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CIHRS adds voice to leading Darfur groups in pressing for peacekeeper deployment
Fifteen African and European human rights advocacy organizations from ten countries, including CIHRS, joined a call for world leaders to not attend the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies in August, unless the UNAMID peacekeeping force is effectively protecting civilians in Darfur by that time. Last month, U.S. activists issued this call, denouncing China’s continued enabling of Sudan’s destructive campaign against Darfuri civilians.
“How can world leaders watch the lighting of the Olympic torch – under the ‘one world, one dream’ banner – without taking bolder action to extinguish the flames of violence still consuming the defenseless men, women and children of Darfur?” the groups asked in their joint statement. “We call on world leaders not to attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As Darfur advocates, we will continue to make this call until the United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force is effectively protecting civilians in Sudan.”
Groups joining their voices to the call include: STAND: Canada; Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (Egypt); Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (Egypt); Collectif Urgence Darfour (France); Darfuri Association (Germany); Genocide Alert (Germany); Media Foundation for West Africa (Ghana); Italians for Darfur; National Association of Seadogs International (Nigeria); Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (Nigeria); Rencontre Africaine pour la Defense des Droits de l’Homme (Senegal); West African Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Network (Senegal); Human Rights Institute of South Africa; Waging Peace (UK); and, Darfur Union (UK).
As Sudan’s chief diplomatic sponsor, major weapons provider, and largest foreign investor and trade partner, China is in a unique position to help bring peace and security to the people of Darfur. Specifically, China should use its influence on the Sudanese government so that it permits the swift, full and effective deployment of the UNAMID peacekeeping force; implements the North-South peace deal and participates constructively in the Darfur peace process; and allows the unfettered delivery of humanitarian aid in Darfur and Eastern Chad.
“Beijing should not be allowed to bask in the warm glow of peace and brotherhood associated with the opening games if China is still underwriting atrocities in Darfur and still has not done what it should to bring peace and security to Sudan,” the statement said.
The statement – explicitly not a call for any nation, athlete, or corporate sponsor to boycott the sporting events of the Olympics – questioned how heads of state could enjoy the pageantry of the opening ceremonies while Darfuris continue to suffer. Since the call was first issued by U.S. activists, several world leaders, as well as the leading U.S. presidential candidates, have either announced they would not attend the opening ceremonies or expressed doubts about attending.
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