24 Feb Inching Toward Peace in Sudan
24.02.10
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Despite all the grumbling from NGOs, there does appear to be some modest progress toward more peace and stability in Sudan.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has signed a framework ceasefire deal with one of Darfur’s main rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem).
The power-sharing agreement in Qatar is seen as an important step towards peace, though the other main rebel group has refused to enter talks.
This is hardly peace in our time, but it is better than what we had before. And let’s remember, as awful as Bashir, it is “war criminal” Omar al-Bashir who made this deal, and who will probably be re-elected later this year. I suppose it would have no effect on this fragile peace deal if he was arrested now. None at all…
This report has been twisted here into an argument against the ICC, whereas it could just as easily be twisted into one for the Court. Would al-Bashir have entered this agreement were it not for the arrest warrant? I wonder if it is no coincidence that al-Bashir seems keen, suddenly, to raise his profile – rather, might this have something to do with the arrest warrant hanging over his head? We saw the same thing a few years ago, with Kony and friends emerging from the jungle for negotiations after warrants were issued against them.