Sudan invites foreign experts to check judiciary

Sudan has invited international experts to inspect its legal system to see whether it is capable of holding trials for war crimes committed in Darfur, the justice minister said on Thursday.

Sudan has launched a diplomatic campaign to counter the International Criminal Court's bid to get an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Justice Minister Abdel Basit Sabderat told Reuters that Sudan would revive its own trials for those accused of war crimes in Darfur, although he gave no date.

He said experts from the United Nations, African Union and Arab League had been invited.

"We invited them to come and see the judicial system in Sudan themselves," he said, adding that Bashir had suggested this to Arab League head Amr Moussa during his visit this week.

International experts estimate the war in the western Darfur region has killed an estimated 200,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms against the government in 2003.

Rights groups have welcomed the ICC push to put Bashir on trial, but some analysts believe it could destroy Sudan's fragile peace process.

The Arab League says Sudan has agreed to try those it thought responsible for crimes in Darfur under Arab and African observation. Both the African Union and Arab League want any indictment for Bashir to be put on hold.

LOCAL TRIALS

Justice Minister Sabderat said Sudan would build on three special courts formed after the U.N. Security Council referred Darfur to the international court in 2005. But he gave no date for a resumption of trials.

"We are facing the same problems that (the ICC) itself said it faced. it is not that we are not willing to do justice but that while the war is going on we cannot execute justice," he said.

"We have to find the victims, witnesses, bring the evidence," he said. "It's not easy."

Sabderat said Sudanese law contained all the necessary provisions to try anyone for war crimes.

The ICC indicted State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and militia leader Ali Kushayb for war crimes last year, but Sudan has said they will not be handed over for trial.

Sabderat said no one had brought evidence against Haroun and that Kushayb had been arrested, but for different charges than those being brought by the ICC. He could not confirm if he was still detained.

"If you try Ahmed Haroun and Ali Kushayb do you think Darfur's problem will be resolved? Never!" he said.

Khartoum says foreign media have exaggerated the death toll in Darfur and puts the death toll there at 10,000.

In a show of defiance against the ICC, Bashir made a two-day visit to Darfur inviting all parties to come and talk peace.

On Thursday, he danced in front of thousands in West Darfur's capital el-Geneina and promised to form joint units from ex-rebels integrated into the army to protect those who want to return home.

He did not visit camps housing millions driven from their homes since 2003 and who are largely hostile to the government.

The governor of the state Abu el-Gasim, a former rebel, reminded Bashir of his commitments to fund and support a transitional regional authority which allows Darfur some autonomy. The May 2006 peace deal was signed by only one of three negotiating rebel factions.