Olympics brass ignore China's role in ongoing Darfur genocide

By Mia Farrow and Ellen Freudenheim

Sunday, April 20th 2008, 4:00 AM

There are few institutions in the world that claim to embody and protect humanity's highest dreams and values. The International Olympic Committee, custodian of the Olympic Games, is one of them.

Any organization that lays claim to the lofty moral goal of protecting mankind's universal dreams and aspirations should, from time to time, be subject to a reality check: rhetoric of morality and peace is without substance if words are not matched by deeds.

There is a direct connection - financial, military, political and strategic- between this year's Olympic host, China, and the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur that has been called the first genocide of the 21st century.

What does Darfur have to do with the International Olympic Committee? The IOC chose this year's Olympic host, China. China is underwriting the genocide in Darfur. While the IOC remains silent.