Because 9 Team Darfur athletes were listed as such by the Chinese government in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. Yesterday, USA Today broke the story that:

China’s government was so concerned about the possibility of athlete demonstrations in the Beijing Olympics that it created a list of nine U.S. athletes and one assistant coach it thought might cause trouble at the Games, according to an internal U.S. Olympic Committee e-mail obtained by USA TODAY…

The list was given to USOC officials in a July 8 meeting by Shu Xiao, minister counselor for cultural affairs at the Chinese embassy in Washington, according to the e-mail.

You can read the whole e-mail here, but apparently:

“The subject matter had to do with information the Chinese have received regarding the intention of certain members of the U.S. Olympic team to stage some sort of demonstration at the Games, perhaps displaying banners or wearing apparel or wrist bands bearing political slogans,” the e-mail stated. It added that Shu said “many of them” were “apparently associated with Team Darfur,” an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

It’s scary to know you’re on a target list, but instead of being scared, Team Darfur athletes were flattered:

“This may be the biggest compliment of my life,” Wambach, a member of Team Darfur, said in a phone interview when informed of the list. “If they’re worried about us, maybe we do have more strength as athletes and as people to speak out. This just gives me more empowerment.”

“It doesn’t surprise me but it makes me laugh,” said Mendoza, who also is president-elect of the Women’s Sports Foundation. “We’re not burning our shirts and ranting and raving. We’re just trying to help thousands of people from dying.”

Cheri Blauwett, a Paralympic gold medalist who was also on the list, told me:

“As Olympic and Paralympic athletes, we understand that we have a voice, and as members of Team Darfur, we have chosen to utilize this voice to support a global movement to bring about peace in Sudan. Through bringing us together in action, we can provide support for negotiations and multilateral government intervention that promote the end of fighting in the Darfur region and surrounding conflict zones. Our support of peace should not be subject to censorship, but rather, be applauded as an example of athletes acting to promote peace and international cooperation.”

Unfortunately, American athletes weren’t the only ones targeted. Athletes from 5 other countries reported to Team Darfur that Chinese government officials approached their Olympic committees asking them to “encourage” the athletes to leave Team Darfur before attending the Games. The USOC was one of the only Olympic Committees, however, to so forcefully stand up for their athletes.

In addition, Team Darfur’s President - Joey Cheek - and two other Team Darfur members had their visas revoked right before they were supposed to attend the Games in non-competing capacities. The world-wide pattern of the Chinese Government targeting athletes who had no plans to break IOC rules or openly protest, simply because the Government was so scared their connection to the Sudanese government would come out, should encourage us all to ask: what was the Chinese government so afraid of? Some world-class athletes talking about foreign policy? Or, that their support for ongoing genocide would be revealed?

Photo: Joey Cheek in front of the Chinese Embassy.

“It started firing. People began screaming. The shooting continued until the houses were burning. The woman was burned on her legs. Her body had a bullet hole that went from her chest to her back.” Such statements have tragically become routine since the start of the Darfur genocide, but what makes this quote of particular note is that the “it” was identified as a Chinese-made anti-aircraft gun mounted on the back of a Dong Feng truck, also manufactured in China.

Despite a UN embargo on arms transfers into Darfur, several countries, including Russia and China, continue to funnel weapons to the Sudanese government by exploiting a loophole. The existing embargo allows weapons sales to the Government of Sudan provided they are not bound for Darfur — but the Sudanese government has publicly stated that it has every right to transfer military equipment wherever it wishes.

(more…)

Please see the note below from Mia Farrow:

Dear Friends,

I am currently visiting the Darfur region for the tenth time since 2004.

On this trip, I will once again listen to people tell me their stories and again they will plead for protection. Yet again I will promise them that I will tell the world what has happened to them.

(more…)

Just one day after Save Darfur named Lopez Lomong its August Darfur Hero and Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek’s visa was revoked by China, U.S. Olympic team captains selected Lopez as the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremonies. Lomong - who spent 10 years in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing South Sudan - will compete in the 1500 meter run and gained U.S. citizenship just 13 months ago.

In a statement published in an LA Times column by Helene Elliott, Lomong said:

“The American flag means everything in my life — everything that describes me, coming from another country and going through all of the stages that I have to become a U.S. citizen. This is another amazing step for me in celebrating being an American. Seeing my fellow Americans coming behind me [in the opening ceremony] and supporting me will be a great honor — the highest honor. It’s just a happy day. I don’t even have the words to describe how happy I am.”

More coverage can be found on Bloomberg.com and the front page of the LA Times.

Posted on behalf of Congressman Jim McGovern (MA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

As millions of people around the world get ready to tune in and watch the Olympics in Beijing, they are probably unaware that their TVs likely share a common trait with the weapons used to kill up to 400,000 people in Darfur: they bear the stamp “Made in China.”

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Joey Cheek, 2006 Olympic gold medalist and co-founder of Team Darfur, has been denied entry to China for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Joey, who has also contributed to this blog, had been granted an entry visa to attend the games and support Team Darfur, an international coalition of Olympic athletes helping to raise awareness about the Darfur genocide. Last night, however, the Chinese government revoked the visa.

According to the Washington Post (registration required):

A Chinese official informed Cheek that it was not necessary to give a reason for revoking his visa less than 24 hours before he was scheduled to fly from Washington to Beijing.

In a statement published on the LA Times web site, Cheek said:

I am saddened not to be able to attend the Games. The Olympic Games represent something powerful: that people can come together from around the world and do things that no one thought were possible.  However, the denial of my visa is a part of a systemic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur.

David Sullivan, Research Associate at Save Darfur’s partner organization, the ENOUGH Project, wrote for the Wonk Room about China’s support for the brutal dictatorships in Sudan in Zimbabwe.

David suggests that China’s defense of Al-Bashir and Mugabe may soon exhaust the patience of the rest of the U.N. Security Council. But in order to make a difference in Darfur, it’s time for the U.S. to act.

Read the blog posting here.

Beijing’s military support of Khartoum – in addition to its economic and diplomatic support - has been troubling for many years, and Sudan and China’s tight lid on information has made it difficult to discern the true nature of their current relationship. The BBC evidence uncovers the ongoing nature of that military support – though the full extent remains unclear. It also remains unclear whether China is willfully violating the U.N. arms embargo, is turning a blind eye to the consequences of its military support, or is simply being manipulated by al-Bashir’s government. (more…)

The Nation published a column today by American Jewish World Service president Ruth Messinger and Save Darfur Coalition president Jerry Fowler on the essential role that China must play in bringing peace to Darfur. Below is an excerpt from the column, which can be found here.

Beijing’s theme for this year’s Games is “One World, One Dream.” According to the official website, this theme is meant to convey China’s commitment to “peaceful development, harmonious society and people’s happiness.”

We’ll state the obvious: China’s espousal of universal brotherhood flies in the face of its policies in Darfur. But China still has time to set things right. This is why advocates worldwide are urging China to take the following steps. First, immediately stop dealing small arms in Sudan. Providing these weapons only serves to arm many of the actors that are killing, raping, and maiming at will. Second, pressure Sudan to comply immediately with all existing UN Security Council resolutions, including the deployment of African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) forces to secure the region from the government-backed Janjaweed militia. Third, if Sudan does not change its behavior, China should refrain from vetoing UN sanctions against Sudan and its officials.