All that China has Offered Darfur is PR

This is an interesting op-ed which appeared in today's WSJ. Encouraging on the surface but let's be very clear -- China alone continues to support Khartoum's resistance to the troop/civilian police contributions proposed by the UN DPKO (and now, finally, accepted by the African Union). Such resistance is the most effective way to stall deployment of the UN force as outlined in UN Resolution 1769.

There could be no better measure of how accommodating Beijing remains of Khartoum's genocidal ambitions; the Chinese are looking at the failure of the rebel peace talks in Libya and in particular the no-shows by rebel leaders as having diffused international attention to the Government of Sudan's role in what is now occurring on the ground in Darfur. The terrible bottom line is that China continues to underwrite genocide in Darfur.

It is past time that Steven Spielberg withdraw his artistic participation in the Beijing-hosted 2008 Olympics. Despite his excellent letter to Chinese President Hu last April, he continues as artistic director of the Olympic games and in so doing lends China his own moral authority. But while thousands are dying in Darfur Spielberg has been filming Indiana Jones part 4.

Time is not on the side of Darfur's people. Spielberg's resignation would embarrass the Chinese and push them to use their unique point of leverage.

China could demand that Khartoum acccept without qualification or obstruction the deployment of peacekeepers under UN Seccurity Council Resolution 1769.
China could insist the janjaweed be disarmed.
China could refuse to sell weapons to Sudan.
China could demand that the regime stop bombing civilians.
China could suspend new oil deals with Sudan.

Until security is experienced by Darfur's people, all that China has offered is PR.

miafarrow.org/