Malawi takes a stand against Bashir
The Malawian government must be congratulated for refusing to host an African Union summit after the AU insisted that Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, should be allowed to attend.
Although President Bashir has been charged by the International Criminal Court with genocide, war crimes and other crimes against humanity, it hasn’t stopped the AU from treating him as a normal head of state.
AU member states such as Kenya, Chad, Djibouti and, in the past, Malawi itself have all openly defied the ICC by welcoming Bashir as a visiting dignitary.
But the new president of Malawi, Joyce Banda, has apparently decided that her country at least is no longer prepared to play host to a fugitive from international justice.
Let us hope that other countries in Africa, regardless of the AU, follow her courageous example. If they do, then eventually even the union may decide that there should be no safe havens for people charged with heinous crimes.
John O’Shea
Goal
