China's role in Darfur deadly

BY ALPHA LISIMBA

The recent international uproar over China's treatment of Tibet has drawn attention to the domestic human-rights record of this year's Olympic host country. Receiving less attention are China's policies in Africa.
As a Sudanese person from the Darfur region, a survivor of a genocide orchestrated by my own government, I have experienced first-hand the deadly effects of China's foreign policy.

The country has consistently sabotaged attempts by other states to curb the violence and human-rights abuse in Sudan.

Although the Sudanese Government is ultimately responsible for the tragedy in Darfur, there is ample evidence that China's actions have contributed significantly to the ongoing conflict and suffering.

The conflict is now in its fifth year, yet the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur has still not been equipped with sufficient resources to fulfil its mandate to protect those most vulnerable.

According to the latest UN report, over 300,000 people have been killed and three million displaced, most now cramped in squalid camps along the volatile Chad/Sudan border.

Between 2002 and 2005, the most disastrous years of the genocide, China transferred $US45 million ($A48 million) worth of weapons and ammunition to the Sudanese Government.

Since 2005, China has provided 90 per cent of all small arms in Sudan, many of which are found in the hands of government troops as well as the murderous Janjaweed militia. Read more >>>>>>>