Sudan: MPs Say South Sudan Has No Legal Right to Arrest Bashir

Juba — Members of Parliament (MPs) in the National Legislative Assembly interviewed by The Citizen yesterday said South Sudan does not have obligation to arrest the President of Republic of Sudan Omer Bashir if he comes to Juba to attend the summit on the remaining outstanding issues of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The announcement by the negotiation team that they were expecting the Sudan President Omer Al Bashir to meet with President Salva Kiir in a summit which might possibly take place in Juba has sparked debates and argument from the Civil Society organizations and other concerned citizens that Bashir should not come to Juba and if it happens he should be arrested on arrival.

A Member of Parliament (MP) representing Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State George Andrea Juma said that South Sudan is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is a Rome based statute hence there is no obligation that the Country can arrest the Sudan President if he comes to Juba. He further said that Sudan and South Sudan are neighboring Countries which need to remain in a good relationship and that South Sudan will deal with Sudan in a friendly way.

Meanwhile MP representing Mabaan County Upper Nile State David Unyo Demey said that South Sudan is not obliged to arrest the Sudan President Bashir since South Sudan is not a Member of the ICC. He said South Sudan needs Bashir because the two countries are still in talks on the outstanding issues that is Border demarcation, Citizenship, the status of Abyei area, financial arrears among others. The MP further advised South Sudan not to hurry in joining the International Criminal Court ICC since it is optional to join and the Country should first become mature before joining as it is not a priority to do so.

MP representing Yei town Bidale Moses said that South Sudan is not yet a Party to the ICC hence it has no authority to arrest the Sudan President besides the four crimes he committed in Darfur the Western region of Sudan.He said that it is very significant for Bashir to come to Juba because Sudan and South Sudan are still in the post referendum arrangements as provided in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Moses further said that South Sudan cannot avoid meeting with Sudan President and Sudanese officials given the facts that the two countries are close neighbors else the maps is to be changed.