Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Africa
AfricaNewsPoliticsWorld

African Union Summit Cancellation Prompted By President Omar al-Bashir Accused of Darfur Crimes

Posted byBy ABS Contributor | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Sudan President Omar al-Bashir

July’s African Union summit in Malawi has been cancelled, due to controversy regarding the attendance of Sudan President Omar al-Bashir. Bashir is currently facing indictments for war crimes in Darfur, handed down by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The African Union had pushed for the arrest warrant to be deferred, and for Malawi to permit Bashir’s attendance, to no avail.

“Much as we have obligations to the AU, we also have obligations to other institutions,” Malawi Vice President Khumbo Kachali said. Previously, Malawi’s former leader Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in April, had sided with Bashir and the AU. His successor President Joyce Banda has been more interested in pleasing foreign donors.

Under the ICC statue, member states are called upon to arrest any indicted parties who travel to their land. On Thursday Sudan put forward a motion that the AU move its meeting to the group’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, if Malawi would not allow Bashir within its boarders.

“After considering the interests of Malawians, I want to inform Malawians that the cabinet met today and decided it was not interested to accept the conditions by the African Union, therefore Malawi is not hosting the summit,” Vice-President Kachali announced to journalists.

Malawai had previously been referred to the UN Security council when Mutharika refused to arrest Bashir during a visit in October 2011. Bashir was the first head of state to be indicted by the ICC, which has accused him of committing genocide and war crimes in Darfur. He continues to deny the charges, claiming they are politically motivated.

Chad, Kenya and Djibouti have also been referred the U.N. for refusing to apprehend Bashir.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top