The prosecution of Omar al-Bashir might deter other despots from slaughtering ethnic groups. But only if it succeeds
FOR A DECADE Omar al-Bashir gaily thumbed his nose at the International Criminal Court . Indicted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the country’s western region of Darfur, his defiance badly damaged the young court’s credibility. On February 11th, however, Sudan’s former dictator was pushed a step closer to justice, as the new Sudanese government agreed that he would appear before the ICC. Where, and when, that might happen remains unresolved.
Violence in the region continues. In January the United Nations reported at least 54 people had been killed and another 40,000 or so displaced in intercommunal fighting. In all, since the Darfur conflict erupted in 2003, perhaps 300,000 people have died, mostly of war-induced hunger and disease. More than 2m have been made homeless. The bulk of the blame rests with the Arab-dominated Sudanese army and its mass-raping mounted militia, the.
The possible transfer of Mr Bashir will reignite controversy about the ICC’s role in Africa, where many countries accuse it of bias, pointing out that most of the cases, and all the indictments, have been against Africans. The indictment in 2009 of Mr Bashir caused particular anger; he was a sitting head of state and Sudan is not an ICC member. Some have simply ignored the court’s demands.
Mr Bashir’s fate suggests a novel path to the ICC; a revolution followed by the new government calling in the court to help prosecute former leaders. That might worry Saif al-Islam Qaddafi, the son of Libya’s former despot, indicted for crimes against humanity by the ICC .
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