AL-BASHIR WILL NOT BE ARRESTED – RONNIE

Ronnie Shikapwasha

Chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has confirmed that the Zambian government will not execute an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against indicted Sudan President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha told the local media in Lusaka today that the Sudan leader was free to attend the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Lusaka next week without fear of being handed over to ICC.

Zambia is a member of the African Union and the AU says he has not been found guilty on those crimes so he will not be arrested

He said Zambia would abide by the Africa Union (AU) decision not to pursue Al-Bashir because he had not been found guilty of any criminal charges.

“There is no question of whether Mr. Al-Bashir will be arrested or not, Zambia is a member of the African Union and the AU says he has not been found guilty on those crimes so he will not be arrested,” said Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

He said government was not aware of any criminal charges leveled against Al-Bashir and therefore urged all organisations and media institutions that still wanted to make further inquiries on the matter to write to State House.

President Rupiah Banda last week sent assigned his Labour deputy minister Simon Kachimba to extend an invitation to Al-Bashir seeking his attendance at the ICGLR which is slated for December 15 in Lusaka to which he responded positively.

The invite however sparked criticism on President Banda with numerous calls from International Human Rights Watch groups, local Civil Society organisations and opposition political parties urging him to disinvite Al-Bashir in order to protect the country’s standing with the International Community.

Al-Bashir is hounded by two warrants issued for his arrest by the ICC against the background of the seven-year conflict in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

The ICC charges Al-Bashir with masterminding war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide allegedly committed in Darfur.

Zambia, which became a full member of the ICC in 2002, is legally obligated to execute the arrest warrant against Al-Bashir once he sets foot on the country’s territory.

ZANIS