Author: DWAG Communication

Darfur Women Action Group’s Letter to the United Nations Security Council

Re: 221 Tabit Women Raped October 2014

We, the undersigned, write today to express our deep concern about the continuing surge of violence that has devastated the lives of people in Darfur, Sudan. We are particularly concerned with the ongoing lack of independent and transparent investigations regarding the mass rape of 221 women and girls in Tabit a year after the attack. We are extremely disturbed that the UNSC is fully aware of the brutal attack against the women of Tabit and these women and their families have been left to face unspeakable suffering and fear along without protection, treatment or justice. On this one year anniversary of the shocking incident we would like to take this opportunity to remind and urge the UNSC to fulfill its responsibility pursuant to international human rights and humanitarian norms to protect the people of Darfur – particularly women – to end the genocide in Darfur, bring justice to victims, and accountability for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and others responsible for the crimes committed in Darfur. Accordingly, we demand that the United Nations Security Council not ignore or allow such horrors of the ongoing attacks against civilians in Darfur to continue with impunity.

On the evening of October 31st, 2014, at approximately 8pm local time, government soldiers in Northern Darfur attacked a village just a few miles away from the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) headquarters. These soldiers rounded up the Tabit villagers, beat them with their guns, and separated the men from the women by force. The soldiers then stayed until the following morning, raping approximately 221 women and girls.

Immediately following the rape, the Sudanese government denied the attacks and prevented UN investigators from entering the town to try to prevent victims and witnesses from sharing information about the crimes. Even after the army commander admitted guilt and apologized, the Sudanese government formally denounced reports of the rape as “fabricated reports.”

The UN-African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) investigation team attempted to cover up the rape, concluding that there was never any incident of mass rape in Tabit. UNAMID denied any information regarding media allegations during the period in question. Multiple victims and witnesses later reported that government officials threatened to imprison or kill anyone who spoke out about the attacks.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident but a deliberate and systematic trend of the ongoing attacks against women, men, and children in Darfur that has forced millions from their homes for over 12 years.

UNAMID’s failure to properly investigate and Sudan’s denials that crimes had occurred has contributed to the UN Security Council’s failure to enforce a strong international response to the incident. Furthermore, the Council’s inaction has sent a wrong signal to the government soldiers and their proxy militias that they can commit such crimes with impunity. It has now been one year since this incident occurred. Regrettably, there has not been a formal investigation nor any kind of treatment or support provided to the Tabit victims and survivors.

Today, Omar al-Bashir stands accused of the world’s worst crimes – genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite more than 40 resolutions made by the UNSC on Darfur and the ICC issuing five arrest warrants for individuals responsible for the genocide and other crimes in Darfur, Sudan has refused to fulfill its commitments to international treaties related to human rights and demonstrate respect for the rule of law. Furthermore, Sudan has continued to defy justice and to undermine the authority of the UNSC by flouting its obligation to cooperate with the ICC.

Accordingly, we the undersigned strongly call on the UNSC members and international community to match their words with actions. It is imperative that the UNSC members uphold their obligations to the international norms that they have voluntarily adopted and fulfill their promises to the people of Darfur. We urgently petition the UNSC to immediately take the following measures to end violence, protect civilians, and restore the dignity of the people of Darfur and Sudan at large.

We, the undersigned, ask that the UNSC immediately:

● Pressure the Sudanese regime and its sponsored militias to immediately cease its criminal and violent attacks and air bombing in Darfur and throughout Sudan, including South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

● Create a professional and independent task force with expertise in sexual and genderbased violence to conduct an investigation into alleged abuses in Tabit and provide comprehensive physical and psychological treatment for the victims and their families; or in the event of lack of investigation, relocate the victims and their families to enable them to receive necessary aid and lifesaving assistance.

● Pressure the government of Sudan to allow unhindered humanitarian access to all people in Darfur and throughout Sudan and to ensure that medical services are available to all those in need, including establishing a permanent presence, such as an operations base.

● Pressure the government of Sudan to order its armed forces, military intelligence, and allied militias to stop all abuses – including harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on freedom of movement – against Tabit residents for speaking out or seeking to enforce their rights concerning crimes committed in the town.

● Ensure that any abusive forces are removed from Tabit and its proximity, and that all military personnel, regardless of rank, implicated in abuses – including as a matter of command responsibility – are held fully accountable.

● Impose travel bans and asset freezes on the individuals responsible for the crimes committed in Darfur- particularly against women- and for the continued obstruction of peacekeepers and UN investigators. Rape as a weapon of war is an international crime of global magnitude. It is imperative that the UNSC makes it clear that impunity for such horror is not an option.

Sincerely,

Niemat Ahmadi

President, Darfur Women Action Group

Washington, DC

Esther Sprague, Founder and Director

Sudan Unlimited San Francisco, CA Prof.

Gregory Stanton

President, Genocide Watch

George Mason University

Arlington, VA

Eltahir Abbo, General Secretary

Darfur Association in Arizona Glendale, AZ

Al Sutton, M.D.

African Freedom Coalition

New York, NY

Ismael Adam

President, Darfur Association of Canada

Toronto, CA

Nuraddin Abdulmannan

Nubia Project

Washington, DC

Martina Knee, Co-Founder

Act for Sudan

San Francisco, CA

Eric Cohen, Chairperson

Investors Against Genocide

Boston, MA, USA

William Rosenfeld

Director, Massachusetts Coalition for Darfur

Boston, MA

Katie-Jay Scott

Stop Genocide Now

Redondo Beach, CA

Olivia Warham

MBE Director, Waging Peace

London, UK

Martha Boshnick

Co-chair Darfur Interfaith Network

Washington, DC

Beth McDaniel

Carl Wilkens Fellowship

Redondo Beach, CA

Sharon Silber

Co-Founder, NY Coalition for Sudan

New York, NY

Eileen B. Weiss

Co-Founder, Jews Against Genocide, U.S.

New York, NY

Cory Williams

Darfur and Beyond

Phoenix, Arizona

Ismail Kardoly

Sudan Human Rights Network

Washington, DC

Prof. Mahmoud Braima

President, Darfur Association USA

Dr. Eleanor Wright

Sudan Advocacy Action Forum

Dr. Jacky Mamou

President, Collectif Urgence Darfour

Paris, France

Monica Feltz, Esq., LL.M.

Executive Director, International Justice Project

Newark, NJ

Yagoub Abbo

Fur Solidarity, USA

Sioux Falls, SD

Elfadel Arabab

Executive Director, Fur Cultural Revival

Portland, ME

Melanie Nelkin

Chair, Georgia Coalition to Prevent Genocide

Georgia, USA

Motasim Adam

Darfur People’s Association of New York

Brooklyn, NY

Ahmed. H. Adam

Visiting Fellow, Institute for African Development

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Bakhiet Shata

President, Darfur Community Organization

Omaha, NE

Mohamed Khidir

Nubia Call USA

Adam Omer

President, Darfur Association

Lincoln, NE

Antonella Napolio

Executive Director

Italians for Darfur

Rome ,Italy

Dr. Mukesh Kapila

Special Representative

Aegis Trust

Contact: Niemat Ahmadi, President, Darfur Women Action Group 1050 17th Street NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20036 E:niemat@darfurwomenaction.org C: 804 439 2022

Rights group expressed outrage and concern over the continued lack of investigation of the mass rape of 221 women of Tabit village in North Darfur one year later

Today approximately thirty organizations from the United States, UK, France and Canada have signed a letter to the member states of the United Nations Security Council, expressing concern over the ongoing violent attacks and abuses against civilians in Darfur and the lack of investigation of last year’s horrific rape of about 221 women and girls on October 31, 2014, in Tabit village. The group also urged the UNSC to hold the perpetrators accountable for this atrocity. Read the full letter below.

November 6, 2015

Darfur Women Action Group’s Letter to the United Nations Security Council

Re: 221 Tabit Women Raped October 2014

We, the undersigned, write today to express our deep concern about the continuing surge of violence that has devastated the lives of people in Darfur, Sudan. We are particularly concerned with the ongoing lack of independent and transparent investigations regarding the mass rape of 221 women and girls in Tabit a year after the attack. We are extremely disturbed that the UNSC is fully aware of the brutal attack against the women of Tabit and these women and their families have been left to face unspeakable suffering and fear along without protection, treatment or justice. On this one year anniversary of the shocking incident we would like to take this opportunity to remind and urge the UNSC to fulfill its responsibility pursuant to international human rights and humanitarian norms to protect the people of Darfur – particularly women – to end the genocide in Darfur, bring justice to victims, and accountability for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and others responsible for the crimes committed in Darfur. Accordingly, we demand that the United Nations Security Council not ignore or allow such horrors of the ongoing attacks against civilians in Darfur to continue with impunity.

On the evening of October 31st, 2014, at approximately 8pm local time, government soldiers in Northern Darfur attacked a village just a few miles away from the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) headquarters. These soldiers rounded up the Tabit villagers, beat them with their guns, and separated the men from the women by force. The soldiers then stayed until the following morning, raping approximately 221 women and girls.

Immediately following the rape, the Sudanese government denied the attacks and prevented UN investigators from entering the town to try to prevent victims and witnesses from sharing information about the crimes. Even after the army commander admitted guilt and apologized, the Sudanese government formally denounced reports of the rape as “fabricated reports.”

The UN-African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) investigation team attempted to cover up the rape, concluding that there was never any incident of mass rape in Tabit. UNAMID denied any information regarding media allegations during the period in question. Multiple victims and witnesses later reported that government officials threatened to imprison or kill anyone who spoke out about the attacks.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident but a deliberate and systematic trend of the ongoing attacks against women, men, and children in Darfur that has forced millions from their homes for over 12 years.

UNAMID’s failure to properly investigate and Sudan’s denials that crimes had occurred has contributed to the UN Security Council’s failure to enforce a strong international response to the incident. Furthermore, the Council’s inaction has sent a wrong signal to the government soldiers and their proxy militias that they can commit such crimes with impunity. It has now been one year since this incident occurred. Regrettably, there has not been a formal investigation nor any kind of treatment or support provided to the Tabit victims and survivors.

Today, Omar al-Bashir stands accused of the world’s worst crimes – genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite more than 40 resolutions made by the UNSC on Darfur and the ICC issuing five arrest warrants for individuals responsible for the genocide and other crimes in Darfur, Sudan has refused to fulfill its commitments to international treaties related to human rights and demonstrate respect for the rule of law. Furthermore, Sudan has continued to defy justice and to undermine the authority of the UNSC by flouting its obligation to cooperate with the ICC.

Accordingly, we the undersigned strongly call on the UNSC members and international community to match their words with actions. It is imperative that the UNSC members uphold their obligations to the international norms that they have voluntarily adopted and fulfill their promises to the people of Darfur. We urgently petition the UNSC to immediately take the following measures to end violence, protect civilians, and restore the dignity of the people of Darfur and Sudan at large.

We, the undersigned, ask that the UNSC immediately:

● Pressure the Sudanese regime and its sponsored militias to immediately cease its criminal and violent attacks and air bombing in Darfur and throughout Sudan, including South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

● Create a professional and independent task force with expertise in sexual and gender-based violence to conduct an investigation into alleged abuses in Tabit and provide comprehensive physical and psychological treatment for the victims and their families; or in the event of lack of investigation, relocate the victims and their families to enable them to receive necessary aid and lifesaving assistance.

● Pressure the government of Sudan to allow unhindered humanitarian access to all people in Darfur and throughout Sudan and to ensure that medical services are available to all those in need, including establishing a permanent presence, such as an operations base.

● Pressure the government of Sudan to order its armed forces, military intelligence, and allied militias to stop all abuses – including harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on freedom of movement – against Tabit residents for speaking out or seeking to enforce their rights concerning crimes committed in the town.

● Ensure that any abusive forces are removed from Tabit and its proximity, and that all military personnel, regardless of rank, implicated in abuses – including as a matter of command responsibility – are held fully accountable.

● Impose travel bans and asset freezes on the individuals responsible for the crimes committed in Darfur- particularly against women- and for the continued obstruction of peacekeepers and UN investigators.

Rape as a weapon of war is an international crime of global magnitude. It is imperative that the UNSC makes it clear that impunity for such horror is not an option.

Sincerely,

The undersigned :

Niemat Ahmadi

President, Darfur Women Action Group

Washington, DC

Esther Sprague, Founder and Director

Sudan Unlimited

San Francisco, CA

Prof. Gregory Stanton, President, Genocide Watch

George Mason University, Arlington, VA

Eltahir Abbo, General Secretary

Darfur association in Arizona

Glendale, AZ

Al Sutton M.D.

African Freedom Coalition

New York, NY

Ismael Adam

President, Darfur Association of Canada

Toronto, CA

Nuraddin Abdulmannan, Nubia Project

Washington, DC

Martina Knee, Co-Founder, Act for Sudan

San Francisco, CA

Eric Cohen, Chairperson, Investors Against Genocide

Boston, MA, USA

William Rosenfeld

Director, Massachusetts Coalition for Darfur

Boston, MA

Katie-Jay Scott

Stop Genocide Now

Redondo Beach, CA

Olivia Warham MBE, Director, Waging Peace

London, UK

Martha Boshnick, Co-chair Darfur Interfaith Network

Washington, DC

Beth McDaniel, Carl Wilkens Fellowship
Redondo Beach, CA

Sharon Silber, Co-Founder, NY Coalition for Sudan

New York, NY

Eileen B. Weiss,Co-Founder, Jews Against Genocide, U.S.

New York, NY

Cory Williams,Darfur and Beyond

Phoenix, Arizona

Ismail Kardoly,Sudan Human Rights Network

Washington, DC

Prof. Mahmoud Braima,, President, Darfur Association

Leuisian, USA

Dr. Eleanor Wright

Sudan Advocacy Action Forum

Dr. Jacky Mamou,, President, Collectif Urgence Darfour

Paris, France

Monica Feltz, Esq., LL.M., Executive Director, International Justice Project

Newark, NJ

Yagoub Abbo, Fur Solidarity, USA

Sioux Falls, SD

Elfadel Arabab,Executive Director, Fur Cultural Revival

Portland, ME

Melanie Nelkin, Chair, Georgia Coalition to Prevent Genocide

Georgia, USA

Motasim Adam, Darfur People’s Association of New York

Brooklyn, NY

Ahmed. H. Adam,Visiting Fellow

Institute for African Development

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Bakhiet Shata,President, Darfur Community Organization

Omaha, NE

Mohamed Khidir,Nubia Call,

USA

Adam Omer, President, Darfur Association

Lincoln, NE

For contact:

Niemat Ahmadi, President, Darfur Women Action Group

1050 17th Street NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20036

E: niemat@darfurwomenaction.org

On the evening of October 31st, 2014, at approximately 8pm local time, government soldiers in Northern Darfur terrorized a village just a couple miles away from the United Nation-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) headquarters. The small village of Tabit was invaded by Sudanese soldiers belonging to a military garrison south of El Fasher. These soldiers rounded up the Tabit villagers, beat them with their guns, and forcibly separated the men from the women. The soldiers then stayed until 4:00 AM the following morning, raping over 221 women and girls. Two army defectors told Human Rights Watch that their superior officers had ordered them to “rape women.” Human Rights Watch later confirmed these statements with 27 separate incidents of rape, and obtained credible information about an additional 194 cases.

Immediately following the rape, the Sudanese government vehemently denied the attacks and prohibited UN investigators from entering the town in a bid to prevent victims and witnesses from sharing information about the crimes. The Sudanese government formally denounced reports of the rape as “fabricated” and that such accusations “represent an insult and humiliation to Tabit’s citizens before it represents an insult to the government and army.”

The UN-African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) investigation team also attempted to cover up the rape, concluding that there was never any incidence of mass rape in Tabit, denying any evidence and any credible information regarding the media allegations during the period in question. During the initial UNAMID investigation, there was heavy solider presence who followed the monitors and recorded the interviews. Multiple victims and witnesses later reported that government officials threatened to imprison or kill anyone who spoke out about the attacks.

We were shocked and outraged, and decided to take action. Therefore, Darfur Women Action Group has launched a petition on Change.org calling on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to protect the people of Darfur and demanded an investigation into these horrific war crimes. The UNSC response was to demand an investigation, however until today, the investigation has not been carried out because of the denial of investigative access by the Sudanese Government.

It has now almost been one year since this incident occurred. Regrettably, there has not been a formal investigation into the attacks nor any kind of treatment or support provided to the Tabit victims.

Darfur Women Action Group is launching a new awareness campaign to stand in solidarity with the victims of Tabit and other Darfuri women and victims. We invite you to join our campaign by taking the following actions:

• Sign our Change.org petition asking the UN Security Council to investigate this atrocity
• Join our social media action by (re)tweeting our message: I stand with the women of Darfur because (insert your reason here):
• use the hashtags #221WomenRaped, #Respond2Darfur & #WomenAndGenocide, #DWAG6

Please join us and help us spread the word about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and the unspeakable suffering of women and girls.

Darfur Women Action Group, in partnership with Genocide Watch and The
Center for the Study of Gender and Conflict at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR),
cordially invites you to attend our
4th Annual National Symposium on Women & Genocide
in the 21st Century: The Case of Darfur
Building Strategies for Sustainable Change in Sudan
Art and Music for women empowerment with Mark Kostabi and the great Italina singer Tony Esposito
October 17th-18th, 2015

For the past six years, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) has been working with its allies to bring awareness to the magnitude of the genocide in Darfur and particularly its impact on women.DWAG educates the public about these issues, empowering survivors to bring their voices to regional and international forums.

On Saturday, October 17th to Sunday, October 18th, we, along with hundreds of anti-genocide activists, women’s rights advocates, acadamics ,artists, celebrities, survivors, experts, and concerned leaders will come together to address genocide, its impact on women, and build strategies for sustainable change in Darfur.

WHO:

Activists, students, and experts on genocide and women’s issues from around the world.

Our speakers include:

– Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo, the first ever chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)

– Dr. Marja Lehto: Senior Advisor, The Legal Service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

– Mr. Carl Wilkens: Founder, World Outside My Shoes

– Ambassador Stephen Rapp: Former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice

– Ms. Shamila Batohi: Senior Legal Advisor to the Office of the Prosecutor, International Criminal Court

– Zainab Hawa Bangura: UN Under Secretary General, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict (Video Message)

– Ms. Jacqueline Wilson: Senior Program Officer, Academy of International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding ,USIP

– Ms. Khady Lusby: Founder, OPEN International

– Ms. Sally Smith: Managing Director, Nexus-Fund

– Dr. Irvin-Erickson: Director, Genocide Prevention Program , School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University

– Professor : Brian Kritz: Adjunct Lecturer and Research Fellow, Conflict Resolution Program ,Georgetown University

– Ms. Hawa Mohamed: Human Rights Activist, Darfur Genocide Survivor

– Ms. Emira Woods: Global Client Principal for Social Impact Programs, ThoughtWorks

– Mr. Tanut Amoon: Sudanese Expert, Nubia Call

– Ms. Niemat Ahmadi: Founder, Darfur Women Action Group

– Professor Leslie Dwyer: Director, Center for Gender and Conflict Studies, School for Conflict Analysis Resolution at George Mason University

– Professor Greg Stanton: President, Genocide Watch

– Claudine Kuradusenge: PhD Candidate; School for Conflict Analysis Resolution at George Mason University

– Ms. Allyson Neville-Morgan, Legislative Associate for the Prevention of Vio

lent Conflict, Friends Committee on National Legislation
– Ms. Elizabeth Blackney: Media and Communication Director, Panzi Foundation

WHAT:

By addressing genocide and its impact on women, we will define challenges and develop strategies for ending violence against women and the use of rape as a weapon of war. Our goal is to empower activists and affected communities, set strategies for meaningful inclusion and justice for victims, and influence effective policy reforms that will bring a sustainable end to genocide in the 21st century.

Artist and Musicain Mark Kostabi and Tony Esposito the great Itlian Singer will be joining DWAG In spport of women empowerment , in an evening concert on Saturday

WHEN:

Saturday, October 17th – Speakers and Panel Discussions from 9AM – 9PM

Sunday, October 18th – Strategy Session with Sudanese Diaspora and activists from 9AM – 4PM

WHERE:

Founders Hall at George Mason University, Arlington Campus

3351 Fairfax Dr.

Arlington, VA 22201

WHY:

We are building a global alliance to end genocide and work towards women’s empowerment in Darfur, Sudan at large, and worldwide. Together, we have the power to end genocide for the people of Sudan!

REGISTRATION FEES

Students: $20
Non-Students: $60

[A light lunch will be served on Saturday]

*Scholarships and group discounts are available upon request, please contact info@darfurwomenaction.org. For more information, click here.

We are building a global alliance to end genocide and work towards women’s empowerment in Darfur, Sudan at large, and worldwide. Together, we have the power to end genocide for the people of Sudan!

Click here to register today!

On behalf of Darfur Women Action Group, Genocide Watch, The Center for the Study of Gender and Conflict at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR), the Sudanese Diaspora, and the resilient women of Darfur, we hope you will join us in supporting our mission to mobilize, educate, engage and empower women and end genocide. For a full description of the symposium, including travel and lodging, please visit our event page.

Equip yourself with the tools to make a difference in your community
as well as in the lives of your brothers and sisters in Darfur!

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours in Peace & Sisterhood,

Niemat Ahmadi
Founder and President of Darfur Women Action Group
Dr. Gregory Stanton
President of Genocide Watch
Dr. Leslie Dwyer
Director of The Center for the Study of Gender and Conflict, at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR)

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn!
Visit us at darfurwomenaction.org
Contact us at info@darfurwomenaction.org

As the genocide in Darfur began to make international headlines, subsequent intervention by the international community in the form of a joint UN-AU peacekeeping force (UNAMID) forced the regime in Khartoum to scale down the level of violence it was inflicting on its black non-Arab minority. Yet Omar al-Bashir has utilized a host of means to continue his campaign of repression, notably the criminal justice system as well as civil society.

This was illustrated by the arrest of two Darfuri students on August 27th in the Khartoum Bahri Criminal Court. According to Radio Dabanga, the pupils had been protesting against the trial of Mohamed Bukhari, who is accused by the government of murdering a senior leader of the student wing of the ruling Islamist National Congress Party (NCP). The secretary of the group was killed following clashes between its supporters and Darfuri students at Sharg El Nil College on April 29. Around 150 NCP students, with the backing of school guards, allegedly attacked members of the Darfur Students Association during a meeting on campus.

Darfuri students have long been subject to discrimination, ranging from arbitrary detention to a massive eviction from Khartoum dormitories last year. The Sudanese Committee against Racial Discrimination asserted that such policies are part of the ‘’systematic exclusion targeting of certain ethnic groups and the implementation of ethnic cleansing policies’’. Furthermore, Darfuri students also face persecution by the NCP, which has a history of inciting violence against pupils from Sudan’s remote region. At a press conference it was organizing, an NCP student group declared to its supporters that Darfuri students should be prohibited from entering universities or organizing themselves politically, and that those who fail to comply should ‘’be burnt in his or her room’’.

While the use of the legal system by an authoritarian government to repress its own people is nothing new, Khartoum’s use of civil society organizations to carry out its agenda demonstrates how comprehensive its campaign of ethnic repression has become. In spite of this, Darfuri students continue to exhibit an unyielding propensity to organize themselves in defense of dignity and justice. Such resilience is perhaps the reason why the regime in Khartoum finds it imperative to go after students in the first place.

The 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, scheduled to open September 15th in New York, represents the fruits of a long and arduous journey world powers have made to advance peace and limit the outbreak of war. Yet the meeting of world leaders has the potential to cause a serious headache for American policymakers. Depending on the guest list, American officials may be forced to grant a visa to one of the most infamous fugitives in the world, a man accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of orchestrating a host of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In most cases such a fugitive would be on Interpol’s list of wanted criminals and wouldn’t dare apply for a visa to the United States. However because he is a head of state, Omar al-Bashir is only subject to arrest in countries that are parties to the Rome Statute (and even then his detention is not a sure bet, as illustrated by the government of South Africa’s shameless actions earlier this summer). While the U.S. isn’t part of the ICC, it has nevertheless been vocal about Sudan’s abysmal human rights record. Yet because of a headquarters agreement between the UN and the U.S., the American government must issue travel visas to persons who intend to travel strictly for UN business, regardless of any objections the State Department may have.

Should Omar al-Bashir seek to attend the opening ceremony of the General Assembly, the Obama administration would be put in an uncomfortable position. Under international law, it would be obligated to comply with al-Bashir’s visa request, yet hosting an accused war criminal would severely undermine the West’s efforts to bring the fugitive to justice, and would only cement al-Bashir’s legitimacy back home.

While al-Bashir may very well decide to obtain a visa, he would still need to deal with a chorus of opposition once he arrives. The embattled dictator has few allies on the international stage willing to publicly back him on key issues, ranging from the territorial disputes with South Sudan to its campaign in Darfur. Moreover, given the widespread international opprobrium his visit to South Africa’s African Union (AU) summit spurred, a trip to a world city like New York would incite a momentous backlash from civil society organizations of all stripes. While statesmen-like, his presence at the UN would invite more bad press than the autocrat would want.

It is unlikely that the dictator will make the trip. In 2013, al-Bashir threatened to attend the General Assembly repeatedly only to scuttle his travel plans. Nevertheless, the U.S. must revise its headquarters agreement with the UN and takes step to get behind the ICC if it genuinely seeks to advance a comprehensive human rights agenda.