{"id":146153,"date":"2015-06-17T16:56:05","date_gmt":"2015-06-17T11:26:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=146153"},"modified":"2015-10-31T15:17:08","modified_gmt":"2015-10-31T09:47:08","slug":"sri-lankan-civil-society-condemns-south-africa-for-not-handing-over-president-omar-al-bashir-to-icc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/sri-lankan-civil-society-condemns-south-africa-for-not-handing-over-president-omar-al-bashir-to-icc\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lankan Civil Society Condemns South Africa For Not Handing Over President Omar al-Bashir To ICC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sri Lankan Civil Society activists have urged the\u00a0South African authorities for not handing over President Omar al-Bashir<\/span><\/a> of Sudan to International Criminal Court.<\/p>\n

\"President<\/a>

President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan<\/p><\/div>\n

Issuing a statement 48 Civil Society activists and 12 organisations said; “We also note that the shameful circumstances surrounding President al-Bashir\u2019s visit to, and departure from South Africa will inevitably raise serious concerns over the propriety of the South African government\u2019s involvement in the pursuit of truth and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.”<\/p>\n

We publish below the statement in full;<\/p>\n

We, the undersigned groups and individuals in Sri Lanka, express our deep disappointment and outrage over the failure of the South African authorities to apprehend and detain President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan during his recent visit to South Africa for an African Union (AU) summit. This is in a context where President al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face trial on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Not only was President al-Bashir permitted to participate in a highly publicized conference, he was also permitted to leave South Africa in direct violation of an interim order issued on Sunday 14 June by a High Court in Pretoria. This direct violation of the court\u2019s order rendered unenforceable the same court\u2019s welcome ruling the following day that the failure of the authorities to arrest al-Bashir was unconstitutional, and that al-Bashir be arrested and detained pending surrender to the ICC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pursuant to Security Council resolution 1593 (2005) which referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC Prosecutor, the ICC has issued two warrants for the arrest of President al-Bashir, one in 2009 for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and another in 2010 for genocide. President al-Bashir has continued to act with impunity despite these warrants. His visit to South Africa presented a real opportunity to bring an international fugitive to justice. As a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, South Africa was under a binding legal obligation to arrest President al-Bashir and surrender him to the ICC. Moreover, as the High Court in Pretoria affirmed, South Africa was also under a constitutional obligation \u2013 on account of its domestic incorporation of the Rome Statute \u2013 to enforce its provisions and arrest al-Bashir pending a formal request by the ICC to surrender him. The court dismissed the South African government\u2019s claim that President al-Bashir was entitled to immunity in terms of domestic and international law.<\/p>\n

The ruling by the High Court demonstrates the critical role national courts play in supporting the ICC and upholding the international rule of law.<\/p>\n

Given the involvement of the government of South Africa in the design of truth and reconciliation processes in Sri Lanka, we the undersigned wish to reiterate the centrality of the rule of law and victims\u2019 right to justice in any efforts aimed at truth-seeking and reconciliation. We also wish to underscore that states must fully comply with their obligations under international law to bring the authors and perpetrators of heinous crimes to justice. We stand in solidarity with victims and human rights defenders from Sudan, South Africa and throughout the globe who continue to struggle to bring to justice those accused of mass atrocities. We also note that the shameful circumstances surrounding President al-Bashir\u2019s visit to, and departure from South Africa will inevitably raise serious concerns over the propriety of the South African government\u2019s involvement in the pursuit of truth and reconciliation in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Signatories:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ameer Faaiz – Attorney-at-law
\nAsha \u2013 Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nB. Gowthaman – Attorney-at-law
\nBhavani Fonseka – Attorney-at-law
\nBishop Kumara Illangasinghe
\nBrito Fernando
\nCayathri D
\nChamila Thushari
\nChulani Kodikara
\nDr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
\nDr. T. Balamurukan \u2013 Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna
\nGajen Mahendra
\nGehan Gunatilleke – Attorney-at-law
\nGowry \u2013 Teacher and Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nHerman Kumara
\nIsabelle Lass\u00e9e
\nJuwairia Mohideen
\nK.S. Ratnavale \u2013 Attorney-at-law
\nKumaravadivel Guruparan \u2013 Attorney-at-law
\nLakshan Dias \u2013 Attorney-at-law
\nLuwie Ganeshathasan – Attorney-at-law
\nMahalaxumy Kurushanthan
\nMarisa de Silva
\nMirak Raheem
\nNimalka Fernando \u2013 Attorney-at-law
\nNiran Anketell – Attorney-at-law
\nNoylin \u2013 Women\u2019s Rights Activist
\nP.N. Singham
\nPhilip Dissanayake
\nR. Hemalatha – Women\u2019s Action Network (WAN) Jaffna Desk
\nRajany Chandrasegaram
\nRev. Fr. Jeyabalan Croos
\nRev. Fr. M. V. E. Ravichandran \u2013 Director, Jaffna Diocesan Catholic Youth Federation
\nRev. Fr. Nandana Manatunga
\nRev. Fr. Terrence Fernando \u2013 Archdiocese of Colombo
\nRev. Sr. Deepa Fernando HF
\nRosanna Flamer-Caldera
\nRuki Fernando
\nS.C.C. Elankovan
\nSeethalaxmy – Treasurer, Widow’s Society, Jaffna
\nSelvanathan Tharshan – Social Activist
\nSheila Richards
\nShreen Abdul Saroor
\nSudarshana Gunawardena \u2013 Attorney-at-law
\nUdaya Kalupathirana
\nUshananthini Gnanapragasam
\nVanie Simon
\nVibulan Shamin – General Hospital, Jaffna<\/p>\n

Organizations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
\nCentre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
\nDabindu Collective
\nEqual Ground
\nHuman Rights Office, Kandy
\nINFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre
\nMannar Women\u2019s Development Federation (MWDF)
\nNational Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO)
\nRight to Life Human Rights Centre (R2L)
\nRights Now \u2013 Collective for Democracy
\nSouth Asian Centre for Legal Studies
\nWomen\u2019s Action Network (WAN)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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