UN: Pass Resolution to Refer Darfur to ICC (HR Watch)

[struggle4progress]

Threat of Prosecution Would Help Protect Civilians; U.S. Should Allow Referral

By: Human Rights Watch
Published: Sat, 26 Mar 2005

U.N. Security Council members should urgently pass a new French-proposed resolution that would refer Darfur to the International Criminal Court, Human Rights Watch said today. The United States should abstain on the vote if it decides not to vote in favor.

Today, the Security Council adopted a resolution establishing a U.N. peace-support mission for Sudan. This mission is to implement the Naivasha peace agreement, the accord ending the 21-year civil war between the Sudanese government and southern-based rebels. The peace-support mission will be deployed in the north and south of Sudan, but not in Darfur, where Sudanese forces and government-backed Janjaweed militias have been responsible for atrocities against civilians.

The Security Council today also delayed a vote on targeted sanctions and accountability for Darfur. These were initially included in a single resolution on Sudan. But on Tuesday, the United States announced a decision to split the single Sudan resolution into three separate resolutions.

France yesterday put forward a resolution that would refer Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The move comes shortly after the United States indicated it would put its resolution on the peace-support mission to a vote. The United States has proposed putting forward a resolution on accountability. But the U.S. resolution would fail to authorize any tribunal to prosecute the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. <snip>

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_19350.shtml