Sudanese President Rejects Genocide Claims

Posted on Jul 14, 2008

AP photo / Abd Raouf

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir gestures to pro-government demonstrators outside a Cabinet meeting in Khartoum on Sunday.

Although an International Criminal Court prosecutor has accused Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir of genocide in Darfur, Bashir begs to differ and Sudan is refusing to cooperate with the court. Meanwhile, some United Nations representatives are preparing to leave Sudan as concerns build about a potential violent backlash to the charge.

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BBC:

Sudan’s ambassador to the UN, Abdalmahmood Abalhaleem Mohamad, told the BBC that Mr Bashir viewed the charges as a “political statement” and had no intention of co-operating with the ICC.

He criticised ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo for indicting the president, whom he said had brought about a peace agreement to end Sudan’s civil war.

“It is a very irresponsible move, it will affect negatively the peace process in the country,” he said.

“It will have ramifications in the entire region. Our priority is peace in the country. Stopping bloodshed, making peace.”

Mr Mohamed told the Associated Press that the government was bolstering its military capability in case rebel forces were encouraged by the situation to attack Khartoum.

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