Steven Spielberg: Luminaries press Olympic China over Darfur : Netglimse.com News

Steven Spielberg: Luminaries press Olympic China over Darfur

Steven Spielberg, the renowned US filmmaker abandoned his role in the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday.

In a statement, Steven Spielberg said, "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these ongoing crimes but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more to end the continuing human suffering, I have decided to formally announce the end of my involvement as one of the overseas artistic advisors to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games."

Nobel Prize winners and Olympic athletes urged Tuesday China's President Hu Jintao to pressure Sudan to end atrocities in Darfur, as attention turns to this summer's games.

They written in a joint letter, "As the primary economic, military and political partner of the government of Sudan, and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has both the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute to a just peace in Darfur".

Hollywood actresses Mia Farrow, Emma Thompson, and African music legend Hugh Masekela were also among the signatories.

The 25 signatories included South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi, both Nobel Peace Prize winners along with Olympic athletes, writers, actors and political figures from around the world.

The United Nations estimated, since 2003 almost 200,000 people have died in the western Sudanese region from the combined effects of war, famine and disease.

"Rape and sexual violence have been and continue to be used as weapons of war against untold numbers of girls and women" in Darfur, said the letter to Hu, released by the Save Darfur Coalition campaign group.

In a statement Steven Spielberg said, "I have made repeated efforts to encourage the Chinese government to use its unique influence to bring safety and stability to the Darfur region".

Steven Spielberg said he had been working with artists including the Chinese director Zhang Yimou.

"My conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual," he said.

"At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur".

Spielberg had come under criticism last year from Farrow, a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador, who accuses China of lending financial support to Sudan as it backs militia attacks in Darfur.

New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Steven Spielberg's move should encourage other outsiders to apply pressure for human rights reforms in China itself, saying the government was cracking down on dissent ahead of the Olympics.

"Olympic corporate sponsors are putting their reputations at risk unless they work to convince the Chinese government to uphold the human rights pledges it made to bring the games to Beijing," said HRW spokeswoman Minky Worden.

"Human rights are under attack in China, and Olympic sponsors should use their considerable leverage to persuade Beijing to change policy," she added, in a statement Tuesday.