Mr. al-Bachir's first abroad trip since he has been indicted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Sudan's Darfur region by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
As a member of NATO, Turkey is yet to ratify the treaty that established the ICC.According to an unnamed European diplomat, it would be "very risky" for the Sudanese leader to travel to Turkey.
"The whole world knows al-Bachir as a risk-taker," the diplomat said, adding that "traveling to Turkey in the face of ongoing ICC arrest warrant being issued while he is in Istanbul, could be one of the greatest risks he has ever taken in life."
ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo had issued an arrest warrant against President al-Bachir, accusing his regime of killing thousands of innocent people in Darfur.
Human rights groups welcomed the move, but continental and regional bodies said the warrant would derail the ongoing peace process in the country.
Mr. Morenco-Occampo did not give up in his efforts to galvanise support from African leaders on gross violations of human rights in Darfur as evidenced by his visit to Senegal last week.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry has confirmed that President al-Bachir will arrive in Istanbul on Monday.
Turkish officials said the Sudanese leader was invited to the summit and that they did not value the arrest warrant against him. President al-Bachir is expected to hold bilateral meetings with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Africa-Turkey economic summit.
In a statement, the New York-based Human Rights Watch asked the Turkish government to "reject efforts by Sudan's President to secure a suspension of the ICC investigation against him. Turkey should also convey a clear message that Khartoum must not respond to the investigation with retaliation against civilians, peacekeepers, or humanitarian workers."
The Istanbul summit will be graced by leaders from 40 African countries. Turkey aims to emulate China and India to tap into Africa's natural resources as well as boost its presence on the continent.
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- 19-08-2008 10:32:16 |Unregistered| Carlo J Chol
Was the arrest warrant issued? What I know is that the case is still under study by the judges, otherwise our president would have been advised not to travel.
- 20-08-2008 03:20:35 |Unregistered| Sniper Em
Turkey is a Islamic country they wont' care or arrest him anyways..
- 23-08-2008 19:00:32 |Unregistered| Tito Khelil Dam
No! who ever thought of turkey wishing to arrest el-Bashir is a lier. Turkey have chance of attempting to arrest Pres. Bashir of Sudan because Turkey is an Islamic Nation and El-Bashir is supporting all type of Islamic Nations' Ideologies. Therefore, remind yourself that Turkey is the World's most Islamic Nation and is supporting any Nation and its leader that may be supporting Islamic perceptions. Though arrest of Sudan's Pres. Omar el-bashir might have been(may be) demanded to be conducted sooner or later, Turkey can not be the nation that can seize el-Bashir.
Did you forget Islamic Brotherhood?*No such a thing that el-Bashir will be put behind bar by the Turkish Government*!
"Greater among you is servant", said the Lord Jesus. Each leader's vocation is to care, protect and uplifting his/her people.
That is the duty of family head who is servant to his/her children. That is just one example of being responsible.
But many leaders do not inderstand the meaning of leadership.
Being in one single state is that each one admitt to concession of his/her right. That requires one nation to have social contract and legislate law to maintain such agreement. President is to be elected to inforce law and all are equal. If any citizen or president violate law, he/she must be accountable for such act.
President Bachir since he came to power to prosecute not to protect must pay a price for his action.
The leaders of Africa are nominal leaders being use by Arab leaders. No one has voice against brutality that was going on against the southern people. No one neither speak what is happening against the people of Mauretania, that of Chad, of Mali and now of Darfur. But US with her allies did brought peace to southern Sudan.
Since such colonizations and Arabization against African people did not concern them, they should therefor give chance to western states to bring an end to genocides in continent.
Bachier must be try and let him vindicate his innocent.