Damanga Condemns China’s Renewed Support for Sudanese Government

February 5, 2009

According to a February 4th Reuters news report, Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated support for the Sudanese government and said that China will maintain a “traditional friendship” with Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir even in the wake of the Darfur genocide. In regards to Darfur, China claims that it has formed its own envoy to bring peace to Darfur, but will respect the power and sovereignty of the Sudanese government in regards to this issue.

The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy condemns China for this renewed support for the Sudanese government and views this public statement as China’s way to undermine the international community’s efforts to bring an end to the genocide in Darfur.  Damanga further disapproves and is outraged that China has funded government operations, and thus the genocide, through trade relationships, by buying 6.3 billion dollars worth of crude oil from the Sudanese government and also by violating the UN arms embargo. Damanga protests this renewed relationship between China and the Sudanese government as it will undoubtedly jeopardize efforts to end the genocide in Darfur.