“Sorry, this page has been blocked by National Telecommunication Corporation.”

Too Huge World, a western aid worker in Sudan took a screen shot of the page and reports this:

In a fatal blow to our already lackluster sources of entertainment, the Sudanese government has blocked access to YouTube, the online video sharing Web site.

Over at The Sudanese Thinker (which is my blog), commenters dropped their thoughts in reaction to my post about YouTube's blocking in Sudan. The comments indicate that the blocking is being implemented by some ISPs and not others.

No Angel on July 26th, 2008 1:03 pm
hey,i wonder how that rumour got started?!
drima i could assure you that youtube is not blocked,im in Sudan,khartoum i read your post typed in youtube.com and surprise surprise ITS WORKING..
so what are you guys going to spread exactly?

Sudan on July 26th, 2008 4:26 pm
Youtube is working fine in Sudan, Drima.

digital on July 26th, 2008 4:44 pm
No Angel, Sudan……
What ISP’s are you on??

Cause on Sudani and Zain mDSL it is currently blocked??

Are you guys are on Sudatel?

Sudan on July 27th, 2008 1:36 pm
Youtube is working on Canar ISP

digital on July 27th, 2008 4:19 pm
Well Canar do have their own cable….

DZA on July 27th, 2008 4:28 pm
yes canar have its own network .. youtube is blocked on NTC networks

At Black Kush's blog, a short but good conversation took place about this issue too. It sheds more light on what's going on.

The Sudanese Thinker reports that Youtube has been blocked in Sudan. Just wanna let you know that I still have access to Youtube, through the Canar ISP. Maybe it has not yet been blocked.

Here is a screen shot.

In response to the post, Amjad shared his opinion on the matter, which prompted a reply from Black Kush.

Amjad said…

This only means/proves that Canar ISP is not regulated by the Sudanese National Telecommunication Corporation, which is a shock to me.

The block as reported was from NTC and not specific ISPs. So supposedly all ISPs regulated by NTC have YouTube blocked and they can't do anything about it. But YouTube being working fine on Canar only means that Canar is not regulated by NTC which I still find hard to believe.

Either ways, I think Canar subscribers are lucky, aren't they?

Black Kush said…

I still don't know how this came about, because other sites are blocked by NTC, showing that famous notice.

Canar users are lucky, for now!

From the above, one can safely assume that those in Sudan using Canar as their ISP have no problem accessing YouTube for now, while those using other ISPs experience the blocking.

Facebook group

In line with what's looking increasingly like a trend, Sudanese flocked to Facebook to voice their concerns in a group dedicated to the matter. The group is called “Unblock Youtube In Sudan Now” and at the time of writing it has 476 members.

Over at the group, numerous members have commented that people shouldn't get too panicked since YouTube can still be easily accessed via proxy software or sub-domains such as uk.YouTube.com

Speculations on the reasons

The reasons behind this block are still vague.

Initially, some bloggers speculated that YouTube had been blocked because it features some indecent, sexual videos of Sudanese girls, but the videos in question had only few views, and are also circulating by mobile phone.

In a press release on AllAfrica.com, The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information say:

YouTube has recently become a key tool for political activists. A number of video clips have been posted with footage of Sudanese security personnel beating and torturing minors, who were arrested and detained following the 10 May armed attack on the capital, Khartoum, by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels. Mass arrests in Khartoum of perceived supporters of the Darfur rebel group followed the attack.

This leaves us with the other possible and more probable reason behind YouTube's blocking in Sudan by the National Telecommunications Corporation.

ZoulcolmX shares his opinion on this.

I think it's just another attempt to suffocate freedom of speech, especially in times like these, with the international court after Omar, they don't want someone with the opposition to [interfere with] the official story about how every Sudanese citizen supports Omar. They don't want us to see the documentaries that have been posted lately about the “ghost houses” created to torture individuals who didn't support the “salvation revolution”, and with the elections coming, they don't want any anti-kizan* campaign, which is something not allowed on local newspapers, and the national TV is on their side 24/7, but YouTube, Facebook, and blogs give a free space for the truth, and this is what THEY fear the most.
This is not a moral issue, it is political. They have always profited from ignorance, and web 2.0 is against ignorance and those fascists really hates it, so I won't be surprised if they blocked Facebook or MySpace next. If they did, we'll have to do more than just creating a group on the web.

… * Kizan is a nickname for the National Islamic Front and the ruling party the National Congress members.

YouTube's blocking in Sudan has captured a good amount of attention which is a good sign indicating that people value the internet. Unfortunately, right now, there are many facts missing but with time, more of them will surface.

Rebekah Heacock reported on the case. The potential case has proved controversial in the blogosphere, with reactions from Sudan, Bahrain and elsewhere cropping up on Global Voices Online's radar. Today, we take a look at reactions from the Middle East and North Africa.

Jordanian blogger The Black Iris, responding to comments that the ICC's move undermined Sudan's sovereignty, said:

Maybe leaders all over the world should be frightened. I mean, after all, the ICC is an objective and legitimate court and their pursuit for justice is universal. Hence, it’s only a matter of time before they issue warrants for other known war criminals and I’d imagine that at the top of that list, President Bush, Tony Blair, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney would all be invited to see the inside of the The Hague.

I wonder what the criteria is.

Is it the body count?

From Bahrain, Mahmood's Den is also interested in the criteria:

Albasheer’s head is sought by the ICC but the effervescent and wholly useful Arab League and the similarly described African Union won’t have that - and we know why don’t we? Any one of their members could be earmarked next!

Lebanese Les Politiques introduces a link to an interview [fr] with Roland Marchal, saying:

For Roland Marchal, researcher in political science in France, the recent ICC case against sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir has no legal foundations and is going to delay peace efforts in Sudan, exacerbate the current tensions, and embolden the rebellion.

Ali Alarabi, writing for Mideast Youth, is also concerned with the legality of such an indictment:

Indeed there are legal questions with the regards to the legality of the indictment and a possible international arrest warrant against President Bashir and whether president Bashir is entitled to an immunity or not. In light of the fact that Sudan is not a signatory to the Roma Statute that established the Criminal Court makes this case a very complicated legal case that opens the question whether this statute can only bind states that are party to it and not others who are not such as the United Sates, and whether the security council resolution 1593 that refers the case to the Court did or can imply the removal of immunity of a sitting head of state or not.

Aside form the humanitarian crises that arose out of this conflict, we must not forget that Sudan, the state, is entitled to preserve its geographical integrity and prevent any party domestic or international from break the country up through armed struggle.

The blogger then concludes that, regardless of the indictment, Sudan's president has certain responsibilities:

That said however, President Bashir should do more to help his country to come out of this ugly war and bring Darfur and its tribes back to the fold of Sudan on equal footing with peaceful resolution to this tragic conflict. But with this indictment, the international community is exasperating the problem and complicates matters even worse especially for all of the innocent victims in Sudan.

Hayat briefs us about what happened and says:

اتهم مدعي عام المحكمة الجنائية الدولية الرئيس السوداني عمر البشير بارتكاب جرائم حرب وجرائم ضد الانسانية والابادة الجماعية في دارفور وطالب باعتقاله .. و طلب الإعتقال و المحاكمة غير الزامي فهو بمثابة اتهام و اقتراح لن يدخل حيز التنفيذ .. لأنه يحتاج إلى ادانه دولية و تأييد دولي .. فلكي تتشكل قوة عسكرية دولية لتتدخل عسكريا في السودان و تعتقل البشير و تحيله للمحاكمة يتطلب ذلك موافقة من مجلس الأمن الدولي .. و هذه الموافقة لن تتحقق في ظل عدم توافق الصين و اوربا و روسيا مع امريكا و تضارب المصالح بينهم و اختلافهم في الكثير من القضايا و الملفات .. ..و ايضا سبب آخر و هو بإن هذه المحكمة لا تعترف بها الكثير من الدول .. بالإضافه إلى ان امريكا مقبله على رئاسة جديدة .. و في نهاية عهد بوش لن تتمكن من اعادة سيناريو العراق في السودان

The International Court of Justice Prosecutor has accused the Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur and has asked for his arrest. The court's decision is not mandatory and is only a request which will never be implemented because it needs an international condemnation and support. The United Nation's Security Council should pass a resolution for an international force to be formed and intervene military in Sudan to arrest Al Bashir and put him on trial and this will not happen as China, Europe, Russia and the United States are not in agreement, and their interests conflict. They also disagree on a lot of issues. Another reason is that a number of countries do not recognise this court. Add to this, the US is entering new elections, and at the end of Bush's era, it will not be able to repeat the Iraqi scenario in Sudan.

Why is Darfur such a prized territory? According to Hayat:

دارفور غنية بالمواد الخام كالبترول ويعتقد أن هنالك احتياطي نفط يبلغ 7 مليارات برميل .. و يوجد فيها اليورانيوم و تنعم بثروة حيوانية كبيرة .. مما ادى إلى صراع القبائل فيها على الموارد الطبيعية الشحيحةالمتوفره لهم .. و اتسع الصراع ليشمل حكومات دول عدة منها السودان و التشاد و كلا منهما يدعم قبيلة ..لإستغلال هذه الثروة و لتبسط سيطرتها و نفوذها على دارفورد ..و السؤال هنا ..كيف ستتمكن الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية من التدخل في هذا الصراع كي تحمي مصالحها في هذه المنطقة و تتفوق على فرنسا التي تزاحمها و تتصارع معها على هذه الثروة ؟

Darfur is rich in raw material, such as oil, and it is believed that the oil reserves alone exceed seven billion barrels. It is also rich in uranium and a substantial animal wealth and this has led to a conflict between tribes on natural resources which they lacked. This conflict has expanded to include governments of a number of countries, including Sudan and Chad, each of which supports a tribe, in order for them to exploit those resources and control the area and Darfur. The question here is: how will the US be able to enter this conflict and protect its interests in this region and beat France, which is competing against it for this treasure?

Hayat asks if the ICC's real motive was charging a rogue leader, why aren't the leaders of other countries on trial. She says:

ساهمت امريكا بزيادة وتيرة الصراع في اقليم دارفور و ذلك من خلال دعم المتمردين على الحكومة .. و قرار المحكمة الجنائية الدولية يعتبر غطاء انساني و و سيلة و ذريعة ستمكن امريكا من التدخل في الشؤون الداخلية لهذا الأقليم بشكل مباشر ..
و يعتبر هذا القرار انتقائيه و ازدواجية ومزاجية من المحكمة الجنائية الدولية .. تحركها المصالح السياسية و الإقتصادية .. و ليس مبادىء و قيم الإنسانية .. و إلا فاين هذه العدالة العوراء عن الجرائم التي يرتكبها زعماء امريكا و اسرائيل و مصر و البحرين و الخ .. اين هم عن ما يحدث في العراق و فلسطين ؟؟ .. انا مع هذا القرار و لكن ضد العدالة العوراء التي تحركها المصالح السياسية و الإقتصادية ..

The United States has been able to increase the intensity of this conflict in Darfur by supporting the rebels against the government.. and the ICC ruling gives a humanitarian cover and an excuse for the US to directly interfere in the internal affairs of this region. This ruling is considered hypocritical and selective on part of the ICC, and is moved by political and economic interests and not principles and humanitarian values. Otherwise, where is this cross-eyed justice from the crimes being committed by the leaders of America, Israel, Egypt, Bahrain and others? Where are they from what is happening in Iraq and Palestine? I am with this decision but against the cross-eyed justice, which is manipulated by political and economical interests.

She further notes:

اعتقد بإن قرار المحكمة الجنائية الدولية سابقة خطيرة و ورقة جديدة تضاف إلى ورقة التهديد بالعقوبات .. و اللتان بهما ستتمكن امريكا و غيرها من السيطرة و حماية المصالح و تحقيق الأهداف و الأجندات الإستراتيجية ..
هل سيرى العالم عمر البشير في السجن الدولي كما حدث مع تشارلز تايلور الليبيري وميلوسيفتش الصربي؟ .. ام انه سيرضخ لهذه الضغوط و سيلعب لعبة المساومة و الصفقات لكي ينجو بنفسة ام انه سيواجه امريكا بسلاح اتفاق أبوجا للسلام و بالقوة التي يتمتع بها في البيت السوداني ؟ و هل هناك صدام جديد و بشير آخر ؟ .. نترك الإجابة للأيام القادمة

I believe that the ICC decision sets a dangerous precedence, and is a new page in the series of threats for sanctions. They will enable America and others to control the region, protect their interests there, and fulfil their strategic agendas and goals. Will the world see Omar Al Bashir in jail just like they have seen the Liberian Charles Taylor and the Serbian Milosevic? Or will he cave in to pressure and play the game of compromises and deals to save himself? Or will he confront America with the Abuja Agreement and the power that the Sudanese house enjoys? Or is there a new Saddam and another Bashir? We will leave the answers for the next few days.

Also on Global Voices Online:
Sudan: Who's Next After Al Bashir on the US Hit List?

Writing on Sudanese forum Brbr Net, Abu Al Derdiri [Ar] says that Al Basheer's arrest warrant fulfils Libyan leader Muammar Al Gaddafi's prediction that the US will hunt down Arab rulers to fulfil its expansionist plans in the region. He says:

يبدو أن تحذير الزعيم الليبي معمر القذافي خلال القمة العربية الأخيرة في دمشق من أن أمريكا ستطارد الزعماء العرب واحدا تلو الآخر بعد إعدام الرئيس العراقي الراحل صدام حسين، بدأ يجد آذانا صاغية على أرض الواقع ، حيث فوجيء العرب والعالم في 14 يوليو 2008 باتهام المدعي العام للمحكمة الجنائية الدولية لويس مورينو أوكامبو للرئيس السوداني عمر البشير بارتكاب جرائم حرب وجرائم ضد الإنسانية وإبادة جماعية في دارفور ، مطالبا المحكمة باعتقاله .
هذا القرار اعتبره كثيرون بأنه سياسي مائة بالمائة ويؤكد أن الولايات المتحدة قررت استخدام سلاح المحكمة الجنائية الدولية لإسقاط نظام البشير الذي طالما حال دون تحقيق مخططات المحافظين الجدد وإسرائيل في تقسيم السودان والاستيلاء على ثرواته الهائلة وخاصة المعدنية والغذائية والمائية منها .

It seems that Libyan Leader Muammer Al Gaddafi's warning during the last Arab League Summit in Damascus that the United States will be hunting down Arab leaders one after the other after the hanging of the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is ringing true. Arabs and the world were surprised on July 14, 2008, of an accusation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo against Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur, and called upon the court to arrest him. A lot considered this ruling as political, stressing that the United States has decided to use the weapon of the ICC to overthrow Al Bashir's rule, which has so far not been achieved despite the plotting of the Neo-cons and Israel, who want to carve up Sudan and steal its extensive resources, especially minerals, food and water.

Al Derdiri goes on to say that the ICC has no jurisdiction on Sudan, which does not recognise the ICC and insists that singling out Al Bashir is a ploy to pave the way for the trial of other Arab leaders. He adds:

ولذا سرعان ما ركزت واشنطن على استخدام صلاحيات المحكمة لتأديب “الحكام المارقين” بعيدا عن الحروب وفيتو مجلس الأمن ، وهو ما ظهر بوضوح في حالة الرئيس السوداني ، وهنا يتساءل البعض : هل يشكل القرار سابقة لمحاكمة مسئولين عرب آخرين ، وماذا يفعل السودان لمواجهته؟ .

Washington is concentrating its efforts on using the powers of the court to discipline ‘rogue rulers' away from wars and the Security Council's Veto. This is evident in the case against the Sudanese president. Some of you may ask: Will this ruling set a precedence for the trial of other Arab officials and what will Sudan do to confront it?

Al Derdiri then draws parallels between Sudan and Iraq, and writes:

ورغم أنه بات من المؤكد أن واشنطن تسير قدما في مخطط تقسيم السودان سواء كان ذلك عبر اتفاقية السلام التي تضمن انفصال الجنوب أو من خلال إشعال أزمة دارفور، إلا أن العرب لم يقوموا حتى الآن بخطوات جدية لإنقاذ السودان من المصير الذي وصل إليه العراق.

It has become evident that Washington is continuing with its plans to divide Sudan, whether this is achieved through a peace agreement which guarantees the separation of the South or through fanning the flames over the Darfur crisis. However, Arabs are yet to take serious steps to save Sudan from Iraq's destiny.

He further calls on Arabs and the African Union to move fast - and push the international community to protect the immunity of presidents and the sovereignty of states:

فالرئيس السوداني بات في قبضة المحكمة الجنائية الدولية لأن قراراتها غير قابلة للإلغاء ولا تسقط بالتقادم ، ويبدو أن هذا هو الثمن الذي كان لابد أن يدفعه العرب من وجهة نظر بوش للتغطية على فشله في العراق وأفغانستان ولبنان ولرفع أسهم المرشح الجمهوري جون ماكين في انتخابات الرئاسة الأمريكية المقبلة .
ولذا لا مناص من تكثيف التحرك العربي والإفريقي في الأمم المتحدة لدفع مجلس الأمن لمطالبة المحكمة بتأجيل تنفيذ قرار اعتقال البشير ، بالإضافة إلى ضرورة تحرك الجامعة العربية والاتحاد الإفريقي سريعا لإصدار فتوى من المحكمة الجنائية الدولية حول حصانة الرؤساء لضمان عدم استخدامها كسلاح سياسي لخدمة مخططات واشنطن ، وباعتبار هذا الأمر يضر بمبدأ أساسي في القانون الدولي وهو مبدأ السيادة.

The Sudanese President is now in the clasp of the ICC, whose decisions are irrevocable and this seems to be the price Arabs have to pay, in the opinion of Bush, to cover for his failures in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon, and improve the fortunes of the Republican nominee John McCain in the upcoming US elections. Arabs and Africans should now intensify their pressure at the United Nations, to force the Security Council to demand from the Court to delay the decision to arrest Al Bashir. The Arab League and the African Union should also move fast and extract an order from the ICC on the immunity of Presidents, in order for this tactic not to be used as a political weapon in the hands of Washington. Such decisions harm a fundamental clause in international law - and that is the issue of sovereignty.

In conclusion, he asks:

وبعد ذلك ، يبقى التساؤل الملح ” أي من الحكام العرب ستستهدفه واشنطن بعد صدام والبشير ؟ ” ، هذا ما ستجيب عنه الأيام المقبلة .

And after all this, there remains a pressing questions: Who of the Arab leaders will be targeted by Washington after Saddam and Al Bashir? We will know the answer to this question in the near future.

Also on Global Voices Online:
Bahrain: Omar Al Bashir and the Cross-Eyed Justice

For instance Greater Surbiton, a blog focusing on the Balkans, commented:

The Bashir indictment is to be celebrated, because whether or not it results in the tyrant ever facing justice, it represents a nail in his political coffin; a push sending him further along the road already trodden by Milosevic and Karadzic. His international isolation will increase; what is left of his legitimacy will decrease; it will be more difficult for other states to collaborate with him; and if he survives his eventual overthrow, the successor regime will have to collaborate with the ICC in bringing him to trial, which will be a catalyst to its own democratic reform - just as enforced collaboration with the ICTY catalysed democratic reform in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.

Similarly, bloggers from Africa have been drawing parallels between Karadžić's indictment and arrest, and the potential coming ones for African dictators such as Omar al-Bashir in Sudan or Rober Mugabe in Zimbabwe (coincidentally, Sokwanele informs that yesterday Enough and Impunity Watch released a paper on the “Legal options available in holding accountable President Robert Mugabe for possible international crimes”).

Faustine Barraza, a blogger from Tanzania, commented:

It now appears that Karadzic will have his day in court […]
It is a good lessons to African dictators that the World is watching and that one day, they might be called to account for what they did. I hope Al-Bashir and Mugabe are paying attention.

Musengeshi Katata of the blog focusing on the DR Congo Forum Réalisance [Fr] also warns other dictators:

Il n'y a pas meilleur avertissement pour Omar el Béchir, le prochain candidat de la Cour Internationale de Justice. Ainsi qu'à tous ceux qui croient qu'ils peuvent, sans tenir compte de nos valeurs, de notre éthique et morale humaine, nous servir impunément leurs bassesses quelques soient les fonctions qu'ils exercent, leur nationalité, leur confession, la couleur de leur peau. And justice for all.

There is no better warning for Omar al-Bashir, the next candidate for the International Criminal Court. As well as for all those that believe they can, without taking into consideration our human values, ethics and morality, impose their vileness with impunity no matter their position, their nationality, their religion, their skin color. And justice for all.

Black River Eagle from the blog Jewels in the Jungle on African issues, participating in the debate at the portal African Loft, wondered:

Let’s see if Serbia extradites this European war criminal to Den Haag (The Hague) or demand that he be tried in their own national courts. This could have a negative impact on the pending indictment and trial of Omar al-Bashir at the ICC if the Serbs insist on doing the latter.
[…]
Because he is a Muslim, a serving head-of-state of an African country he should escape international justice? In the name of peace for Darfur and a negotiated political settlement that will hold up over time? Give me break. Karadzic specialized in the slaughter and mass rape of thousands of Muslims in the heart of Europe, and the sucker is going down I guarantee you.

A few other Africans have given their opinion regarding Karadžić's arrest on the BBC World Have your say blog, on yesterday's post about his arrest. Below is a selection of them.

Arnaud Ntirenganya Emmanuel, a Rwandan in Cameroon:

As a victim of Rwandan genocide the arrest of Radovan Karadzic is not enough at all, this man is supposed to tried quickly and pay for suffer and misery he caused. His arrest can only help to heal the wounds if he is treated exactly the same as his victims. For me I will have peace of mind when all perpetrators of Rwandan genocide are hanged.

Kelvin Kamayoyo:

The issue of sitting presidents hidding in the principle of sovereignity must not be their defence and lead to prolonged suffering of the innocent citizens as in the case of Zimbabwe, Sudan-Darfur. Omar al Bashir must be indicted as soon as possible and spped up the trials of the alleged cases before him as doing so it will enable to hasten the quenching of the civil war in Darfur.

George Wills Bangirana:

This is very interesting news for all citizens of the world but more so for us in Africa who live the brutality of our leaders past and present.
It beats my understanding how these once “mighty” people who hold political office unleash all kinds of mayhem on the very people they are supposed to protect without as much as a flinch and then when their turn in the cooler comes up, they live like rats-Saddam Style- or cry out to the very people they were brutalising for mercy and help. it only confirms one thing that No condition in the world is permanent and leaders better beware. Your turn may be not very far away.

Julie Kampala:

Though the arrest of Karadzic will not ressurect the dead that he killed. It will deter other dictators or dictatorships like Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Bashir of Sudan and the Burman government.

Reactions from Sudanese bloggers
Three Sudanese bloggers, Ras Babi, The Sudanese Thinker (disclosure: it's me), and Black Kush, have been among the few that commented on the matter.

Black Kush rolled out a sequence of posts on the issue as it progressed where he wrote the following:

SO Bashir has been indicted by the ICC. So what comes next now?

The ICC prosecutor has taken the boldest step ever. Charging a sitting head of state fo genocide can get him a round of applause,but that is leaving lots of people wary of the future.

So far the armageddon predicted has not happened, yet. No UN staff has been shot in the street and no car-jackings reported in Khartoum. Were the fears groundless?

Not at all. There are lots of people out there in the street who are stupid enough to start anything. It may not be the official response of the government, but some lunatics may take the lawlessness into their hands and rick havoc.

I personally think it was a wrong move on the part of the ICC. Now that he has made his point, I think UN Security Council should suspend the possible arrest warrant from being issued.

Ras Babi, as he usually does, wrote a short poem:

is it true?
the Arabs support you…
is it true?
some Sudanese stand with you….
…
Hitler had his fans
Franco had his fans
it is true…
they have gone
…..
China will sell you
Russia became like you
too bad too trust
….
you brought to us
genocide
janjaweed
Russians and Chinese
polluting our land
stealing our resources

Sudanese Thinker published his analysis and shared two photos he found in a very active Sudanese Facebook group discussing the ICC's decision, which he thought summed up the extremes of Sudanese opinion on the matter rather well -from rational debate to rejecting responsibility and conspiracy theories.

Reactions from Sudanese Facebookers
The aforementioned Facebook group where the most heated discussions are taking place is called:

“معا ضد المحكمة الجنائية الدولية . فلنتحد لنصرة الرئيس عمر البشير” (translation: “Together Against the ICC. Let’s Unite for President Omar al-Bashir’s Victory”)

The group was started by a Sudanese and currently has over 2,700 members, virtually all Sudanese as well. While a sizable number of the members oppose the Sudanese regime, the group clearly leans on the side of condemning the ICC's decision. The following are some random quotes from a thread representing the diverse opinions in the group fairly well.

Gino Mino:

Did people forget that Al-Bashir took power by force, that he executed and murdered countless Sudanese, that under his watch Millions of Sudanese died in warfare and from extreme poverty, that he and his cronies dragged the name of Sudan to the gutter that today it's on every tongue as a terrorist sponsoring nation?

Wake up ya Sudanese… AlBashir is a criminal and it's about time that he is cornered!

Khadega Malik:

He deserves worse than international court. He deserves Allah's Justice. Where he would face soon in his grave
… I am with the international court if it can at least achieve the goal of embarassing him internationally.

Ayman Ayman:

You know nothing…..and u will be the first people to cry…..shut up
… Admin please kick them out

Khadega Malik:

Believe me, you will be the one to CRY, and I will remind you there INSHA ALLAH. Someone like you who is that blind, would be the one to CRY.

Gino Mino:

Why should we be kicked out? We have not used profanity nor have we insulted only one. We have expressed nothing but the truth… why are you so afraid of the truth!?!

… and sorry we will not shut up, I thought AlBashir is implementing democracy now in Sudan, so you are obliged to listen to our point of view :)

Sana Ali:

first of allll ya Gino and Khadega no hard feelings but am replying to this topic with all due respect to both of you guys! stating my opinion…ok? alright….I really am surprised that it came down to this and that the ICC finally found a way to try to get to sudan! I dont' noe about u guys but it almost seems like a plan to take down allllllll muslim countries and not only that but also stop the ones that are somewhat prosporing from moving forward and excelling! its kind of ironic…none the less, al bashir did everything to stand behind sudan and suport it ..he made sudan one of the VERY FEW countries that are not bowing dowing and kissin the feet of the US or the UN

Yassir A.gamma:

Man f*ck u and f*ck ur sick cheap sneaky disloyal thoughts too…

Khaled M. Khaled:

heeeey yasir dont flip out. it ain't worth it.every one has the right to express his own opinion.

Sally Osama:

Its so sad for me to see my fellow Sudanese rip each other off..even if we are against ElBashir political views how can you support US taking over our country??

Sara Ibrahim Haddad:

ok, people are really angering me right now….with all this “AMERICA WILL INVADE”

AMERICA
IS
NOT
AND
WILL
NOT
INVADE
SUDAN

so stop bringing up america because u want someone to blame because u dont want to hold accountable the REAL people to blame!!

Bashier is a devil!! shaytan!!! along with other african corrupted leaders…sudan's image is tarnished globally…..and we have people agreeing with bashier??! are u crazy? OR ARE U JUST SCARED OF HIM?

Moreover, it is a positive sign to see Sudanese flocking to Facebook - not so much the blogosphere - to express their opinions freely and without authoritarian restrictions.

Bloggers from around the world are reacting to the International Criminal Court's recent recommendation that Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir be charged with multiple counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many of those bloggers are criticizing the potential indictments, claiming they are difficult to enforce and that they will bring more unrest to an already unstable nation.

Refugee children waiting with their family for a food distribution in Sam Ouandja in Darfur. Photo by Nicolas Rost/UNHCR, uploaded by hdptcar

Background
After a three year investigation, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, wants to formally accuse Sudan’s president Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir of 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the African country’s Darfur region. It marks the first time the six-year-old ICC has brought charges against a sitting president. al-Bashir and a government spokesman immediately rejected the charges and claimed they would use diplomacy to fight the case. Sudan has signed but not ratified the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, meaning it is not obliged to cooperate with the court.

Moreno-Ocampo, from Argentina, contends that for more than five years al-Bashir has ordered the Sudanese armed forces along with the Janjaweed militia to attack and destroy villages of three separate ethnic groups in Darfur, directly uprooting nearly 2.5 million civilians who now live in refugee camps. The UN estimates fighting and disease have claimed the lives of nearly 450,000 people. The prosecutor says he has evidence that government-controlled military groups used rape, hunger and fear to drive people from their lands, which were then taken over.

The case against al-Bashir comes after the United Nations Security Council requested in 2005 that Moreno-Ocampo investigate the Sudanese president’s role in the Darfur conflict, which the United States government terms “genocide.”

While al-Bashir is supposed to be arrested by Sudanese authorities, three ICC judges (hailing from Ghana, Latvia and Brazil respectively) will begin weighing the claims and make a decision whether to proceeded with a trial. This review process could take up to three months.

From Sudan
On Friday, Too Huge World, an aid worker based in North Darfur, compared waiting for news of the indictments to waiting for a grenade to explode:

The potential implications of these indictments are many and depressing. Everything from anti-Western riots on the streets of Khartoum to government-backed attacks on UN targets to the expulsion of many or all international organizations.

I imagine that this is a bit of what it feels like to wait for a grenade to explode.

On Monday another post described effects of the recommendation that al-Bashir be charged on security in the area:

So far today we have not seen attacks against international staff or facilities. The only reaction so far seems to be some large orchestrated protests in downtown Khartoum, another one in El Geneina (West Darfur), a small, half-hearted one in El Fasher (North Darfur), and none at all in Nyala (South Darfur). In fact, as you may imagine, large numbers of the Darfurian population are not too sympathetic towards the government. Therefore, we expect problems principally where there are large concentrations of Arab tribes and/or their militias.

The scarcity of negative consequences so far should not be taken to indicte that there will not be other effects in the long-term. We wait. The next 24 hours are probably the most important.

Sudanese Thinker blames the UN for the security worries and criticizes those who support the potential indictment:

The real dimwits here are the guys in the UN who coordinated things so badly with the ICC, that the ICC is now causing them trouble and forcing them to tighten security.

[…]Now please give me a reason for me to be supportive of the ICC’s move. Those Sudanese who support it are thinking sentimentally.

And Ingrid Jones of Sudan Watch breaks a ten-month blogging silence with an open letter to the ICC begging them to reconsider:

Hello dear ICC, please do not indict Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir or others in the Sudanese government as unfair charges are likely to result in desperate consequences for many Chadian and Sudanese people, peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and those who are most in need of aid and protection.

Refugee woman in Sam Ouandja in Darfur. Photo by Nicolas Rost/UNHCR, uploaded by hdptcar

African bloggers react
African leaders who have spoken out on the issue have been largely against the ICC’s move. Egypt’s foreign minister worried that dealing “irresponsibly” with Sudan will only create more chaos. The South African government admitted al-Bashir will never be arrested.

Tanzania, which holds the African Union presidency, asked the ICC to suspend its order until the situation in Darfur and the fragile peace in southern Sudan are sorted out. This brought the ire of exiled Liberian journalist Emmanuel Abalo, who argues African leaders are once again standing up for a despot:

This nonsense of “African solidarity” and “protecting its own” as espoused by the AU fly in the face of human decency and forthrightness especially when there needs to be courage to speak plainly and boldly against excesses committed by member states of the Union.

The dilemma for some African leaders who were democratically elected and practice good governance is that the AU issues statements on their behalf which do not represent their individual positions on human rights abuses and tyranny as was the recent case with Zimbabwe. And the consequence is that other world continental groupings have to openly challenge the AU's credibility to the embarrassment of some member countries.

Some issues to consider from Codrin Arsene, writing at AfricanLoft:

Sooner or later the Janjaweed will retaliate. I think the UN should withdraw its entire non-military staff from Darfur and transfer it to Nairobi.

I also believe Argentina should increase security measures to maximum alert. We are talking about an Arab state that is charged with genocide. We are also talking about an army so desperate that will make any deals to get its revenge. And that could very well include deals with Al-Qaeda.

I admire Mr. Moreno-Ocampo determination to indict Sudan’s president but he should be very careful. His life is certainly in danger. He just made the first genocide accusation in the world.

In Kenya, Nairobi Notebook ponders the UN's role in the potential indictments:

The argument carrying most support right now seems to be that Moreno-Ocampo's bid to haul Al Bashir in front of the judges will do nothing to ease the suffering of Dafuris, only inflaming the situation as promises of more “blood and violence” are unleashed.

Rewind the clock a bit and you will remember it was the UN's Security Council that gave the green light to Moreno-Ocampo to investigate the Sudanese authorities in the first place.

The Angry African, a South African currently living in the United States, reminded readers that the ICC’s potential arrest warrant may not have much teeth, a fact that can be blamed on U.S. President George Bush.

[al-Bashir] is using the same argument President Bush used against the ICC. They both claim that the ICC have no jurisdictionover anything. They don’t recognize the ICC. This was the only court that could tackle Serbian war criminals. But President Bush wants special treatment for US citizens. He argues that everyone should be equal in the eyes of the law - but some are more equal than others. He doesn’t want Americans to be held accountable to this court even if they have committeda crime against humanity or genocide for that matter. Yes, everyone else should be covered by the ICC. Just not Americans. Do you truly believe Americans should have a higher right in this world? Should Americans be above the law? I don’t think we will ever see the day an American will be charged at the ICC. It’s aimed at warmongers and despots. but we have to make sure everyone is covered by the same law. Shouldn’t we?

Come on Bush - you are either for us or against us… The Darfur blood is on your hands. What options did you leave us with? Invading as a first option? I guess you don’t like it when people first try to take the legal route? It’s easier to go in with guns blazing isn’t it? You set the precedent. Invade Sudan - even the rest of the world think he is evil and worse than Sadam used to be. Be proud - you and the President of Sudan have something in common… I hope you are proud of your legacy.

Victor Ngeny, a Kenyan journalism student living in Uganda writing at African Path, claims a warrant would be too weak to do any good:

Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo is a man on a mission; he wants to get an arrest warrant for Mr El Bashir. A small matter you might think, but if you factor the small detail that Mr El-Bashir is the president of Sudan and that China is squarely behind him, then it slowly becomes clear that Mr. Ocampo’s efforts will be in futility. Mr Ocampo’s, The Prosecutor of The International Criminal Court, case is that Mr El-Bashir has been executing genocide against his own countrymen in Darfur. There is also the small matter of Sudan not being party to the court.

Ugandan bloggers are perhaps uniquely situated within Africa to comment on the ICC's actions, given that the countries share a border and that the first warrants the ICC issued were against members of the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel organization in northern Uganda. Chris Blattman, a political scientist with extensive experience in northern Uganda, compares the ICC's actions in Sudan and Uganda:

There's a temptation to say enough is enough, screw the bastard, and arrest away. But the indictments are a blunt instrument wielded by a narrowly focused and unelected body, the ICC, fighting for its existence and relevance (and trying to make up for a number of bungles). I support the idea of the ICC, but I'm worried that this risky decision was made without consideration for the big picture, including peace in the region.

The ICC's Ocampo has a reputation as a loose cannon and a publicity hound, and is said to have an eye on the Argentine presidency. This reputation accords with my impressions of the ICC's work in northern Uganda–a rash, risky, poorly informed and planned move that nearly backfired.

Is Ocampo acting rashly and alone again? I hope not. I hope that something as serious as an indictment of a sitting President would be part of a high level (probably secretive) discussion among world leaders and the UN. I hope this most of all when we are speaking of a nation with extensive UN operations, several peace efforts, several brewing wars, and an African Union peacekeeping mission (and thousands of foreign humanitarian workers) in country.

Ugandabeat describes local media reactions to the ICC announcement:

The International Criminal Court charged the Sudanese president, Omar Al-Bashir, with genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Darfur yesterday. The news rocked Uganda, with the major dailies putting Bashir's face on the cover, next to headlines that read “Wanted” or “Bashir Wanted for Genocide.” Sudan is Uganda's neighbor, and the politics of Southern Sudan and Uganda have always been intertwined.

[…]Of course, the situation is complex. Mahmood Mamdani, my favorite Ugandan scholar (actually, my favorite scholar in general), has long been critical of the motives of governments and NGOs in calling the war in Darfur genocide, particularly the demonisation of the Janjaweed.

Gay Uganda wonders what effect, if any, an ICC warrant will have on the situation on the ground:

The world is not without its contradictions. With Bashir of Sudan accused of genocide in Darfur, practical politicians are pointing out that if the president of Sudan is arraigned, that, the largest country in Africa, with the most consistent civil unrest since independence, is headed for more unrest.

The nightmare in Sudan has lasted longer than my life. Yet, isn’t Darfur enough to lead to his indictment? When will our leaders become accountable? When will they stop arguing their continued misleading of the continent in the name of ‘stability’?

Oh well. Even the Security Council could not get to grips with Zimbabwe. For Russia, did Medvedev get his wrist slapped when he returned home from the G8 summit? For China, it is simply the Platinum and Gold and other riches. The more the world changes, the more it is still the same.

Other reactions
The Social Science Research Council has an excellent guide to the controversy on their Making Sense of Darfur blog. Among the questions they ask:

Moreno Ocampo is taking a bold and momentous step for global human rights and for Sudan. It is also controversial and fraught with danger. Will this be a historic victory for human rights, a principled blow on behalf of the victims of atrocity against the men who orchestrated massacre and destruction? Or will it be a tragedy, a clash between the needs for justice and for peace, which will send Sudan into a vortex of turmoil and bloodshed?

Daniel Sturgis, a Canadian travel writer in Morocco, claims the ICC’s move may be correct but may jeopardize the chance for a peaceful resolution:

From a law perspective, the ICC decision to proceed with charges of crimes against humanity for Sudan's top brass, is definitely the right one.

From a moral perspective, the United Nations is unable to prevent the fallout if this decision enrages the Sudanese government. Isolated, Sudanese leaders are much more dangerous than the frustratingly ineffective checks and balances we have currently placed upon them.

To Ali Alarabi, writing for Mideast Youth, the charges are an unhelpful attempt to settle the political issue of Darfur. While the humanitarian costs are high in Darfur, Alarabi points out that the Sudanese government has every right to protect the integrity of its borders. However, larger and richer states are now hiding behind international law to punish the Sudanese leader.

International law however, as it appears to be, is there to punish weak and third world countries if they were deemed misbehaving according to standards of Western powers. As this issue demonstrates, International law is there to preserve the interests and the power of big powers against small helpless nations. Sudan is perceived to be not playing by the rules set forth by western powers when it comes to its energy supplies, its stand on the Arab Israeli conflict and its position on Iraq.

Written in Collaboration with John Liebhardt

Amjad, who is now currently studying in the United States, blogged about the existence of something called the Sudanese-American Soccer League (SASL). Yes, there's actually one in America.

Colorado (blue) vs. Irving (red & white)
With the number of Sudanese-Americans growing, the Sudanese communities here have decided to create a soccer league for the Sudanese communities all over the United States. There is a good number of Sudanese-Americans in different states in the US, and so it was a good idea for each community in each state to establish its own team and join the Sudanese-American Soccer League (SASL).

Drima blogged about Obama's historic victory with excitement and gave his analysis for why he thinks the next President of the United States will be a Democrat:

We knew this was coming for a while. Win or lose, Obama has achieved the seemingly unachievable

… We’ve still got many months to go and a lot can happen. Potential controversies and campaign management on both sides will of course also be two factors in the final outcome, but at the end of the day, by looking at the midterm election results and the current circumstances, I’d say America is in the mood for a Donkey president.

JohnAkec in Southern Sudan shared his thoughts on a speech he attended by Mr. Pagan Amum, the secretary general of Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM):

In his approximately one hour speech, Pagan Amum did not mince his word but put the responsibility for the Abyei’s carnage squarely at the door of NCP and president Omer Al Bashir: “All these atrocities were committed by the so called People’s Armed Forces which never fired a single bullet against a foreign army since Sudan’s independence in 1956!….President Bashir is responsible for the death and displacement of 100 thousand Abyei citizens 100% ” he told his cheering audience. I agreed with comrade Pagan 100%.

Sudanese Returnee told us that he's still safe and alive after returning to Southern Sudan and being absent from his blog for an extended period of time:

It looks like ages since I last posted anything from Juba, so much that I did not know what to blog about…

First there was the National Census that I so much longed to be part of. I am told the guys came home, but I am not too sure I have been counted.

Then came the SPLM Second National Convention (splmtoday.com) which I believe was historic to the SPLM.

And Khartoum got hit but JEM, Khartoum hit Abyei and SPLM re-elects Kiir as Chairman.

Juba is changing everyday. I promise to send you pics of before and after some time soon.

As for now, just wanted to show the blogsphere that i’m alive.

Rara Avis is still too busy to blog she says:

Since my last malnutritioned post, I have been so preoccupied with my busy academic and friends-full life, that I could only browse and browse and read other peoples' blogs and not updating mine.

Last but not least, allow me to leave you with these pictures of touristic destinations in Port Sudan. Kizzie blogged them:

Yes this post contains some shameless Sudan-promotion, but it's a beautiful country and you should visit Sudan it sometime. Sudan is not exactly on your list of “must visit countries” , but put aside your list for a bit and look at the pictures.

This is not about Sudan, but this is about port Sudan, one of Sudan's most beautiful cities.

It's the perfect place to visit….friendly locals, nice beaches, one of the world's best diving areas, nice hotels and resorts and the city is very tourist-friendly.

Remember, tourism is always good for the locals:)