United Nations Radio

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said on Friday that the government of Sudan has the responsibility to arrest people accused of committing crimes against civilians in Darfur.

Luis Moreno Ocampo

Briefing the Security Council on the situation in Darfur, Luis Moreno Ocampo said the warrant of arrest for President Omar Al-Bashir has been sent to the Sudanese authorities.

The Prosecutor has accused President Al-Bashir of ordering the killing of certain ethnic groups in the troubled region of Sudan where an estimated one million people have been displaced since fighting erupted in 2003.

Mr. Ocampo reminded the Council that it has established that the government of Sudan has the duty to cooperate with the court.

"In July 2008, a few days after my Office submitted to the Judges an application for an arrest warrant against President Omar Al Bashir, the Council also adopted resolution 1828 which emphasized again the need to bring to justice the perpetrators of such crimes and urged the Government of Sudan to comply with its obligations in this respect."

Mr. Ocampo said the government of Sudan also has the duty to arrest the Minister of State for the Interior, Ahmed Harun accused of coordinating crimes against civilians and Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb for his role in specific attacks.

Diane Bailey, United Nations.

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