Recent reports that African rulers congregating in Sirte, Libya vowed to stand by Sudanese dictator, Omar Bashir, are disgusting and appalling. If anything, this means African rulers have once again proved to be hypocrites and indifferent altogether as far as human rights are concerned.

One thing left me in stitches. Sadly, Rwandan strongman, Paul Kagame who prides himself to have stopped genocide, also concurred with this megalomania, whilst his country suffered the same genocide as Darfur suffers from! Again, looking at how genocide was committed in Rwanda, who knows? Maybe the man has smelt a rat before ICC knocks on the door. Swahili have a saying that when you see your colleague being shaved without water, rinse yours.

African rulers wrongly think that the ICC is there to foster colonialism and interfere in their affairs, thanks to taking on one of theirs. This does not help the AU. And if reality is openly faced, chances are African rulers were manipulated by the current chair of AU, Libyan Muamar Gadaffi, who openly supports Bashir to kill their colleague Muslims. It started beating AU the day it was submitted to Gadaffi to bulldoze and abuse. As of now no one gets the logic of choosing a stinking dictator to head AU.

If Bashir did not commit genocide in Darfur, why is he afraid of facing the court that would exculpate him? But given that genocide was committed under his watch and order, Bashir can do anything but not to appear before the tribunal. This reminds me of one cartoon showing him driving over thousands of human skulls but still ask: “do you have any evidence to prove that  my Janjaweeds committed genocide in Darfur?”

In its vague bagatelle, AU averred: “The AU member states shall not co-operate… relating to immunities for the arrest and surrender of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to the ICC.” This betrayal was applauded and received by Sudan as a breakthrough in getting away with the genocide Sudan committed in Darfur.

When the AU, then the OAU was found, its aim was to emancipate African countries from the yoke of colonialism and all sorts of humiliation, degradation and inhumanity. But as days go by, the AU has proved to be the opposite, thanks to Africa being ruled by dictators, thieves and killers. Ironically, black colonialists are on the helm. Therefore AU’s goals have changed from fighting colonialism to defending it simply because the rulers are homegrown colonialists. 

One would expect the AU to issue a statement with regards to what is currently going on in Gabon where the son of the former tyrant is bracing himself to replace his father. The AU would be expected to chart the way for Zimbabwe whose prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai recently came back with empty hands after western countries failed to live up to their promises of rebuilding Zimbabwe after ushering in the government of national unity. As for Darfur, many countries have betrayed it. They have been paying no attention to the plight of the people of Darfur. Now they are adding more insults to injuries by ganging up with Bashir. Where should Darfur people go?

With such nugatory stance, the AU has proved to be a gang of goons in power, as far as emancipation and unification of African are concerned. It failed to solve crises in Darfur, Somalia and Zimbabwe. Though noises are made on unification of Africa, looking at how our potentates behave! This is a nasty daydream if the AU can conspire with and connive crimes like genocide in Darfur.

It would be even better for AU to shut up and put up, rather than taking sides. This won’t help begging and dependent Africa so to speak. Of all the African countries, Kenya did the right thing by not consenting to this betrayal and shame.

In law, the perpetrator of any offence is criminally as liable as the conspirator. This means genocide in Darfur has all the blessings of the AU. Thus the AU must be held responsible for it. Donor countries that strongly support ICC, must suspend their aids to all African countries that will shamelessly support this perilous stance. I know sometimes rich countries consider their economic interests in Africa and put people on the cross.

Another thing to do is all African countries that signed the instrument establishing ICC must be reminded of their obligations! Shall they think of repudiating their commitments, suspension of aids to them must be employed to see to it that they stop their double standard and alliance in crime.

African rulers once again proved to be mad. They are alleging that ICC is interfering in their affairs. No sane mind can consent to this. The so-called their affairs the ICC is alleged to interfere with are the same that caused genocide in Rwanda! Why don’t African rulers learn and forget easily? Under Idi Amin, Uganda suffered a lot thanks to the same pretext of not interfering in the affairs of the country. The same recently happened in Zimbabwe where Robert Mugabe sent the country to purgatory as the same AU shamelessly and openly stood by him.

Though AU can wrongly assure itself that it will save and protect Bashir, history will one day persecute him. He has been given visas to travel in the continent without any hitch and fear, time will come when other countries, just like Kenya, will see the light and take on him as it happened in Liberia.

AU stop daydreaming start thinking. Bashir, just like Charles Taylor, has now where he deserves to be put: The Hague! By fully or partially supporting Bashir, indeed once again, the AU has proved how useless and awkward it is. Shame on you AU.

Nkawzi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.