Sudan President Bashir's Nigeria visit causes anger



Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir received a full guard of honour at Abuja



Human rights groups have condemned Nigeria for hosting Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, and have demanded his arrest on genocide charges.

Mr Bashir is attending a health summit convened by the African Union (AU) in the capital, Abuja.

His visit was an "affront to victims" of the conflict in Darfur, rights groups said.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) accuses him of committing genocide in Darfur, a charge he denies.

The African Union decided in 2009, soon after the arrest warrant was issued, that member states should not enforce it.

It accuses the ICC of complicating peace efforts in the region, and unfairly targeting Africans.

'Wrong signal'

The BBC's Chris Ewokor in Abuja says Mr Bashir received a full guard of honour when he landed in Abuja on Sunday to attend the summit, which will focus on tackling malaria, HIV and tuberculosis in Africa.

New York-based campaign group[b] Human Rights Watch said Nigeria had the "shameful distinction"[/b] of being the first West African state to welcome Mr Bashir since the arrest warrant was issued.

Its decision was an "affront to victims" of the Darfur conflict, it added.

"He belongs in custody," said Elise Keppler at Human Rights Watch.

Nigeria's government had breached its obligations under international law by inviting Mr Bashir, said Chino Obiagwu, chair of the Nigerian Coalition for the International Criminal Court (NCICC).

"It sends a very wrong signal to other African countries that the International Criminal Court could be ignored... that African nations don't need to co-operate with the ICC and if that impression continues, then we're going to have serious problems dealing with impunity in Africa," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

Some 2.7 million people have fled their homes since the conflict began in Darfur in 2003, and the UN says about 300,000 have died - mostly from disease.

Sudan's government says the conflict has killed about 12,000 people and the number of dead has been exaggerated for political reasons.

Mr Bashir has visited numerous African countries since the arrest warrant was issued - including Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.

Only Botswana and Malawi have threatened to arrest him.

In May, the AU called on the ICC to drop war crimes charges against Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta after accusing it of "hunting" Africans because of their race.

The ICC refused, saying it would press ahead with its case against Mr Kenyatta.

He is accused of fuelling violence after Kenya's 2007 election - a charge he denies.


P.S: Richard Hamilton
BBC News
Nigeria has long had a strong relationship with Sudan, which is home to one of the largest diaspora populations of Nigerians - some estimates put the figure at three million. This goes back to the early 1900s when Nigerian Muslims left for Sudan at the end of the Sokoto Caliphate when the British took over northern Nigeria. Sudan is also a convenient place to start the pilgrimage to Mecca.

So the authorities in Abuja certainly do not want to risk jeopardising the livelihoods of their citizens abroad. If President Omar al-Bashir was arrested in Nigeria, it could lead to reprisals against these expatriates. Nigeria also has nearly 4,000 peacekeeping troops in Sudan - and was involved in mediating in the Darfur conflict, hosting two major conferences that led to a peace deal.

Economically both countries have relied heavily on oil but want to diversify. Last year Khartoum invited Nigeria's richest man, Aliko Dangote, to invest in the agricultural sector; he also looks set to venture into the oil and cement industries there.

Some analysts say Nigeria may also be reluctant to arrest the Sudanese leader as this could open a can of worms in terms of human rights abuses committed on home soil by Nigerian leaders and the military.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23313730

American leaders have done worse things yet they were awarded Nobel Peace Prizes. The BBC should shut up and stop leaking America's a$.s The BBC is always looking for negative stories to peddle about Africa and those who don't succumb to the whims and caprices of the Western hegemony

Op,

Sometimes a country need to play hard politics to spice others and ignore the criticism, that's is how u proclaim your independent will, Nigeria is a sovereign country and could choose whom to allow in or not, ICC guidelines must not dictate how we run our country, if we want to stand above others as regional power then we needs to make deft moves like this that will spice other countries and the so called holy than thou organisations to ascertain our sovereignty,, afterall Mugabe was allowed into France when his issues was burning and heaven did not fall. With such your relevance is taking into consideration, They should keep shouting while we do our things, welcome to stubborn politics.

An American court has just set a white citizen free who murdered a black fellow in cold blood. America is supplying warplanes to Egypt despite the army overthrow of govt. in Egypt. Nigeria has the right to do what she deems fit. American should know Africa is beginning to rise against western hypocrisy and neo colonialism

Presidency: Why Nigeria can’t stop Sudan’s al-Bashir

Nigeria’s presidency on Monday defended welcoming Sudan President Omar al-Bashir to the country for an African Union health summit despite war crimes charges against him, saying it cannot interfere in AU affairs.

“The event that is taking place is an AU summit,”

“Nigeria is just hosting it. It’s not Nigeria that invited him. He’s not here on a bilateral visit. He’s here to participate in an AU summit, and Nigeria is not in a position to determine who attends an AU event and who does not attend an AU event… Nigeria is just providing the platform for the meeting.”

BBC talking about war-crimes.
Smh.
Why haven't the ICC arrested George.W. Bush (jr) and his partner- in-crime, Tony Blair for the savagery,cruel and unlawful massacre of hundreds of thousands of iraqis?
Was the ICC created only for africans?
Btw,the AU already resolved that al-bashir will not be arrested.
Why should Nigeria go against such resolution?

To hell with those rights groups!

BBC got it wrong here.

Imperialism, another form of neocolonialism

Before I was a supporter for America, now I'm losing fate in my dear country. Who cares whether Nigeria and GEJ host him, good response from the govt. America has done worse, the instability today in Egypt, Syria, even Libya were somehow interconnected to US. Abegi let them go away with their war crime bullshit.

Meanwhile they should search the man well- well o.. He might be carrying suicide bomb in his boxers. You never can trust these Islamist leaders.

solomon111: BBC talking about war-crimes.
Smh.
Why haven't the ICC arrested George.W. Bush (jr) and his partner- in-crime, Tony Blair for the savagery,cruel and unlawful massacre of hundreds of thousands of iraqis?
Was the ICC created only for africans?
Btw,the AU already resolved that al-bashir will not be arrested.
Why should Nigeria go against such resolution?

My.brother, don't mind these stupíd ameriCAN'TS. Imagine the devil himself, G. Bush walking free and some western imperialist broadcasting house are crying about El-bashi? Tony Blair the war criminal is walking free, after lying to the whole world about Saddam having some non existing WMDs. Bush murdered millions on his so-called war on terror, Obama is still killing innocent Afghans per second using drone strikes, yet the stupíd people are looking for scapegoat.

I no fit laugh. All those defending gej have cursed sudan in the not so recent past for persecution of christians in sudan. If gej does take yerima as a running mate, they will conveniently forget they also cursed yerima for 'introducing' sharia to nigeria. Does team gej stand for anything but blind support?

The U.S and institutions that represents them appears to have lost and are still loosing a lot of international respect under her current leadership. Good explanation from the FG. ICC just like her sister court that ruled on Bakassi are all appendages of US and her western allies. Nigeria will be in the forefront of championing Bashir's arrest if similar warrants are given for Bush, Blair et al for all their wanton crimes against humanity.

manny4life: Before I was a supporter for America, now I'm losing fate in my dear country. .

Lmaoooo Youre no longer Biafran?

It's OK for US to carry out genocide in the name of 'world peace', but it's unbearable for Nigeria to host Sudan's president. . . This is pot calling charcoal black!

phoolish op, your hated for J.E.G will kill you many times before your death.

Maxymilliano: Presidency: Why Nigeria can’t stop Sudan’s al-Bashir

Nigeria’s presidency on Monday defended welcoming Sudan President Omar al-Bashir to the country for an African Union health summit despite war crimes charges against him, saying it cannot interfere in AU affairs.

“The event that is taking place is an AU summit,”

“Nigeria is just hosting it. It’s not Nigeria that invited him. He’s not here on a bilateral visit. He’s here to participate in an AU summit, and Nigeria is not in a position to determine who attends an AU event and who does not attend an AU event… Nigeria is just providing the platform for the meeting.”Good response

good response

If Presidents like Obama won't visit,we'll accept the next best thing.

But seriously OP, these are complex diplomatic matters that are hard to understand. So don't jump the gun by saying Nigeria goofed.

If the president of Iran can't be stopped from attending the UN SUMIT were he even addressed the world leaders in NEW YORK, USA, then who should blame Nigeria.

Where is the goof?
I'm so happy for Nigeria's foreign policies in recent times.
Britain and BBC gooffed.
First , they should tried Tony Blair for killing Iraqis under false pretence
Second , they should remove all legislations in support of gay marriage which is a crime against the dignity of the manhood
Third , they should concentrate on resolving internal conflicts which is threatening the unity of the United Kingdom as Scotland is likely to break off

Please mod modify the heading of this thread and put it on front page. I am happy majority of Nigerians are united on this.

greaterlove: Please mod modify the heading of this thread and put it on front page. I am happy majority of Nigerians are united on this.

Of course! Modify what? Am I to be surprised that Nigerians are hypocrites and support anything evil?

kingoflag:

Of course! Modify what? Am I to be surprised that Nigerians are hypocrites and support anything evil?

see how Western propaganda has messed and brainwashed you. Do you think this is APC /ACN evil politics. If voting is based on this issue Jonathan will win 99%. One God bless no one can curse.

Longeria: see how Western propaganda has messed and brainwashed you. Do you think this is APC /ACN evil politics. If voting is based on this issue Jonathan will win 99%. One God bless no one can curse.

Whats this dummy, uneducated, I'm-Used To-Blackouts-BadRoads-Corruption-NoWater-KillerCops-And A Decadent Society Clown talkin about?

Youre a freaking backwards disgrace to humanity and people like you that cant see past tribe should just be tossed in gas chambers and forgotten about. Thats the only way Nigeria and the black race will rise.