Thousands of Americans march to demand halt to genocide

WASHINGTON - Thousands of campaigners across the US marched yesterday to demand international action against the ongoing violence against civilians in Darfur.

The actor George Clooney was among several celebrities and high profile activists who led the rallies, calling for a greater US role in what the UN says is now the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

In Washington alone, it was estimated 15,000 people were participating in the rally.

"You feel completely overwhelmed," Clooney, just back from a trip to the Sudan with his father, said.

"We flew over areas and my father and I would look at each other and go, this is just too much. But then what are we to do? Nothing?"

The rallies were designed to highlight a slaughter that campaigners say has fallen off the news agenda.

David Rubenstein, co-ordinator of the Save Darfur Coalition, made up of more than 160 humanitarian and religious groups, said the aim of the Rally to Stop Genocide was to try to create pressure to build a multinational peace force for the region.

Clooney was joined by Democratic Senator Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and Olympic speedskating champion Joey Cheek, who donated money to help projects in Darfur. Also among the invited speakers were Paul Rusesabagina, the hotelier who sheltered hundreds of people from the 1994 Rwandan genocide and was the subject of the film Hotel Rwanda.

Obama plans to visit Africa in August. "The situation is very delicate," he said. "Things could get much worse."

Five members of Congress were arrested last week after participating in a demonstration outside the Sudanese Embassy. At the same time the Senate passed a bill to prevent future investments by the state pension system in companies with financial ties to the Sudanese Government.

President George W. Bush has supported the rallies. He said: "The genocide in Sudan is unacceptable ... "There will be rallies across our country to send a message to the Sudanese Government that the genocide must stop ... I want the Sudanese Government to understand the United States of America is serious about solving the problem."

- INDEPENDENT