Great nairalanders, great politicians,

Like most of you I am a proud Nigerian and esteemed member of this great forum. I am a writer based in the UK and recently launched my website mistawrite.com. One issue close to my heart as an African is the Darfur situation where genocide is at his peak. China as an emerging world power has played a negative role in it's supply of arms to the Sudanese government in exchange for oil and this should, in my opinion be frowned upon. They host the olympic games in August and the world has been polarised into two camps those who feel sports should be seperated from sports and others (like my humble self) who feel the games should be boycotted because of China's history of human rights abuse as seen in Tibet of late and negligence of the sanctity of life as evident in the Darfur situation. Olympics is a symbol of peace,love and brotherliness and having China host the games with recent events would be a farce, the link is below ladies and gentlemen please join us at mistawrite.com and have your say

http://mistawrite.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=64&func=view&id=5&catid=15

Dont get emotional, this is pure politics, those on top don't like others taking their place

China's role in Sudan, regrettable as it is, you can only be realistic what China can do. They can only put diplomatic pressure on Sudan otherwise they will have to back off. The bit in bold is rather the real objective of those demonizing China.

Before there was China, there was BAE systems notorious for supplying arms to rebels in Africa. Nobody called Britain to it, UK and US have simply disorganized the Middle East and they have been at every world sporting event they qualified for till date. Think of Guantanamo Bay

So why should there be one rule for China and another for the West? This is pure politics.

Olympics should be devoid of politics, there are other platforms to call China for its human rights records like UN. It must not be through boycotting Olympics.

Before there was China, there was BAE systems notorious for supplying arms to rebels in Africa. Nobody called Britain to it, UK and US have simply disorganized the Middle East and they have been at every world sporting event they qualified for till date. Think of Guantanamo Bay

So why should there be one rule for China and another for the West? This is pure politics.

Olympics should be devoid of politics, there are other platforms to call China for its human rights records like UN. It must not be through boycotting Olympics.

I do not know much about this new development, but I see and understand mostly all your points except for when you stated that "Olympics should be devoid of politics, there are other platforms to call China for its human rights records like UN. It must not be through boycotting Olympics."
I disagree!

I do not see anything wrong with using Olympics as a tool to get their message across to the world (Olympic represents a very good portion of the world).
We must keep in mind that this area (china, north Korea etc) are very stubborn and aggressive. They tend to withstand any pressure thrown to them so far, but boycotting Olympics will definitely be an effective strategy to further expose them to the world; and I'm sure that it would work to some point.
Chinese's history of human rights abuse has been around for many years, hence I welcome any tool that will encourage the voices of the victims or potential victims to be heard.

Boycotting Olympics represents the beginning of the freedom to these people.
I am confident that a successful boycot will absolutely lead to other positive movement toward gaining their freedom.

This is pure politics, are the US and the UK better countries than China? Did China invade Iraq? or does China own Guwantanamo? was China involved in the rendition that was discovered to have taken place in some european cities recently? or does China take Unilateral actions against other countries as done by the United States in somalia, pakistan and other parts of the world recently? The west are trying very hard to demonized and disparage China just to score some cheap political points and take the attention of people off their own failings and direct it at China, China has little to do with what is going on in Sudan, even if China leaves today the vacuum will be filled by another western nation and the problem will continue to prevail. The west is just trying to cause problem where little or no problem exist. The price of oil has sky rocketed because of the west's(US and UK) foriegn policy fiasco in the middle east,  is that China's responsibility too? Abegi make we  hear word joh.

you may have a point there; I will get more info to further understand what exactly is going on.

McKren:

China's role in Sudan, regrettable as it is, you can only be realistic what China can do. They can only put diplomatic pressure on Sudan otherwise they will have to back off. The bit in bold is rather the real objective of those demonizing China.

There is a lot more China can do.They can stop obstructing efforts to punish Sudan through the UN Security Council.They can also stop selling weapons to Sudan.1.1m people have died in Sudan.

Before there was China, there was BAE systems notorious for supplying arms to rebels in Africa. Nobody called Britain to it, UK and US have simply disorganized the Middle East and they have been at every world sporting event they qualified for till date. Think of Guantanamo Bay

My friend,do you actually read up history or do you just watch Robert Redford movies?The US/UK have been at every world sporting event?Even a secondary school student will know better.

BAE Systems notorious for supplying weapons to rebels in Africa? Name all these rebel groups that has given BAE such notoriety.

Lets be honest with ourselves.All this putrid anti-Westernism is the refuge of the benighted.Who are the major suppliers of weapons to rebels in Africa?Its the likes of Ukraine,Serbia and the old Eastern Bloc.The West is actually very careful about who it supplies weapons to in Africa.Remember after June 12? The West canceled weapons sales to Nigeria,while China continued.

You don't tell the suffering people of Darfur that China's actions must be seen in the light of Western companies' supply of weapons to Africa.Logically,what has one issue to do with the other?

You seem more interested in exculpating China and attacking the West than bothering about what your fellow Africans are going through in Sudan.You are talking of Guantanamo Bay,more people are detained without trial in Nigeria than in the whole of Gitmo. Do you know about the tens of thousands in Chinese labor camps for no other offence other than challenging the Govt?

You are saying China should only be called into account through the UN.How can you call a permanent member of the Security Council to account through the UN?

I just feel that allowing Olympics in this country would only further encourage them and wrong message would also be sent to the world.
We need world peace to spread all over, anything else should be immediately discouraged and disabled.

If that is the case nobody should have gone for any world sporting event

this is pure politics

China should be punished for not bringing peace to Sudan when the west who are trying to punish them have distabilized a whole region

4 play I think you need to grow up

Can you ever make a point without being abusive

McKren:

China should be punished for not bringing peace to Sudan when the west who are trying to punish them have distabilized a whole region

This is how people in need of lobotomy reason.A topic about China's obstructiveness over Sudan is turned into a harebrained tirade about the West.Is it Westerners that are dying in Darfur? Are you a Black African or Chinese?

McKren:

4 play I think you need to grow up
Can you ever make a point without being abusive

I think you are either an amnesiac or being stupid.You lead the way by example,maybe I might stay off your case.

in the interest of the guy writing a book

http://archive.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGPOL340062006?open&of=ENG-390

That is Amnesty International's view on Global Arms trade

For example, armoured vehicles originally manufactured by Land Systems (OMC), a South African subsidiary of BAE Systems, have been exported to Uganda and Indonesia despite concerns that armoured vehicles have been used to commit or facilitate human rights violations in both countries.

For example, armoured vehicles originally manufactured by Land Systems (OMC), a South African subsidiary of BAE Systems, have been exported to Uganda and Indonesia despite concerns that armoured vehicles have been used to commit or facilitate human rights violations in both countries.

Mr Redford,so this is the best you can come up with?Is the Ugandan Govt a rebel organisation? This is scraping the bottom of the barrel.You would think that if BAE Systems was so notorious for supplying rebel groups in Africa with weapons,you could come up with something better than the Ugandan Govt.

Beyond that,I don't see anything wrong with the Govt of Uganda per se,its not conducting ethnic cleansing a la Sudan.Which begs the question,what does this have to do with the topic?

Mckren ur name na Redford??

america and china have few similarities, so if china olympic is to be boycotted, america should also be boycotted from doing anything around the world.

Black men supporting the genocide in Darfur, just because the west has done similar things elsewhere? Black race is simply a failed race who wont admit it.

@topic

2008 Olympics should be boycotted immediately.

nuzo:

Black men supporting the genocide in Darfur, just because the west has done similar things elsewhere? Black race is simply a failed race who wont admit it.
@topic
2008 Olympics should be boycotted immediately.

If we are to boycott the Olympics why can't we boycott anything from China. This China with ugly human right record was welcomed in Buckingham Palace last year with the Queen and Prince Charles in the same motor cade with the Chines premier.
@Nuzo
You know they have bad human right record yet you still leave their as your location shows. The west should quit all these their cheap politics.
Their was a protest when the Prince of Saudi visited UK last year because of their human right record yet BAE(Govt Owned) still supply them with arms.

This from Amnesty Int'l http://archive.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGPOL340062006?open&of=ENG-390

G8 countries, four of whom are also Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, continue to be among the most substantial distributors of the weapons and other military equipment used in conflicts and the violation of human rights worldwide. In 2005, the traditional big five arms-exporting countries – Russia, the USA, France, Germany and the UK – still dominated global sales of major conventional weapons, with an estimated 82 per cent of the market.

@Poster
If don't have any other thing to write just change profession.

I have not told you that my human rights has been violated in anyway in china. In fact it has been far better than that of Nigeria if i may compare. And am not saying that they don't have their own shortcomings internally(i don't wish to talk about that here).
I'm more concerned about what is happening to my brothers in Sudan. And if boycotting the Olympics will ease the tension in that region, then am all for it.

Nuzo

Look, nobody likes what is going on in Darfur. But to think that by merely boycotting Olympics in China some how the animosity and hate that exists between Arabs and Black Africans in Sudan will evaporate is simply naive. Those who champion this operation drag China down are not ignorant of this fact either. They simply have other objectives.

Look what is going on in Sudan is regrettable, but confusion, divisiveness and resentments exist in all parts of the world. But it is very severe in Africa because of poverty.
This club of rich nations demonizing China for Human Rights, for many years refused to take any concrete steps that will benefit Africa. They like the resources in Africa, sit in committee of rich Nations and plot how to purchase the resources in Africa on the cheap. But when you ask them to invest they tell you your leaders are dictators

That has been the Foreign Relations stalemate we have been in for decades.

When China started making in-roads in Africa, for all its imperfections it gave Africa an opportunity to bargain or choose who we want to do business with. This campaign to drag China down started by economist and TV pundits calling China's in-roads to Africa the second scramble for Africa, when that did not work they started talking of Darfur and Tibet using the media.

A lot of the crisis in Africa is fueled by poverty and thus the more strategic solution to peace in Africa region is tackling the economy. So listening to the West that have failed us time and time again is simply not the best. Remember Rwanda?

And by the way China has achieved a lot behind the scene in Sudan through diplomacy and they can only improve. Chinese resentment in Africa is not in the interest of Africans.

@mckren

I do understand some of your points on why things are these way; poverty, but i have two things to point out to you.

1. If you had read my post, you will see where i mentioned ease and not evaporate.
The boycott of the Olympics will make the super powers who have been involved in the Sudan crisis to have a rethink in their approach.

2. I don't depend on western medias for my opinion.

Why Should China Olympics Be Boycotted?

When America is doing the same thing, buying oil from the Saudias which they have been doing for decades now.

The Americans are hypocrites.

How many people remember what countries boycotted 1976 and 1980 Olympics?
How many people even remember why they were boycotted?
We should not be sucked into these American wars

Nigeria and Nigerians will not gain anything from the boycott!

somalian:

Why Should China Olympics Be Boycotted?

When America is doing the same thing, buying oil from the Saudias which they have been doing for decades now.

The Americans are hypocrites.

LOL they borrow money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudi's

Meanwhile at the same time funding a war without end in the middle east, its not so difficult to figure out why there is recession.

nuzo:

@topic
2008 Olympics should be boycotted immediately.

I don't support boycotting the Olympics because from a pragmatic standpoint,it achieves nothing.I support private individuals,whether individual athletes or tourists,taking such a position but not Govts.In many ways,the Olympics,as we saw in the case of S.Korea,can actually foster the opening of an authoritarian regime.

presido1:

Their was a protest when the Prince of Saudi visited UK last year because of their human right record yet BAE(Govt Owned) still supply them with arms.
If don't have any other thing to write just change profession.

What has KSA's human right's record to do with China abetting Sudan's slaughter of black Africans? Has what is happening in Sudan happened in Saudi Arabia in your living memory?

''How many people remember what countries boycotted 1976 and 1980 Olympics?
How many people even remember why they were boycotted?
We should not be sucked into these American wars

Nigeria and Nigerians will not gain anything from the boycott!''

- The above comment is one of the most ludicrous I have heard in the 21st century and Im sure the speaker heard  that comment  from the tv interviews and propaganda sources cause Ive heard a few myself this week. In case we need a little bit of history lesson which Im confident majority of this forum members don't really need  America did boycott the Moscow games in 1980 because of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan although I must confess that was double standards because two decades post 9/11 America did the same by attacking the same country. The point that is being made to China with the fortcoming Beijing games is thats as a nation she seriously can't be promoting peace using tenets and defining principles of the olympic events on the one hand and suppressing free speach by brutalising protesters and putting journalists in detention on the other. The other super powers have not waded in mainly because China is too economically powerful to be admonished. But influential individuals can make a difference. Steven Spielberg withdrawing his role as Artistic Director of the Beijing games was a huge blow to China. This really isn't about the attempt to seperate politics from sports  but rather trying to ascertain what the spirit of the olympics truly is and if it is compatible with China's human right records.
As for my friend whom I took an extract of his posting above saying ''Nigeria and Nigerians will not gain anything from the boycott'', all i have to tell you is short and simple, the world is a global village, ''a butterfly flapping its wings in China can cause an earthquake in other parts of the world'', just an aphorism used in the financial markets. We are not alone. So isolation form world events is not a realistic proposition

JL SHASH
Chief Writer/Publisher
mistawrite Inc.

http://www.mistawrite.com

That is completely bothersome, I mean the role China is playing in Darfur. While I am in support of any measures that would make China to yield to the voice of reason, I do not think that boycotting the Olympics would bring China to review its role in Darfur or even Tibet for that matter.

Look, nobody likes what is going on in Darfur. But to think that by merely boycotting Olympics in China some how the animosity and hate that exists between Arabs and Black Africans in Sudan will evaporate is simply naive. Those who champion this operation drag China down are not ignorant of this fact either. They simply have other objectives.

I think you fail to grasp the enormity of the situation in Sudan.Let me draw some parallels,hate and animosity exists between Jews and Arabs in Palestine,Catholics and Protestants in N.Ireland,Turks and Greeks in Cyprus,e.t.c.No where has any of these conflicts brought about death and destruction at the scale we have in Darfur.

Take Palestine alone.150,000 Palestinians have died at the hands of Israel since 1922.That is about the same number as have died in Darfur since 2003.

All people are saying is giving the sheer magnitude of the catastrophe unleashed on Darfurians,China should be able subject its economic interest to the overaching need to curtail the mayhem in Darfur by not obstructing efforts in the UNSC.

Is it only China that needs oil?The Americans want oil too but they have deliberately decided to avoid Sudan as much as possible.It could have been easy for them to turn a blind eye and join the oil stampede in Sudan.Funny enough,if they had,you will be the first to attack them for this.

This club of rich nations demonizing China for Human Rights, for many years refused to take any concrete steps that will benefit Africa. They like the resources in Africa, sit in committee of rich Nations and plot how to purchase the resources in Africa on the cheap. But when you ask them to invest they tell you your leaders are dictators

Lets be factual and avoid ignorant pub-style analysis.The West has invested close to a trillion dollars in Africa since 1950,China won't be coming close to that level anytime soon.The West remains by far the largest investor in Africa by any measure and our biggest trading partner.

What Africa needs for development is trade and investment.The West provides the bulk of that.Most importantly,the West imposes far lower trade barriers on African imports,through exemption mechanisms like AGOA,compared to China.

China is more interested in our raw materials,no people ever achieved industralisation or development through the mere export of raw materials and commodities.A Nigerian coy can export crude oil or iron ore to China with ease but try selling plastic or processed steel to China and you will be stung with a monumental trade tariff.

When China started making in-roads in Africa, for all its imperfections it gave Africa an opportunity to bargain or choose who we want to do business with. This campaign to drag China down started by economist and TV pundits calling China's in-roads to Africa the second scramble for Africa, when that did not work they started talking of Darfur and Tibet using the media.

If you are implying that Tibet and Darfur issues are to some extent,media manufactured,you are being extremely disingenuous.

And by the way China has achieved a lot behind the scene in Sudan through diplomacy and they can only improve. Chinese resentment in Africa is not in the interest of Africans.

China can do a lot more than they are currently doing.

Lets be honest with ourselves,there are currently hundreds of thousands of Darfurians whose daily survival depends on foreign food aid.Who supplys most of that food aid?The West.Sino resentment isn't in our interest,nor is anti-Westernism.

The problem is,many people love to see every issue through the prism of anti-Westernism.An issue concerning Arab-African conflict in Sudan and how China isn't helping is rapidly turned into an ignorant hare-brained lament about the evils of the West.

somalian:

Why Should China Olympics Be Boycotted?

When America is doing the same thing, buying oil from the Saudias which they have been doing for decades now.
The Americans are hypocrites.

America would have been hypocrites in this regard if either,they were buying oil from Sudan or buying from a nation that is conducting genocide in the manner of Sudan.

Again,this is not about the West but the poor people of Darfur and South Sudan.What can we do to help them,simply chronicling all our anti-West stories won't stop a young African mother being raped at the hands of Arab marauders or watching her village razed with helicopters supplied by China.Is there any limit to people's anti-West paranoia?

McKren:

LOL they borrow money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudi's

Meanwhile at the same time funding a war without end in the middle east, its not so difficult to figure out why there is recession.

Its best to keep this kind of economic analysis to a pub or a private occasion.If you think the recession is due to the reasons you cited,you need enlightenment.

Where does China get the US dollars it lends back to the US?

@ shashxxl

If you had been very methodical in your argument, may be I would have been able to respond to you properly.
I am a Nigerian, Can you please tell me what benefits we (Nigeria and Nigerians) will derive from boycotting the Olympics?

If you already had a mindset, why bother post at all?

DRANOEL:

why should the olympics be boycotted? this is all western propaganda!

How did you arrive at that claim of yours?? These are Nigerians in here debating if China should be boycotted or not. Pockets of people around the world are having the same debate, even the very athletes who are to take part in the games, from all parts of the world are debating the same in their own hearts and you come in to claim it is all western propaganda?? Did the west put it our water and is it in the air this time around??

why should the olympics be boycotted? this is all western propaganda!

true just like the sanctions against mugabe was all western propaganda.

the fact that someone else is doing it and getting away with it doesnt mean that we should let everyone do what they like.

china truly has a terrible human rights record, the highest death penalty judgments in the world (i mean, what other country do you knw has the death sentence for embezzlement?) and in regards to the darfur crisis, they have behaved reprehensibly. but so did nigeria when our president turned a blind eye to kenya's election crisis (perhaps his exellency needed CNN/FOX/BBC to remind him of his duties to his neighbours and inform him that it was a pressing issue).

however, china's records do not make it a candidate for such an events as the olympics, that strives to foster peace, tolerance, unity, value for human life and appreciation of exellence in the chosen field of sports (which can be translated elsewhere). to this end, i would favour the boycotting idea. how are athletes supposed to feel comfortable in an atmosphere that clearly encourages death, religious oppression and tyranny (note their refusal to free tibet from their rule). participation would in a way signify support/tolerance/understanding for china's actions, and this would be wrong.

no matter how we wish we could separate politics from sports, sorry to disappoint u guys, it is impossible. politics plays a role in selecting the hosts of games, the sec. gen of the UN, and even the selection of the pope. but the most important thing above our love for sports should be the preservation of human dignity, in whatever way we can do it, even if it means boycotting the games. if they were so apolitical, y didn't they ask iran to host it? the last middle east country to host a game was Qatar (correct me i may be wrong) and that was aeons ago.

on the other hand, the games could open the eyes of the leaders so that they know the current state of things does not have to be so, that there is more to be gained from spreading love than by crushing it. it is far-fetched (the chinese are known to be stubborn once set on a course, not unlike our cousins of ishmaelite ancestry)but it can be done; and these games are actually our hope that all is not lost for this world.