Monday, February 2, 2009

Free Darfur

While the principles of sovereign equality and self-determination are important concerns, it is also an accepted and time-honored principle of international law that international agreements like the International Criminal Court (ICC) Rome Statute must be upheld and used decisively to protect Humanity. The President of Sudan and his confederates should face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court. Submitting them to the power of the ICC can never be construed as an invasion of their country's sovereignty as it is admittedly an exception to the rule that "sovereignty is absolute".

The possibility of reprisals from the perpetrators and their allies is but natural. Whenever acts of those in 'power' are challenged on grounds, valid or otherwise, it is foolish to expect that such challenge will be accepted with open arms and firm handshakes.

With 400,000 death toll and 2.5 million Darfuri refugees, the violence in Darfur is beyond the grasp of logic and reason—a case beyond justification, indeed. An intervention from the international community has long become ripe. Let us act now lest we become part of the perpetration of this evil.

o