The International Criminal Court has issued a plea to the United Nations Security Council to assist in the arrest of two Sudanese officials for crimes in Darfur. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC prosecutor, was before the Security Council in New York yesterday advising the international community that they, in coordination with regional organizations, "must take the lead" in detaining Ahmad Huran and Ali Kushayb for war crimes. The Security Council had requested the assistance of the ICC in 2005 in the investigation of atrocities committed in Sudan. Security Council members, including U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, are expected in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on June 17 to discuss issues with top government officials there.
The ICC charged Huran and Kushayb in May with 51 counts of war crime and crimes against humanity. The ICC warrants allege that Huran armed and funded janjaweed militias and provoked them "to attack and commit massive crimes against the civilian population." According to eyewitness accounts, Kushayb supplied arms to the janjaweed and was seen to be "involved in the execution of prisoners [and] in the rape of women." Kushayb is allegedly in Sudanese custody, while Huran is the current humanitarian affairs minister.
An estimated 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur at the hands of the janjaweed militias. In 2003, non-Arab farmers staged an uprising protest perceived government neglect. The government supported a swift counter-insurgency campaign which sparked civil conflict between rebels and government backed militias. Over 2 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.
Manuel Aranda Da Silva, the top UN humanitarian chief, has indicated that all parties have expressed interest in reexamining a year old peace agreement. The negotiations have been largely stalled due to ongoing civil conflict, which is hampering much needed humanitarian aid. French officials are at the G8 summit this week petitioning for an aid corridor to the Darfur region. France already has several thousand troops in place amending the African Union forces there.
Despite negotiations, the ICC stated that atrocities are ongoing in Sudan. According to a press release issued by the ICC, Sudan has continued with "indiscriminate and disproportionate" air strikes on villages, ongoing rape in refugee camps, and attacks against international peacekeepers and aid workers. According to Ocampo; "From the information gathered, it appears that the parties to the conflict continue to violate international humanitarian law."
U.S. President, George W. Bush, stated that he was “frustrated because there are still people suffering and the UN process is moving at a snail's pace.”
