Al-Bashir Scoffs at ICC and Western Countries

Omar Al-Bashir

In July 2008, an arrest warrant was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Sudanese president Al-Bashir, alleging crimes against humanity, murder, and genocide.

So is Al-Bashir shaking in his boots at the thought of his potential punishment?

The answer to this question is a resounding NO. At a rally held this week, Al-Bashir discounted the actions of the ICC as nothing more than “mosquito buzz”.

He further dismissed pressure from Western countries (particularly the US, France, and UK), asserting that such countries were “under his shoes”.

Al-Bashir’s statement is one of utmost insult, as in the Arabic culture, shoes are a symbol for ultimate filth and impurity. The statement is also intriguing considering the Sudanese government hired a UK law firm this week to represent it in front of the ICC.