Condoned in Darfur, condemned in Palestine

The targeting of civilians, the use of starvation as a war tactic, the burning of villages, and the mass raping of women has been well documented in Darfur, as elsewhere in the country.

He has stopped at nothing to maintain power.

Bashir’s guilt or innocence of the charges against him is a matter for the ICC to decide, but showing solidarity with him won’t do anything to address the underlying problems of poverty and impunity, and will only hinder efforts to shore up support to negotiate a ceasefire.

It certainly won’t end the immediate humanitarian crisis caused by Bashir’s expulsion of the aid agencies.

Qatar, the host of the Arab League Summit, had been working to inject energy into the faltering peace process for Darfur, convening a meeting between Khartoum and a key rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

But now, by hosting the indicted president mere weeks after he expelled the aid agencies and issuing a clear statement of support for Bashir, Qatar’s credibility and viability as a host and convener of peace talks must be called into question.

JEM has already quit the talks in protest over the humanitarian situation.

Rather than choosing politics over humanity and privileging the appearance of Arab unity over concern for the people of Darfur, the Arab League might have condemned Bashir’s expulsion of the aid agencies and his harassment of Sudanese human rights defenders.

A statement by Arab leaders acknowledging the atrocities and violence committed by government forces would have had a deep impact in Khartoum.

Even better would have been a statement urging all friends and neighbours of Sudan to let the Court do its work.

All nations should be doing everything in their power to push all parties to the table, to meaningfully include women in peace talks, and to ensure justice and reconciliation for the people of Sudan.

The Arab world has long criticised America’s seeming blindness when it comes to Israel and Palestine.

Responding in kind when it comes to President Bashir does nothing to end the suffering of either the Palestinians or the Darfuris.

Just as US administrations have applied a double standard for Israelis and Palestinians, so now the Arab League applies a double standard for Khartoum and Darfur. Legitimate critiques of Israeli policy might be taken more seriously if they were consistently applied and the same concern for the Palestinian people was shown also for the Darfuris.

Jody Williams is recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her work to eliminate landmines, and chairs the Nobel Women’s Initiative, a group founded by six women Nobel Peace Laureates in 2006.