A Busy News Day

Several important developments related to Darfur are surfacing. Here’s the rundown –

The International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir will most likely be issued secretly to protect victims and witnesses and strengthen the chances of apprehending additional suspects. However, Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo stated that the matter of issuance will be decided “sooner rather than later”.

A Janjaweed militiaman was killed in Western Sudan after an argument with internally displaced persons.

Fifteen human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Save Darfur, have challenged the Sudanese government’s claim that the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur is improving. Their report states that the “government of Sudan is lying about the reality in Darfur while conducting a charm offensive”.