Rights groups demonstrate outside UN

Amnesty International and human rights activists are expected to send a message to United Nations Security Council at a rally on Thursday evening urging the body to reject efforts to block indictment of Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir by International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide in war torn Darfur region.

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has accused Sudan’s president of masterminding a campaign of rape, murder and deportation in volatile Darfur region.

A demonstration by activists will call on UN member states to stop delaying and keep promises they have made for more than a year to send 26,000 peacekeepers to protect civilians in Darfur.

Activists demand that 15 countries on UN Security Council not turn a blind eye to justice and accountability in Darfur crisis.

Amnesty International Executive Director Larry Cox said nobody should be protected from prosecution for most serious crimes committed in Darfur under international law.

Amnesty International also wants peacekeepers deployed without delay in Darfur region. “Delays in deployment are putting millions of lives at further risk in a region where hundreds of thousands of individuals have died in more than five years of unrelenting, horrific violence,” said Mr Cox.

“If attempts to block the ICC’s investigation of President Al Bashir succeed, it would set a dangerous precedent for others to try to undermine international law,” he said, stating that it would send a message that international community is not serious about ending impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Earlier this week, Sudanese officials were reported to have begun lobbying at United Nations to block ICC’s indictment on country’s longtime president.

Sudanese government is calling on UN Security Council to defer ICC proceedings using power granted to the council in ICC’s statute. African Union and League of Arab States have also joined in this effort.

Vienna Colucci, Director, International Justice, Amnesty International USA said deferral of investigations would undermine work established to curb human rights abuses.

United States, a permanent member of Security Council said it is unwilling to circumvent pursuit of justice and accountability in Darfur and has indicated support for ICC investigation.

Amnesty International has called on Zalmay Khalilzad, American ambassador to United Nations, to use his influence to prevent Security Council from obstructing the investigation.

Activists representing 15 organisations will erect 15 eight-foot-high silhouette figures blindfolded and carrying scales of justice.

© afrol News

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