Sudan likens the ICC indictment to "giving birth to a dead rat"

Today was an incredible day for Sudanese diplomacy at the UN, as the Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad called ICC Prosecutor Jose Maria Ocampo "crazy," got into an unlikely pissing contest with Costa Rica, and likened the ICC's potential indictment of President Bashir to "giving birth to a dead rat that is smelling and having no use at all."

It all started when, following a Security Council meeting on Sudan, Costa Rica's Ambassador Jorge Urbina came out to talk to the press, stressing that Article 16 of the Rome Statute (which allows the Security Council to block ICC indictments) must not be invoked, and that there can be no peace without justice. Bear in mind that Costa Rica is probably the most non-intimidating country on earth. However, Ambassador Mohamad didn't feel that way, and he told us so.

Mohamad:

It's pretty ironic that countries far from our region ... are now giving lectures about justice and peace. We need no lessons and lectures from Ambassadors like the Costa Rican one. His statements here in front of you are totally unacceptable, and they reflect in no uncertain terms his defeat, because they have no logic and no consideration for priorities of peace in the Sudan. Imagine! He has no standing or justification whatsoever to appear before you here and to talk about Article 16 and the need to leave this crazy prosecutor to do what he's planning to do.

Added Mohamad:

This possible [ICC] verdict, if it comes, will be only like giving birth to a dead rat that is smelling and having no use at all. So we will not be at all concerned about it and it will die a natural death.

Mohamad went on to blast countries that oppose invoking Article 16 (and there are certainly more than enough to stop it at this moment), and discussed the fears of what would happen after the indictment. What he said wasn't precisely reassuring:

Indeed the Council has a special responsibility to halt this crazy move, and we think that his words are very appropriate in front of the Council that the Council should do something about it. Now they are saying, no, we will try to do that after the indictment. They want only damage to occur, and then to ask the fireworkers to come and extinguish the harm. Indeed, we view with a lot of concern that so far some countries are resisting this move, and we are still engaging with them on what the Council will do, but it's very clear to everybody that the indictment or possible indictment will have far-reaching implications, not only on South Sudan or Darfur but the entire country.

And lastly, he vaguely warned of terrible consequences for the UN peacekeeping mission if the indictment happens.

The United Nations should, on its part, play a role to see that peace is a priority in the country. It takes two to tango. It is not only the Sudanese government. We know our obligations and we will be faithful to our commitments and our obligations vis-a-vis our guests and the peacekeepers. But the UN should, on its part, should demonstrate is commitment to the safety and security of its own people on the ground and to, as requested by the African Union, to invoke Article 16 in order to arrest this movement by the prosecutor. ... No, no, the safety of the peacekeepers is not at all an issue here. The issue is the safety and the security of the entire people of Sudan. So people should not look at the issue as separate islands. ... We are saying that we cannot predict the public outrage. But on our part, we will be very careful about our commitments regarding the foreign presence in our land.

So, obviously the Sudanese Army wouldn't give the UN any trouble, but the people of the Sudan... the outraged people!!! There might be no stopping them.

This could get ugly.