Feeling the Heat

Did you know that the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing will begin at exactly 8:08 p.m. on 08/08/08? Evidently, eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture. As the hosts of the Summer Olympics, they are hedging their bets in the hope that their moment in the world spotlight will be a good one.

Today, at exactly 2:08 p.m., I walked up to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., hoping that I would also have good luck. Today is the day, one year out from the Olympics, when I delivered copies of the 600 letters we collected at General Assembly. At our booth and at every event we sponsored at GA, we encouraged concerned UUs to sign letters to the International Olympic Committee. We asked the Olympic officials to use their leverage with the Chinese government to help bring peace to Darfur.

Since the first wave of grassroots activism began to raise the Olympic theme, we have seen China take some small but very important steps. Today, I was proud to be UUSC's Washington, D.C., representative and let the Chinese government know that our 47,000 members and supporters urge them to do even more.

At first, the embassy doorkeeper made me wait outside for a long time in 100 degree heat. I felt a bit like Dorothy at the gates of Oz as the man told me to go away by speaker phone and then opened the door just enough to get my business card before slamming it shut again. That happened three times before I managed to slip in when some other folks arrived for a different meeting. I sat politely on a couch in the air-conditioned lobby waiting to see what would happen next.

After a while, Liao Dong, counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the USA came to meet with me. His assistant took notes as I explained why I was there, who we are, and what we want. He said it was an honor to accept the letters. He doesn't agree that what's happening in Darfur is genocide. He thinks it is mostly a struggle over scarce resources.

He recounted the steps China has recently taken and asked that we not link China's hosting of the Olympics to the situation in Darfur. I said we simply want China to use its considerable economic and diplomatic leverage to move the Sudanese government to negotiate peace in good faith and to stop the violence against women, children, and all civilians. I said we hoped that when the Olympic torch is lit one year from today that the conditions in the Darfur region will be greatly improved.

He wanted to know if Unitarians were like Quakers. I explained about the Sharps and the work that founded our human rights organization. His face seemed to sag at the realization I represented a human rights group rather than a religious denomination. Perhaps I would have been forcibly removed or left to melt in the heat if they had know that from the start! The counselor asked if my mission was now complete with the delivery of the letters. I told him that I was going back to work because there was much more to be done. I gave him a UUSC Drumbeat for Darfur campaign sticker and brochure before heading back out into the heat.

Here is a photo of me and Counselor Liao Dong. The original signed letters arrived at the International Olympic Committee offices in Switzerland today with a cover letter from UUSC President Charlie Clements. We will continue to follow up and encourage more actions over the coming year. Thanks to everyone who signed and helped collect the letters at GA. Know that you are helping keep the Drumbeat for Darfur loud and clear!