The Genocide Olympics
As China has grown, so has its need for cheap oil. The oil fields of Sudan fill this need, but at a price. In return for oil, the Chinese government has helped to finance and arm the Government of Sudan-backed genocide in Darfur. As well, the Chinese government, as a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, has hampered the international community’s attempts to address the crisis. Even as the UN joins the struggling African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur, the Chinese government is working to ensure that the most restrictive interpretation of the peacekeeping mandate is followed. China needs oil to power its economic growth, and its government is willing to sacrifice the lives of countless Africans to do so.
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games—”One World, One Dream”—area an opportunity to highlight the connection between the governments of China and Sudan. So, when water-cooler talk turns to the upcoming Olympics, remember this: the Beijing Olympics are the Genocide Olympics.
Further reading: The Genocide Olympics by Eric Reeves.
