The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy watches in dismay as the African Union holds its two day summit in Khartoum on January 23-24. We are distraught by African leaders' apparent acceptance of Omar El-Bashir's bid to head the African Union during the summit.

El-Bashir is the boss of the criminal government that rules Sudan. His government has perpetrated crimes against humanity in many parts of Sudan, and international observers directly blame Bashir's government for the continuing genocide in Darfur.

Now the AU seeks to honor this man with its mantle while his soldiers and militia slaughter and rape native Africans in Darfur. This is absurd. The African Union was established six years ago to, "promote and protect human and peoples' rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture, and to ensure good governance and the rule of law". Under the rotational chairmanship of Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria the AU has brought the militants in Darfur to the bargaining table. Unfortunately El-Bashir and the Janjaweed continue to obstruct the talks because peace contravenes their genocidal purpose. How can the AU succeed as a force for peace if Bashir, a war criminal, is the chairman? How can the AU stop the genocide in Darfur when its chairman authored the carnage?

It is incomprehensible that a predominately sub-Saharan African Union could accept the leadership of a racist Arab government that is systematically cleansing black Africans from part of the Continent. The AU must bypass Sudan's leadership if it hopes to be effective on the continent and gain legitimacy in the international community.