Worldwide rallies call for end to Darfur crisis

A two-metre-high hourglass filled with artificial blood was on display at the Global Day for Darfur rally in London.
(Sang Tan/Associated Press)

Last Updated: Sunday, April 29, 2007 | 9:11 PM ET

CBC News

Rallies calling for an end to the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region were held around the world on Sunday.

Demonstrations on the Global Day for Darfur, marking the fourth anniversary of the conflict, were held in 35 major cities, including London, Rome, Berlin, Budapest and Stockholm. At least two rallies in European capitals were held on Saturday, in Paris and Brussels.

Eight Canadian cities also held events on the weekend: Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg and Nanaimo, B.C.

In London, protesters rallied outside Prime Minister Tony Blair's residence and displayed a two-metre hourglass, filled with artificial blood meant to symbolize that time is running out to protect civilian lives. Many in the crowd of an estimated 3,500 carried a smaller hourglass.

"We urge you to keep the pressure on the government of Sudan until there is an effective peacekeeping force on the ground protecting civilians," said a letter organizers handed to International Development Minister Gareth Thomas.

A number of celebrities, including singers Mick Jagger and Bob Geldof and actor George Clooney issued a statement on Saturday, urging others to rally on Sunday.

The United Nations estimates more than 200,000 people have died through killings, illness and starvation since the conflict began four years ago between government-backed militias and rebel groups in the west of the country.

More than two million people have been forced to flee their homes. Those in refugee camps complain they're still threatened by members of the Arab militia known as the Janjaweed.

The latest violence involved two aerial attacks on April 19 and 21 in northern Darfur. The U.S. State Department said Sudanese government helicopter gunships and Antonov bombers destroyed livestock and homes and killed two pregnant women.

There are 7,000 African Union peacekeepers in Darfur, but they have been unable to stop the violence.

On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir agreed that a new United Nations-African Union joint peacekeeping force should be deployed in the region quickly.

Al-Bashir agreed in November to a three-phase UN plan to strengthen the African Union force, but has delayed allowing its implementation.