Steven Spielberg shuns Olympics in China

By Guest Column —— Bio and Archives February 13, 2008

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Steven Spielberg, the Hollywood film director, announced he was pulling out of his involvement with this year’s Beijing Olympics in protest at China’s role in atrocities in Darfur.

In the most embarrassing public relations set-back yet to the Chinese government’s hosting of the Games, Spielberg, who was due to be an adviser for the opening and closing ceremonies in August, said he could no longer live with his conscience over his position. China has been a notable ally of the Sudanese government, buying its oil and selling it arms, and has threatened to veto United Nations security council resolutions imposing sanctions on the African country for massacres in Darfur, in the south of the country. "I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual," Spielberg said in a statement. "At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies but doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur. More...