Activism and Awareness

China, Blood Oil and Darfur

What do you know about the link between China and Darfur?
And how might it affect your business?

In June, through a unanimous vote , the U.S. House of Representatives passed a nonbinding resolution, urging China to stop selling arms to Sudan and to cut economic ties with the genocidal regime. Now it looks like the U.S. Senate is proposing a similar piece of legislation: Senate Resolution 203 (PDF).

It works like this: China loves Sudan’s oil, and unfortunately, the money that goes into the acquisition of that oil–not to mention the money that comes in the form of foreign investment and “aid”–helps to fund a genocidal and oppressive military regime.

If you want to learn more about China’s involvement with Sudan, check out the factsheet provided by the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of more than 170 faith-based, advocacy and humanitarian organizations committed to the peace and security of the people of Darfur.

Last month, I received an email from STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, urging me to call my senators and ask them to co-sponsor Resolution 203. STAND has already been successful in many of its efforts to halt the genocide in Sudan. Part of its recent grassroot efforts involved forcing the Chinese government to appoint a special envoy for Darfur.

So what’s the deal?
How is China involved? To what extent is China funding the genocide in Darfur?

The biggest connection is through oil.

Just this week, China’s biggest state oil company, China National Petroleum Corp., signed a deal with Sudan’s government to help develop offshore oil.

Here’s an excerpt from the July 4, 2007 article by David Winning in The Wall Street Journal:

“China National Petroleum Corp. and Indonesia’s state-run oil and gas company, PT Pertamina, will explore Sudan’s offshore oil block 13, a Pertamina executive said yesterday, confirming an earlier report in the China Petroleum Daily. The Chinese newspaper, published by China National Petroleum, said the companies signed a 20-year concession agreement last month with Sudan’s government that includes sharing future oil production from the offshore block…

China National Petroleum and Pertamina signed the deal with Sudan’s government on June 26 in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, the China Petroleum Daily said Monday. The exploration phase will last six years, the report said, without specifying when it would begin.

Sudan is among Beijing’s major oil suppliers. In the first five months of this year, it sent China crude cargoes totaling 4.7 million metric tons, a fivefold increase over the same period of 2006. Much of this comes from fields being developed by China National Petroleum.”

It’s interesting to note that CNPC donated $1.9 million to Sudan in February 2007 for the sake of “mutual benefit and common development,” including the “growth of the Sudanese economy and welfare activities.” (Check out this press release on CNPC’s Web site.) This “charitable” contribution no doubt helped to aid rebels in their genocidal activities, as well. Apparently, CNPC has been working with Sudan since 1995, and to this date, it has donated more than $30 million to “charitable activities” in the country.

I find it ironic and disturbing that the oil company directly involved in funneling money straight to Khartoum displays a “Social Responsibility” section on its home page.

To understand how CNPC relies on Khartoum for oil, and why China and Sudan have a happy working relationship, read this interesting Op-Ed, “China’s Crude Conscience,” by Ronan Farrow (social activist, journalist, Genocide Intervention Network representative, and, oh yeah, lovechild of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen.)

If you are interested in divesting from Sudan (making sure your money doesn’t continue to fund violence, oppressive politics and mass murder), seek advice from the Sudan Divestment Task Force, one of the leading experts on “targeted divestment.”

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