Sudanese students march in protest against UN

KHARTOUM, April 2 (Reuters) – Hundreds of Sudanese students gathered on Saturday to denounce a U.N. decision to refer those accused of war crimes in Darfur region to the International Criminal Court.

More than 100,0000 Sudanese protesters in Khartoum, Aug 4, 2004, march to the office of the United Nations in Khartoum to protest a UN Security Council resolution. (AP).

Sudan’s government on Friday dismissed the U.N. Security Council resolution, originally a French draft, which will refer to the ICC a sealed list of 51 people suspected of crimes against humanity during more than two years of rebellion in Darfur.

Last minute wrangling allowed an exemption for U.S. citizens and other nations who are not party to the court from prosecution during peacekeeping operations in Sudan.

Neither Sudan or the United States has ratified the treaty establishing the ICC.

The government-dominated student union organised the march, which began with speeches in Martyrs Square outside the Republican Palace denouncing the United States and France, and was to follow on to the French and British embassies and finally to the U.N. building in central Khartoum.

A few dozen students were wearing red scarves around their heads signalling jihad, or holy war.

The at most 200 students chanted “down, down U.S.A”, and called for the cutting of diplomatic relations with France. There were almost as many security and police as students.

Organisers said the poor turnout was due to the holidays as most students had gone home to their villages outside Khartoum.

“This U.N. resolution is not helping anyone solve the problem in Darfur,” said Haitham Osman, the executive head of the Sudan student’s union. “We totally reject it,” he said.

Students carried banners saying “Death and blasphemy to America” and slamming the U.N. resolution. Some shouted over loudspeakers: “The U.S.A is the daughter of the devil” and “The Muslim people will never surrender”.

Students stopped traffic to give out leaflets saying the Security Council was following the “agenda of international Jewry to create disunity in Sudan”.

Tens of thousands have been killed in the fighting in Darfur, which the United States calls genocide. A U.N.-appointed commission stopped short of the U.S. declaration of genocide but said heinous crimes took place which may be no less serious.

More than 2 million have fled their homes into camps in Darfur after non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing the Islamist Arab-dominated government of neglect and of discrimination against non-Arab tribes.