The Sudanese Council of Ministers headed by Abdullah Hamdouk issued a statement confirming that it welcomed the handing over of the Suspected Kushayb to the International Criminal Court ICC , how she declared its willingness to negotiate the extradition of the remaining defendants in the crimes of Darfur, who are the ousted President Omar al-Bashir. Ahmed Haroun. Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hussein and Ali Banda.
According to the text of the statement of the Minister of Information and government spokesperson Faisal Muhammad Salih, “affirming its previously stated position of its willingness to discuss the matter of bringing the remaining accused wanted by the ICC , as part of the Sudanese authorities’ pursuit of justice for the victims of the war in Darfur as a necessary condition for achieving peace.
Meanwhile Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), briefs Security Council members during the open video conference in connection with the International Criminal Court and Sudan.
Fatou Bensouda acknowledged that, more than year after Al-Bashir’s ouster, the authorities in Khartoum have their hands full with competing priorities, including the COVID-19 pandemic, as they steer the nation towards a more democratic future.
But she told the 15-member Council via video-teleconference on Wednesday, that meeting the Sudanese people’s legitimate demands for justice, remains at the forefront.
Justice ‘too elusive, for too long’
“Justice for Darfur has already been too elusive for too long. It is past time for that unsatisfactory state of affairs to change”, she said. “A window of opportunity has been opened. We must collectively seize it. Let us act together to finally bring justice to the victims in Darfur.”
During the Darfur conflict between the Government, its militia allies and rebel groups, which began in 2003, some 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million others forced from their homes, according to UN estimates.
Ms. Bensouda briefed the Council a day after alleged Janjaweed commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–Al-Rahman – also known as Ali Kushayb, and wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity – surrendered to the authorities in Central African Republic and was then transferred to the Court’s custody.
