However, I just heard on the news that a little letter of encouragement I (and the thousands others) wrote a couple of months ago has paid off. Mr Steven Spielberg has resigned in his role of director for the Olympics. While he has been urging China to change policy and behavior towards Darfur, I like to think the public encouragement helped him realise that his pull out would be significant.He says "...I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual. At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur.... China’s economic, military and diplomatic ties to the government of Sudan continue to provide it with the opportunity and obligation to press for change. The situation has never been more precarious..."
So, I just hope that more people, sponsors, athletes will have the courage to boycott the games too. I know it is complicated but working with China is essentially supporting their relationship with Darfur.
A great website on all this stuff is www.miafarrow.org
4 comments:
and let us not foget what actually goes on in China, too.
Hi, Lucy. It's me, Philip Ager's mum. Most interesting blog! I remember you as a small child for standing up for yourself. Thankfully nothing has changed except...now you stand up for everyone else! Great stuff. I liked the bit about Fairtrade in College (hehe)...
Sam, totally. I think the darfur situ is perhaps easier to focus on because it is sort of situational and involves international relations. The in-china stuff is such long history,its entrenched and "their own business" -its a bit of a no go area it seems which is a shame. You are right.
Marta, hello! how funny to hear from you. I still stand up for myself, in fact i just snapped two fingers doing so. hehe.
Hhmmmm...sounds like another organization I know of and am closely affiliated with.
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