Fireworks over Bashir today
A SHOWDOWN is expected in Parliament today over the escape of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir when opposition parties take on the ANC over the furore that has raged for a week.
Political parties agreed to a debate on the matter at their meeting last week, following unhappiness among the opposition. The debate is set to feature senior politicians from the ANC and opposition parties.
The ruling party is on record as denouncing the manner in which the International Criminal Court (ICC) is “applying double standards” when it comes to the prosecution of war criminals.
The DA, ACDP, Cope and some other opposition parties believe the government hatched a plan for Bashir to evade arrest in South Africa.
This followed a court order in the North Gauteng High Court that the Sudanese leader must not leave these shores pending the finalisation of the court application.
However, the government yesterday denied claims of a plot to sneak Bashir out of the country last Monday.
“Government categorically denies that there was a secret meeting held by the security cluster ministers, including Minister in the Presidency (Jeff Radebe) and the directorgeneral in the Presidency (Cassius Lubisi) in Cape Town,” acting cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams said.
“Government remains committed to finalising this matter through the court process. It is expected to provide the court with a report that explains how President al-Bashir left the country.”
The full bench of the North Gauteng High Court ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to Bashir’s departure despite an earlier order barring him from leaving. It has been reported that the government had assured Bashir and African Union (AU) leaders that he would not be arrested if he attended the AU summit.
The government is said to have issued diplomatic immunity to Bashir when he arrived for the summit in Sandton more than a week ago.
However, fireworks are expected at today’s debate in the National Assembly when opposition MPs question the government’s decision to allow the Sudanese leader to escape.
The ANC is expected to defend the decision of the government to allow Bashir to leave the country.
At a special meeting at the weekend, the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) came down hard on the ICC. It said the ICC had been used by Western powers to go after African leaders to “pursue the regime change agenda”.
The ANC called on the AU to strengthen the African Court on Human and People’s Rights so it could prosecute war crimes suspects from the continent, rather than relying on the ICC.
The DA has, however, asked the public protector to investigate the Bashir matter.
The Sudanese leader, who has been in power for more than a quarter of a century, has been indicted by the ICC for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity relating to atrocities committed in the western Darfur region by the Janjaweed in the 2000s.
The ICC issued the indictment against Bashir in 2009.