EDITOR’S NOTE: African Union (AU) is a corrupt organization that is created to protect the interests of African vampires like Meles and al-Bashir, not the interest of Africans.
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) — The African Union said Saturday that plans by the International Criminal Court to prosecute Sudanese government officials for alleged warcrimes could jeopardize peace efforts in Darfur.
In a statement released after a meeting in the Ethiopian capital, the body’s Peace and Security Council “expressed its strong conviction that the search for justice should be pursued in a way that does not impede or jeopardize efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace…”
The statement follows reports that prosecutors of the international court may seek the arrest of President Omar al-Beshir for warcrimes committed by his forces in the western province of Darfur.
The Council said it had been briefed on the ICC’s plans on Friday by the court’s deputy prosecutor, and “reiterated the AU’s concern with the misuse of indictments against African leaders.”
It said the UN Security Council itself, in a March 2005 resolution, had “emphasized the need to promote healing and reconciliation” in the region.
ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo announced on Thursday that he would unveil a new case on Darfur and name suspects next Monday.
US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack on Friday confirmed newspaper reports that ICC prosecutors would seek an arrest warrant for Beshir.
It would mark the first-ever bid by the ICC, based in The Hague, to charge a sitting head of state.