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US actress and activist Mia Farrow slams China for complicity in Darfur rights abuses. (Antony Dickson/AFP/Getty Images)
On the eve of the Beijing Olympics, actress Mia Farrow condemned China's continued complicity over the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, while rallying for greater pressure on Beijing after the Games.
"The pressure will continue to build, a snowball is rolling now," said Farrow, the head of Dream for Darfur by teleconference from eastern Chad, which borders Darfur.
"A year or so ago people had not even made the link between China and the Darfur tragedy, now everyone has made the link."
China is a major investor in Sudan's oil industry and is its largest weapons supplier. In the runup to the Games, advocacy groups like Farrow's have pressured Beijing to help end the conflict that has killed millions.
International experts say some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been made homeless in the Darfur region since rebels took up arms against the government five years ago.
"The tragedy in Darfur could not continue without the ongoing support of Beijing … shame on them and shame on the Olympic committee for choosing Beijing," said Farrow.
Song Luzeng, secretary-general of the Chinese Olympic Committee, reiterated on Thursday China's stance that sport and politics should be kept separate.
Asked about the United States' decision to choose former Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong to carry the American flag at Friday's opening ceremony, Song said: "We hope this Beijing Olympics will develop the relationship of people from all countries and increase the friendship of the athletes."