Ban Urges Sudan To Recall Foreign Aid Agencies, Bashir Calls Warrant A Ploy By Colonialists

March 6, 2009 1:25 a.m. EST

Khartoum, Sudan (AHN) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday appealed to the Sudanese government to call back foreign humanitarian agencies it expelled Wednesday so aid will continue for millions of Darfur refugees.

Ban made the appeal as President Omar al-Bashir met thousands of supporters at a rally in Khartoum and blasted the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing a warrant to arrest him for the killing, rape, violence and eviction of thousands of Darfurees since 2003.

The UN chief warned that the expulsion of 13 foreign aid agencies and their 6,500 staff will adversely affect the 4.7 million refugees they are giving food, water and other aid in strife-torn Darfur.

Khartoum expelled the agencies blaming them for the issuance of the arrest warrant for Bashir. The government said the agencies gave false information to the ICC about the crisis in Darfur.

Meanwhile, Bashir told some 5,000 supporters gathered for the second day in the capital's Martyrs Square that the ICC arrest warrant is a ploy by neo-colonialists to get Sudan's resources.

"We will not succumb or kneel to the colonialists," he said, according to Afrol.com.