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Friday April 18, 2008

JCPA: Boycott Olympic ceremony

The umbrella body for U.S. Jewish public policy groups called for a boycott of the Olympics opening ceremony.

In a statement last week directed at the Bush administration, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs cited China’s human rights record as well as its close relations with the regime in Sudan, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed by government-allied militias in the Darfur province.

“In the spirit of the Olympics, China’s close relationship with Sudanese President [Omar] Al Bashir puts it in a unique position to help end the genocide in Darfur,” JCPA chairwoman Andrea Weinstein said.

“However, instead of advocating for peace, the Chinese government has allowed the atrocities in Sudan to continue. By boycotting the opening ceremony of this year’s Olympic Games, President Bush would send an unmistakable message that the United States does not and will not countenance genocide.” — jta

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