Black People : Southern Sudan prepares for independence vote

[Ankhur]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out,
in this declining global economy, since according to wikipedia, 85% of North and Souths oil

is there in the South and only 5% is nationalized,


with 40% Chinese,
30% Malaysian, and 25% Indian

 

[Ankhur]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out,
in this declining global economy, since according to wikipedia, 85% of North and Souths oil

is there in the South and only 5% is nationalized,


with 40% Chinese,
30% Malaysian, and 25% Indian

In October, the Chinese Communist Party sent its first delegation to Juba. Then in November, it upgraded its Juba consul-general to ambassadorial level, and named its former envoy to Bahrain, Li Zhiguo to the post.
"Oil is of course our number one interest," said a Chinese official involved in Southern Sudan relations. "What we really want is stability."
"Chinese officials in Juba and Beijing have made clear that they are willing to recognize an independent Southern Sudan, and that they will follow the lead of the African Union," said the Western diplomat, who was not authorized to speak on the record.
The move is of more than just academic interest: it could represent a significant shift in the geopolitical scales just as Khartoum makes its final end-game calculations.
Many foreign governments feared that President Bashir would try to block the January referendum, attempt to take control of the oil fields, or simply refuse to recognize the result of the poll. The result of all three actions would likely be conflict.
If the Sudanese leader can no longer count on the Chinese to back him in clinging to the south, his options become far more limited.
"If I was Khartoum, I might be thinking the support of China in the U.N. Security Council is less certain now, although all we can really do is speculate at this point," said Downie.
China has already shown its willingness to buck its friendship with Bashir by deciding not to veto a request in 2008 by the International Criminal Court to investigate Bashir for war crimes in Darfur.
"Neutrality is what we are pushing for. That is good enough for us," said Barnaba Marial Benjamin, spokesman for the Southern Sudan government, who visited China in October. "This will be to our advantage."
The policy swing has been substantial, given the two sides' uneasy past. During Sudan's civil war, the SPLM declared the Chinese oil companies to be fair military targets for their role in providing income to the Sudanese government, and for their perceived exploitation of the south's natural resources.
China continues to benefit from its wartime investments. Last year, 60 percent of Sudan's exports -mostly oil - went to China. State-owned China National Petroleum Corp has poured billions into developing Sudan's oil fields and remains the industry's biggest player.
Even with the recent courtship, frictions remain.
China National Petroleum Corp. maintains its country headquarters in Khartoum and still has neither an office nor permanent staff in Juba, despite the fact that most of its oil interests lie south of the north-south border.
The company's relationship with southern communities on the ground is often strained....

The British did not give a what not about the lives of the masses,
the Arabs did not give a hoot either,
now it's yet to see if the Chinese will

(contin.)
...In Southern Sudan's Melut County, a key oil-producing area, sprawling lakes of toxic waste water sit on the open ground, raising the ire of locals and state authorities.
"It has burned the fertile lands and caused the crops to not grow well. The cattle eat the grass, and it kills some," said Dinka sub-chief Chol Ayiik, who complained that miscarriages and child blindness are also on the rise among his people.
Simple mud huts often sit just yards away from an oil rig, and war-ravaged local communities still await basic services.
"We have 360 villages that have been demolished and (there's) still no compensation," said Akuoc Teng Diing, the Melut county commissioner.
Still, relations are advancing. CNPC has begun regularly communicating with senior southern officials.
In October, Benjamin and other senior officials visited CNPC offices in China, where he said they received a red carpet welcome. "Before, they would not listen. But now it seems they are listening," Benjamin said.
Ultimately, the Chinese shift is one of pure pragmatism - and business.
"China recognizes which way the wind is blowing,"

www.truth-out.org

 

[abstract219]

Thank you all for the info in this thread. I got a lot of good information from all the posts.

In the past, I worked with relief agencies, non-profits and several schools here in Philly, to raise funds and send food and supplies to Darfur, Chad and the troubled refugee camps. China's involvement and support of the Arab-dominated government there is atrocious. Weapons, the detention and murder of relief aid workers and supplies, the suppression of the free press, all China supports.

Now I aint sayin we threw out all our Chinese-made products and toys at home, (LOL..still got the 48inch for football) but we've been a little more conscious of our purchases. We wanna know where they are made. And we have reduced our purchases of Chinese made products, which I tell you is very hard. The small filters in our AC are made in China, so..

Cant change the world or solve all the world's problems overnight. But in small steps, small increments we can make a difference.

 

[abstract219]

Hopefully the Southern Sudan will not end up another balkanized sham-democracy that is dependent upon western capitalism for its economic and political viability.

Brilliant, Omo.

 

[Ankhur]

Brilliant, Omo.

you dont want them strung out on eastern capitalism either

Present day China is not a nation that Mao , Chou en Lai, or even Sun Yat Sen would recognize

It is more like a Chinese Pottersville, and like the China,
Chang Kai Chek would be proud of