The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Washington, United States | AFP |
The United States on Thursday condemned Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni for hosting war crimes suspect Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir at his re-inauguration.
A spokeswoman for the State Department said US, EU and Canadian diplomats had walked out of Thursday’s ceremony in Kampala in protest as Bashir’s presence.
“The United States has made its position with respect to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s travel very clear,” Elizabeth Trudeau said.
“We’re concerned that President Bashir has been able to travel to Uganda,” she added.
Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
States in theory has an obligation to arrest ICC suspects on their territory, but African leaders are increasingly resentful of its authority.
During his speech Museveni dubbed the ICC a “bunch of useless people” as Bashir nodded in agreement and leaders from Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe looked on.
“President Museveni made disparaging remarks about the ICC in front of attendees, including other heads of state,” Trudeau said.
“In response to President Bashir’s presence and President Museveni’s remarks, the United States delegation, along with representatives of the European Union countries and Canada, departed the inauguration ceremonies to demonstrate our objections.”
The swearing-in ceremony was the fifth since Museveni took power in 1986 at the head of a rebel army.
These Americans are hypocritical indeed! What will they do? The other day they were condemning the election, and yet they attended the inauguration, and in fact I saw the US ambassador enjoying the pleasantries at the state dinner well knowing that Bashir was in Kampala and Museveni having despised an international institution, ICC! If these criminals who kill their people can have all freedom to hobnob with so called the civilized world, then we simply endorsing impunity.
Is the US a member of the ICC ? If the answer is no ,why?
They are not, they refused signing it. Do you know in America if they suspect you have a gun the police will shoot you. But in Uganda we tear gas and arrest them. who is a better devil?
I want to say that Americans and Europeans should get serious, you can’t criticise to today and you having beer tomorrow with the same person, better keep quiet and observe rather than try to patronise society, by trying to look neutral yet ur not.
I thought Americans were Christians. Love your neighbour as you love yourself, bless those who persecute you, forgive and yee will be forgiven, love is the most important commandment. How do you win over an adversary, by showing them love. Bashir meeting Kiir is a point to be applauded. American enemies are not Uganda’s enemies. Bravo Museveni for collecting African Leaders together.
So, they want to send other”creatures” to a court-martial they don`t recognize or respect!
The man from Turkey is doing to them what they do to others.(Blackmail)
Museveni should respect the icc, why is he worried about the icc work, unless is a potential suspect. Icc is doing a good job to deal with african dictators who violate human rights and oppress their own citizens, uganda should remain a member of icc. If we leave criminals will get away with crimes they have commited when in authority, so please keep uganda in the icc for future safety, we feel better in icc than outside. When you have human rights violators next to you and can not be proscute by local courts of law it’s the icc that can deal with them, people such as gabo of ivory Coast, Charles taylor of Liberia , omar Bashir wanted by icc. Not room for criminals that do not respect other people. We should stay in not out of the icc, give us a break your excellency.
U S A And E U Should Wake Early Enough If Not The Lovely Snake They Loved Will Spoil The Whole African Leaders And May Become Too Late For Them To Regret Why They Pour Their Fundings To A Country Lead By A Darling Snake