Compounding the Crime

By: Brian Meents

This article discusses the case against Omar al-Bashir brought on by the ICC and how it has opened a fissure between those who support justice and those who fear it. The ICC had expected a mixed reaction and we discussed in class, the benefits and drawbacks of issuing the arrest warrant; however, the reaction in Sudan was a little more extreme than most people figured. A dozen major international aid agencies and a couple of local ones were immediately expelled from Darfur, and many from the country altogether; staff were unceremoniously escorted to waiting planes while their computers, files and much else were confiscated by the authorities. The remaining aid agencies have been put on notice, and could be next. The NGOs that were expelled from Sudan provided much of the food, water and medicine to the 2.75m refugees who live in temporary camps in Darfur. So this move is, above all, a huge blow to the fragile humanitarian lifeline that has been keeping the wretched victims of the Darfur conflict alive. The Sudanese government has given no official explanation for the expulsions, but has made spurious allegations that all these aid agencies were involved in a conspiracy to supply the ICC with the evidence to prosecute Mr Bashir and his henchmen. This was a reaction that I was afraid would happen, although not this severe. What good is an arrest warrant without the ability to enforce it? All it does is causes huge problems like this and now, although it is hard to imagine, the people of Darfur are in worse shape than before.

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13278209&source=hptextfeature