Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The International Criminal Court, lacking cooperation by the United Nations, has shelved plans to prosecute Sudanese President Omar Bashir.

ICC said the Security Council failed to pressure African and Middle East states to arrest Bashir, charged with war cimes linked to the killing of 300,000 people in the western Sudanese region of Darfour nearly a decade ago. Over the last four months, Bashir, indicted in 2009, has visited Egypt, Ethiopia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

“I am left with no choice but to hibernate investigative activities in Darfour as I shift resources to other urgent cases,” ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said.

In an address to the council on Dec. 13, Ms. Bensouda said efforts to investigate and arrest Bashar and three others have not progressed. She said Bashir has continued his attacks on civilians in Darfour, which led to “massive displacements” in 2014.

“What is needed is a dramatic shift in this council’s approach to arresting Darfour suspects,” Bensouda said.

The council has been blocked from taking action against Bashir by China, a leading ally of Khartoum. African countries, several of which were threatening to withdraw from ICC, have also ignored the arrest warrant for the Sudanese president.

For his part, Bashir said the ICC statement marked a victory. He pointed to Sudan’s refusal to extradite others indicted by ICC, including the nation’s defense minister and interior minister.

“They wanted us to kneel before the International Criminal Court but the ICC raised its hands and admitted that it had failed,” Bashir said. “The Sudanese people have defeated the ICC and have refused to hand over any Sudanese to the colonialist courts.”

  Darfour attacks continue as Sudan’s Bashir defeats arrest order Security Council failed to enforce, WorldTribune.com