Movie News

Mia Farrow praises Spielberg for Olympics boycott

Wed 13 Feb 9:50 AM

Veteran actress Mia Farrow has praised Steven Spielberg's decision to pull out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Hollywood director has decided to withdraw from his artistic adviser role at this year's Olympics in protest of China not doing enough to end the "continuing human suffering" in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan.

China has been criticised by human rights groups for not pressuring its African ally to stop the five year conflict, which has killed at least 200,000 people. Sudan sells two-thirds of its oil to Beijing.

Spielberg said, "I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue 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."

Rosemary's Baby actress Mia Farrow is delighted by Spielberg's actions, saying, "I'm delighted by his decision and it's a desperate time for Darfur so this is a shred of good news in a very bleak week.

"Through his participation with the games it was clear that he was giving his moral cover to Beijing at a time when they're underwriting genocide in Darfur. So I hoped that he would discontinue his participation with the games."