The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese President. What does this mean for Africa, its citizens and “governance”, on the continent as a whole?

This scenario is fast developing and as time passes-by, new tit-bits would come-in.

The “warrant” simply means that Mr. Bashir is a “wanted man” and thus, international criminal enforcement agencies like Interpol, are “empowered” to arrest him, dock him while he awaits “sentence”.

On one hand, the Sudanese killings is such an embarrassment to every descent African. It’s as if “Africans” are sub-human, cannibals! Its seems Africans have an unparalleled capacity for blood-letting and not just mere blood-letting but one that is “discharged” in a cruel and inhuman manner.

We still remember the Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil war and the catch phrase, “Short-Sleeve” or “Long-Sleeve”, that went with it (it simply means giving the victims ”a choice” as to where they prefer their own arms to be severed-off by the bandits! What a choice).

In Sudan, people, including the elderly, children and babies were murdered, amputated, burned, raped and mindlessly tortured, all in the name of “power-struggle”. Where should we as “humans” draw the line in how we treat fellow humans, our own citizens for that matter?

For a recap of the “Darfur genocide”, we should not forget that Sudan is populated mainly by the “ruling northerners” of “Arab-stock” and the “opposition Rebels” of native-African stock, in the south.

The ‘rebels’ complain of abuse and ethnic cleansing, by the Arab government and its northerners collaborators. The “Rebel Africans” in the south want “self rule” and when this was not forthcoming, took the unconstitutional way out by trying to secede.

The “Janjaweed” are really are sore point. It is criminality of the highest order, for a government, installed to enforce law, to be the one encouraging such lawlessness, just because it serves its sinister purpose.

The ruling Arab, central government not only unleashed its military might on the rebels, bombing them from the air, but also sent-in marauding Arabic nomads called “Janjaweed”, to finish what they could not be seen as doing – crimes against humanity, the rape, the burning, the ethnic cleansing, e.t.c.

But certain questions arise from all these.

“Breakaways” and self determination, have always happened, the old USSR broke-up and spurned the Ukraine, Georgia and all the “something-tans” and “something-zans” littering the Eastern bloc. Though there were conflicts, but the wars were fought with some decency and not the level of barbarisms exhibited in Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia Sierra-Leone, e.t.c .

The question is are we so blood-thirsty or how come we forget that these people we fight against are actually our “brothers and sisters”?

Another question is whether it is alright for “colonial masters” to continue to interfere in internal African “issues” when African countries don’t interfere in what happens in other places they are involved in ? Are western countries who stood-by while these atrocities were being committed, morally justified to come and “pronounce judgment” when they could have assisted to prevent the genocide, using their military superiority, in the first place?

What about African leaders?, what message does this send to them? Does it say “Hey, the larger world will hold you accountable for the rape and victimization you visit on your people and you can’t just continue to hide under the guise of “national sovereignty” to commit crimes against the very people you swore to serve”.

On the other hand, does this “arrest warrant” tell we Africans that we have lost our pride and we are in for another round slavery, a second colonialism, since no one has tried to “issue arrest warrants” for western troops, be it NATO or American troops for the “crime against humanity” they committed in Abu Graib prison, in Iraq, in Vietnam, in South Africa! …or is it a case of one law for the “third world” and another law for the super powers and their lackeys? Why has Israeli leaders not been “warranted and arrested” for all their crimes on the Palestinian people? Why Sudan? Why Africans?

Does this arrest warrant not indict the “African Union” currently chaired by Maumar Kadafi, as a toothless association of sit-tight murderers who pat each other on the back and compete for an award of who could best decimate and impoverish his people? What has the A.U. done to ensure that Africa is rid of despots and leaders that want to rule for life? The likes of our own Abacha, the Mugabes, the Obasanjos, the Raila Odingas, the IBB’s and even Kadafi himself?  What makes “political office” so lucrative and tempting, that even in the face of imminent death, African leaders would rather die in office? Is it not corruption and the feeling that “you can get away with it”? Why do we always look up to the west, to solve our problems for us and expect that they would not treat us like a “colonized continent”?

If African countries can not conduct credible elections that reflect the express wish of the electorate but would rather rig and snatch ballot boxes, the ensuing upheaval creates ripples, imbalances and uncertainties for the rest of the world, the international organizations like U.N, World Court, W.F.P., to deal with. We then, give them no choice than to intervene and poke nose into our internal political affairs.

Of course, we must not overlook the contributions of countries like China, countries that would ‘dine with the devil’ as long as it allows them to dip their spoon into the pot of stew! As far as China is concerned, so long as the Sudanese oil is flowing, so long as its government is giving out juicy contracts to Chinese companies, so long as it could get a piece of the action in failed and inferior structural constructions, the whole of Darfur may just disappear or go up in flames, she doesn’t care.

Why would President Bashir and his likes take a hard look at what they do to their citizens, if they continue to get support from such countries that turn a blind eye to a government whose bandits murder Peace keepers?

What would President Bashir do next? Intensify his war of genocide on the southern Rebels and hopes he exterminates the “black infidels” sooner than he could be arrested? Drive out all the international organizations, stay holed-up inside Sudan and turn his country into a pariah state? Allow self governance for the black African southern rebels? Surrender and get a fair trial? I don’t think so, very un-African!

Whether President Bashir can be arrested, like Slobodan Milosevic and tried, only time will tell but for now, let the ethnic cleansing and rape continue!!

Mr. "Deji Saanu is an I.T. Specialist and Digital Security Consultant.

Robot  # 1 | 05.03.2009 00:34

On one hand, the Sudanese killings is such an embarrassment to every descent African. It’s as if “Africans” are sub-human, cannibals! Its seems Africans have an unparalleled capacity for blood-letting and not just mere blood-letting but one that is “discharged” in a cruel and inhuman manner. We still remember the Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil war and the catch phrase, “Short-Sleeve” or “Long-Sleeve”, that went with it (it simply means giving the victim ”a choice” as to where they prefer their own arms to be severed-off by the bandits! What a choice) ....Read the full article.

chitzi  # 2 | 05.03.2009 10:02

Only when African leaders provide leadership based on social values and ethics would we have a peaceful and independent Africa, free from foreign interference or modern day colonialism. Let us for a moment forget the varying interpetrations that may be bestowed on the words "ethics" and "values". Suffice to say that we crave an Africa were leaders would have the welfare of the people at heart, not indulge in sadistic pastimes on the lives of the people. So let the Sudanese President answer to the ICC summons. If he is innocent(which in law he ought to be till proven otherwise) he should be acquitted. For the reverse, he should be made to pay for the charged offence.His conviction or acquittal would sing aloud the message that a culprit or an innocent would always have their just desserts someday. Indeed, it is shameful that he is the first sitting Head of State in Africa(if not in the world) to be indicted with war crimes.Adolph Hitler got his post-humuosly, and Pinochet, Milosevic and co. got theirs after leaving office. Make no mistake, Al Bashir's indictement is an embarrasment for africa and africans, and it can thus serve as a leeway for foreign interference. But if we keep our house in order - the leaders ensuring they rule with good conscience and the led disenfranchising bad leaders- we would have then effectively plugged that hole of Western intrusion.

10Kobo  # 3 | 06.03.2009 06:38

It was such a scene, watching the man "dancing" just after hearing abt the 'warrant'! He was trying to say "catch me if you can" to the court :clap: But more worrisome is the attitude of the people themselves. This Leaders are just one person, ordinary folk, if divested of the 'support and encouragement' of the "l-go-die-4u" beneficiaries of their regime. What should have been the peoples attitude at this time, in a "sane environment"? And to show the world who is really 'in-charge', he sent away the Aid Agencies that have been helping the people do what he was supposed to be doing to them in the first place! Health, Food, Shelter.e.t.c Agencies like Medicine without frontiers! This is when it would have been credible to send-in "Commandos", into a sovereign country and "airlift" the President, like was done to President Noriega, some time back.