A coalition of human rights groups iscalling on Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua to arrest Sudanese President Omaral-Bashire when he comes to Nigeria this Thursday, October 29 to attend anAfrican Union-sponsored talks on the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.
TheInternational Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for theSudanese president for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
ObyNwankwo, the representative for Africa on the International Coalition for theICC, said Nigeria must honor its internationallegal obligation to arrest Mr. Bashir.
"Weknow that Nigeria is a state party to the Rome Statute of the InternationalCriminal Court. And by signing on to that statute, Nigeria has committed tosupport the court and support all its actions. You are also aware that justrecently Nigeria was elected as a non-permanent member of the U.N. SecurityCouncil," she said.
Ifthe Sudanese president is allowed to attend this week's AU summit, Nigeriawould have been the first signatory to the ICC statute that Bashir would havevisited since the arrest warrant was issued.
An unnamedNigerian government source was quoted as saying it is unlikely that Nigeriawill arrest Mr. Bashir, after all, the source reportedly said, the Sudanese presidentwould be the guest of the African Union.
Nwankwosaid Nigerians are worried that if this happens it would affect the credibilityof Nigeria not just as a nation but also as a member of the U.N. SecurityCouncil.
TheAfrican Union said last July it would disregard the ICC arrest warrant against Mr.al-Bashir because the ICC ignored the AU request for the arrest warrant to bedeferred for one year.
Nwankwosaid the AU position is not supported by all member countries.
"I'maware of the AU position, and I'm aware that that position is not supported byall the AU members, especially the members that are state parties to thestatute," Nwankwo said.
FormerSouth African President Thabo Mbeki, who heads the AU Panel on Darfur isexpected to submit a report on the Darfur crisis at the Nigeria summit.
"I'maware of the statement put out when al-Bashir was planning to come to SouthAfrica; I'm aware of the statement that Botswana put out saying if he comesthey will arrest. So I don't know why Nigeria should be inviting him," Nwankwosaid.
Shesaid public opinion in Nigeria is against the Sudanese president coming toNigeria.
"Ithink Bashir will be right in considering whether he should come or not becausegeneral opinion in Nigeria is that he should not come. So I don't know what isgoing to happen, but I'm telling you because we work with the people that thegenerality of the public, the media the civil society they are saying it willnot be okay," she said.
Nwankwosaid the rights groups will call a news conference Monday to tell the Nigeriangovernment that it should listen to the people who elected it by not allowingPresident al-Bashir to come to Nigeria.