Sudan's Bashir Defies Court, Leaves South Africa

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has left South Africa, a Sudan minister said on Monday, defying a Pretoria court order for him to remain in the country until it ruled on an application for his arrest.
Bashir, who was attending an African Union summit in South Africa, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Pretoria High Court was in session on Monday to decide on a petition by the Southern African Litigation Centre, a rights group that wanted to force South African President Jacob Zuma's government to arrest Bashir and hand him over to the ICC.
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South Africa is an ICC signatory and therefore obliged to implement arrest warrants, but the ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Sunday accused the Hague-based court of being biased against Africans and said it was "no longer useful".

Pretoria's furious response and its decision to allow Bashir to leave is affirmation of its shifting diplomatic priorities with Africa's interests trumping those of the West.

Courtesy: Reuters