Omar al-Bashir
393625
226167225
2008-07-17T03:20:40Z
Eldad
1628003
/* External links */ Iw - he:עומר אל-בשיר
{{refimprove}}
{{Infobox President
| name = Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir<br />عمر حسن أحمد البشير
| image = Omar_al-Bashir.jpg
| order = [[List of Presidents of Sudan|President of Sudan]]
| vicepresident = [[Salva Kiir Mayar]]
| term_start = [[30 June]] [[1989]]
| predecessor = [[Ahmad al-Mirghani]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|01|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hosh Bannaga]], [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan]]
| party = [[National Congress (Sudan)|NyP]]
| spouse= Fatma Khaldid
| religion = [[Islam]]
}}
'''Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: عمر حسن أحمد البشير, born [[January 1]] [[1944]]) is the [[List of Presidents of Sudan|President of Sudan]].
==Background==
President Al-Bashir was born in the village of [[Hoshe Bannaga]] in Sudan, where he received his primary education. His family later moved to [[Khartoum]], where he completed his secondary education. Al-Bashir joined the Sudanese Army at a young age and studied at the Egyptian Military Academy in [[Cairo]]. He quickly rose through the ranks and became a [[paratrooper]]. Later, al-Bashir served with the [[Egyptian Army]] during the [[October War]] of 1973.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bashir, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-|url=http://au.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_1481578049/Bashir_Omar_Hassan_Ahmad_al-.html|work=Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref> He is a native speaker of the [[Arabic language]]
Al-Bashir is married to his cousin Fatma Khaldid. He also has a second wife named Widad, who had a number of children with her first husband who died in a helicopter crash. Al-Bashir does not have any children of his own.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bridgland|first=Fred|title=President Bashir, you are hereby charged…|url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/President-Bashir-you-are-hereby.4287299.jp|work=[[The Scotsman]]|date=2008-07-14|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref>
==Military career==
When he returned to the [[Sudan]], Al-Bashir was put in charge of military operations against the [[Sudan People's Liberation Army]] in the southern half of the country.{{fact}} Then a colonel, in 1989 Al-Bashir led a group of army officers in ousting the unstable coalition government of Prime Minister [[Sadeq al-Mahdi]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL1435274220080714 |title = FACTBOX - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir | Reuters |accessdate = 2008-07-16 |date = powered by <img src="/resources/images/iconSphere.gif" border="0" alt="Sphere" style="margin-bottom: -2px;" /> Sphere}}</ref> Under Al-Bashir's leadership, the new military government suspended political parties and introduced an Islamic legal code on the national level.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bekele|first=Yilma|title=Chickens are coming home to roost!|url=http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/2929|work=Ethiopian Review|date=2008-07-12|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref> He then became Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (a newly established body with legislative and executive powers for what was described as a transitional period), and assumed the posts of [[chief of state]], [[prime minister]], chief of the armed forces, and [[minister of defense]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Cowell|first=Alan|title=Military Coup In Sudan Ousts Civilian Regime |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4DA103DF932A35754C0A96F948260|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=1989-07-01|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref>
==Governance==
Subsequent to Al-Bashir's promotion to the Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation, he allied himself with [[Hassan al-Turabi]], leader of the [[National Islamic Front]].{{fact}}
On [[October 16]], [[1993]], Al-Bashir's powers increased when he was appointed [[president]] of the country, after which time the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation was dissolved.{{fact}} The executive and legislative powers of the council were later given to Al-Bashir.{{fact}} He was later elected president (with a five year term) in the 1996 national election. In 1998, Al-Bashir and the Presidential Committee put into effect a new constitution. In 1999, Al-Bashir and the Parliament made a law which allowed limited political associations in opposition to Al-Bashir and his supporters to be formed, although these groups failed to gain any significant access to governmental power.{{fact}} On [[December 12]], [[1999]], Al-Bashir sent troops and tanks against parliament and ousted Hassan al-Turabi, the speaker of parliament, in a palace coup.<ref>Stefano Bellucci, "Islam and Democracy: The 1999 Palace Coup," ''Middle East Policy'' 7, no. 3 (June 2000):168</ref>
==Civil war==
{{Main|Second Sudanese Civil War}}
Sudan has experienced a civil war that raged between the northern and southern halves of the country for over 19 years. The war resulted in millions of southerners being displaced, starved, and deprived of education and health care.{{fact}} Because of these actions, various international sanctions were placed on Sudan. International pressure intensified in 2001, however, and leaders from the [[United Nations]] called for Al-Bashir to make efforts to end the conflict and allow humanitarian and international workers to deliver relief to the southern regions of Sudan.{{fact}} Much progress was made throughout 2003, and in early 2004 Al-Bashir agreed to grant autonomy to the south for six years, split the country’s oil revenues with the southern provinces,<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|title=Peace prospects in Sudan
|url=http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?page=imprimable&id_article=1761|work=[[IRIN]]|date=2004-02-12|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref> and allow the southerners to vote in a referendum of independence at the end of the six year period.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|title=Sudanese flesh out final deal
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3723812.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|date=2004-10-07|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref>
==Accusations of international crimes==
{{Main|Darfur conflict}}
As the conflict in the south of Sudan began to subside, a new conflict started in the western province of [[Darfur]] in early 2003.
The [[United States Government]] claimed in September 2004 "that [[genocide]] has been committed in Darfur and that the Government of Sudan and the Janjaweed bear responsibility and that genocide may still be occurring."<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8364-2004Sep9.html U.S. Calls Killings In Sudan Genocide]</ref> Al-Bashir declared that the government had quashed the rebellion in February 2004, but rebels still operate within the region and the death toll continues to rise.{{fact}} On [[June 29]], [[2004]], U.S. Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]] met with Al-Bashir in Sudan and urged him to make peace with the rebels, end the crisis, and lift restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Darfur.<ref>{{cite news|last=Marquis|first=Christopher|title=Powell to Press Sudan to Ease the Way for Aid in Darfur|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E1DA1238F933A05755C0A9629C8B63|date=2004-06-30|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref> [[Kofi Annan]] met with Al-Bashir three days later and demanded that he disarm the Janjaweed.<ref>{{cite news|last=Elgabir|first=Nima|title=Sudan rejects 30-day deadline |url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1091417584977B235 |work=Independent Online|date=2004-07-02|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref>
In September 2006, Al-Bashir attended the UN General Assembly in New York and asserted that Sudan wants the [[African Union]] to stay in [[Darfur]] until peace is re-established. {{fact}} Shortly afterwards the AU peace and [[United Nations Security Council]] announced that its 7,000 troops would remain until [[December 31]] [[2006]].{{fact}}
A high-level technical consultation was held in [[Addis Ababa]], [[Ethiopia]] on [[11 June|11]]–[[12 June]] [[2007]], pursuant to the [[4 June]] [[2007]] letters of the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, which were addressed to President Omar Al-Bashir.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|title=Conclusions of the high-level AU UN consultations with the Government of Sudan on the Hybrid Operation |url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/SBOI-744R5G?OpenDocument |publisher=[[African Union]]|date=2007-07-12|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref> The technical consultations were attended by delegations from the Government of Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lederer|first=Edith M.|title=Sudan accepts plan for joint peacekeeping force for Darfur|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/12/africa/AF-GEN-AU-Sudan.php|work=[[Associated Press]]|date=2007-06-12|accessdate=2008-07-15}}</ref>
The [[International Criminal Court]]'s chief prosecutor, [[Luis Moreno-Ocampo]] of [[Argentina]], formally filed an arrest warrant request for Omar Hassan al-Bashir, on July 14, 2008. The charges revolved around [[genocide]] and crimes against humanity committed since 2003 in Darfur. The prosecutor filed 10 charges accusing Al-Bashir of having “masterminded and implemented” a plan to destroy the three main ethnic groups, the [[Fur people|Fur]], [[Masalit]] and [[Zaghawa]] with a campaign of [[murder]], [[rape]] and [[deportation]]. The evidence was submitted to three judges who will decide whether to issue an [[arrest warrant]], and the answer is expected in the Fall.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/world/africa/15sudan.html?ref=world nytimes.com, Sudanese President Accused of Genocide]</ref> About 300,000 people have died and 5 million people were forced from their homes, and still under attack from government-backed [[Janjaweed]] [[militia]].<ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gMU9_nxHnfBspo342jYG0nXyx7-gD91TRRCO0 Sudan president charged with genocide in Darfur], ''[[Associated Press]]''.</ref> If formally charged, al-Bashir would become, after (the now deceased)[[Slobodan Milošević]], the second sitting [[head of state]] charged with genocide.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7500437.stm Bashir move bold but problematic]</ref> Bashir has rejected the charges and said, "Whoever has visited Darfur, met officials and discovered their ethnicities and tribes ... will know that all of these things are lies."<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL1417202620080714 |title = ICC prosecutor seeks arrest of Sudan's Bashir | Reuters |accessdate = 2008-07-16}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Command responsibility]]
* [[List of national leaders]]
* [[History of Sudan]]
* [[Darfur conflict]]
* [[Military of Sudan]]
* [[Politics of Sudan]]
* [[Genocide]]
* [[Tokyo International Conference on African Development]] (TICAD-IV), 2008.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://sudaninside.com/2007/11/18/omar-el-bashir-order-re-opening-of-popular-defence-training-camps/ "Sudanese President Threaten Wars,"] ''Sudan Inside'', November 18, 2007.
* [http://www.heritage.org/Research/MiddleEast/EM245.cfm "A Cautious Welcome for Sudan's New Government,"] by Michael Johns, Heritage Foundation Executive Memorandum #245, July 28, 1989.
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ahmad al-Mirghani]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President of Sudan]] | years=1989 – ''present''}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{SudanPresidents}}
{{Persondata
|NAME=Bashir, Omar Hasan Ahmad al-
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=عمر حسن احمد البشير (Arabic)
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Sudanese president
|DATE OF BIRTH=[[January 1]], [[1944]]
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Hosh Bannaga]], [[Northern, Sudan|Northern State]], [[Sudan]]
|DATE OF DEATH=living
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bashir, Omar}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Current national leaders]]
[[Category:Darfur conflict people]]
[[Category:Leaders who took power by coup]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Field Marshals]]
[[Category:Presidents of Sudan]]
[[Category:Sudanese anti-communists]]
[[Category:Sudanese Islamists|Sudanese Islamists]]
[[Category:Sudanese politicians]]
…
[[am:ኦማር ሀሳን አህመድ አል-በሽር]]
[[ar:عمر البشير]]
[[cs:Umar al-Bašír]]
[[da:Omar al-Bashir]]
[[de:Umar Hasan Ahmad al-Baschir]]
[[et:‘Umar Ḩasan Aḩmad al-Bashīr]]
[[el:Ομάρ ελ-Μπεσίρ]]
[[es:Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]]
[[fa:عمر حسن البشیر]]
[[fr:Omar el-Béchir]]
[[gl:Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]]
[[id:Umar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]]
[[it:Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]]
[[he:עומר אל-בשיר]]
[[nl:Omar al-Bashir]]
[[ja:オマル・アル=バシール]]
[[no:Omar al-Bashir]]
[[pl:Omar al-Baszir]]
[[pt:Omar al-Bashir]]
[[ru:Омар аль-Башир]]
[[fi:Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]]
[[sv:Omar Hassan al-Bashir]]
[[ta:ஓமார் அல்-பஷீர்]]
[[tr:Omar al-Bashir]]
[[vi:Omar al-Bashir]]
[[zh:奥马尔·巴希尔]]