More than 100,000 people marched through the Sudanese capital Khartoum today in a state-orchestrated rally against the UN resolution that gives the African nation 30 days to stop the violence of Arab militia in Darfur province.
"No! to America and its followers," chanted the protesters, who were led by the secretary general of the ruling National Congress party, Mr Ibrahim Ahmed Omar.
They presented a memorandum to the UN envoy in Sudan which accused UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan of misleading people on the nature of the situation in Darfur, which the world body has described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
The Security Council resolution has given Sudan 30 days to disarm the Arab militia, who have been blamed for the deaths of thousands of people. If the resolution is ignored, the council could impose a range of diplomatic and economic penalties.
The UN and international aid organisations have accused the pro-government Arab militia, known as Janjaweed, of waging a brutal campaign to drive Sudanese citizens of African origin out of Darfur.
An estimated 30,000 people have been killed in the 17-month conflict; a million people have been forced to flee their homes and an estimated 2.2 million people are in urgent need of food, medicine and other basics.
Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) may boost the number of troops deployed to the Darfur region to 2,000 from 300, subject to the move gaining approval at a meeting of its members, a spokesman said today.
"The AU plans to increase troop strength of its protection force for Darfur from 300 to 2,000 with Nigeria and Rwanda offering to send 1,000 troops each," AU spokesman Mr Adam Thiam said.
He said the force could also have its mandate broadened to serve as peacekeepers, but this would need approval from the AU's security body, the Peace and Security Council.
He said the proposal needed the approval of the AU's 15-member security body, the Peace and Security Council, which would also look at broadening the original mandate of the AU force to include a peacekeeping role as well as protecting truce monitors in Darfur.
It was not immediately clear when the Council, whose principal aim is to "promote peace, security and stability in Africa", would meet, but Thiam said troop deployment was expected to begin this week.
The Netherlands said yesterday it would fund a mission to fly 360 AU troops to Darfur.
Additional reporting: PA