In a talk in Washington on Tuesday sponsored by the international arm of the US Democratic Party, Kenya's new ambassador to the United States vigorously defended the recent visit to Nairobi by Sudan's indicted president. Ambassador Elkanah Odembo did not explicitly say why President Omar al-Bashir had been invited to take part in the August 27 constitution promulgation ceremony. But the envoy justified Kenya's willingness to let him travel unimpeded on the grounds that it conformed with Kenya's interest in promoting stability in neighbouring Sudan. If Kenya had arrested Mr Bashir, "Sudan would erupt in a civil war that is going to be bigger and more devastating than the civil war [that began] 20 years ago," Ambassador Odembo declared. "I'm willing to put my money on it." Kenya's envoy, who presented his credentials to President Barack Obama six weeks ago, said "it is certainly important Sudan holds together" until southern Sudan decides in a scheduled January referendum whether to become an independent state. "I say that as someone who condemns in the strongest possible way the crimes committed against the people of Darfur," Mr Odembo added. President Bashir has been charged at the International Criminal Court with war crimes arising from the Sudanese government's actions in the country's Darfur region. Kenya, as a signatory to the treaty establishing the ICC, is obligated to cooperate with the court. 
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan. The country's welcome to Mr Bashir drew criticism from President Obama and from human rights groups. Ambassador Odembo noted on Tuesday that Kenya is the temporary home to many refugees from Darfur who have offered evidence to ICC prosecutors regarding atrocities in Darfur. The envoy also said Kenya is playing a crucial role as guarantor of the peace agreement that put an end to the war between north and south Sudan that took an estimated two million lives. He assured the audience at the National Democratic Institute that Kenya's defiance of the ICC in regard to President Bashir does not suggest that Kenya will refuse to cooperate with the ICC's investigation of those thought responsible for the post-election violence. Read comments. Write your own. Copyright © 2010 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. AllAfrica - All the Time
Sun Sep 5 01:00:17 2010
Africa; don't let them ever devide you again because United as one is ever important than being devided. When devided, there's always a possible of being weak and falls as prey to the preditors. Therefore, streghtening the Unity, Love and Cooperations among Africans and Africa. The Kenyan President is trying to have it both ways. He waits until after the fact and tries to blunt criticisms by apologizing and admitting a mea culpa. This transparent effort shows a lack of principles and an unwillingness to stand up for justice against tyranny. Neighbor or not, thiieves and tyrants should not be permitted in your house, or invited to your party. Is he fearful of appeasement? He should be ashamed of his weakness and his pathetic attempts to offer soothing words for an action that could have easily been stopped. Watch closely and see what follows. --Walter… [Read Full Text] You are a cunning devil - a hypocrite - who can do well as a slave-trading, devout missionary. [And you probably are.] . " .. shows a lack of principles .." What principles - the ones that work in your devious favor? . " .. and an unwillingness to stand up for justice against tyranny. .." Crass duplicity. The USA would deal as brutally with secessionists as Sudan does. Many states and 'colonies' of the USA have tried or considered it. Puerto Rico is still yearning to be free. The consequences are made patently clear. How about the… [Read Full Text] " .. thiieves and tyrants should not be permitted in your house, or invited to your party..." Now, what do you make of a 'thief and a tyrant' who intrudes into your house, or invites himself to your party party - then sternly warns you that thieves and tyrants should not be permitted in your house, or invited to your party?
Mon Aug 30 22:31:20 2010
"Kenya wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the ICC [International Criminal Court]," Kenya has come a long way in mastering this 'diplomacy' thing. After all, the USA/UK talk of democracy and rule of law and 'respect for sovereignty' even as they invade other "democracies' and kill innocent people by the million. March on, Kenya. See all comments (16). |
Active Discussions: New Envoy to U.S. Defends Bashir Visit