2008 Woodie Awards
Divest from companies influencing genocide
Sarah Beringer and Steph Sutton
Issue date: 1/16/08 Section: Opinion
At the federal level, targeted Sudanese divestment has been endorsed. Last month, President Bush signed into law the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act, or SADA, which was approved unanimously by Congress. SADA authorizes state and local governments to divest from companies that support the Sudanese government.
Now, this legislative session, the state of Nebraska has the opportunity to become part of this growing movement for change. Senator Bill Avery, a former UNL professor of political science, is introducing a bill that would remove Nebraska state investments from the worst offending companies in Sudan.
We at Divest Nebraska call on the citizens of Nebraska to support this legislation. Targeted divestment appears to be one of the best tools for ending the genocide as political pressure and diplomacy have failed to end the killings. Conditions in Darfur have deteriorated since the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed in May 2006. In July, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the deployment of 26,000 peacekeeping troops. Currently, only 9,000 of the 26,000 troops are in Sudan. The government of Sudan has impeded deployment by accepting only African and Muslim troops.
With diplomacy proving ineffective, there is good reason to believe that divestment will make a difference in Darfur. The government of Sudan has responded to economic pressure in the past. In 1997, the United States imposed sanctions on Sudan for its support of terrorism, banning most United States companies from doing business in Sudan. In response, Sudan changed its terrorism policy, sharing intelligence with the United States and detaining Al-Qaida suspects. United States companies are still banned from operating in Sudan, but other foreign companies do business in Sudan, fueling the genocide. The Sudanese oil industry relies heavily on the foreign direct investment of these companies. More than 70 percent of oil revenue goes to the military budget in Sudan.
Now, this legislative session, the state of Nebraska has the opportunity to become part of this growing movement for change. Senator Bill Avery, a former UNL professor of political science, is introducing a bill that would remove Nebraska state investments from the worst offending companies in Sudan.
We at Divest Nebraska call on the citizens of Nebraska to support this legislation. Targeted divestment appears to be one of the best tools for ending the genocide as political pressure and diplomacy have failed to end the killings. Conditions in Darfur have deteriorated since the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed in May 2006. In July, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the deployment of 26,000 peacekeeping troops. Currently, only 9,000 of the 26,000 troops are in Sudan. The government of Sudan has impeded deployment by accepting only African and Muslim troops.
With diplomacy proving ineffective, there is good reason to believe that divestment will make a difference in Darfur. The government of Sudan has responded to economic pressure in the past. In 1997, the United States imposed sanctions on Sudan for its support of terrorism, banning most United States companies from doing business in Sudan. In response, Sudan changed its terrorism policy, sharing intelligence with the United States and detaining Al-Qaida suspects. United States companies are still banned from operating in Sudan, but other foreign companies do business in Sudan, fueling the genocide. The Sudanese oil industry relies heavily on the foreign direct investment of these companies. More than 70 percent of oil revenue goes to the military budget in Sudan.
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