April 26, 2007

Sudan has become diplomatic problem for Sudan. At the moment China
remains one of Sudan's most important allies, though it is increasingly
a tentative ally. No, China isn't an ally like Iran (which maintains
close ties with Sudan) China does buy approximately 60 to 65 percent of
Sudan's daily output of oil. China also sells Sudan weapons. China also
has soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in south Sudan. Darfur,
however, is straining the economic relationship. China has never been a
favorite of Western human rights groups, but often gets something of a
pass from these organizations because it isn't the US. However, the
plight of refugees in Darfur has made China more of a target. China did
play a big role in getting the UN's "hybrid force" plan approved by
Sudan. Under pressure from fellow members of the Security Council, China
urged Sudan to accept a "phased in peacekeeping force" with UN
participation in Darfur. Interestingly enough, one of the big sticks
shaken by the human rights groups is a potential boycott of the 2008
Olympics in Beijing. China fought long and hard for the Olympics and
views the games as a global "coming out party" to show off economic
progress in China. The human rights groups are encouraging a boycott if
China does not fully support a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur. (Austin
Bay)


April 24, 2007: The central government and the new south Sudan regional
government are engaged in a legal dispute over oil drilling rights. Oil
played a major role in the long south Sudan civil war. In 2005 the south
Sudan government gave Ascom (a Moldovan company) a drilling concession.
The Sudan government says that Malaysia's Petronas has the drilling
rights. The Sudan government argues that Petronas' drilling agreement
predates the 2005 peace agreement. How this dispute is resolved will say
a lot about the strength of the political relationship between north
Sudan and south Sudan.



April 23, 2007: The US called for more UN peacekeepers in Darfur. The
new UN draft resolution calls on the force to protect "civilians under
threat of physical violence" in Darfur. The US is also reportedly
considering recommending an arms embargo on the entire country of Sudan.
This comes after the "leak" of UN evidence that Sudan is violating the
arms embargo in Darfur.



April 19, 2007: Sudan condemned the "leak" to the New York Times of a UN
study that reported the Sudanese government had illegally shipped arms
to Darfur. The report also included evidence that Sudan is camouflaging
transport aircraft by painting them to look like UN aircraft. The
Sudanese objection was typical. It called the revelations phony and said
the alleged sources were "enemies of peace and stability in Sudan." The
leak clearly dealt Sudan a heavy political blow

The Olympics is a "celebration" that has long stood for world
brotherhood. An uplifting communion of people brought together to
celebrate with peaceful competition and to recognize the enduring
quality of the human spirit.

How can any country "celebrate" what the Olympics stands for when any
population of this world is being systematically wiped out by another
government? Most especially when the country hosting those Olympics is
by 'action' supporting this desolation.

Here is a clip from a previous O-games.

Movements to boycott the 1936 Berlin Olympics surfaced in the United
States, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, and the
Netherlands. Debate over participation in the 1936 Olympics was most
intense in the United States, which traditionally sent one of the
largest teams to the Games. Some boycott proponents supported
counter-Olympics. One of the largest was the "People's Olympiad" planned
for the summer of 1936 in Barcelona, Spain. It was canceled after the
outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, just as thousands of
athletes had begun to arrive.

It was an American black runner, who pointed the way for all Americans
during these Olympics. We need to teach all nations that it is wrong to
'allow' either by action or inaction, the devastaion of a civilization,
incapeable of warding off their attackers.

A boycott of the games in China would not be unfounded, given the
information given to start this post.

That's just my opinion.