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Steven Spielberg, the director of Academy Award--winning films such as "Saving Private Ryan," has resigned from his position as an artistic adviser to the 2008 Beijing Olympics to protest China's involvement in Darfur, Sudan.

"I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual," Spieldberg said in a statement. "At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur."

Darfur, a region of western Sudan, since 2003 has been enmeshed in a genocidal war involving Arab militias called Janjaweed that are supported by the Sudanese government and Black African agricultural tribes that have formed rebel armies. The United Nations (UN) estimates that the conflict has left as many as 200,000 people dead and another 2.5 million displaced in refugee camps after Janjaweed militias attacked their towns.

China is involved because it has turned to Africa to diversify its oil sources beyond the Middle East, and in 2006 it was importing 7 percent of its oil from Sudan. China has not pressured Sudan to bow to UN intervention because it fears that might permit the UN to meddle in its own human-rights issues--for example, in its dealings with Tibet, reported The International Herald Tribune.

In 2004, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell called the Darfur conflict "genocide." And current U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a speech Tuesday at Georgetown University that ending the Darfur conflict will require concerted international pressure on the Sudanese government from, among others, China and the Arab states.

Spielberg found himself among those "others." The celebrated director, who is also a humanitarian through his USC Shoa Foundation Institute, which chronicles the testimony of Holocaust survivors, was working closely with Chinese artisans and the Chinese government to create the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

In his statement, Spielberg indicated that he thought he could persuade the Chinese government to "use its unique influence to bring safety and stability to the Darfur region of Sudan." But he acknowledged, "The situation in Darfur continues to worsen and the violence continues to accelerate."

Spielberg, who first developed his relationship with the Chinese government in 1987 when he traveled there to film "Empire of the Sun" (which earned six Academy Award nominations), was asked 20 years later to be an artistic adviser to China's Beijing Olympics.

Spielberg accepted but had concerns. He called in experts on the Darfur conflict to learn about China's involvement, says Brian Steidle, a former Marine captain who, after his tour of duty, spent six months in Darfur in 2004 as part of the African Union's mission to monitor a ceasefire between the Black-African rebel armies and the Sudanese-supported Janjaweed.

Steidle was one of only three American observers in Darfur at the time. His duties included investigating complaints of violations of the ceasefire and reporting those violations to the African Union. He has chronicled his experience in the book The Devil Came on Horseback and in a documentary of the same name that took him back to Darfur.

Spielberg called in Steidle and other experts on Darfur to advise on whether he should participate in the Olympic preparation in July 2007. In his statement, Spielberg notes that he chose to not sign the contract because of his concerns over Darfur. Read Spielberg's full statement at the bottom of this page.

"I advised Spielberg in July of last year when he really started to become active in his creative-adviser role. He asked us about China's involvement and to advise him on what his role should be going forward," recalls Steidle, who along with others advised Spielberg that it would be better if he remained an adviser for the time and try to use his influence to persuade China to address the Darfur situation.

"He said he was willing to resign then," recalls Steidle. "He travels to China between four to 10 times a year. He has a long-lasting relationship with the Chinese and Chinese government since filming 'Empire of the Sun.' We believed his position would get stronger as the Olympic games came closer. If he resigned in July of last year, no one would be thinking of it. Now his position becomes more powerful, and in the last months [he] stepped up the pressure. [The Chinese government hasn't] done much or been serious about changing things in Darfur, so he decided to drop out."

It appears the plan worked, as Spielberg's resignation received international coverage.

The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., did not directly refer to Spielberg's decision but asked "relevant parties" to respect the facts about the "positive role played by China on the Darfur issue" and shy away from politicizing the Olympics, reports Reuters.

"As the Darfur issue is neither an internal issue of China, nor is it caused by China, it is completely unreasonable, irresponsible and unfair for certain organizations and individuals to link the two as one," the embassy said, reports Reuters.

Spielberg, in his statement, indicated that the decision to resign, while unequivocal, was difficult. New friendships had been formed and old ones further developed. But his conscience would not allow him to continue. "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these on-going crimes but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more to end the continuing human suffering there," said Spielberg in his statement. "China's economic, military and diplomatic ties to the government of Sudan continue to provide it with the opportunity and obligation to press for change. The situation has never been more precarious -- and while China's representatives have conveyed to me that they are working to end the terrible tragedy in Darfur, the grim realities of the suffering continue unabated." 

Steidle, along with his fiancée, has created a nonprofit called HOPE Artists. The group raises money through events for Darfur's refugees. Steidle and others in HOPE are now traveling to the refugee camps to provide aid.

To help end Darfur's genocide, Steidle says, "Support the advocacy groups that are putting pressure on China. If you're not going to be part of the solution, you're going to be part of the problem."

The following is Spielberg's full official statement:

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12, 2008

After careful consideration, I have decided to formally announce the end of my involvement as one of the overseas artistic advisors to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games. 

In anticipation that this day might one day come, I left unsigned the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games contract presented to me nearly a year ago.  Since that time, I have made repeated efforts to encourage the Chinese government to use its unique influence to bring safety and stability to the Darfur region of Sudan.  Although some progress has been made along the way, most notably, the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1769, the situation in Darfur continues to worsen and the violence continues to accelerate. 

With this in mind, I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual.  At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that continue to be committed in Darfur.   Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these on-going crimes but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more to end the continuing human suffering there.  China's economic, military and diplomatic ties to the government of Sudan continue to provide it with the opportunity and obligation to press for change.  The situation has never been more precarious -- and while China's representatives have conveyed to me that they are working to end the terrible tragedy in Darfur, the grim realities of the suffering continue unabated. 

This has been a very difficult decision for me, as I have cherished the relationships with my Chinese counterparts, in particular, the noted director Zhang Yimou, who is a close personal friend.  I have learned a great deal from working with him and all the other creative artists along the way.  There is little that is more rewarding than to collaborate with those who bring vision and imagination to a challenging artistic task.  And I greatly appreciated the spirit in which we worked together - a spirit that embodied genuine friendship and respect. 

For me, the Olympic Games represent an ideal of brotherhood designed to bridge cultural and political divides.  I am committed to building bridges between peoples and I saw, and continue to see, the Beijing Games as an opportunity to help ease some of the tensions in the world. 

China has much to offer the world and I have no doubt that its international contributions will grow in the years ahead.  With growing influence, however, also comes growing responsibilities.  As China welcomes the world to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games, I hope to be among those in attendance; and it is also my great hope that, with renewed and intensified efforts from China, there will be peace and security in Darfur at last.

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