Thursday 16 July 2015

109 CSOs Demand Justice On Al-Bashir Arrest Foil In South Africa

Over one hundred Civil Society groups asks Courts of South Africa to establish accountability and the government to investigate circumstances that allowed Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir leave the country in defiance of Pretoria Court order of his arrest.



President al-Bashir wanted by International Criminal Court (ICC) was in South Africa from 13-15 June for an African Union Summit. 



The 71 year old Sudanese President flown home from South Africa in defiance of Court order that he stay to face arrest.



South African Government, party to the Rome Statute of the (ICC) was required to facilitate the arrest and surrender President al-Bashir to The Hague for charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the conflict in Darfur.



Failure to arrest al-Bashir worries 109 civil society groups, from across the globe, working on international criminal justice and human rights.



They have expressed “deep disappointment” with the actions of South African officials in allowing Sudanese President, to depart the country in defiance of a court order and South Africa’s international legal obligations.



“We noted with deep concern reports that rather than arresting President al-Bashir, South African officials apparently allowed him to leave the country in direct defiance of the order by the Pretoria High Court.” Reads the Declaration dated 11th July 2015 signed by 109 CSO groups Read full Declaration



“The actions pose serious consequences for the independence of the judiciary in South Africa and demonstrate a flagrant lack of respect for the rule of law and the rights of Darfur’s victims to have access to justice.



Adds the letter; “South Africa’s domestication of the Rome Statute of the ICC makes the government’s failure to arrest President Omar al-Bashir a contravention of domestic law as well.” 



From Malawi, five CSOs have signed the Declaration including Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP)


Gift Trapence

“We are all saying that South Africa Government should comply to the international human rights standards. If they are party to international agreements they have to respect those agreements” said Gift Trapence Executive Director for CEDEP



“These international instruments that countries are party to, have no borders and human rights issues these are universal, there is no border in terms of application.” He said “This is why as civil society we are raising this issue at both local and global level.”



Trapence emphasized that this Declaration also sends message to all countries to comply to international human rights instruments.



“Whenever countries are party to international human rights instruments they need to comply” He said 



“The instruments of the laws that we have, should not be applied selectively. We have to make sure that even African governments are able to comply with those international human rights mechanisms and in this case it is Rome Statutes.” He added “And we are also urging even Malawi to be exemplary to comply and ratify human rights instruments that it hasn’t ratified.” 



Trapence also urged African governments to stop giving immunity to the sitting presidents who commits atrocities against its citizens and that African Union should also look at this problem.



Among others, the Declaration signed by 109 CSOs, call on the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC to take appropriate action to address non-compliance by South Africa and other States who breach their obligations of cooperation and assistance under the ICC Statute. 



It further demands all responsible to be brought to prompt justice, including for contempt of court. Read full Declaration

No comments:

Post a Comment