Vigil in Washington, DC, Will Mark 8th Anniversary of al-Bahir’s Arrest Warrant

The protest will take place in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, DC, on Friday, March 3, from 12:30 to 4 pm.

Eight years have passed since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for his role in committing crimes against the people of Darfur.

To mark the date, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG), the Sudanese diaspora, human rights activists, and friends of Sudan will gather in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, DC, on Friday, March 3, from 12:30 to 4 pm. The group will protest against the Sudanese Government’s genocidal policies and demand that the international community – including the United States – arrest al-Bashir to be tried by the ICC in The Hague.

For more than 13 years, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been the mastermind behind the Darfur genocide. During this time, civilians have endured killings, systematic rape against women, and displacement from their homes. Many moved to temporary displacement camps, where they remain to this day in dire need of humanitarian assistance. In the last two years, levels of violence have increased with bombings of villages and allegations of the use of chemical weapons against civilians.

In an attempt to stop the genocide, in 2009 the ICC issued two arrest warrants for President al-Bashir with 10 counts of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. However, to this date the president continues at large, in spite of having crossed international borders more than 130 times. Several countries have repeatedly failed their legal obligation as members of the United Nations to arrest al-Bashir. The most notorious were Kenya in 2010; Nigeria in 2012 and South Africa in 2015.

“These cases demonstrate that the ICC arrest warrant has not been effective in limiting al-Bashir’s movements and actions. For the sake of all the victims, the president must be arrested immediately and answer for his crimes. We want to see him behind bars,” said DWAG president Niemat Ahmadi.

About Darfur Women Action Group

The gathering is being organized by Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG), a women-led anti-atrocities nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status, founded in 2009 by a Darfuri genocide survivor. Based in Washington, DC, DWAG works to empower victims and survivors of the Darfur genocide, and to prevent future atrocities while promoting global peace.

During the vigil, DWAG’s members, survivors and advocates will be available for media interviews.

Contact information

Carla Ruas
Communications Specialist
Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG)
E-mail: communication@darfurwomenaction.org