NO matter what one's stand is on the turmoil in the Darfur region of Sudan and the truth about the situation that will ultimately come out, the decision of International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to bring charges against Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir is of questionable wisdom. If the court agrees with Ocampo, it will be the first time that a sitting head of state will have been indicted by the court and the consequences are unforeseeable, at this point. Bashir, no matter what one thinks of him, is a sitting president who commands the entire state of Sudan, its armed forces and its security apparatus. As such, the state of Sudan is at his disposal and undoubtedly will come to his defense, either on its own or through his own mandate. The truth is that isolating President Bashir even further is more likely to lead him to further entrenchment, not to a stance of willingness to negotiate with those concerned about the situation in Darfur. We have yet to see the evidence that prosecutor Ocampo has presented to the court in The Hague and, no matter what the evidence, it will be 4-6 weeks before the court makes its decision on any indictment. Additionally, Sudan does not recognize the validity of the International Criminal Court so even if an arrest warrant were to be issued, it would have no validity in Sudan. The Darfur conflict has been ongoing for years and it has received plenty of publicity and attention from the international media. Why Ocampo would now decide to attempt some kind of symbolic prosecution is a mystery to everyone but him. “This indictment may well shut off the last remaining hope for a peaceful settlement for the country,” said Andrew Natsios, former US special envoy for Sudan. __
