The International Criminal Court announced Monday that it was opening an investigation into the ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan and will prosecute war crimes if at all possible. At least 180,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million forcibly removed from their homes in fighting between Arabs and ethnic Africans in the region.

Thus far, there is a list of 51 suspects who may have committed crimes against humanity in Darfur. The list is expected to grow as the investigation continues. Possible war crimes in Congo and Uganda will also be investigated.

Initial inquiries have already yielded thousands of pages of documents. The investigators have pledged to be 'impartial and independent, focusing on the individuals who bear the greatest criminal responsibility for crimes committed in Darfur.'

If the government of Sudan refuses to cooperate, it is possible that sanctions will be taken against it.

An earlier investigation by a special U.N. International Commission of Inquiry which issued a report in January stated that there were crimes against humanity committed in Darfur but that the actions there stopped short of genocide.

President Bush has referred to the ongoing events in Darfur as genocide but has taken little action to fight against it thus far.

The list of suspects has not been disclosed but published reports indicate that government officials are on the list.

One problem is that the court has no way of making any arrests. There is no enforcement arm of the International Criminal Court. The government of Sudan has not asked for help from the International Criminal Court and claims they intend to hold their own tribunal.

Approximately 99 countries have ratified the treaty backing the International Criminal Court. The United States has not recognized its authority and opposes any attempts to try American citizens there.