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07/23/08
Darfurians Slam Ocampo in a Major Public Rally
In rallies that drew in thousands of jubilant and supportive citizens across Darfur, President Bashir today reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the earnest pursuit of peace and stability in the Sudan
Category: Press
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Darfurians Slam Ocampo in a Major Public Rally
In rallies that drew in thousands of jubilant and supportive citizens across Darfur, President Bashir today reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the earnest pursuit of peace and stability in the Sudan, reiterating that the country would not be intimidated or detracted from its course by the maneuverings of ICC and other spoilers of peace.
The crowd, composed of all Darfur tribes including the Zhagawa, the Masalit and the Fur, the very groups ICC’s Ocampo invidiously accused the head of state of targeting, urged on their President to stand firm as they vehemently denounced the Court for what they recognized as an affront to the entire country. At one point, the President left his guards behind and marched right into the pandemonium embracing and shaking hands with the people who, according to the Prosecutor, were supposedly his victims. In slogans that charged Ocampo of fabrication, the outraged citizens made clear that the Prosecutor did not represent any of them. A woman from Darfur, certain that Ocampo would heed her message, shouted “get your hands off of us, we’ll solve our own”.
The President was keen to speak on progress made, invoking figures that vividly depict the reality that is so often masked by those whose interest has the least to do with the security of Sudanese. He drew attention to the fact that before his tenure in 1989, there were merely 7 schools in the region. When the rebellion erupted in 2003, there were 195 schools, 3 universities and a technical college in Darfur. Two airports have been built and a third is under construction. Figures for hospitals, roads and public facilities are as equally compelling and effectively challenge the prevailing myths of chronic marginalization of the region.
However progress and further development has been severely stemmed by the rampant banditry and the subversive activities of the rebels. The international community has largely turned a blind eye to these atrocities, always quick to accuse the Government when the true perpetrators continue to hide in plain sight. The recent attack on the Peacekeeping force by the rebels illustrates this point very well where insinuations of the government’s involvement were instantly made despite the obvious and overwhelming evidence implicating the rebels. And yet now, to the astonishment and dismay of those that made these false allegations, UNAMID has requested the protection of the very Sudanese forces accused of attacking the Peacekeepers. This should further strike us odd for it was the same National Force from whom the Peacekeepers allegedly came to “rescue” the civilians!
The Prosecutor’s irresponsible conduct is one such gesture that enables and encourages impunity among the bandits and serves only to jeopardize more Sudanese lives. The fact that the rebels are the only ones celebrating this move is a testament to this. Only a few others cautiously support it while the peace-loving world has condemned the Prosecutor. In the end, the people of Darfur know that Ocampo’s motivations are political and only serve to exacerbate the insecurity. This is why they have pledged their full support to the President, who again today called on the rebels to come to the table of negotiations. If the Prosecutor had the best interest of the people at heart and was truly pursuing justice, the starting point would be to listen to the voices in Darfur.