Petitions on Darfur Submitted to China's Embassy in Washington / Darfur advocates urge stronger action by China to end genocide in Darfur

Two items:

From VOA...

A Washington-based group committed to ending genocide in Sudan's violence-plagued Darfur region has submitted petitions from more than 40,000 people to China's embassy, calling on Beijing to redouble efforts to help save Darfur's civilian population. [As] VOA's Michael Bowman reports, a U.S. Olympic athlete who has taken an active role in the "Save Darfur" campaign hand-delivered the petitions.

With dozens of onlookers gathered around, Olympic speed skater Joey Cheek rang the buzzer at the main door to China's embassy in Washington, D.C.

"My name is Joey Cheek. I am on the U.S. Olympic team. And I am here to deliver petitions that we have collected over the last week imploring China to continue to act strongly to protect the civilians in Darfur," said Cheek.

Cheek, a gold- and silver-medalist who last year donated his Olympic bonus money to aid refugees in Darfur, clutched two thick binders containing petitions urging China to pressure Sudan to honor commitments to allow a hybrid United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force into Darfur.

Only Cheek was allowed inside the embassy, after a half-hour wait at the door. He reemerged moments later, saying [that] embassy officials received the petitions and reacted positively to his idea of organizing a joint visit by U.S. and Chinese athletes to Darfur.

Speaking with reporters, Cheek said [that] China, which has invested heavily in Sudan, has great leverage over Khartoum, and should be urged to use that leverage to maximum effect when it comes to Darfur.

"We acknowledge the role that China has played up to this point in diplomacy and behind the scenes, in trying to move forward on the hybrid peacekeeping force [for Darfur]," he said. "However, now, seven months later, people are still dying. The aid groups have decreased their presence on the ground from last year. And it appears that, financially, the connection [between Bejing and Khartoum] is only stronger."

Nearby, several dozen demonstrators bore signs in English and Chinese urging action in Darfur. Cheek gave them an assessment of their efforts that was alternately somber and upbeat.

"I think [that] we have got a lot of work ahead of us," said Cheek. "The work that each of us has done so far in being able to stand here and deliver this message -- I know that it does make an impact. So, personally, I would like to thank you all for spending some of your time out here today, and I know that our efforts are not in vain."

Among those silently demonstrating in front of the Chinese embassy was Maryland resident Kathy Bovello.

"It is just incredible to me that people can be slaughtered for so long and nobody does anything about it. It is outrageous," said Bovello. "I guess [that] I am not willing to go over there and be a human shield, but I have to do something to assuage my own conscience."

More than 200,000 people are believed to have perished over the last four years, as pro-Sudanese government militias have slaughtered and displaced civilians while battling ethnic African rebels.

Aid agencies accuse Khartoum of hindering relief efforts, while the Bush administration and other governments have condemned Sudan's government for dragging its feet on allowing international peacekeeping forces into Darfur to stop the killings.

China is Sudan's largest foreign investor, and has poured substantial funds into Sudan's oil industry, which accounts for the majority of Sudan's exports and helps fund the country's military. China has endorsed sending a hybrid peacekeeping force to Darfur, but has rejected punitive measures against Khartoum to pressure Sudan to take concrete steps to bring the violence to an end.

Speed skater Cheek says [that] he does not back calls for a boycott of next year's Summer Olympics, which China is hosting. He says [that] he would rather that athletes compete in the games, and then use the platform for advocacy on behalf of Darfur.

Save Darfur press release (boilerplate omitted)...

Darfur advocates – organized by the Save Darfur Coalition – today [Thursday] delivered more than 42,000 petitions to the Chinese embassy in Washington and [to] Chinese consulates in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Activists holding signs with the English words and corresponding Chinese characters for peace, hope, and dream then gathered for vigils held in front of the embassy and consulates.

The petitions call on China – as Sudan’s chief diplomatic sponsor, major weapons provider, and largest foreign investor and trade partner; as July’s president of the U.N. Security Council; and as host of the 2008 Summer Olympics – to use its unique position to lead the world in bringing an end to the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The petition also draws attention to recent developments surrounding the latest draft resolution on the hybrid peacekeeping force, stating, “There have been unpublished reports that, in recent days, China has used its position as head of the U.N. Security Council to weaken a resolution designed to end the genocide. We hope that these reports are not true, and that China instead uses its U.N. role over the next few weeks to put in place the agreement and mechanisms needed to halt the killing of Darfurians.”

“China now has a unique opportunity to step up to its highly coveted role as a major world actor. It is in a position to not only ensure that all necessary elements for an effective hybrid peacekeeping mission are present in the newest U.N. Security Council resolution, but [to] also use its role as host of the 2008 Summer Olympics to bring the motto of the Olympics – one world, one dream – to Darfur,” said Colleen Connors, communication director of the Save Darfur Coalition.

This day of action at the Chinese embassy and consulates is the first of many events aimed at pressuring China to take a proactive role in ending the genocide in Darfur. The Dream for Darfur torch relay, which will launch August 8, will occur both internationally – traveling to countries that define the terrible history of genocide and mass atrocities – and domestically – in 25 select cities across the United States. The relay aims to engage thousands of activists to impact important campaigns and advocacy opportunities for the Darfur movement.

The full text of the petition can be viewed here: http://ga6.org/campaign/china_embassy_petition.  To learn about the Dream for Darfur torch relay, please visit http://www.dreamfordarfur.org.  To learn more about Joey Cheek’s new organization, Where Will We Be?, please visit http://www.wherewillwebe.org.