International organisations in Sudan tightened security today, fearing a violent backlash if the International Criminal Court seeks an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir as expected on Monday.
ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is due to submit to the judges "evidence on crimes committed in the whole of Darfur over the last five years" and seek to charge an individual or individuals, a prosecution statement said yesterday.
It gave no details. The Washington Postquoted UN officials and diplomats as saying the ICC prosecutor would charge Mr Bashir with genocide and crimes against humanity on Monday.
"In light of recent security developments staff are advised to upgrade their personal security measures," an urgent security notice sent to UN staff in Khartoum said. The notice told staff to refrain from all but essential movement over the weekend and after dark.
"Ensure that you have an adequate supply of food and water in your home for several days, and that your vehicle is fully fuelled. Keep your personal documents and other essentials available," it said.
The US State Department withdrew all staff from the war-torn western region of Darfur, including those working for its humanitarian arm USAID, aid workers said. UN agencies there were practising evacuation drills and might pull out all but essential staff, they added.
International experts say at least 200,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5 million have been displaced since a rebellion erupted in 2003. Khartoum says 10,000 people have been killed.
Set up in 2002 in The Hague as the world's first permanent war crimes court, the ICC is also investigating crimes in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, but has only four people in custody, all from Congo.