President al-Bashir Expels Aid Groups from Sudan
Charges ICC’s Arrest Warrant as Neocolonialist Conspiracy
Mar 8, 2009
On March 5, 2009, the Sudanese government announced the expulsion of 10 humanitarian groups including Oxfam, Médecins sans Frontières, and the International Rescue Committee. The announcement came shortly after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for President al-Bashir’s arrest on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the conflict in Darfur; charges which al-Bashir dismisses as part of a Western neocolonialist conspiracy to dominate Sudan.
Al-Bashir Dubs ICC Move as Neocolonialist Conspiracy
Many in the international community hail the ICC’s warrant for al-Bashir's arrest as an unprecedented move in international humanitarian law, sending a clear message that even heads of state are not immune to violations of international law including crimes against humanity. Others with close ties to Sudan such as China, the Arab League, and the African Union warn that attempts at bringing al-Bashir to justice may lead to increased violence in Darfur and threaten the already fragile peace deal struck between Northern and Southern Sudan in 2005.
Mr. Bashir dismisses the ICC's warrant for his arrest as part of a Western neocolonialist plan to dominate Sudan. According to China Daily article on March 8, 2009, al-Bashir told tens of thousands of people attending a rally in Fashir on March 8th, 2009 that "We will fight against the neocolonialism...We will not allow anyone to undermine the peace, independence, and unity of Sudan. We have liberated [the] Africa, but the Western colonialists want to return to Sudan at the moment." With such rhetoric, it hardly seems surprising that the Sudanese government has decided to oust Western humanitarian aid groups from the country.
Conflict in Darfur
Yet the President's decision to expel such humanitarian aid groups is seen by some in the international community as a direct blow to millions of civilians living in Darfur – an ethnically charged and conflict-ridden region of western Sudan. The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 when al-Bashir’s administration and its associated janjaweed militia began killing and raping non-Arab civilians in attempts to crush an emerging resistance movement in the region.
Six years later, the Sudanese government’s campaign of ethnic cleansing shows no signs of abatement. Moreover, al-Bashir’s indiscriminate use of force against Darfurians has rendered the civilian population almost entirely dependent upon humanitarian aid groups for their food, water, and medical care; making the President's expulsion of such groups that much more ominous.
According to Georgette Ganon of Human Rights Watch, “President al-Bashir’s response to being charged with crimes in Darfur is nothing less than retaliation against the millions of people there. The Sudanese government should reverse this decision immediately, or civilians in Darfur will again suffer the consequences of Khartoum’s abusive policies.”
Peace v. Justice
Sudan’s expulsion of aid groups following al-Bashir’s indictment is emblematic of an age-old conundrum plaguing international law: how should the ICC proceed when seeking justice might hinder fledgling attempts at building a sustainable peace? The international community must now take a hard look at how the ICC should move forward in its attempt to bring al-Bashir to justice; for an urgent need to end the violence in Darfur has yet to be met.
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