Three days ago the ICC officially notified the UN Security Council of the failure of Djibouti and Uganda to arrest Omar al-Bashir while he was present in these two countries. Both are state parties to the ICC and thus obliged by treaty law to arrest al-Bashir due to an arrest warrant by the ICC. This is not the first time a state party has failed to do so.

Today, Rwanda has reiterated its invitation to the Sudanese President, who is supposed to attend an AU summit in Kigali starting tomorrow. Even though Rwanda is not a state party to the ICC and consequently under no obligation to arrest the president, it shows the respect that states have for the ICC, which at least in most parts of Africa is not-existent.

The UN Security Council will probably ignore the communications referring to Uganda and Djibouti and it will most likely ignore al-Bashir’s attendance of the AU-summit.

Every six months, the Prosecutor of the ICC reports to the UN Security Council on the Darfur-situation. Every six months, the Prosecutor brings no news and repeats her calls for help. Every six months, the members of the Security Council agree and disagree on her report and criticism, albeit they agree to not act upon her calls. In June 2016, the Prosecutor delivered her 23rd report about the situation in Darfur. And very similar to the 22nd report (here) she cannot deliver real news; too few developments took place while “grave crimes continue to be committed in Darfur” (Statement of the ICC Prosecutor). Den Rest des Artikels lesen >

On 10 February 2016 the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2265 (2016) addressing the Darfur-conflict. While lamenting the deteriorating situation and the lack of progress, the Security Council failed to address the conflict in a meaningful way. Den Rest des Artikels lesen >

At the end of January 2016, the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations updated the UN Security Council on the work of UNAMID. In essence, the report unveils further instances of clashes between armed groups and non-cooperation by the Sudanese government. Den Rest des Artikels lesen >

2015 marked the tenth anniversary of the Security Council`s resolution 1593 (2005), referring the situation in Darfur, Sudan, to the International Criminal Court (here). With the year that could have been a jubilee for the ICC coming to a close, the Prosecutor of the ICC recently delivered her semi-annual report to the UN Security Council. Den Rest des Artikels lesen >

When the ICC-Prosecutor addressed the Security Council last December (here),  she commented on the alleged mass rape of more than 200 women in Tabit, Darfur. In her words, “The recent allegations of rape of approximately 200 women and girls in Tabit should shock this Council into action.” Despite her comment , several members of the Security Council denied these accusations.

Last week Human Rights Watch released “Mass Rape in Darfur“, a report which supports the accusations made by the Prosecutor. Nevertheless, the report does not solve anything.  Den Rest des Artikels lesen >