Hundreds of demonstrators wearing blue helmets marched along the embassies of China, Russia and the Sudan in The Hague on Monday demanding that Sudan allow the stationing of UN troops to protect the people of the Darfur region of Sudan.

Similar marches took place in capital cities across the world at the weekend.
According to the Telegraaf, the Dutch demonstration was the initiative of three human rights organisations, Amnesty International, Pax Christie and the Refugee Foundation. ‘The recent increase of violence in Darfur has led to murder, rape and a new flow of refugees,’ the organisations told the paper. The Sudanese government is refusing to allow UN troops into the country to replace the African Union soldiers who are due to leave the area at the end of this month. According to Amnesty, Pax Christie and the Refugee Foundation, China and Russia are supporting the Sudanese government’s stance while they should be putting pressure on Sudan to allow UN troops in .
The Netherlands is contributing €20 million this year to bolster peace efforts in Darfur. In addition Holland, which has been charged with coordinating the rebuilding of Darfur, has a team of international experts in the country to look at what needs to be done first. More details about what that will entail will be presented at the October donor conference being held in the Netherlands.