PA Signs Divestment Bill Into Law for Sudan, Iran
On Tuesday, June 22, 2010, the Pennsylvania State House passed a bill that bans state pension funds from investing in Iran and Sudan. On July 7, 2010, Governor Ed Rendell signed that bill into law, providing for divestiture from investments in companies doing business in Iran and Sudan.
Legally, this new law, The Protecting Pennsylvania’s Investments Act, S.B. 928, requires the state Treasurer’s Office, Public School Employees Retirement System, State Employees Retirement System, and Pennsylvania Municipal Retiree System to divest within 36 months the nearly $400 million they directly invest in foreign companies doing business in Iran and Sudan.
Both of these countries on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Iran is an obvious big name on this list, but many people do not realize that Sudan is also on this list. This reason for this is due primarily to the fact that Sudan harbored Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, where he established grounds for an al-Qaeda training camp, among other insidious things, while in exile from his home of Saudi Arabia.
This new divestment law, in coordination with similar ones across the country and the globe, can make a real difference in cutting off revenue that would otherwise go to the repressive and violent regime that controls Sudan. State Representative Josh Shapiro, the sponsor of the bill, spoke of what he thought was necessary in order to make a difference in Sudan,
Local Representative Matt Smith, of Mt. Lebanon, agreed, stating,
It has been a busy week for Sudan in addition to this new divestment law. On Monday, July 12, 2010 the International Criminal Court issued another arrest warrant for the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, this time being charged with three counts of genocide. Bashir was indicted in March 2009 on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes, but never before genocide. The new charges of genocide in no way lessen or change the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity from March 2009.
In addition to the new ICC warrant, an op-ed written by John Prendergast and Dave Eggers has warned the international community that civil war breaking out again in Sudan is a very real possibility. The piece refers to the upcoming referendum in January that will determine whether or not south Sudan will remain part of Sudan. There are numerous indications that the south will vote for independence. However, there are worries about whether or not the Khartoum government will allow a legitimate referendum to occur, as elections in April were internationally proven to be fraudulent. This is an extremely contentious issue within the country, enough so to go to war over. To put it frankly,
While we here in Pittsburgh may not be able to do much about whether or not the government of Sudan holds a fair referendum or not, we can at least be proud that our representatives at the local and state levels are doing everything within their power to make a difference in Sudan.
Legally, this new law, The Protecting Pennsylvania’s Investments Act, S.B. 928, requires the state Treasurer’s Office, Public School Employees Retirement System, State Employees Retirement System, and Pennsylvania Municipal Retiree System to divest within 36 months the nearly $400 million they directly invest in foreign companies doing business in Iran and Sudan.
Both of these countries on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Iran is an obvious big name on this list, but many people do not realize that Sudan is also on this list. This reason for this is due primarily to the fact that Sudan harbored Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, where he established grounds for an al-Qaeda training camp, among other insidious things, while in exile from his home of Saudi Arabia.
This new divestment law, in coordination with similar ones across the country and the globe, can make a real difference in cutting off revenue that would otherwise go to the repressive and violent regime that controls Sudan. State Representative Josh Shapiro, the sponsor of the bill, spoke of what he thought was necessary in order to make a difference in Sudan,
"While I am under no illusions that the acts of Pennsylvania alone will... stop the genocide in Sudan, I do believe that combined with tough sanctions, rigorous diplomacy and the possibility of military action, we will have an impact. We can be proud of that as Pennsylvanians."
Local Representative Matt Smith, of Mt. Lebanon, agreed, stating,
"With regard to Sudan, the U.S. government has labeled the ongoing atrocities and human rights crises as genocide, and we must use all influence possible to ensure that Pennsylvania tax dollars are not supporting companies with ties to Sudan.''
Another local Representative, Dan Frankel, of Squirrel Hill echoed his colleagues statements, saying that, "Pennsylvania has the opportunity to make a difference as part of a larger community of state and local governments that are divesting from companies with ties to Sudan."
It is refreshing to see so many local and state leaders take such a strong stance against the atrocities that are occurring in Sudan. As people who are apart of the activist community in Pittsburgh we are truly lucky to have representatives who can use their local resources to make a difference in the greater world community. This is especially true for Sudan, and in turn Darfur, as the Pittsburgh community has worked for countless hours and many years to make a difference in Sudan. Perhaps the most active and vehement in this cause has been David Rosenberg and the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition (PDEC). PDEC has been one of the foremost proponents of divestment legislation, working to lobby for it since 2005. It has been a busy week for Sudan in addition to this new divestment law. On Monday, July 12, 2010 the International Criminal Court issued another arrest warrant for the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, this time being charged with three counts of genocide. Bashir was indicted in March 2009 on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes, but never before genocide. The new charges of genocide in no way lessen or change the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity from March 2009.
In addition to the new ICC warrant, an op-ed written by John Prendergast and Dave Eggers has warned the international community that civil war breaking out again in Sudan is a very real possibility. The piece refers to the upcoming referendum in January that will determine whether or not south Sudan will remain part of Sudan. There are numerous indications that the south will vote for independence. However, there are worries about whether or not the Khartoum government will allow a legitimate referendum to occur, as elections in April were internationally proven to be fraudulent. This is an extremely contentious issue within the country, enough so to go to war over. To put it frankly,
"If January comes and goes without a referendum, or if the results are manipulated, then fighting will break out. Both sides have been arming themselves since the peace agreement, so this iteration of north-south violence will be far worse than ever before. And if war resumes in the south, the conflict in Darfur, in western Sudan, will surely explode again."
I urge you to read the entire article, it is very insightful and powerful. The future of Sudan is certainly up in the air at this point. It seems as if the Khartoum government can literally make or break the referendum, the country and the future of Sudan depending on how they conduct themselves in January. While we here in Pittsburgh may not be able to do much about whether or not the government of Sudan holds a fair referendum or not, we can at least be proud that our representatives at the local and state levels are doing everything within their power to make a difference in Sudan.
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Tags: Dan Frankel, Darfur, Divestment, Ed Rendell, ICC, John Prendergast, Matt Smith, Pittsburgh, Sudan, genocide
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