ICC Prosecutor calls on Security Council to help bring high-profile indictees to justice for Darfur war crimes.

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) today chided the United Nations Security Council for its empty promises to bring Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir to trial for atrocities in Darfur, even as his victims cry out for justice amid indiscriminate killings and mass rape.

Despite my repeated requests for the Council to take action with respect to Sudan's blatant disregard of its obligations, and in violation of [it's] resolutions, my appeals continue to be unheeded, Fatou Bensouda told the 15-member body, noting that it was the Council itself which had referred the case of Sudan to the ICC more than 10 years ago.

I observe with great regret that the adoption of each resolution has, in practical terms, amounted to no more than an empty promise, she added, stressing that Mr. Al-Bashir is not only a fugitive from justice who continues to travel across international borders, but he also harbours other fugitives and refuses to facilitate their surrender to the ICC.

In 2005, the Council asked the Hague-based Court to investigate war crimes in Darfur. ICC judges issued arrest warrants in 2009 for Mr. Al-Bashir and other top officials for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the western Darfur region, where up to 300,000 people may have died and over 2 million been displaced since civil war erupted in 2003 between the Government and rebels.

If I may be so bold, this Council must do more to demonstrate its commitment to Darfur, Ms. Bensouda stressed. It must confidently play its part in facilitating the arrest of suspects against...