Darfur Union in the UK – Bashir Picture Behind Court Bars is Symbolic, However that is Not Enough for the Victims of the Genocide as the Perpetrators and the Powers Hungry Groups often Prioritise Being-in Over Justice. ICC it is…
Bashir is behind the court bars, awaiting his trial, 97 lawyers came forward to defend their ex boss. This group is lead by Ahmed Ibrahim Eltahir, a former deputy governor of Darfur State, back in the 1990s and the ex leader of National Congress Party (NCP) Parliament in the 2000s and a prominent figure within the party up to the tipping point – April 2019.
Bashir arrived to court in a 4×4 car surrounded by security and wearing a traditional costume, Jalabia. In the court, the judge, appointed by the Transitional Military Council (TMC) in May 2019; the judge asked Bashir to confirm his name which he did. Then proceeded to ask about his address. Bashir responded “ in the past Hai Almatar at the General Command however, at the moment I reside in Kober Prison” he said it with a smile.
The prosecution proceeded with the main charges “receipt and use of public money of which a total of €7 million euros in cash, billions of local currency in cash were found between his residence and his office at the Presidential Palace. His lawyers argued later on this was a gift from neighbouring countries and allies. Bashir mentioned that he was given $1 million dollar from Mohammed bin Zaid of UAE (in an envelope) and another some of $25 millions from Mohammed bin Salman the crown prince of Saudi Arabia; “the two amounts were use by the state and they were for the state” Bashir legal team claimed.
The aforementioned details became the main point of the discussions and headlines in the last few days and everything else including the gruesome act of genocide has become a footnote in this case and beyond. This is not by a chance, it is orchestrated that way to keep him and others involved, Abdelfatah Al-Burhan (Head of the Sovereign Council), Hemiditi (Member of Sovereign Council; Head of Rapid Speed Forces, aka Janjaweed), and others out of questions with regards to the genocide and war crimes.
Let us just take it back a bit to remind all of the scale of what happened in Darfur and how the magnitude of the crime should outweigh the current back and forth between TMC and FFC (Forces for Freedom and Change) with regards to the appointments the head of the judiciary system in the country.
Tuesday, the 4th March 2009, does represent an important date for the people in Sudan in general and those in Darfur in particular. It marks the beginning of long-lost justice; the press conference in Le Hague, 10 years ago, where Luis Ocampo, the former general prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), announced that his team have enough evidence to prosecute Omer Bashir, then the sitting president of Sudan, for crimes committed under his commands, that counts for the following:
5 counts for crimes against humanity
2 counts of war crimes
3 counts of genocide (ref. 1)
The gathering of evidence of above mentioned crimes were concluded by the 12th July 2010, under the statue of Rome. Two warrants of arrest issued by the Pre Trial Chamber are out there, and the perpetrator (Bashir) is at large.
The horror, gruesome crimes and havoc caused by Bashir and his troop plus the Janjaweed in DARFUR then their planned succeeded in extending the crimes to Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile in 2011 to date.
All of the aforementioned was not enough to put the case of peace at the forefront of the political back and forth between the TMC and the FFC, particularly, when their seems to be any signs of agreement and things are moving forward between the two bodies. The just case has now being demoted by the two groups equally to less than a bargaining chip and the silence from the victims is expected and in reality is requested under the banner of “the time is critical; the issue of peace and justice is our priority and Alhissa Watan “which means – It is time for us to rally for our country for the big cause” all of which are great slogans however, it is use to pass certain agendas whilst millions still reside in internally displaced camps across DARFUR, Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, the marginalized areas, and also millions others are scattered in refugee camps in East Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Libya, Egypt and beyond.
One important point that TMC, FFC and any upcoming government need to understand clearly, no international pledges will be fulfilled without implementing a peace agreement that stops the war and cater for the marginalized, force displaced victims of wars. Secondly, Sudan is listed as a countries that supports and harbours terrorists plus there are economic sanctions inflicted on the country; that will not go away because there is a surface change in the governance of the country; change that does not reflect on the major cases in Sudan, Darfur, Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, would not help the elites to grant their wishes of receiving the blessing from the donor countries in the west.
After that and particularly last week were Janjaweed killed 3 persons and injuries severals on an unprovoked attacked on the civilians of Shangili Tobai – at Nifasha IDP camp. This incident were tucked under the carpet by the FFC (ref. 2).
The judicial system in the country is not equipped to handle such chance, the case of Bashir and his co perpetrators because of corruption, direct involvement of the “former“ body known as TMC in appointing the judge and setting the rules of engagement in this case to protect themselves and others. Also the FFC and the constant dancing around the issue of appointing the head of the Judicial system. The paragraph about the very subject in the constitutional dossier has changed “the head of the judiciary system and attorney general should be selected by the Supreme Judicial Council” up to the point of signing the deal between TMC and FFC, the Supreme Judicial system was made of ex cronies of Bashir, and the TMC itself has removed and appointed persons for these positions several times during its rule (ref. 3). FFC tried to bring names forward for the position after signing the deal, which were rejected by the TMC as they claimed go back to the constitutional declaration you have just signed and read the paragraph about the appointments for the posts. The persons who wrote this paragraph or were involved in the discussion that lead to the inception of this weak paragraph should be held accountable for the seriousness of violations. It also showed that the major cases against Bashir and co. are not looked at seriously and they are far away from being a priority for the power hungry opportunistic cross parties’ elites.
People can take a look at the gruesome Darfur Report 17-18:- Would the New Year Brings a Renewed Hope for Peace in Sudan under Bashir? Thus far… Darfur Begs to Differ (ref. 4).
The fight for justice for the people of the marginalized areas shall continue. The fight for sending Bashir for ICC will continue, the fight for the IDP and refugees they are granted the justice they deserved, also shall continue.
Lest We Forget, the half million killed and buried in mass graves; the millions force displaced in IDP and refugee camps. Lest we Forget the silent sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), thousands of them.
Osama Mahmoud
Head of Comms.
Press Office – Darfur Union in the UK
Website: https://darfurunionuk.wordpress.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter handle: @darfurunionuk
Ref. 1:
https://www.icc-cpi.int/darfur/albashir/pages/alleged-crimes.aspx
Ref. 2:
https://darfurunionuk.wordpress.com/2019/08/13/darfur-union-in-the-uk-the-bloodshed-in-darfur-shangili-tobai-is-always-accompanied-by-a-deafening-silence-is-it-because-ffc-is-not-aiming-to-spoil-the-party-ahead/
Ref. 3:
https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/junta-blocks-judiciary-appointments
Ref. 4:
https://darfurunionuk.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/darfur-union-in-the-uk-darfur-report-2017-2018-will-2018-brings-a-renewed-hope-for-peace-in-sudan-under-bashir-thus-far-darfur-begs-to-differ/