Daily Darfur: South Africa to Review Stance on ICC

categories: Daily Darfur, Peace & Justice

Published July 24, 2009 @ 03:35AM PT

Following a rising tide of popular dissent, the South African government is seeking legal advice over its compliance with an African Union resolution declaring non-cooperation with the ICC arrest warrants for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Because the South African parliament ratified the treaty establishing the ICC, "for South Africa to not observe its obligations is arguably unconstitutional and against the law."

The legal experts must consider whether or not compliance with the AU resolution conflicts with the country's obligations as a signatory to the Rome Statute. According to South Africa's Business Day newspaper:

"The is move follows concerns expressed by SA's allies, particularly the US, that Pretoria is straying from former president Nelson Mandela's vision that human rights would be the light that guided SA's foreign policy.

In confirming President Barack Obama's ambassadorial nominee to SA, Donald Gips, the US Senate urged him to express Washington's reservations about SA's perceived drift from a human rights-based foreign policy and its approach to HIV/AIDS."

The reports gave no sense of the timeline for the review, but the result --- and how new South African President Jacob Zuma chooses to respond --- will be, for lack of a better word, interesting. Zuma indicated some discomfort with Bashir several months ago, but lately has been toeing the AU line. The issue is thus shaping up to be a major challenge for Zuma's foreign policy acumen, as he is potentially forced to chose between competing obligations, each with its own set of consequences.

Quickies

Mohamed Suleiman, drawing from Radio Dabanga, reports that Ali Kushayb, who is wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity commmited in Darfur, is once again recruiting local militia to serve as border guards. Radio Dabanga does not mention the source of this information.

Rwandan army officer Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyanvumba was selected to be UNAMIDS new force commander.

The Institute for War & Peace Reporting has an article on the divisions in Uganda over the ICC arrest warrant for Bashir.

[Photo from Reuters: Former South African President Nelson Mandela and current President Jacob Zuma (R) celebrate Mandela's 91st birthday at his home in Johannesburg July 18, 2009.]

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Michelle became involved in the anti-genocide cause at a young age, and has been involved in various activist endeavors, including the Teach Against Genocide pilot campaigns, ever since.