Indicting President Bashir: The Implications for Human Security in Sudan and Beyond

An address by Ambassador Akuei Malwal of the Sudanese Embassy in Ethiopia, delivered at an Institute for Security Studies seminar on July 24, 2008. The speech argues that the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant against President Omer Hassan Ahmed El Bashir is politically motivated, violates state sovereignty, and threatens the fragile peace processes in Sudan.

• The Sudanese government contends that the ICC Prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant against President Omer Hassan Ahmed El Bashir is based on "false pretenses, hearsay" and is "politically motivated and unjustified," challenging international concepts of sovereignty and the immunity of Heads of State.
• The Sudanese government asserts that the conflict in Darfur was initiated by rebels who targeted infrastructure and civilians, and that the government's response was a constitutional prerogative to protect law and order.
• The document argues that the ICC Prosecutor's actions undermine peace efforts, including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the Eastern Sudan Peace Accord, and could lead to regional instability and the disruption of humanitarian relief for over 2 million people in Darfur.
• The speaker claims that allegations of genocide in Darfur are contradicted by previous findings from the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, former Nigerian President Olusegan Obasanjo, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and former US Special Envoy John Danforth.
• Sudan argues that the ICC should apply the principle of complementarity, as the government has established the National Special Court for Darfur and sub-regional courts in Genaina and Nyala to prosecute violations of international humanitarian law.
• The document criticizes the ICC Prosecutor for conducting investigations without visiting Darfur due to security reasons, suggesting that witnesses—many of whom are rebels—may have been coached by hostile pressure groups.

APA

Malwal, A. (2008). Indicting President Bashir: The Implications for Human Security in Sudan and Beyond. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SABDARAT.PDF

Chicago

Malwal, Akuei. Indicting President Bashir: The Implications for Human Security in Sudan and Beyond. Institute for Security Studies, 2008. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SABDARAT.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Malwal |first1=Akuei |title=Indicting President Bashir: The Implications for Human Security in Sudan and Beyond |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=24 July 2008 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SABDARAT.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{malwal2008indicting, author = {Malwal, Akuei}, title = {{Indicting President Bashir: The Implications for Human Security in Sudan and Beyond}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2008}, month = jul, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SABDARAT.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }