Government of Southern Sudan
Liaison Office - Brussels

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Statement by Salva Kiir on the decision of the ICC concerning President Al Bashir
Wed, March 4 2009
By LO - Bxl [Juba - SUDAN]
The Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will deliver its decision on the accusations against President Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bahir. This is what the Court had announced earlier on. In the expected announcement, the ICC may issue the warrant of arrest or it may throw out the case against the President. This announcement may not mark the end of the ICC issue. This matter may hang on for sometime but it certainly will not mean the end of our country, the Sudan or government. This episode should not be viewed as a crisis but as an opportunity to consolidate peace, justice and stability in our country.

In order to move beyond this announcement, we have to continue doing those things that will maintain peace and stability in our country. We must continue to assure the security and safety of every citizen and foreign resident in the Sudan. I trust that our armed forces and law enforcement agencies shall respect the basic rights of the people, maintain law and order and uphold and abide by the constitution. We will continue to provide security and protection to foreigners living in our country or tourists visiting it. We must continue facilitating the peace keeping missions of the United Nations, the African Union and all the humanitarian agencies. We will continue to carry out our daily work normally. We must and will continue to treat ourselves and foreigners with that legendary hospitality and civility for which the Sudanese are renowned. We must continue to do those things that ought to be done, in order to lift our country out of the current dire financial and economic straits. We must continue to play our role as a responsible member of the community of nations.

During such difficult times, or situations of uncertainty, members of any political party look to the party for direction and guidance. This is natural. It is therefore perfectly normal to expect your party to provide such direction and clarity in the current circumstances.

In addressing the issue of the ICC last July, I had appealed for calm and restraint. I do reiterate the same now. You will recall that all meetings of the SPLM Political Bureau held after July 2008 have kept the ICC issue on its agenda. The SPLM ha maintained a consistent position since then. We have advised engagement with the ICC and cooperation with the international community so as to resolve the issue before it assumes massive proportions. We advised engagement with the ICC because this is a legal matter that we believe needs to be addressed legally. In the spirit of Sudan's foreign policy enshrined in the CPA and the constitution, we strongly advised cooperation rather than confrontation with the international community in order to secure goodwill for political resolution of the root causes of the problem that led to the accusations. We believed then, as we do now, that this goodwill is necessary and good for the Sudan. It is necessary in case of the Court's decision that may affect the country negatively. This remains our position today and we will stand by it.

I do not know what the Court will announce tomorrow. But in the event of the court agreeing with the Chief Prosecutor, the SPLM will work with its partners in the NCP on how to politically and diplomatically handle the decision of the Court. The two parties shall seriously and genuinely address the conflict in Darfur, the full implementation of the CPA, pursue national reconciliation and healing process. We will work with other political parties, African Union and the international community to achieve these objectives. We will do this because we believe it will serve the interest of peace and stability in the country. In taking this route, the SPLM is committed to justice without compromising peace and stability and the destiny of our nation. Therefore, we appeal to the international community to continue maintaining peace and supporting post-conflict reconstruction in the Sudan. The collapse of peace in Sudan shall not only hurt the Sudan itself but shall also have serious repercussions in the region. Moreover the international community already has its hands full with respect to security problems in the Horn of Africa and the Great lakes region for it to add.

SPLM believes in the freedom of speech and of expression within the bounds of the law. This has been our position all along.

 

 

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