Sudan leader calls aid groups ‘spies and thieves’
SUDAN: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Saturday called the aid
workers his government kicked out from the country following his
indictment for war crimes in Darfur “spies” and “thieves.”
The move to expel 13 of the largest aid groups operating in Sudan’s
devastated Darfur region has prompted an outcry from the United Nations
and many nations including the United States, who fear it could create a
new humanitarian crisis.
UN officials say the decision would severely impact the lives of 2
million people in Darfur, as nearly 40 percent of the aid workers were
affected by the expulsion decision.
The Netherlands-based International Criminal Court issued an arrest
warrant for al-Bashir on Wednesday for war crimes committed while
suppressing a rebellion in Darfur. His government retaliated by accusing
the aid groups of working with the ICC and expelling them.
Ethnic African rebels in Darfur rose up against the Arab-dominated
central government in 2003, complaining of neglect and mistreatment. In
the ensuing war, 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million driven
from their homes.
Al-Bashir’s comments suggest his government has no plans to reverse
the decision. The U.N. Human Rights Council called the expulsion a
“grievous dereliction” of duties and said they are examining if it
constitutes a human rights violation or even a war crime.
Speaking to a large rally in Khartoum for southern Sudanese and
dressed in traditional African garb with a feather headdress, al-Bashir
railed against the aid groups.
“These organizations are for spies ... they are thieves.” He said aid
money donated to Darfur is used up by the groups themselves.
The Sudanese leader also said the ICC is a political tool aiming to
undermine the north-south peace deal.
Al-Bashir and former southern rebels signed a much-praised peace deal
in 2005, that ended Sudan’s other war in the south after more than 21
years of fighting.
The peace deal brought the southerners into a unity government with
al-Bashir. More than 2 million people died in that conflict.
Southern Sudan’s leaders have expressed worry that indicting al-Bashir
would endanger the fragile peace agreement.
Khartoum, Sunday, AP |
