An Open Letter to His Excellency Hu Jintao
February 12, 2008
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President, People’s Republic of China
Bejing
Dear President Hu,
We the undersigned Nobel Laureates, Olympic athletes, current and former government officials, business leaders, human rights activists, and public advocates are writing to urge you to intensify your diplomatic engagement in support of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Darfur.
As the primary economic, military and political partner of the Government of Sudan, and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has both the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute to a just peace in Darfur. Ongoing failure to rise to this responsibility amounts, in our view, to support for a Government that continues to carry out atrocities against its own people. As host of the 2008 Olympic games, China has a special role to play in ensuring that its actions this year are commensurate with the Olympic ideals of peace and international cooperation.
The atrocities in Darfur continue to intensify. Of the seven million inhabitants of Darfur, hundreds of thousands have already died due to the conflict and 2.5 million have been displaced. Rape and sexual violence have been and continue to be used as weapons of war against untold numbers of girls and women. The Government of Sudan has also been involved in the forced relocation of people from refugee and Internally Displaced Peoples camps. Without homes to return to those displaced are left vulnerable to further attack.
We recognize some efforts by China in 2007 to increase diplomatic pressure on Sudan – notably through its support of the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1769, calling for the deployment of a UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force to Darfur. At the same time, however, we note with dismay that the Chinese government worked to weaken the resolution before it passed. China also doubled its trade with Sudan in 2007, providing resources that make it easier for that government to continue to carry out its atrocities. China’s military relationship with Sudan also continues.
We have also been disheartened by your government’s action since Resolution 1769 was passed. Your government has remained silent as Sudan continues to block the effective deployment of UNAMID and engages in violent actions that violate the spirit of the mission. Given the severity of the crisis in Darfur, and the nature of the China-Sudan relationship, we are calling for more serious action by your government in support of the full, immediate and unimpeded deployment of UNAMID.
As the 2008 Beijing Olympic games approach, we will continue to call on the Chinese government for action. We are aware of the tremendous potential for China to help bring an end to the conflict in Darfur. We will continue to watch for concerted and consistent Chinese action to ensure rapid deployment of UN-AU peacekeepers, progress in the peace talks, and an end to the use of rape as a weapon of war.
Sincerely,
Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo Dr. Shirin Ebadi Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Rigoberta Menchú Tum Archbishop Desmond Tutu Professor Elie Wiesel Betty Williams Professor Jody Williams Marcos Anastácio Carlos Arena Marilyn Chua Marion Clignet Nikki Dryden Jimena Florit Sabrina Kolker John Naber Vince Poscente Shannon Shakespeare Nikki Stone Anna Van der Kamp Richard Vaughan Maria Bello Dave Eggers Eve Ensler Mia Farrow Angelique Kidjo Joanna Lumley Hugh Masekela Ruth Messinger Russell Simmons Tom Stoppard Emma Thompson Joana Vasconcelos Kerry Washington Baron Alton of Liverpool Robert Badinter Gerhart Baum Catherine Bell John Bercow Bert Brown, |
José Ribeiro e Castro Chris Charlton Olivia Chow Nick Clegg Hon. Irwin Cotler The Baroness Cox of Queensbury Jean Crowder Libby Davies Franziska Drohsel Lynne Featherstone Hon. Mabinty Forna Sen. Bill Frist Hon. Yoine Goldstein Ana Maria Gomes Brunhilde Irber, SPD Sally Keeble Susan Kramer Irene Mathyssen Alexa McDonough Madeleine Moon Kerstin Müller Chris Mullin Peggy Nash Kerry Nettle Baroness Northover of Cissbury Birgitta Ohlsson Baron Owen of Plymouth Cem Özdemir Penny Priddy Hon. Nancy Ruth Denise Savoie Jürgen Schröder Marina Schuster Natasha Stott Despoja Christoph Strässer Hon. Paddy Torsney Judy Wasylycia-Leis Anders Wijkman The Baroness Williams of Crosby Cc: Jaques Rogge, |
