Washington - The U.S. Senate has officially urged the Chinese government to act on the genocide in Darfur. A resolution introduced by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) that passed late last night calls on China to use its "unique influence and economic leverage" with the Sudanese regime to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

"This is a strong official message to the Chinese government that it can't allow the Sudanese regime to get away with murder," said Menendez. "No country has the same leverage with Khartoum as China, but its hands-off policy merely encourages the genocide in Darfur. With the eyes of the world on the Olympics in Beijing next year, it would be a shame if their time in the spotlight is dimmed by the ongoing bloodshed that China has not worked to stop."

"The nature of China's relationship with Sudan must change," said Brownback. "People in Darfur are dying every day as the Chinese government continues the construction of its industrial complex in Sudan. Instead of cancelling debt owed by the genocidal Khartoum regime and financing the construction of a palace for President Bashir, the Chinese government should use its relationship with Sudan to end the genocide and get peacekeeping forces into Sudan to protect innocent civilians."

"China consistently uses its 'non-interference policy' as a shield from doing more to stop the suffering in Darfur," said Allyn Brooks-LaSure, spokesman for the Save Darfur Coalition. "This is a shield Omar al-Bashir is all too happy to hide behind. The Menendez-Brownback resolution implores China to use their unique influence to help end the killings and suffering in Darfur - something Beijing has thus far failed to do. Until China acts, activists and lawmakers will continue to mount pressure on the Chinese and their role in next year's Olympic Games."

Background

The resolution points out that the government of China "has long-standing economic and military ties with Sudan and continues to strengthen these ties in spite of the on-going genocide in Darfur." For example, China purchases at least 70 percent of Sudan's oil and has reportedly cancelled approximately $100 million in debt owed by the Sudanese government. China also recently provided funds for a presidential palace in Sudan at a reported cost of approximately $20 million. In addition, the human rights organization Amnesty International recently accused China and Russia of selling weapons to Sudan that are used in violence in Darfur.

The measure calls on China to urge Sudan to allow the entry of the U.N. sanctioned peacekeeping force and to comply with U.N. resolutions demanding that the Government of Sudan disarm militias operating in Darfur. It also calls on China to join the international community in threatening sanctions on the Sudanese government if it continues to carry out or support attacks on innocent civilians or to frustrate diplomatic efforts to end the violence.

The resolution comes as Chinese preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing are heavily underway. The resolution recognizes that the spirit of the Olympics is "incompatible with any actions, directly or indirectly, supporting acts of genocide."

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