Divestments for Darfur

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March 2007

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Divestments for DarfurDivestments for Darfur
For the past four years, people concerned with justice have heard the slogan "Save Darfur," but have not necessarily understood how they could do so. A movement to divest from Sudanese companies allows individuals and organizations to take a step aimed pressuring Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur and creating the political will needed push our government to act on this humanitarian crisis.

Calling international involvement "shamefully underwhelming," despite the fact that this is the first time an ongoing massacre has been declared a genocide, the Sudan Divestment Task Force calls on individuals, states, cities, and universities, to free their investments from companies that do business in Sudan or with the government of Sudan.

According to the task force, Sudan has resisted political pressure, but due to high debts, the government has been more responsive to economic pressure. But to ensure that divestment doesn't harm the poor, the Task Force recommends "targeted divestment," hurting only companies with close ties to the government (especially oil and energy).

Divestment works on multiple levels. Companies hurt by it theoretically will pressure the Sudanese government to change their policy or withdraw from Sudan, taking away funding for the genocide. Companies also pressure their home countries (especially China, India, and Russia) to drop barriers to international action in Sudan. Finally, the movement to divest educates the public and official in the U.S. about the situation in Sudan, creating the political will to do more about it.

What you can do:
Find out which of your U.S.-based mutual funds have investments in Sudan by using The Sudan Screening Tool. In response to demand, some investing firms have created Sudan-free mutual funds. The Sudan Divestment Task Force has created an interactive map allowing users to find out about the status of divestment campaigns for states, cities, and universities. Click on a state to find out the status of policy and contact information for campaign leaders or information on starting a campaign.

For more information, also look at the "The State of Sudan Divestment." The task force lists 54 universities and colleges that have at least initiated campaigns to divest from Sudan, including Catholic colleges such as Boston College, Georgetown, Marquette, and Seton Hall. Check the status of your college or alma mater and contact the campaign organizer to see how you can help.

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