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Darfur Activists Call On Africa To Raise Pressure on China
By Darren Taylor - VOA
Washington
25 June 2007
for more on this topic, go to : http://www.voanews.com/english/africa/
then, scroll to the bottom of page 2 to "Weekly Series"
Taylor report (MP3 1.70 MB audio clip
Listen to Taylor report (MP3 1.70 MB audio clip
Tegla Loroupe of Kenya competes in women's 5000 meters during the IAAF
Super Grand Prix (file photo)
One of Africa's top athletes, Tegla Loroupe, is urging China to do all
it can to stop the killings in Darfur
International human rights activists are calling upon Africans to add
to the pressure on China to help end the humanitarian tragedy in
Darfur. Advocacy groups say the government of Sudan is responsible for
killing hundreds of thousands of people in the region since 2003. The
activists say China is supporting Khartoum's "campaign of genocide" by
supplying President Omar al-Bashir's administration with weapons and
money. As such, they say they'll consider calling for an international
boycott of next year's Olympics in Beijing, unless China plays a
positive role in bringing peace to Darfur. In the final part of a
series focusing on this issue, VOA's Darren Taylor reports on the
African role in Darfur, and efforts to get the continent involved in a
possible Olympics boycott.
Stephen Morrison, a senior Africa analyst at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies in Washington D.C., praises the African
Union's attempts thus far at getting peace in Darfur.
"The African troop contributors - Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and
others - have acquitted themselves very honorably and courageously
during this period and taken great risks and done it with great
determination and conviction. But they haven't been able to fulfill
the mission fully. They need the boost that'll come from partnering
with the United Nations," says Morrison.
Khartoum recently agreed to allow a force of between 20,000 and 25,000
multinational soldiers - under UN command - into Darfur to protect
civilians. Up until now, 7,000 AU troops have been trying to keep the
peace in Darfur. But, under increasing attack themselves, they've
failed to do so - mostly because they're severely under-
resourced.
Morrison is convinced that, if the AU soldiers are "given mobility in
terms of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, and stronger command and
control, stronger intelligence" from the UN, then they can indeed,
"remain the core" of the peacekeeping effort in Darfur.
But he feels that there needs to be "stronger support from the African
quarter for renewed efforts to end the violence."
Anita Sharma, of the Enough Campaign to end the "genocide" in Darfur,
says certain African powers must become more involved in peace
building efforts.
"South African President (Thabo) Mbeki - I would urge him to be a bit
more engaged. But there are other countries that have really stepped
up and supported the AU - Rwanda and Ghana, for example. So you do
have countries within the AU who have made Darfur a priority."
According to Sharma, it's the international community - and not the AU
- that's ultimately responsible for the failure to protect the people
of Darfur.
"The world has let the AU down by not funding its efforts in Darfur,"
she points out.
But Save Darfur Coalition coordinator, Larry Rossin, describes the
African response to the Darfur tragedy as "mixed."
"There've been positive initiatives from the African Union - let's not
forget that it's the African Union who are the only people who've
actually put people on the ground to try and address the crisis. At
the same time, I don't think the AU pressure has been all that it
could be on President al-Bashir."
African peacekeeping efforts received another blow this week when the
AU was excluded from high-level talks about Darfur in Paris. The
organization feels that the event is undermining its own initiatives
in the conflict-ridden Sudanese region.
Rossin doubts whether the calls for a boycott of the Chinese Olympics
are resonating in Africa at this point in time. But he's certain that,
should China fail to act as an "honest broker" in Sudan, the activist
movements will "make sure" that Africa forms an integral part of the
boycott of the Beijing Games.
"I think over time, (the possible boycott) will also become prominent
in Africa as well. Remember - the victims are Africans; the
perpetrators are Africans; Sudan is an African country, not just an
Arab country. I think a lot of civil society, a lot of people in
Africa, are extremely concerned about what's going on in Darfur."
But there are concerns amongst activists that the tens of millions of
dollars that China is "pumping" into Africa in terms of aid,
investments and construction of infrastructure will make Africa
"hesitant" to support such direct action against China as an Olympics
boycott.
"It's a relevant concern, and one that needs more thought," says
Sharma.
Rossin, however, says he's confident that the people of Africa will
not "stand idly by" as the world takes mass action against China
because of Darfur. He sees evidence of growing pressure on China from
African countries.
"When President Hu visited (eight countries in) Africa in February,
African civil society, African officials themselves raised concerns
about the sort of one-dimensional Chinese engagement in Africa, that
focused almost exclusively on doing business, and not really on the
places in which business was being done and the impact on the people,"
Rossin explains.
China will begin taking a "more sophisticated approach to Africa," he
says, "because Africans know what's going on in their own countries,
and they want better - like anybody else does. And they want their
foreign relationships to be something that benefit the entire country
and not just a segment of it."
Morrison, though, believes it's "highly unlikely" that African
politicians will join the calls to boycott the Olympics - given
China's "lucrative" wooing of the continent in recent years. He's also
convinced that African athletes are ultimately unlikely to boycott the
Olympics because of China's perceived lack of action to end the Darfur
crisis.
"The Darfur issue simply isn't resonating in the developing world -
and Africa in particular - in the way that it has picked up speed in
the US and in parts of Europe. It just isn't on the radar in Africa in
a major way, at the moment," says Morrison.
Sharma says all efforts to pressure both Sudan and China into saving
the people of Darfur must involve as many Africans as possible.
"In terms of trying to create a movement of people who care about
preventing mass atrocities, this is something that cannot only happen
from the United States, and this is why people are trying to urge
China and the African countries and the Europeans to get engaged.
Because this is truly an international effort that's going to require
international cooperation and an international response, and it's not
something that one country can do by itself."
Jill Savitt, the director of Dream for Darfur - a human rights
campaign set up in the US ahead of the Beijing Games - says pressure
will continue to build on China in the near future.... And the center of
that pressure will be in Africa.
"What we're doing is launching a symbolic Olympic torch relay, that
will go from Darfur to Beijing. We're starting this in August - August
8, which is a year from the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, and
we're going to go through countries (in Africa) historically
associated with genocide and mass slaughter."
Tegla Loroupe, Kenyan Olympian and marathon champion, says she
supports such initiatives, and she calls upon her fellow Africans to
do likewise.
"Why we use sports today is because there is no politics (involved).
There is no difference (between people); there is no diplomacy. You
can be rich; you can be president; you can be whoever. But when people
come together to share the field, you can understand one another, and
with respect."
But Sudanese deputy ambassador to the US, Salah Elguneid, has
expressed disappointment that Africans - especially athletes - are
"allowing themselves to be used" by "Western activists who don't know
the truth about what is happening in Darfur" and permitting themselves
to be "pawns" in gaining momentum for an Olympics boycott.
Salah blames the US for the increasing description - certainly in
America and Europe - of the Beijing Games as the "Genocide
Olympics."
"We see from all of this that it's only the United States that is
coming with this characterization. And we think that the American view
of the situation in Darfur is not substantiated. It is just a personal
point of view.... What is happening in Darfur is not genocide."
But Darfuri refugee, Daudi Hari, says it's the Sudanese authorities
who are "telling lies," and who are paying the janjaweed militia to
kill his people.
"I also remember seeing how the janjaweed killed villagers. In one
case, they dismembered the family bodies and put them in the village
well to poison the water resources for the area."
Loroupe says the time is fast approaching for the world's top athletes
to "use their power" and to demand peace in Darfur. Unless this is
achieved soon, she says, they may have to consider a boycott of the
Chinese Olympics.
MAKE YOUR OPINION HEARD IN AFRICA
What do you think of this article, or others on VOA's Africa web
page ?..
We'll broadcast your opinion to Africa. Either write a letter to :
Africa@voanews.com
Or......Telephone us and leave a message. In the US, call: (202)
205-9942. After you hear the VOA greeting, press the number "30" and
leave your message of about :30 seconds. We will likely air your
opinion.
For more, go to our web page at: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/index.cfm
While there, subscribe to our daily Africa http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups?o=2&page=6newsletter.
And tell your friends - especially in the Diaspora.
By Darren Taylor - VOA
Washington
25 June 2007
for more on this topic, go to : http://www.voanews.com/english/africa/
then, scroll to the bottom of page 2 to "Weekly Series"
Taylor report (MP3 1.70 MB audio clip
Listen to Taylor report (MP3 1.70 MB audio clip
Tegla Loroupe of Kenya competes in women's 5000 meters during the IAAF
Super Grand Prix (file photo)
One of Africa's top athletes, Tegla Loroupe, is urging China to do all
it can to stop the killings in Darfur
International human rights activists are calling upon Africans to add
to the pressure on China to help end the humanitarian tragedy in
Darfur. Advocacy groups say the government of Sudan is responsible for
killing hundreds of thousands of people in the region since 2003. The
activists say China is supporting Khartoum's "campaign of genocide" by
supplying President Omar al-Bashir's administration with weapons and
money. As such, they say they'll consider calling for an international
boycott of next year's Olympics in Beijing, unless China plays a
positive role in bringing peace to Darfur. In the final part of a
series focusing on this issue, VOA's Darren Taylor reports on the
African role in Darfur, and efforts to get the continent involved in a
possible Olympics boycott.
Stephen Morrison, a senior Africa analyst at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies in Washington D.C., praises the African
Union's attempts thus far at getting peace in Darfur.
"The African troop contributors - Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and
others - have acquitted themselves very honorably and courageously
during this period and taken great risks and done it with great
determination and conviction. But they haven't been able to fulfill
the mission fully. They need the boost that'll come from partnering
with the United Nations," says Morrison.
Khartoum recently agreed to allow a force of between 20,000 and 25,000
multinational soldiers - under UN command - into Darfur to protect
civilians. Up until now, 7,000 AU troops have been trying to keep the
peace in Darfur. But, under increasing attack themselves, they've
failed to do so - mostly because they're severely under-
resourced.
Morrison is convinced that, if the AU soldiers are "given mobility in
terms of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, and stronger command and
control, stronger intelligence" from the UN, then they can indeed,
"remain the core" of the peacekeeping effort in Darfur.
But he feels that there needs to be "stronger support from the African
quarter for renewed efforts to end the violence."
Anita Sharma, of the Enough Campaign to end the "genocide" in Darfur,
says certain African powers must become more involved in peace
building efforts.
"South African President (Thabo) Mbeki - I would urge him to be a bit
more engaged. But there are other countries that have really stepped
up and supported the AU - Rwanda and Ghana, for example. So you do
have countries within the AU who have made Darfur a priority."
According to Sharma, it's the international community - and not the AU
- that's ultimately responsible for the failure to protect the people
of Darfur.
"The world has let the AU down by not funding its efforts in Darfur,"
she points out.
But Save Darfur Coalition coordinator, Larry Rossin, describes the
African response to the Darfur tragedy as "mixed."
"There've been positive initiatives from the African Union - let's not
forget that it's the African Union who are the only people who've
actually put people on the ground to try and address the crisis. At
the same time, I don't think the AU pressure has been all that it
could be on President al-Bashir."
African peacekeeping efforts received another blow this week when the
AU was excluded from high-level talks about Darfur in Paris. The
organization feels that the event is undermining its own initiatives
in the conflict-ridden Sudanese region.
Rossin doubts whether the calls for a boycott of the Chinese Olympics
are resonating in Africa at this point in time. But he's certain that,
should China fail to act as an "honest broker" in Sudan, the activist
movements will "make sure" that Africa forms an integral part of the
boycott of the Beijing Games.
"I think over time, (the possible boycott) will also become prominent
in Africa as well. Remember - the victims are Africans; the
perpetrators are Africans; Sudan is an African country, not just an
Arab country. I think a lot of civil society, a lot of people in
Africa, are extremely concerned about what's going on in Darfur."
But there are concerns amongst activists that the tens of millions of
dollars that China is "pumping" into Africa in terms of aid,
investments and construction of infrastructure will make Africa
"hesitant" to support such direct action against China as an Olympics
boycott.
"It's a relevant concern, and one that needs more thought," says
Sharma.
Rossin, however, says he's confident that the people of Africa will
not "stand idly by" as the world takes mass action against China
because of Darfur. He sees evidence of growing pressure on China from
African countries.
"When President Hu visited (eight countries in) Africa in February,
African civil society, African officials themselves raised concerns
about the sort of one-dimensional Chinese engagement in Africa, that
focused almost exclusively on doing business, and not really on the
places in which business was being done and the impact on the people,"
Rossin explains.
China will begin taking a "more sophisticated approach to Africa," he
says, "because Africans know what's going on in their own countries,
and they want better - like anybody else does. And they want their
foreign relationships to be something that benefit the entire country
and not just a segment of it."
Morrison, though, believes it's "highly unlikely" that African
politicians will join the calls to boycott the Olympics - given
China's "lucrative" wooing of the continent in recent years. He's also
convinced that African athletes are ultimately unlikely to boycott the
Olympics because of China's perceived lack of action to end the Darfur
crisis.
"The Darfur issue simply isn't resonating in the developing world -
and Africa in particular - in the way that it has picked up speed in
the US and in parts of Europe. It just isn't on the radar in Africa in
a major way, at the moment," says Morrison.
Sharma says all efforts to pressure both Sudan and China into saving
the people of Darfur must involve as many Africans as possible.
"In terms of trying to create a movement of people who care about
preventing mass atrocities, this is something that cannot only happen
from the United States, and this is why people are trying to urge
China and the African countries and the Europeans to get engaged.
Because this is truly an international effort that's going to require
international cooperation and an international response, and it's not
something that one country can do by itself."
Jill Savitt, the director of Dream for Darfur - a human rights
campaign set up in the US ahead of the Beijing Games - says pressure
will continue to build on China in the near future.... And the center of
that pressure will be in Africa.
"What we're doing is launching a symbolic Olympic torch relay, that
will go from Darfur to Beijing. We're starting this in August - August
8, which is a year from the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, and
we're going to go through countries (in Africa) historically
associated with genocide and mass slaughter."
Tegla Loroupe, Kenyan Olympian and marathon champion, says she
supports such initiatives, and she calls upon her fellow Africans to
do likewise.
"Why we use sports today is because there is no politics (involved).
There is no difference (between people); there is no diplomacy. You
can be rich; you can be president; you can be whoever. But when people
come together to share the field, you can understand one another, and
with respect."
But Sudanese deputy ambassador to the US, Salah Elguneid, has
expressed disappointment that Africans - especially athletes - are
"allowing themselves to be used" by "Western activists who don't know
the truth about what is happening in Darfur" and permitting themselves
to be "pawns" in gaining momentum for an Olympics boycott.
Salah blames the US for the increasing description - certainly in
America and Europe - of the Beijing Games as the "Genocide
Olympics."
"We see from all of this that it's only the United States that is
coming with this characterization. And we think that the American view
of the situation in Darfur is not substantiated. It is just a personal
point of view.... What is happening in Darfur is not genocide."
But Darfuri refugee, Daudi Hari, says it's the Sudanese authorities
who are "telling lies," and who are paying the janjaweed militia to
kill his people.
"I also remember seeing how the janjaweed killed villagers. In one
case, they dismembered the family bodies and put them in the village
well to poison the water resources for the area."
Loroupe says the time is fast approaching for the world's top athletes
to "use their power" and to demand peace in Darfur. Unless this is
achieved soon, she says, they may have to consider a boycott of the
Chinese Olympics.
MAKE YOUR OPINION HEARD IN AFRICA
What do you think of this article, or others on VOA's Africa web
page ?..
We'll broadcast your opinion to Africa. Either write a letter to :
Africa@voanews.com
Or......Telephone us and leave a message. In the US, call: (202)
205-9942. After you hear the VOA greeting, press the number "30" and
leave your message of about :30 seconds. We will likely air your
opinion.
For more, go to our web page at: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/index.cfm
While there, subscribe to our daily Africa http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups?o=2&page=6newsletter.
And tell your friends - especially in the Diaspora.
