By Opheera McDoom
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese President Omar Hassanal-Bashir, in a show of defiance, made his first visit toDarfur on Wednesday since the International Criminal Courtprosecutor accused him of genocide and war crimes and soughthis arrest.
Dancing to traditional music and chanting Islamic slogans,Bashir addressed thousands of Darfuris in the regional capitalel-Fasher, his promises of development and peace drawing cheersfrom onlookers.
"We all know that injustices happened (here)," he said, ina speech broadcast live on state television. "But from day onewe have been working to provide stability for all the people ofDarfur.
"We want to send this message to the world: we are thepeople of peace, we want peace ... we are the only ones who canachieve peace in Darfur."
He invited Sudan's political parties, tribal leadership andall Darfur's rebel groups to join in what he called his newinitiative for peace. Bashir will visit all three Darfur statesin a three-day tour.
Promising more schools, universities, water projects androads, Bashir said Darfur would also soon be connected to thenational electricity grid, ending constant problems with powerblackouts.
Mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in the remote westernregion in early 2003, accusing the government of neglect. Toquell the revolt, Khartoum mobilised mostly Arab militias whoare accused of atrocities including widespread rape, murder andlooting.
International experts estimate some 200,000 people havedied and 2.5 million have had to flee their homes during theDarfur conflict, sparking the world's largest humanitarianoperation.
Bashir said the prosecutor's request for an ICC arrestwarrant for him over Darfur was a foreign conspiracy: "They aretrying to confuse us ... They want to send us right back tosquare one.
"But Ocampo's words will not stop us from our work," headded, referring to ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
Bashir did not visit slum-like camps in which millions ofDarfuris driven from their homes reside around the major towns.
"We want Bashir to know we reject him visiting any of thecamps for internally displaced people," a spokesman forDarfuris in the camps Abu Sherati told Reuters.
DIPLOMACY, NOT VIOLENCE
Bashir has reacted to the ICC move not with a violentbacklash as the United Nations feared he might, but by forminga united front with opposition parties, seeking regionalsupport and insisting he is ready for Darfur peace talks.
He has pledged to continue implementing a north-south peacedeal, and signed a landmark election law hours after the ICCannouncement on July 14.
Aid agencies have worried about longer-term insecurity inDarfur. Late on Tuesday the joint U.N.-African Unionpeacekeeping force (UNAMID) in Darfur said Sudanese militaryhad detained and beaten a U.N. security officer who was nowrecovering in hospital in el-Fasher, the third attack on theforce in two weeks.
"Although this could be said to be an isolated incident,UNAMID condemns in the strongest terms such attacks on itsstaff members," the statement said.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, who is also the numbertwo in the national government, urged the ICC on Tuesday todelay any warrant for Bashir.
"We should have time to consult the rest of Africa and theworld," he said on a trip to Uganda. "The Sudanese governmentshould be allowed to implement the accord signed with the SouthSudan government and to negotiate with the fighting forces inDarfur."
A diplomatic campaign has seen Sudanese officials visitinga dozen countries in the past week to drum up support for thetabling of a U.N. Security Council resolution to suspend anyICC warrant for Bashir for a renewable period of 12 months.
While Sudan has secured Arab and African support, Westernnations have been cautious in reacting to the ICC move.
The Arab League said on Tuesday that Sudan had agreed torevive special courts for Darfur to try those suspected of warcrimes with Arab and African observers.
But, to deflect the ICC warrants already issued for juniorminister Ahmed Haroun and militia leader Ali Kushayb, Sudanwould have to try them for the same war crimes as those listedby the Hague-based court, in trials that would satisfy ICCjudges. Sudan has so far refused to try the two men.
(Editing by Ralph Boulton)
