Controversy over Nigeria’s plans to welcome Sudan President, Bashir Empowered. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court An international uproar against Nigeria started brewing over the weekend with news that indicted International Criminal Court suspect, President Omer Al-Bashir of Sudan is expected in Abuja to participate in the international HIV/AIDS conference starting tomorrow, Empowered Newswire reports. This news came on the same day the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon cited Nigeria as among the countries in the world where children were being killed just for going to school in reference to the recent Yobe terrorist killing of school children and a teacher. Secretary-General Ban spoke on Friday at the UN head office in New York at a Youth Assembly session held to honor Malala Yousafzai, the survivor- Pakistani -teenage -girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban for attending school last year. The news about Omar Bashir’s trip to Abuja first came through the Sudanese media on Friday night that Bashir who ICC indicted since 2009 would be among the over 30 African heads of state to attend the international conference. Besides western news media like Washington Post, Associated Press have also started focusing on the news by Saturday morning. About the same time, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri had indeed briefed the Nigerian press that over 30 African heads of state would be participating at the international conference. She even attributed the expected large turn-out of African leaders to what she said was Nigeria’s rising significance in the world. However Onwuliri was not reported to have specifically listed the names of the more than 30 heads of state and presidents expected at the HIV/AIDS meeting, nor was she reported to have mentioned the name of the controversial Sudanese president specifically. But some countries have welcomed the Sudanese President including Kenya, Chad, and Djibouti. An African Union decision not to cooperate with the ICC is what some African diplomats allude to in advocating for the ICC indicted president to visit African countries. But as a signatory to ICC, Nigeria and several African countries are expected under their treaty obligations to actually arrest the Sudanese president if he set foot on their soil. In an email interaction with a top presidency official over the weekend, it was confirmed that the Sudanese President might even have a sideline meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan. According to the presidency source, “Presidents Jonathan and Omar Bashir have always met on sidelines of meetings to discuss the Sudanese situation and other issues, another meeting between them can be expected.” Human Rights Watch, a global human rights organization headquartered in New York express serious concern about the possibility. HRW’s Associate Director, Elise Keppler said if Bashir is allowed to visit Nigeria, “this would be a new low for Nigeria.” “Al-Bashir is a fugitive charged with heinous crimes committed in Darfur and he belongs in custody,” Keppler stated. She recalled that before this attempt by Bashir to visit Nigeria, “many other African states have made clear he will not be welcomed or avoided his visits, including South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, and Uganda. Nigeria should side with victims and arrest or bar entry to al- Bashir.” Indeed Zambia, Central African Republic, and Uganda cancelled plans to welcome Bashir at the last minute and Kenya did not allow a second visit. As for South Africa and Botswana, both nations told the Sudanese president clearly that he would not be welcomed on their soils. Meanwhile, UN Secretary- General said in New York on Friday that “Governments and partners around the world have made important progress in education. UNESCO and UNICEF have helped lead the support of the UN family. But he added that there is still “much work to do — 57 million children are not in school. We have to bring all 57 million people to school by the end of 2015. That is our strong commitment at the United Nations.” Ban then observed many school children, mostly girls live in conflict- affected areas. -CULLED FROM PREMIUM TIMES
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 13:44:44 +0000
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