The Monitor (Kampala)

Uganda: Rwanda Defends Kenya On Bashir

Rwanda has joined the African Union (AU) in defence of Kenya's decision not to comply with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant of arrest issued against Sudanese President Omar al Bashir while he was invited to Nairobi for the new constitution's promulgation ceremony.

Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Louise Mushikiwabo told reporters in Kigali on Tuesday that Rwanda supported the AU's decision on ICC and that Kenya as a sovereign state had the right to invite the Sudanese President.

"As far as my government is concerned, it is Kenya's sovereign decision to deal with its neighbours the way it deems so. Kenya has been involved as a member of The Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and has been involved in talks including engaging President Bashir," said Ms Mushikiwabo.

"Kenya is making efforts to stabilise Sudan. It makes sense to us that government of Kenya would love to deal with President Bashir. That engagement is in line with the AU's position. Justice doesn't work in a vacuum. Justice is to bring order and not create chaos to satisfy the international community," she added.

Error in judgement

In a statement issued from its headquarters in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, the AU said the ICC had erred in turning a blind eye on the obligations of member states to the AU's decision made in January 2009 and reiterated at the heads of state's meeting in Kampala last month not to cooperate with the ICC's warrant of arrest on Bashir.

The statement said in part, "Thus, the decisions adopted by the AU policy organs are binding on Chad and Kenya and it will be wrong to coerce them to violate or disregard their obligations to the African Union."

The African Union sought to vindicate Kenya and Chad from blame over the presence of Mr Bashir in those countries, who the ICC wants to arrest. The Kenyan government on its part stated that whereas it is obligated to the ICC, Kenya has a legitimate interest in ensuring peace and stability in Sudan and the region.

Ms Mushikiwabo told reporters, "This is an issue that Rwanda has already raised because Rwanda has been affected by the international law system since 1994."


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Comments 1 to 1 of 1 Post a comment

  • Omugabe
    Sep 5 2010, 21:16

    If the Europeans court of injustice, ICC, wants to show some credibility to the world, then those euro colonialist & bigoted dictators should be going after the european warmongers who invaded, 'shocked & awed' and mass slaughtered hundreds of thousands of INNOCENT Iraqi women, children, old people, etc!

    Africans should IGNORE ALL evil european efforts at world domination! Ignore their silly ICC! Ignore their european-dominated UN! Ignore their european-created and european-funded racist 'human rights' organizations, etc, etc.

    Ignore EVERYTHING european; and let those trouble makers die by the wayside, so that the world can again have peace among the nations.

    European racist dictators and plunderers have caused nothing but trouble for the planet. It's about time they are put out of business for good.