As ICC Prosecutor warns Security Council, Violence in Darfur Increases Again

December 3, 2008

As ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampa briefed the UN Security Council about Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir's indictment and the Darfurian genocide, violence broke out in the Hissa Hissa camp in Southern Darfur. According to the Associated Press, ten armed Janjaweed militiamen attacked the refugee camp and torched and destroyed a water pump and five generators that provide the energy source to the camp. One Janjaweed militiaman was reported dead after being severely beaten. UNAMID peacekeepers are now being sent to the camp to ease tensions.

The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy condemns this new outbreak of violence, but hopes and supports ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampa's efforts to bring justice to the people of Darfur. While addressing the Security Council, Moreno-Ocampa warned that '"it is time to be prepared" for reprisals in Darfur if he obtains a warrant to arrest the Sudanese president on genocide charges' (Associated Press). Moreno-Ocampa stated that an indication that confirms that Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir is guilty of crimes against humanity is his recent "incitement of violence over the charges" through his direct threats of UN peacekeepers and civilians. Damanga agrees with the ICC's prosecutor's findings, and urges him as well as the entire UN, to issue an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir so that justice may be finally brought to the people of Darfur.