ABUJA: The African Union has invited Sudanese leader Omar Al-Beshir, who faces a global arrest warrant for war crimes, for next week s talks on the Darfur crisis in Abuja, a Nigerian government source said Thursday.
Eighteen heads of state are expected for a summit of the peace and security organ of AU slated for next Thursday in the Nigerian capital.
Al-Beshir, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, is still considering the invitation, afraid we may turn him in, which will not happen, the source told AFP.
Hand him over to who when he is invited by the AU? he added.
The global rights campaign group, Amnesty International wants Nigeria to arrest Al-Beshir and hand him over to the ICC should he enter Nigerian territory.
Asked to confirm if the Sudanese president was invited, Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe said he was not going to speculate on who is invited and who is not .
Since the ICC issued an arrest warrant on Al-Beshir in March, he has been to seven countries – Eritrea, Egypt, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe – none of which are signatories to the ICC treaty.
Amnesty said failure by Nigeria to arrest the Sudanese leader is a failure to fulfill obligations under international law and may amount to obstruction of justice.
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki is expected to submit a report on the Darfur crisis.
The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million fled their homes since ethnic minority rebels in the western region of Darfur first rose up against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum in February 2003.
The Sudanese government says 10,000 people have been killed. -AFP
