17 July
2008 - Melbourne Sudanese Community Support ICC Decision to Charge
President with GENOCIDE and Call for UN Support to end Atrocities
UN SUPPORT UCC
STOP GENOCIDE IN SUDAN PROTEST
Tuesday 22 July
12pm
Fedaration Square
Moving to Steps of Parliament by 1pm |
The Melbourne based Sudanese community group Dinka Ngok
Abyei Association of Aust. (DNAAA), will join with other Sudanese
groups globally to show their support for the International Criminal
Court's (ICC) arrest warrant of Sudan's president al- Bashir this
week and will stage a protest at Federation
Square on Tuesday 22 July for UN and international support of
the ICC warrant and to increase peacekeeping efforts.The
group will create a visual display of shoes representing the many
lives lost through genocide under al-Bashir's reign.
ICC prosector Luis Ocampo-Moreno released a detailed
charge sheet accusing al-Bashir of 10 counts of war crimes, genocide
and crimes against humanity. Ocampo-Moreno said that on al-Bashir's
orders, the combined forces of the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed
militia have attacked and destroyed villages, murdered or caused
death by famine, disease and rape to hundreds of thousands of
innocent civilians as well as displacing millions. Obstruction
of international relief assistance was also indicated.
While UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is concerned about
retaliation by the Sudanese government and the affect on humanitarian
aid programs, the UN are not openly supporting the ICC. In response
to this inaction and misdirection, global Sudanese communities
are urging the international community to put pressure on the
UN for their lack of foresite in recognising the need to support
justice on a large scale rather then folding to the pressure of
other international networks. DNAAA member Biong Deng commented,
" how long does the UN want to continue the peacekeeping
effort? now they have an opportunity to support the end of the
atrocities that create the need for their presence. Such decision
making, is very short sighted and suggests they are fearful of
others. It creates an irrepairable hole in the reputation and
role of the UN as an organisation and places millions of lives
at risk. They must seize this opportunity to strongly support
the ICC and increase peacekeeping forces swiftly to back their
concern for potential retaliation from government forces."
Sarah Hellings, Director of the Darfur Australia Network
stated that "the people of Darfur deserve justice, which
is why al-Bashir must be tried. However, just as the international
community has a responsibility to bring the perpetrators of these
crimes to the ICC, they have a responsibility to protect Darfur's
civilians from further violence. UNAMID
must be properly resourced to ensure that the millions of people
surviving off humanitarian assistance are protected. Peace in
Darfur must be established before justice can occur."
International human rights organisations point to the
involvement of China over oil in Sudan, often indicated as the
underlying motive for genocide and displacement to access oil
particularly in Darfur and Southern Sudan. The claim of Chinese
and Sudanese governments reported in international media that
ICC charges will damage the peace process in areas of contention
in Sudan, is almost laughable if consequences were not so grave.
DNAAA President Belbek Belbek further commented "what peace
processes? people are still being killled and living in extremely
deprived circumstances, that is not a peace process. What they
really mean is that an already dire situation will worsen dramatically."
Belbek also brought to attention the questionable representation
of protestors shown supporting al-Bashir throughout international
media which have now been reported as being government sponsored.
DNAAA is also concerned that international media and
government contestation of the ICC as an organisation is diverting
attention away from the real issue of preventing genocide and
bringing to justice those responsible. The ICC has also recently
brought to trial Liberian President Charles Taylor and former
Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosovich strongly identified
for their role in war crimes.
International support for ICC investigations continues
to grow with John Bellinger, the US State Department's top legal
adviser commenting that the department "support's it's (ICC)
investigation and prosecution of those atrocities." Meanwhile
British Prime minister Brown further reinforced; "We call on the
government of Sudan to co-operate with the International Criminal
Court". DNAAA are hopeful that Arab league talks being held currently
consider international dialogue and peace processes carefully
to ensure the saftey of their families still living in Sudan.
All supporters are invited and asked to bring an old
unwanted pair of shoes or shoes with name labels securely attached.
Photograph opportunities available & interviews can be arranged:
Kerrie Manning - Fitzroy Learning Network 0432 223 381 or 94176357
