Sudan’s President Bashir, who is targeted by an international arrest warrant, visits Beijing

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has accused the People’s Republic of China of subverting and undermining the worldwide fight against impunity for serious human rights violations. “China sees itself as a world power, but is not willing to take responsibility to put an end to genocide and crimes against humanity. Instead, the People’s Republic keeps up contacts to political leaders who are guilty of genocide crimes,” stated Ulrich Delius, the STP’s director, in Göttingen on Thursday. The human rights organization sharply criticized the planned government talks with Sudanese President Omar Hassan al Bashir, who is targeted by an international arrest warrant. The human rights organization also criticized China’s refusal to entrust the International Criminal Court with investigations against Burma’s military leaders in order to bring to justice those who are responsible for crimes against humanity or genocide crimes against the Rohingya.

“Morally, China is a total failure on the world stage. It is the country’s policy to focus on national interest alone, thus fueling new human rights violations,” Delius criticized. China is ignoring the United Nations Convention against Genocide – 70 years after its adoption.

Sudan’s President Bashir will be visiting the Chinese capital for comprehensive political talks this weekend. On Saturday, he will participate in a conference of the Chinese-Sudanese Ministerial Committee – and on Sunday, he will visit the China-African Cooperation Forum (FOCAC), where China intends to promote its Silk Road Initiative. Sudan, which is facing national bankruptcy, is very interested in more Chinese investment, and China is planning more investments in Sudan’s oil industry. The People’s Republic has already invested more than 20 billion USD in Sudan’s oil industry, and the country is estimated to have around 10 billion USD of debt in China. Bashir, who has been President of the Republic for 29 years, also hopes that China will support his plan to once again run in the presidential elections in 2020.

Burma’s generals can also hope for protection by Beijing, even though the United Nations are accusing them of genocide crimes. At a meeting of the UN Security Council, China argued that prosecuting senior military officials would not help to solve the Rohingya crisis in Burma. Any initiative in this direction is bound to be vetoed.

Headerpicture: UNAMID/Olivier Chassot