China, Speilberg, and the Olympics: The real story.
by Eric Sommer, Beijing
World-famous Hollywood film director Steven Speilberg's decision to
withdraw as an art director for the 2008 Beijing Olympics is sadly aligned with
imperialist assumptions bred by living in the U.S.
Speilberg's stated reason for withdrawal from the Olympics is alleged Chinese
indifference to the suffering - and human rights violations - caused by a civil
war in the African nation of Sudan, which is a major trading partner of China.
Speilberg claims that China is not 'using its influence' with Sudan to 'end
the suffering'. However, the notion that a 'great power' should 'use its
influence' to control the internal affairs of other sovereign nations arises
from U.S., and not Chinese, assumptions.
People living in the U.S. routinely wittiness their government subjecting
other states which do not follow their demands to economic sanctions or
boycotts; covert operations aimed at destabilizing the targeted 'regimes'; and
even outright invasion as in the case of Iraq.
Reading between the lines, Speilberg's position, and that of those like him,
is a demand that China act like the U.S., and impose - or threaten to impose -
economic sanctions on its trading partner Sudan.
However, China follows a completely different policy. Based squarely on the
five principals of peaceful coexistence which China has followed since 1949,
this policy consistently refrains from interference in the internal affairs of
other sovereign nations.
The principal of non-interference is precisely why the leaders of 45 African
nations convened a year or so ago in Beijing for joint high-level talks with
China's leaders.
This meeting was notable as the first-ever meeting of the African union
outside of Africa. Non-interference is precisely the reason that African
leaders felt warmly about coming to China, and why China is warmly welcomed in
Africa in a way the U.S., and the former European colonial powers, are not.
I personally saw various African heads of state on T.V. during the meeting
here asked about their relationships with China. The response was consistently
'We are happy to work with China economically and otherwise because (unlike the
western powers) they do not come to Africa to give us lectures'.
Western Media is out of line.
Recent western media portrayals of the China-Sudan issue are distorted beyond
belief. To begin with, it is frequently stated that 'China provides diplomatic
cover' for the Sudan in the UN security council.
In reality, however, China, Russia, and - crucially - the African Union
representing all African states have *all* taken *the same position* at the UN-
i.e., that dialogue and African Union troops and limited numbers of UN troops
should be used in Sudan, and that economic sanctions should not be imposed.
So it is China's position- and not that of people like Speilberg or the U.S.
government - that represents the real perceived interests of Africa.
Moreover, it is China - and not the U.S.or Speilberg - which has the moral
high ground on Sudan, via its consistent approach of using dialogue and
non-interference rather than using military or economic force to coerce other
nations.
Finally, and sadly, while Speilberg professes concern about the human rights
of Sudan, he was not so concerned about the human rights of the people of Iraq,
or about the sovergnty of Iraq, where an estimated 100,000 or 200,000 or more
people have died since the U.S. invasion.
In reply to questions about the then-impending attack on Iraq, Speilberg told
journalists, "Bushs politics has been solid, grounded in reality, willing to
uproot terrorism wherever it may be found...if Bush, as I believe, has reliable
information on the fact that Saddam is making weapons of mass destruction, I
cannot not support the policies of his government."
"True development puts first those that society puts last."
-Mahatma Gandhi
"Dare to be naive."
- Buckminster Fuller
"Work for the world."
- Karl Marx
"A loving heart: In all the world this state of mind is best."
- ADM CEO
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