Help the Divestment Movement

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“Not on our watch, not on our dime”—the Sudan divestment movement is making sure that public and private institutions around the world do not support companies that fund the Darfur genocide. The movement is working to hit the Sudanese government where it doesn’t like to be hit—directly in the pocketbook.

Visit the Sudan Divestment Task Force’s website to learn more about Sudan divestment and the reasoning behind it.

Here are three actions you can take immediately to strengthen and protect this important campaign:
1) Urge the White House to Support Important Divestment Legislation

December 2007 Update—This month, Congress passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (more info about the bill here - PDF file). Here’s what the Genocide Intervention Network has to say about the last step activists need to take in order to ensure this bill becomes law:

[Please keep calling! The President needs to sign this bill! Thanks for all of your help.]
[From a December 18, 2007 Genocide Intervention Network action alert:]

Our office is abuzz this afternoon. Less than an hour ago, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (SADA) with a vote of 411-0. While speaking on the floor of the House earlier today, Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) personally thanked the Genocide Intervention Network, STAND and advocates across the country for their dedication and commitment to SADA.

Now we need your help with the last step! Last Wednesday, the Senate passed SADA by unanimous consent. With the House’s vote today, all we need is for President Bust to sign the bill.

President Bush now has 10 days to sign the bill into law. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE (1-800-436-6243) and ask President Bush to sign SADA.

During his first year in office, President Bust wrote the words “Not on my watch” in the margins of a memo on the genocide in Rwanda. Help President Bush to remember his promise.

Call President Bush and ask him to sign the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act.

Your support is critical in ensuring that American dollars are not enabling the genocidal government in Khartoum. Call today!

Thanks for all you do to end genocide.

- Sam, Allyson and the GI-Net team

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The Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act:
- protects state and local divestment;
- prohibits federal government contracts with the companies listed;

- authorizes state and local governments to prohibit contracts with the same companies.

1-800-GENOCIDE Instructions
- Call 1-800-GENOCIDE (1-800-436-6243).
- Enter your zip code.
- Choose to be connected to President Bush.
- You will receive talking points on SADA before you are connected.
- Visit www.1800genocide.com after your call to tell us how it went.

2) Support two other important divestment campaigns: see the Divest for Darfur and Investors Against Genocide websites for more info.

3) Screen your investments. Various mutual funds invest in companies that fund the government of Sudan’s military operations in Darfur. Use the Sudan Divestment Task Force’s Screening Tool to find out if your funds are Sudan-involved—if they are, take personal action and divest, and make sure to tell your fund managers the reason for your action.