African Media Coverage

June 1-15, 2009

Kenya: Daily Nation
"Comesa stands by Bashir"
Published: June 8, 2009

Nineteen regional leaders today called for the suspension of the warrant of arrest against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

President Bashir is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region.

In a communique read at the end of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) heads of state and government summit, the leaders also called for Sudan and Chad to exercise restraint in their border dispute.

President Bashir was in Zimbabwe in defiance of the ICC warrant issued in March.

Read the article here.

Uganda: Daily Monitor
"African Union must back justice for crimes"
Published : June 8, 2009

Systematic acts of rape, murder and pillage are some of the crimes that have characterised the unending violence against the Darfuri people in Sudan. Are the Darfuri tribes not human that these crimes should be perpetrated against them at will and the criminals who attack them should not be held accountable? The leaders of Sudan, the African Union and each and everyone of us know that the Darfuris are human beings whose cultures are pieced up together with the rest of the world. 

So, why should it be that after being subjected to genocidal violence consistently, the people of Darfur should not have the support of the AU and African leaders and scholars in the effort to end the attacks and to hold those responsible accountable?

Read the article here.

South Africa: iol
"Darfur conflict in final stages - Salaheddin"
Published: June 11, 2009

Khartoum - The six-year Darfur conflict is almost over, Sudan's new point man for the thorny dossier said on Thursday, inviting a key rebel leader exiled in France to seize an "historic opportunity" for peace.

"The way I see the conflict, I see that it is in its final stages, I see peace coming. It's not exactly and strictly around the corner but I can see it," presidential adviser Ghazi Salaheddin told reporters in an interview.

The United Nations says up to 300 000 people have died and 2.7 million have fled their homes since ethnic minority rebels in Darfur rose up against the Arab-dominated regime in Khartoum in February 2003.

Read the article here.