| AIC: Indictment of Sudanese President Al-Bashir A "Welcome and Long Overdue Step" |
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WASHINGTON - Zainab Al-Suwaij, executive director of the American Islamic Congress, today responded to the request by International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for genocide:
"The American Islamic Congress salutes the effort to formally charge General Omar Hassan Al-Bashir for war crimes. This is a welcome and long overdue step at last initiated by International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo. It comes after years of inaction by the international community to hold the perpetrators of genocide accountable for their crimes. We hope China and Russia will not sabotage this effort in the Security Council.
"The AIC supports the ICC's call to hold General al-Bashir accountable and encourages Muslims around the world to join the struggle to prevent further killings in Darfur. Indeed, the Al-Bashir regime is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Muslims. Neither the Arab League nor the Organization of the Islamic Conference should defend a regime that commits genocide against fellow Muslims.
"This is not a time for moral ambiguity or cultural relativism. Some voices - both in governments and in the street - across the Muslim world are defending General Al-Bashir. It is our moral duty to seek justice for thousands of fellow Muslims murdered simply for having the wrong identity.”
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The American-Islamic Congress is a civil-rights organization promoting tolerance and the exchange of ideas among Muslims and between other peoples. With the motto “passionate about moderation,” the organization leads initiatives around the world and has offices in Washington, D.C., Boston, Egypt, and Iraq.
For more information on the AIC, including international media appearances, please visit www.aicongress.org. To schedule an interview with Ms. Al-Suwaij, please call 1.202.595.3160.
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