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The Lead-up to Sudan's Expelling NGOs - United Nations Stalemate
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by A. Tran | March 7, 2009 at 09:44 am
856 views | 94 Recommendations | 15 comments
On Mar. 4, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for the arrest of Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, for his alleged responsibility for crimes committed in Darfur, Sudan.
“He is suspected of being criminally responsible, as an indirect (co-)perpetrator, for intentionally directing attacks against an important part of the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property,” according to a press release issued by the Court.
Mr. Al-Bashir was indicted on two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity. However, the Hague-based International Criminal Court's (ICC) pre-trial chamber found there was insufficient evidence to charge him with genocide, but stressed that if the prosecution presents additional evidence the warrant could be amended at a later date.
Today’s warrant issued for Mr. Al-Bashir marks the third to arise from the situation in Darfur. In May 2008, the pre-trial chamber issued arrest warrants for Ahmad Harun, former Sudanese Minister of State for the Interior and now the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and Ali Kushayb, a Janjaweed leader.
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The Sudanese government's immediate reaction to the indictment was defiant as it revoked the licenses of 13 international aid organizations on Mar. 4, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for atrocities committed in Darfur. The Khartoum government accused the groups of giving evidence to the court, the charge that the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) had denied.
A Beninese coalition on Friday, Mar. 6, welcomed the international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The United Nations has warned that Mr. Al-Bashir's action will have immediate effects, and that as soon as Monday, thousands of residents of at least one camp for displaced persons could be without clean water and sanitation.
The full text of the press conference by the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator on the revocation of licenses for NGOs in Northern Sudan is available here.
Briefing a Security Council meeting on Mar. 6, Sudan, a senior UN relief official warned of the effects of some 6,500 international aid workers being expelled from Darfur.
“I stressed that the humanitarian situation should be de-linked from any discussion and debate on the ICC decision,” Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Catherine Bragg told reporters after the consultations.
She also cautioned that if the decision to de-register major actors such as Oxfam, Care International, International Rescue Committee and Save the Children is allowed to stand, “the number of people affected will be in the millions” and humanitarian capabilities in the region will be cut by half.
The NGOs joined the United Nations by expressing their grave concerns: the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), UNICEF, the UN World Health Organization (WHO), and the African Union/United Nations Hybrid (UNAMID), which is a joint African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur authorized by the Security Council Resolution 1769, on July 31, 2007.
For UNHCR's part, at least five of the NGOs asked to leave Sudan have been UNHCR implementing partners carrying out important humanitarian programs in Darfur but also Blue Nile State and Khartoum State. So it is noteworthy that this could have an impact not only on Darfur, but on vulnerable people elsewhere in the country.With some 4.7 million Sudanese – including 2.7 million internally displaced – already receiving assistance in Darfur, we are very concerned over the prospect of new population movements in the region should the fragile aid lifeline inside Sudan be disrupted. There are also 40,000 Chadian refugees in West Darfur.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed its main concern in the areas of water, sanitation, nutrition, and health. The organization also emphasized that it would try to ensure that its programs continued, whether by using NGOs whose licenses had not been revoked or new partners.
There was deep concern among the 15 Security Council members about the expulsion of the aid organizations and the impact it could have on the humanitarian situation, but they were unable to translate that into a formal statement. The U.N. Security Council failed to act with a unified voice Friday, during a meeting about the fragile humanitarian situation in Darfur, Sudan.
Earlier on Friday, Washington's ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice blasted Sudan's decision, describing it as "reckless" and "callous.""The United States is gravely concerned by the reckless decision of the Sudanese government to expel international aid groups working to ease the suffering of Sudan's citizens," Rice told reporters in a conference call.
Other NP Related Articles:
Amy Judd: The UN comes to no agreement on the Sudan crisis and
Darfur fears of crisis as aid agencies leave the region
Rachel Nixon: Sudan's President Defies Arrest Warrant
Rob Walker: Sudan Kicks out Major Aid Groups from Darfur
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Recommendations (94)
duo
Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States
JeffHuang
Berkeley, California, United States
Amy Judd
Vancouver, Canada
Mary Richard
Toronto, Canada
Jordan Yerman
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Rhonda J Mangus
North Tonawanda, New York, United States
mudricky
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Uwe Paschen
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mtammas
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (15)
at 09:51 on March 7th, 2009
Nice story!
It is even more interesting because the legal guide lines from this exact scenario is likely to be the platform for a future similar case against G.W. Bush!
Let's hope both will turn out successfully... although in the Sudan case the people will suffer even more it seems, at least in the short run.
at 11:09 on March 7th, 2009
As you might have already gathered, the United States is not a member of the ICC which makes the US effective only on one level, the humanitarian aid crisis, in the Security Council.
Thank you, Zeet, for your recommendation.
at 10:07 on March 7th, 2009
Yes, it's too bad the people will have to suffer more. (Good report, Pythiian)
at 11:12 on March 7th, 2009
Thank you, Blue Crush, for your recommendation. You're right about the increasing number of refugees who will have to go without the vast NGOs network of services. My piece has included several links to external resources to various NGOs, especially, the UNHCR.
at 10:13 on March 7th, 2009
It should be deemed a war crime to cut off humanitarian aid in this region, however even by the time any paperwork goes through for this, it would already be too late.
at 11:17 on March 7th, 2009
Thank you, Amy, for your recommendation, pieces on this subject, and observations. The ICC has reserved the rights to re-visit the topic of "crimes against humanity" as discussed in their statement.
Nearby Chad will turn into a crisis because the refugees have gone there as well. The Southern Sudanese officials have offered safe haven for the NGOs as of early this morning's report.
at 10:40 on March 7th, 2009
Thanks for the story Pythiian. Great post
at 11:18 on March 7th, 2009
Thank you, JeffHuang, for your recommendation and video contributions.
at 11:01 on March 7th, 2009
I created a channel about the Sudan here - it should give some more information on the subject.
at 11:03 on March 7th, 2009
Thank you, Amy, for the announcement.
at 12:55 on March 7th, 2009
An update from Save The Children working in the area:
Source: hopethroughhealinghands.org
at 16:27 on March 7th, 2009
According to the latest update, Mercy Corps is another NGO whose license was revoked without any explanation on Wednesday.
Source: msnbc.msn.com
at 17:08 on March 7th, 2009
Good summery. We need to rid the UN of the 5 Veto rights or it can not function properly nor help in cases such as this one.
at 17:47 on March 7th, 2009
Thank you, Paschen, for your comment and recommendation. The UN Security Council needs to discuss this important issue as soon as possible, because the human sufferings are mounting by the hours.
at 17:08 on March 7th, 2009
I think Roy's explanation of letting those who wish change of leadership proceed without our help, let the countries laws dictate what is to happen to Bashir, if they people of Sudan truly want change then it is they not the UN or the Western world who should interfere. As Zeet put it, the West's failed experiments are numerous when we try to help, for one we can never tell ally from enemy in many of these dictatorships, the people say one thing and do another. Amy, being originally from Libya can attest to that having lived in a dictatorship, the same is of North Korea where the citizens starving still publicly revere Kim Jung as the glorious leader! Does anyone believe this? Do you really think the people of Libya and North Korea believe this? Stalin said it best, the only way to control and mold the peoples minds is to control info and Food. A misinformed and hungry people will have little fight in them if they are too busy looking for food.
The UN, have failed countries the world over, when many of these UN politicians from third world countries have never had it so good living and working in New York say, versus working and living in Uganda or Somalia. So Roys assessment of Fat Cats, nice cars, expensive meals at their countries expense while their masses starve and rely on World Financial Aid to subsist makes no sense at all, as it made no sense for these countries wanting independence as former colonies from Commonwealth or European countries, as 60 years later, they are still ill prepared to look after themselves, making Africa on big Honkin Welfare state. Though there are a few African countries who are making leaps and bounds as progressive and responsible, but are in fear of neighbouring african countries (Who by the way are UN members) who look on with envy, and may one day take without working for it. Par for the course in the Dark Continent! With Rwanda being the Darkest when it comes to UN incompetence. just ask General Romero Daillaire!