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| Africa Horn | |
| Bashir urges Darfur rebels to lay down arms, pitches unification rhetoric | |
| 2009-03-19 | |
| A defiant Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir called on Wednesday for Darfur rebels to lay down their arms, during a visit to the conflict-ravaged region where he stands accused of war crimes. Vowing to develop the region that has been prey to six years of conflict and decades of neglect, Bashir addressed thousands of jubilant militiamen two weeks after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest. "We want to reunify the people of Darfur and we call on all our sons and brothers who bear arms to put them down," Bashir said on his second visit to Darfur since the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest. "We tell them you have taken up arms to demand development and development has now started and it continues," Bashir said. "Our response [to the ICC] is to bring electricity to Darfur, more buildings, schools, water, more hospitals. We want a reunification of the people of Darfur." "It's not the US or Britain who chooses the president of Sudan but the Sudanese people," he thundered against two of the countries he sees as the driving force behind his arrest warrant.
Sudan has vowed not to cooperate with the international court and taken steps to defy mounting Western criticism, including the expulsion of 13 international aid agencies. "Oh Bashir, we sacrifice our soul and blood," the crowd shouted in the village of Sabdo, near the South Darfur town of Al-Daien. Militiaman Ahmad al-Hassan told AFP the rally of around 10,000 was made up of members of the pro-government popular defense forces, many on horseback and carrying lances. "Bashir is the hero of Sudan, we will defend him to the death," a toothless old man named Mohammad told AFP. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 I guess that, as long as you're not black, Bashir is a GREAT leader for Sudan. Of course, half the population is black... I hope Bashir wakes up one morning just in time to greet a Tomahawk missile entering his bedroom window. We'll have to have a change in the US presidency first, I believe. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-03-19 03:02 |