Thousands rally in Sudan against ICC move

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters chanting "Down, Down USA!" rallied in Khartoum on Sunday after reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may seek the arrest of Sudan's president for alleged war crimes.

A senior European diplomat said on Friday the court's prosecutor was likely to seek the arrest of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir in a case he will open on Monday about war crimes the ICC says were committed in Sudan's Darfur region.

"With our souls, with our blood we die for Bashir," the protesters chanted as they marched through the streets of Khartoum towards the offices of the United Nations.

The government-organized protest brought traffic to a standstill. Hundreds of people also gathered near the cabinet office where the government was holding emergency talks.

"The ICC does just what the European Union, the United States of America and Israel tell it to do," the protesters said in a statement to be delivered to the U.N. offices.

Sudanese Justice Minister Abdel Basit Sabderat said the ICC was trying to ignite a fire throughout his country.

"(The) ICC is not just targeting the president of the country, but the stability of the Sudanese people because the president represents the nation," he told the crowd outside the cabinet office.

Most of the protesters were government workers or from unions linked to Bashir's dominant National Congress Party (NCP). The demonstration was organized by the NCP's Sudanese Student Union and other government groups.

Awad Ahmed, 53, a worker from the Agriculture Ministry, said: "The Sudanese people are all rejecting this -- this is America targeting Sudan. We will not send Bashir. We would die first."

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Sudan has said an ICC move against its top officials could undermine attempts to end the conflict in Darfur. Two senior government officials told Reuters Sudan would probably seek Chinese, Russian and African support at the United Nations to help block a warrant for Bashir.

China is Sudan's largest weapons supplier and dominates Sudan's budding oil industry, which produces more than 500,000 barrels per day.

The U.N. Security Council can pass a resolution suspending an ICC warrant or inquiry. Observers say once Bashir is named, this would do little to improve Sudan's relations with the West.

Sudan's ambassador to the Arab League, Abdel Moneim Mabrouk, said he was confident the pan-Arab body, which will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis, would support Sudan.

"We are now mediating in all diplomatic channels to gain support ... and to stop this effort by the ICC which is an unprecedented move which will not only harm peace in Sudan but peace and stability in the whole region," he told Reuters.

An Arab League spokesman said no date had been set for the meeting.

The issue could also pit the demands of the U.N.-backed ICC against U.N. interests in deploying a peace force in Darfur and aid officials fear a potential backlash.

The United Nations has heightened security in the capital, evacuating families of staff members, restricting movement and relocating non-essential staff from Darfur.

International experts say at least 200,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5 million have been displaced since rebel groups took up arms against the government in 2003, accusing it of neglect. Khartoum says 10,000 people have been killed.

(Reporting by Opheera McDoom; writing by Alaa Shahine; editing by Andrew Dobbie)

(To read a blog on "Is ICC setting its sights too high in Sudan?" follow this link: here)