Prometheus 6

Sudanese Leader Mounts Charm Offensive
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

EL FASHER, Sudan — Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, who has been accused of genocide, is not especially well known for his dance moves.

But on Wednesday, in front of tens of thousands of people packed into what appeared to be a mandatory pep rally in Darfur, the portly president jumped on a desk and did a little jig. He jutted his cane. He rolled his hips. Shadows of sweat bloomed under his arms. But the crowd did not seem to care.

“Seer, seer, al-Bashir!” spectators screamed. “Go, go, Mr. Bashir!”

With an international indictment looming on charges of genocide, Mr. Bashir returned to the scene of the war crimes he is accused of committing in Darfur — this time on an uncharacteristic charm offensive.