Made in China: Stop Arms Sales to Sudan

As the Olympic Games draw near, China is trying to minimize the importance of its arms sales to Sudan.  As Human Rights First describes in its report, Investing in Tragedy, China is the largest—and at this point, almost exclusive—provider of small arms to Sudan.  These weapons are clearly being used to maim, kill and force people to flee their homes in Darfur. 

China’s response to demands that it stop shipping arms to Sudan is unconvincing.  It points the finger at the other countries China claims are providing arms.  This strategy is doomed to fail.  Instead of deflecting attention from its own actions, China should use the Olympic Games to publicly commit to its human rights responsibilities by immediately ending arms transfers to Sudan. 

The Beijing Summer Olympic Games theme “one world, one dream” rings hollow to the millions of people in Darfur left homeless and devastated by more than five years of violence. Please join Human Rights First in pressuring China to stop selling arms to Sudan now.