Sudan contends with growing support for civilian protection in Darfu

– Contact: Rajaa Shakir, Director of Education, Genocide Intervention Network

(202) 481-8220, [email protected],

Successful Divestment Movement Prompts Last-Ditch Public Relation Effort

April 12, 2006 (WASHINGTON) — The Genocide Intervention Network today commends the nationwide effort to divest university and state holdings in Sudan, and notes that the campaign is beginning to take its toll on the genocidal regime.

This past month demonstrated just how committed Americans are to protecting civilians in Darfur, Sudan, where the government continues to deny its role in the killing and displacement of nearly 3 million civilians. According to a recent Zogby poll, a large majority of Americans, more than six in ten, said the United States has “a responsibility to stop Darfur killings.”

Campaigns to divest holdings in companies doing business in Sudan have been successful at eight universities, including the landmark divestment of the University of California system. Four states have divested from Sudan, with legislation pending in over twenty more.

Threatened by these indications of American resolve, the Sudanese government has embarked on a drive to shore up its abysmal image in the United States. Sudan has paid for a million-dollar advertisement in The New York Times, and last week called on Americans to stop supporting the divestment movement.

“If the government of Sudan put as much energy into ending their genocidal campaign as they put into their public relations campaign, tens of thousands of lives would be saved,” says GI-Net Director of Advocacy Sam Bell.

Khartoum contends that divestment will hurt the people of Sudan. Much to the contrary, divestment from Sudan will lead to positive change for the most vulnerable citizens in Darfur.

Even a U.S. embargo against Sudan has not prompted the government to protect its citizens. Khartoum continues to break agreements made in the North-South peace agreement, uses money from the treasury to arm Janjaweed militia forces, and deploys military arsenals and bombing campaigns against villages in Darfur.

The Genocide Intervention Network encourages the national coalition of students, community leaders and elected officials to remain firm in lobbying for divestment from Sudan – knowing that their movement is making a real difference for the people of Darfur.

GI-Net Chief Executive Mark Hanis extols others to take up the cause. “Everyone should consider beginning a divestment campaign in their school, city or state if there is not one already underway,” he says.

“GI-Net encourages those who have organized successful campaigns to now work to increase investments in AU peacekeeping operations, aid organizations, and other efforts that will make a direct difference for the people of Darfur,” Hanis says.

– The Genocide Intervention Network works to mobilize an anti-genocide constituency in the United States and Canada to raise the costs for inaction by politicians in the face of genocide. Accessible online at www.GenocideIntervention.net, GI-Net empowers its members with the tools to support initiatives that prevent and stop genocidal violence, in particular by protecting civilians in Darfur, Sudan.