Save Darfur Anchorage

Reaching out to Sen. Begich and Reps. Murkowski and Young

2010-01-04T16:46:00.008-09:00

An email campaign directed at our legislative delegation in Washington D.C. is one of the methods that we will be using in 2010 to help put an end to the atrocities perpetrated by the government of Sudan. In order to email any one of our legislative delegation, a form available on each website must be completed. Fill out the form.

I have included links to their contact pages below.
Rep. Young
Rep. Murkowski
Sen. Begich

HOUSE RESOLUTION 3081: Making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.

Purpose: This legislation provides the following funding to address the crisis in Darfur:$512 million for the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur (UNAMID); $45 million for U.S. programs to train and equip African militaries to participate in UNAMID; $830 million in International Disaster Assistance to address global humanitarian crises, including in Darfur; and $251.35 million for the UN peacekeeping force in Sudan (UNMIS).

Status: Approved by the House 318-106 on July 9, 2009. Awaiting consideration by a House-Senate conference committee.

Action: Call or write your Representatives and urge them to reject any cuts to Darfur funding in the final House-Senate conference report for H.R. 3081.

SENATE BILL 1434: An original bill making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.

Purpose: This legislation provides the following funds to address the crisis in Darfur:$2.125 billion for Contributions to International Peacekeeping, including funds for the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur (UNAMID) and the UN peacekeeping force in Sudan (UNMIS); $855 million for International Disaster Assistance to address global humanitarian crises, including in Darfur; and $6.632 billion for Diplomatic and Consular programs, including funding for the Office of the Special Envoy for Sudan and other diplomatic initiatives for Sudan.

Status: Approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations on July 9, 2009. Awaiting floor consideration.

Action: Call or write your U.S. Senator and request that funding for Darfur programs at current levels are protected when the bill is considered by the full Senate.

Fundraiser a Huge Success!

2009-11-27T20:15:00.007-09:00

Parishoners and visitors to St. Mary's Episcopal Church enjoyed authentic Sudanese food, drumming, and singing on November 15th as part of a fundraiser that netted over $2,000 for Darfur refugee assitance. Most of the money will be used to help Darfuri refugees currently living in displaced persons camps in Africa purchase Berkeley-Darfur Stoves®. These super efficient stoves help decrease Darfuri women and girls' exposure to violence by reducing the amount of time they must spend away from the relative safety of the camps to gather firewood. The rest of the funds are being donated to Church World Service, a highly respected and effective non-profit organization that provides refugee assistance.

Legislation Update

2009-03-15T20:56:00.003-08:00

HB 92, the Sudan Divestment bill, has moved out of the House State Affairs Committee and on to the House Finance Committee!! This is one BIG step farther than last year's bill got, but a long journey remains.

1. Bill to be heard in (and moved out of) the House Finance Committee.
2. It then goes to the House Rules Committee, which schedules it to go back to the whole House (House floor).
3. In the House, it's in second reading when more amendments may be made.
4. It is forwarded to third reading the same day, debated and voted on.
5. Now it starts all over again in the Senate in the new World Trade Committee. (The Senate can start this process without waiting for HB 92 to get through the House...hopefully, they will!)
6. On to Senate State Affairs.
7. On to Senate Finance.
8. On to Senate Rules.
9. On to Senate Floor second and third readings.
10. If the Senate bill is different than House bill it goes to joint committee then back to each body.
11. When passed it goes to Governor for signature (but can become law without it).

Let's keep the pressure on our representatives, senators, and our Governor. We don't want this bill to stall anywhere in the process.

How You Can Help the Sudanese Families Displaced by Recent Fire

2009-03-14T21:59:00.008-08:00

A duplex fire in late February destroyed the homes of two Sudanese families. Sixteen of the family members are children. Tor Gach, the father of one of the families, says that as of today he and his family have found housing, but the other family has not. Nyaret Yoang and her 8 children are staying in a hotel until permanent housing can be found. If you know of a 4-bedroom home for rent, please call 907-980-1473. Nyaret does not speak English well, but her son, Delang, can translate for her.

Besides housing for Nyaret and her children, Tor says their greatest need is furniture. To help meet that need, the Moose's Tooth/Bear Tooth folks are collecting monetary donations at their home office. The money will go directly to the two families to buy replacement furnishings.

Your checks can be mailed to the address below. (Cash should be dropped off there.)
Brooke VanVeckhoven
Fresh Ale Pubs Office
1317 W. Northern Lights Suite 8
Anchorage, AK 99503

Please make the checks out to one of the family representatives:
Nyekan Bichiok
Nyaret Yoang

Thank you for your support, prayers, and well wishes!

Sudan Divestment Bill Scheduled for Hearing

2009-02-18T21:32:00.005-09:00

On Tuesday, February 24, between 8 and 10 AM, the House State Affairs Committee will discuss House Bill 92 and determine whether or not it will continue its journey toward enactment or die in this Committee. Backed by Governor Palin and members of both parties, this year's Sudan Divestment legislation is more palatable to the state's investment advisers. Even Permanent Fund Executive Director Mike Burns, who testified against divestment legislation last year, told the Juneau Empire that "he'll recommend to the trustees that they no longer oppose the [Sudan Divestment] bills." This is great news and we offer our gratitude to Mr. Burns.

Click here to read more about this year's legislation and the change of heart its fostering in our investment advisers. Then, please call the State Affairs Committee members listed below (and your state representative) to voice your support of the legislation. And, if you're in Juneau on the 24th, attend the hearing and SHOW your support!

Committee Number: 465-4963
Bob Lynn, Chair: 465-4931
Paul Seaton, Vice-Chair: 465-2689
Carl Gatto: 465-3743
Craig Johnson: 465-4993
Peggy Wilson: 465-3824
Max Gruenberg: 465-4940
Pete Petersen: 465-4939

Sudan Awareness Week Kick-Off Full of Celebration

2009-02-17T21:18:00.006-09:00

There was standing room only at Grassroots - A Fair Trade Store on February 15th for the Sudan Awareness Week Kick-Off Event. Debbie Bock, a dedicated and super hardworking member of Save Darfur Anchorage, started the 2-hour celebration by providing a great overview of the current situation in Sudan. Sudanese refugees then shared their experiences living in Sudan and their takes on the political situation. The event wrapped up with an hour of traditional Sudanese drumming, singing, and dancing. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Scheduled Feb 22nd Sudan Awareness Week Events

2009-02-03T18:37:00.006-09:00

On February 22nd, Save Darfur Anchorage members, Debbie Bock and Nance Blake, will lead Sudan Awareness Week events at the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Palmer's Church of the Covenant, respectively. Both will show a power point presentation they developed about Sudan's history and current situation. Debbie's presentation will begin at 9 AM and Nance's will start at 9:30 AM. Sudanese refugees now living in Sudan will attend the Anchorage event to meet with the public and share their stories.

Letters for Justice will meet from 10:45 to 11:45 AM in the basement of Holy Family Cathedral to write letters to Governor Palin encouraging her continued support of divestment from Sudan. To learn more about the Divest for Darfur effort, visit the Sudan Divestment Task Force website.

Sudan Awareness Week

2009-01-31T17:00:00.007-09:00

Sudan Awareness Week, February 16th through the 22nd, provides an opportunity for Alaskan communities -- faith-based or secular -- to honor the plight of the people of Sudan. Ravaged by war for decades, and the site of the ongoing 6-year-long genocide in its Darfur region, Sudan offers little but suffering for many of its people. During Sudan Awareness Week, Alaskans will recognize the people of Sudan and the incredible hardships they face because of the Government of Sudan's destructive and criminal reign.

To kick off Sudan Awareness Week, Grassroots - A Fair Trade Store, located at 1300 West Northern Lights Blvd (in the REI strip mall), is dedicating the whole month of February to Sudan. The store will display a sculpture by local artist, April Boles, that depicts the plight of women in Darfur. On February 15, a power point presentation summarizing the situation in Sudan followed by a question-and-answer session will begin at 2 p.m. Sudanese refugees will be on hand to field questions and to tell their stories. Beginning around 3 p.m., some of the refugees will showcase their culture through traditional drumming and singing -- a treat for all!

5 Bills Call for Alaska's Divestment from Sudan

2009-01-30T10:08:00.011-09:00

We've come a long way, Baby!! There are now 5 bills in the Alaska Legislature that would require the Permanent Fund, the state's retirement systems, the State of Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan, and the deferred compensation program for state employees to divest holdings in companies that do business in Sudan. The bills would also prohibit future investments in those companies for as long as the Darfur Genocide continues.

The bills in the House include HB 5, HB 45, and HB 92. HB 5 is sponsored by Representatives Bob Lynn and Les Gara. HB 45 is sponsored by Representatives Gara, Gardner, Petersen, Kerttula, Guttenberg, and Gruenberg. HB 92 is being put forth by Governor Palin. The Senate bills are SB 37, sponsored by Senators Hollis French and Johnny Ellis, and SB 81, which is the Governor's companion bill to HB 92.

Each bill offers a cost-effective and efficient protocol for divesting the targeted foreign funds. The additional burden to the investment managers would be nominal -- just as divestment would have a nominal effect on our Permanent Fund dividends.

Please continue to let the Governor and your state senator and representative know that you want him/her to vote in favor of divestment. Go to the Alaska State Legislature home page to get contact information for your legislators. Governor Palin's contact information in Juneau is P.O. Box 110001, Juneau, AK 99811-0001; Phone 907-465-3500; Fax 907-465-3532.

Darfur Genocide Legislation Filed January 9

2009-01-17T09:04:00.005-09:00

Many thanks to state representatives Les Gara, Berta Gardner, Beth Kertulla, and Pete Petersen for reigniting the state divestment effort by filing legislation on January 9th to stop the State from investing in foreign companies that are complicit in the 5-year-old Darfur genocide. Although the 2008 divestment bill never made it out of committee, we are hopeful that the 2009 legislation will be better received. The legislation has Governor Palin's support and more Alaskans, including legislators, are aware of the Darfur genocide and understand how easy and cheaply the divestment process can be. Please contact your legislators and the Governor and let them know that you back their support of this legislation and that you hope it will move smoothly through both the State House and the State Senate.

January 1 Celebration

2009-01-06T21:37:00.012-09:00

Some Alaskans probably "celebrated" the first day of the New Year with a soft pillow, drawn curtains, and saltine crackers. Many of our Darfuri friends, however, celebrated with music, balloons, and birthday cake. Yep, birthday cake.

It seemed the fitting way to ring in the new year seeing how several of the Darfur refugees now living in Anchorage have January 1 as their birthdays. No, they weren't actually born on January 1. Birthdays aren't traditionally celebrated in Darfur, as is the case for much of Africa, nor are they recorded in any consistent fashion, so the Darfur refugees don't actually know what day of the year they were born.

This is a problem, however, when you're trying to leave your country. You can't exactly get a passport or immigration papers without a birth date. Some of the Darfur refugees were given the option to choose one, but most were simply assigned January 1. A recent article by The Boston Globe states, "It is unclear when the practice began, but more than 31,000 of the 203,566 refugees admitted to the United States over the past four years have been assigned the Jan. 1 birthday."

Fake birthdays or not, the party that occurred on January 1 in a small Mountain View apartment was most definitely real. Laughter, drumming, traditional Sudanese songs, and of course cake and balloons, filed the place. Jokes were told, wishes were made, tears were shed, and all felt gratitude for life.

KTUU Covers Darfur Refugee Transition to Anchorage

2008-11-30T15:43:00.011-09:00

Attahir Karief, his wife, and children fled Darfur on foot when the older child was only 6 and his wife was 9 months pregnant with their third child. They ran through the desert for 10 days before reaching Chad. They then persevered through years in a refugee camp in Ghana, cut off from contact with other family members and often with not enough food or medical care before arriving in Anchorage and beginning over.

Click here to see the news story and an interview with Attahir.

Save Darfur Anchorage Gmail Account

2008-11-28T14:32:00.004-09:00

We now have a gmail account! Write to us at savedarfurak@gmail.com if you need some information that you can't find on our blog, if you're interested in helping with the state divestment campaign, if you want to share what you're doing to raise awareness about the Darfur genocide in your community, or if you just want to show some support. We'd love to hear from you!

The Facts about Governor Palin's Support of Divestment

2008-10-05T16:10:00.009-08:00

There is a lot of discussion in the media about Governor Palin's support of Sudan divestment. All of the questions revolve around when she supported the divestment legislation and her role in championing the cause. We began Alaska's divestment campaign, so we feel we are the most equipped to provide reliable information about the Governor's involvement. That information is offered here, in (very) brief, to set the speculation to rest -- not to discredit Governor Palin but to bring back into focus the real priority: ending the genocide in Darfur.

Governor Palin was aware of the divestment legislation as early as December 2007. We know. We met with her staff at the Governor's Anchorage Office to discuss Sinopec's role in the Alaska Gas Pipeline and to request her support for targeted divestment from Sudan. As late as mid-March 2008, the governor was not on board with the divestment legislation. Again, we know. A group member who wrote the Governor asking her to support divestment received a letter dated March 11, 2008, wherein the Governor again declined on the opportunity to support divestment. Most importantly, however, in April 2008, Governor Palin publicly announced her support of targeted divestment legislation.

You see, in the end, she publicly supported it, and, based on her statements during the debate, she still does! Many people do not believe in or understand the value of targeted divestment immediately. Targeted divestment is a totally different beast than the divestment most people know about (like divestment from South Africa), so it can take some time to fully understand. That's no crime.

We at Save Darfur Anchorage are excited about Governor Palin's support, the national attention she has brought to the divestment campaign, and, most importantly, the national attention she and Senator Biden have brought to the Darfur genocide. In this time of partisan activity, we must work hard to remember what matters most, and in this case, it is that the Darfur Genocide must be stopped. We are encouraged that both presidential (and vice-presidential) candidates support taking the necessary actions to end the Goverment of Sudan's brutal campaign against its own people.

Wow! What a Summer!

2008-09-20T14:42:00.002-08:00

Blogging fell by the wayside this summer as providing assistance to newly arrived Darfur refugees took top priority for Save Darfur Anchorage. Approximately 25 Darfur refugees have arrived in Anchorage between May and today, and more are expected later this month. Refugees are allowed to travel to the United States with 1 bag of belongings per person and are provided only roughly $450 dollars per person each month to cover their needs while getting settled in. Needless to say, their needs are great.

The Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services (RAIS) branch of Catholic Social Services Alaska leads the charge in welcoming refugees to Alaska, and they do an AMAZING job. Among other things, they find the refugees housing, furnish the residences, greet the refugees at the airport when they arrive, enroll refugee children in school, arrange mandated medical appointments, and teach refugees how to use the bus system. The RAIS program employs only a few staff members and has access to very limited funds, so we have been doing our best to pitch in where we can to make the refugees' transition to the United States easier.

We hosted a welcoming party in May and have continued to host gatherings since then. We have collected and donated clothing and household goods. We have provided transportation when needed. We have answered countless questions about the English language, Anchorage, and our American culture. We have listened to their survival stories and have cheered their incredible resilience. We have helped them try to locate family members that they lost touch with when fleeing Darfur by working with the Red Cross' Restoring Family Links program.

We have also taken some of the refugees to the movies. The size of the refreshments seemed to be more amazing to them than the actual movie! We went to the Arctic Thunder Air Show at Elmendorf AFB. One refugee found it hard to believe that we could actually go on a military base -- and take pictures! He said he would certainly be harmed if he attempted the same in Sudan. Per his request, we took dozens of pictures of him in front of the military aircraft. He hopes to send them to friends in his old refugee camp.

Earlier this month, we went berry picking when the blueberries ripened on the hillside. The children were covered in blueberry juice by the end of the day. And, of course, they had no berries to show for their efforts because they couldn't stop eating them as they picked them. Kids will be kids. The kids also had a blast when we took them to the State Fair. They rode rides fearlessly! Some of the adults even hopped on the Ferris wheel.

Summer was definitely a whirlwind for our new friends, as well as ourselves, and I'm sure none of us would have wanted it any other way.

ADN Prints Tales of Anchorage's Darfur Refugees

2008-06-19T22:09:00.003-08:00

Click here to be directed to Julia O'Malley's piece "From Darfur to a Strange New Home." Thank you, Ms. O'Malley, for interviewing Safi, Abu, and Halima and letting Anchorage know their stories. They told us at Save Darfur Anchorage that being able to tell their stories meant a lot. They want people to know what's going on in Darfur. And, now, thanks to your article, more people do.

Permanent Fund Board Asked to Divest

2008-05-31T20:46:00.008-08:00

Save Darfur Anchorage volunteers and Darfur refugees asked the Permanent Fund Board during the Board's Anchorage meeting on May 28th to adopt a targeted Sudan divestment policy. Save Darfur Anchorage members Debbie Bock and Kelley Nixon gave testimony encouraging the divestment, while Safi Mohammed Ali, a Darfur refugee who recently arrived in Anchorage, pleaded that the Board "do all that is in your power to bring peace to my homeland."

As of March 31, 2008, the Permanent Fund had $17.5 million of direct holdings in 3 companies that are considered by the Sudan Divestment Task Force (SDTF) as being among about 25 companies that provide the greatest financial and/or political support to the Government of Sudan, while providing very little to no support to the people of Darfur or other marginalized Sudanese populations. These 3 companies are Alstom, Wartsila, and Lundin Petroleum AB. To learn more about these companies' operations in Sudan, go to The SDTF Reports Page and download the Sudan Company Report.

In 2007, the Permanent Fund had approximately $22 million invested in 6 Highest Offender companies. Save Darfur Anchorage commended the Permanent Fund Corporation for having divested from 2 of those companies earlier this year and encouraged continued divestment. The third company, Petrofac, was removed by the SDTF from the Highest Offenders list after the company completed a SDTF-approved Substantial Action Plan. In this plan, Petrofac has committed to funding the first 2 years of a 4-year pilot education program in southern Sudan, with the option to extend the funding. The pilot will involve funding 60 one-room primary schools, whose students will be from marginalized areas of south Sudan. The project hopes to provide education to girls and other children who do not have the opportunity to attend school.

Please continue to voice your support for targeted divestment to the Permanent Fund Corporation:
Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation
P.O.Box 115500
Juneau, Ak 99811-5500
(907) 796-1500, TTY (907) 796-1523
www.apfc.org/alaska/contact.cfm

Darfur Refugee to Share His Story

2008-05-21T18:51:00.002-08:00

Save Darfur Anchorage is meeting May 24th from 11AM to 1PM. The public is invited to attend. One of the newly arrived Darfur refugees will share his story and answer questions. Abu's English is very good and he is eager to raise Alaskans' awareness about the Darfur Genocide.

Come welcome Abu (and hopefully other Darfur refugees) to Anchorage and learn about his journey here. The setting will be very informal. Some Save Darfur Anchorage business will be conducted during the meeting.

Darfur Refugees Arrive in Anchorage

2008-05-14T21:36:00.005-08:00

Save Darfur Anchorage hosted a picnic on May 10th to welcome Darfur refugees to Anchorage. All have been in Anchorage for less than 2 months and one man and his mother arrived only four days before the picnic. This same man and mother lived in a refugee camp in Ghana before being moved to Anchorage. In the refugee camp they befriended the Karief family, who were moved to Anchorage just over a month ago and who also attended the picnic!

Like any picnic there was a lot of eating and laughter, some games, and a lot of chatting to get to know each other. We located on a map where our guests lived before leaving Sudan. We learned about their lives prior to the Genocide. One man operated heavy machinery, another was a shopkeeper. And, we learned some about the refugee placement process.

The placement process is a long one. One man had left Darfur in 1999, others left Sudan in 2003, and still others in 2005. Some lived in refugee camps for years while awaiting placement. All moved to Anchorage because that's where there were placement openings. No one "picked" Anchorage.

Many of the refugees are enrolled in English as a Second Language classes and they are doing great, although some are more shy than others to try out their English. The children are picking up the English very quickly.

We are looking forward to getting to know more about our new friends and to providing opportunities for Anchorage to learn more about them, too.

Permanent Fund Board to Meet in Anchorage May 28th & 29th

2008-05-01T18:16:00.004-08:00

When the Permanent Fund Board meets at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Anchorage May 28-29, representatives from Save Darfur Anchorage will ask board members to divest the roughly $22 million the Fund has invested in companies bankrolling the Darfur Genocide. Although legislation that would require the Permanent Fund Corporation to divest the Permanent Fund did not pass the Alaska Legislature, the Permanent Fund Corporation can divest the Fund voluntarily, and that's exactly want we will ask them to do.

Please stop by the Marriott and voice your support for divestment. The Board will hear all public comments beginning at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, May 28th. They need to hear that Alaskans want our Permanent Fund divested. They need to hear it and we need to say it!

If you can't make it to the Marriott, please call, write, or email the Permanent Fund Corporation. Let them know that you think it is unacceptable to have $22 million dollars invested in Worst Offender companies (as identified by the Sudan Divestment Task Force). Remind them that there are many other equally profitable investment options--ones that don't support genocide.

Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation
P.O.Box 115500
Juneau, Ak 99811-5500
(907) 796-1500, TTY (907) 796-1523

Time Runs Out on Sudan Divestment Legislation

2008-04-18T19:34:00.005-08:00

Although the Senate State Affairs Committee passed SB 227 out of that committee on April 1st, the Legislative Session ended before it could be reviewed by the next slated committee, the Senate Finance Committee. Companion legislation HB 287 was heard in the House State Affairs Committee in February, but the legislation was never put to a vote and it remained stalled in that committee for the rest of the session.

Words like "maybe next year" offer no comfort. Sudan divestment legislation can be re-introduced in the January 2009 session, but just the thought of this genocide continuing to rage on until, and beyond, then is absolutely depressing. Our hope was that Alaska would contribute to the fight against the Darfur genocide as soon as possible -- because there is no time to waste during such a tragedy -- but, sadly, that was not to be the case.

Our sincerest thanks go out to all legislators who supported HB 287/SB 227, particularly Representatives Les Gara and Bob Lynn and Senator Hollis French for their extra efforts.

Senate State Affairs Committee to Hear SB 227 on April 1st

2008-03-27T20:46:00.005-08:00

It's time again to reach out to our legislators to let them know that we Alaskans want them to adopt the targeted Sudan divestment legislation (SB 227/HB 287). Below is a listing of the Senate State Affairs Committee members and their contact information. Please call and email each to let them know that this legislation is not to be taken lightly. That it is too effective, too simple to implement, and too important to be disregarded.

Chair - Sen. Lesil McGuire 465-2995 Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us
Vice-Chair - Sen. Gary Stevens 465-4925 Senator_Gary_Stevens@legis.state.ak.us
Member - Sen. Hollis French 465-3892 Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us
Member - Sen. Lyda Green 465-6600 Senator_Lyda_Green@legis.state.ak.us
Member - Sen. Con Bunde 465-4843 Senator_Con_Bunde@legis.state.ak.us

Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander. --Holocaust Museum, Washington, DC.

Juneau DIE-IN Raises Awareness

2008-03-22T16:40:00.006-08:00

Despite heavy wet snowfalls throughout the day, about 100 people attended the DIE-IN FOR DARFUR. The 30-minute event included chants, sign waving, and multiple speeches calling for targeted divestment from Sudan. A group of protesters lay at the bottom of the capitol steps for the duration of the event as a symbol of the lives lost in Darfur while divestment legislation languishes in committee.

The DIE-IN got a lot of local radio and newspaper coverage in Juneau. The Juneau Empire even published an editorial in favor of the legislation a couple days after the DIE-IN. Excerpts were also televised throughout the state on KTUU. The Associated Press' story about the event was picked up by a South Carolina paper and by SudaneseOnline.com.

While in Juneau, Kelley Nixon, a member of Save Darfur Anchorage met with available legislators or their staff to find out how legislators stand on the divestment legislation. Of the legislators/staff interviewed, 7 legislators were not familiar with the legislation at all or they did not have a current position on the legislation. These included Senators Cowdery, Green, and Huggins, and Representatives Gardner, Holmes, Olson, and Salmon. Six were decidedly against the legislation: Senator Wilken and Representatives Coghill, Johansen, Johnson, Roses, and Stoltze. Fifteen were in favor of divestment: Senators Davis, Ellis, Elton, French, McGuire, and Wielechowski and Representatives Cissna, Doll, Gara, Gatto, Gruenberg, Guttenberg, Kerttula, Lynn, and Ramras.

Die-In for Darfur Scheduled for March 19th in Juneau

2008-03-16T20:13:00.005-08:00

The Juneau-Douglas High School Chapter of STAND will lead a "die-in" in front of our state capitol building at 12:10PM on Wednesday March 19th. The die-in will be part of a rally calling for legislators to get divestment legislation (HB287/SB227) out of committee and on to the House and Senate floor for a vote before the session ends on April 13th. Supporters from all over the state are encouraged to attend. (Be sure to use your constituent fare with Alaska Airlines to save 40 percent on airfare.) See you there!

Arizona Becomes 24th State to Divest

2008-03-11T22:50:00.005-08:00

Earlier this week, Arizona's Governor signed into law a bill to divest their state pension funds from Sudan. All 90 state lawmakers supported the legislation!! Click here to view the press release.

Arizona's legislation uses the same Sudan Divestment Task Force model for divestment that the Alaska legislation uses. All 90 of Arizona's state legislators understand that targeted divestment is an effective and easy-to-implement tool to fight genocide. It is appalling that so few of our state legislators understand this truth. It makes one wonder if it is their ignorance, apathy, laziness, fear, or arrogance that blinds them.
It also makes one wonder why we've elected them.

Links to Recent Articles about Darfur Published in Alaska Newspapers

2008-03-04T19:33:00.005-09:00

Below are links to Darfur-related articles that have appeared in either the Juneau Empire or the Anchorage Daily News in 2008. A Internet search identified no related articles have been carried by the Daily News - Miner. If you are unsatisfied with the amount of coverage your local paper is giving the Darfur Genocide or our proposed divestment legislation, please let the editorial board of that paper know.

March 4th - Permanent Fund Investments Need to Change

March 4th - Alaska and Darfur

March 3rd - Alaska's Assets in Sudan Targeted

Feb. 7th - Lawmakers Aim to Cut Ties with Sudan's Government

Jan. 24th - Outside Editorial: Impunity in Sudan

Jan. 15th - Outside editorial: U.S. should give Sudan envoy more support to end genocide

Outreach to the Permanent Fund Corporation to Request Voluntary Divestment

2008-02-27T22:25:00.006-09:00

The Permanent Fund Corporation does not have to wait for legislators to pass HB 287/SB 227 in order to divest from targeted companies, and they shouldn't. We think the Fund's managers should as soon as possible sell the Fund's direct holdings in the 6 companies that we are currently invested in that are identified by the Sudan Divestment Task Force as "Highest Offenders" because of their complicity in the Darfur Genocide. These 6 companies are CHINA PETROLEUM (SINOPEC), ALSTOM, PETROFAC LTD, WARTSILA, LUNDIN PETROLEUM AB, and CNPC HONG KONG LIMITED.

For readers who agree, please write to Mike Burns, Executive Director of the Permanent Fund Corporation, and request that the Permanent Fund Corporation pursue divestment on its own accord (like public fund manager's have in other states). The Permanent Fund Corporation shouldn't feel compelled to wait for law to dictate the right action when the Fund can (and should) do it on its own.

Mike Burns, Executive Director
Permanent Fund Corporation
P.O. Box 115500
Juneau, AK 99811-5500

The Cost of Divestment

2008-02-20T20:07:00.005-09:00

Targeted divestment is not a losing venture. Many people think if we divest, we will lose money. Truth is, we could actually make money. Utilizing data from Bloomberg, on average, highest offenders underperformed their peer group by 51.63 percent over one year, 38.69 percent over three years, and 4.73 percent over five years. Also, the highest offenders, on average, underperformed the top three performers in their peer group by 75.92 percent over one year, 62.15 percent over three years, and 38.28 percent over five years.

When targeted divestment was developed, the goal was (and still is) to preserve investment returns AND fight against the Darfur Genocide. These two things (making money and fighting genocide) are not mutually exclusive. They can be done together.

HB 287/SB227 gives ample time for fund managers to find a suitable market for divestment (between 6 and 15 months). Our state investments in targeted companies account for only about $20 million of the roughly $40 billion held in our Permanent Fund. We are talking of less than 0.01 percent of the Permanent Fund. A divestment of less than 0.01 percent is definitely not likely to have a negative impact on the Fund's returns given the abundance of other available investment options and the generous amount of time given to divest.

Hear the House State Affairs Committee Deliberation on HB 287 - You Be the Judge

2008-02-17T21:22:00.011-09:00

Click here to be directed to the Gavel to Gavel Alaska webpage. If you enter February 9 and push the NEW DATE tab on the left of the webpage, you will be able to access the audio file of the Feb 9th House State Affairs Committee proceedings. Discussion of HB287 begins about 55 minutes into the meeting and lasts about 1.5 hours. The politics are very interesting!

You will hear testimony from many Alaskans (from Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage)in support of the legislation, testimonies from members of the Sudan Divestment Task Force, including Max Croes, who helped draft the legislation, and testimonies from Mike Burns with the Alaska Permanent Fund Board and Brian Andrews with the Alaska Retirement Management Board.

The real stars of this hearing, though, are the legislators. Take note of the questions; who they are directed to and who they are not directed to and the unstated purpose behind the questions. Also, be sure to review the last few blog entries for the truth behind the testimonies presented by Mr. Burns and Mr. Andrews, as well as the stated concerns of the legislators.

Rep. Lynn was out due to his wife's illness, so he was not able to present the legislation. We are glad he and his wife are both doing well now. Rep. Les Gara is the "prime" who, in Rep. Lynn's absence, conducts this task with intelligence and passion. Thank you, Representatie Gara.

Truth 2 Revisited

2008-02-16T09:23:00.011-09:00

Representative Coghill in the Feb. 9th hearing on HB 287, stated that he believed that divestment is not the "right tool" to address the Darfur genocide. He shared his concern for the people of Darfur, but stated that he believes that Alaska's divestment would have no real impact on how companies do business. The facts show that the targeted divestment campaign has real teeth to it. We hope as more facts are considered by Representative Coghill and our other legislators, they will come to realize what an effective tool divestment really is.

As discussed in our Feb. 10th blog entry, the targeted divestment movement has contributed to the altered business practices of multiple companies operating in Sudan. For example, Schlumberger, which does the wire-line logging for the oil field operators in Sudan, recently undertook substantial humanitarian efforts in Darfur because of pressure from investors. Specifically, they have begun building hospitals and schools in Darfur for the local population.

La Mancha Resources, the only mining company in Sudan, has adopted a policy to develop infrastructure in Sudan. The company has developed humanitarian facilities in Sudan that reach out to populations in the country that have been marginalized by the Government of Sudan. La Mancha also now offers employment opportunities to local Sudanese and has implemented training programs for these Sudanese so that they can move up in the company.

Roberta Cohen, Senior Advisor with The Brookings Institution, had this to say in observance of the power of targeted divestment: "Rolls Royce’s withdrawal from Sudan this past year reportedly surprised the government and affected the import of needed machine parts. The Sudanese government has publicly urged an end to divestment actions, underscoring the potential sting of their impact."

The divestment campaign poses a very real threat to the Government of Sudan. Sudan has an incredible amount of external debt -- estimated at $26 billion (World Bank). Sudan owes the International Development Association (IDA) $422 million in arrears payments, and has arrears of $1.7 billion owed to the International Monetary Fund. This incredible debt has crippled Sudan's ability to secure loans. For example, the IDA refuses to consider loans to the country until the country settles its arrears. The Government of Sudan is therefore almost completely reliant on foreign direct investment to operate. Unfortunately, the government chooses to put most of the foreign direct investment (70 percent)toward the military expenditures that fund the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

Targeted divestment aims to pressure companies providing most of the foreign direct investment (the oil industry provides 90 percent) to use the leverage they have with the Government of Sudan to end the genocide. The Government of Sudan needs foreign direct investment and the companies providing foreign direct investment need shareholders. The targeted divestment campaign recognizes that the shareholders are the power base, and calls on this power base to exert its very real and very powerful influence. To deny that targeted divestment is an effective tool, is to deny the facts.

The Truth Continues

2008-02-13T20:42:00.005-09:00

Truth 4: A Slope Doesn't Have to Be Slippery. In the deliberations on HB 287, one concern in particular was voiced repeatedly by some committee members in argument against the legislation: the slippery slope. Representative Johnson used the analogy of "the camel's nose under the tent." Apparently, if you let the camel nose poke under the tent, before you know it, you'll be sharing your sleeping bag with a smelly ungulate. Is that really inevitable? We at Save Darfur Anchorage argue that it's not.

The slippery slope is only as slippery as it is allowed to be by the people in charge. The people in charge, in this case, are our state legislators. They have in the past, are now in the present, and will in the future hear legislation calling for an evaluation of how our state invests, and they, our legislators, will be the ones who determine where that slippery slope begins and ends.

A slippery slope has no life force of its own. It is not some sort of autonomous being lying in wait for someone to step upon its red gooey blobness so that it can devour him and grow in power and destructive force. It is nothing more than what the people in charge (yes, our legislators) determine it to be. Our legislators should not fear something that they have control over.

We believed when we approached Representative Lynn with the idea for state divestment that our legislators would see the import of this legislation to address the genocide of today. We did not expect so much fear of the future. So many people throughout history have allowed their self-serving fears to prevent them from taking action against genocide, and the cost has been countless lives.

Our hope is that our legislators will move beyond the fear of the future and what it might bring, so that Alaska can do something powerful about the genocide that is happening today.

More Truth about our Divestment Legislation

2008-02-12T20:58:00.003-09:00

Truth 3: House Bill 287/Senate Bill 227 proposes divestment legislation that is constitutional, NOT unconstitutional.
In his testimony before the House State Affairs Committee and against HB 287, Brian Andrews, with the Alaska Retirement Board brought up the divestment bill that was passed in Illinois and then thrown out for being unconstitutional. He, like Mr. Burns from the Permanent Fund, was talking about an orange, when the fruit under question is the apple.

The Illinois legislation WAS unconstitutional (and, yes, it was blanket divestment, not targeted). It attempted, among other things, to impose sanctions on banks and to regulate investments made by the state's municipalities. HB 287/SB 227 proposes none of the actions that were responsible for getting the Illinois legislation revoked. Illinois's intention was good, but its execution was deeply flawed.

Alaska's legislation has none of those flaws, largely due to Representative Lynn's office working with the Sudan Divestment Task Force (SDTF) from the very beginning to draft the legislation. The SDTF is a non-profit organization whose model for targeted divestment legislation has been used by 15 of the 22 states that have divested. The SDTF knows its stuff, and has been the leading force in the divestment campaign. For Alaska, we went with the best!

Mr. Andrews might not have been aware of another factor regarding constitutionality: the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (SADA). On December 31, 2007, President Bush signed the SADA. The SADA authorizes and encourages states and other public entities using the targeted model to divest from Sudan. It also provides legal authorization and encouragement for states to adopt policies of targeted Sudan divestment. The bill, which passed both houses of Congress unanimously, also makes it easier for mutual funds and private pension fund managers to sell their investments and prohibits targeted companies from being eligible to receive contracts with the federal government.

Deliberation on legislation that offers a tool for combating genocide should involve the analysis of truths, not misinformation. May the truth prevail!

Misinformation Threatens Divestment Legislation

2008-02-10T20:50:00.001-09:00

Four of the seven members of the House State Affairs Committee heard testimony on HB 287 on Saturday Feb 9th. The committee decided to hold the vote on the bill for a later date. It is, however, in big danger of being killed, based on the committee members' comments during the deliberation. A big factor in this is the testimonies presented by the Permanent Fund Board and the Alaska Retirement Board. The misinformation presented during these two testimonies threatens to kill the legislation. Because these two testimonies were the last two of the day and there were no opportunities provided to pro-legislation people to correct the misinformation during the hearing, these next few blogs are dedicated to doing just that.

Truth 1: Targeted divestment is NOT blanket divestment.
In his testimony, Mike Burns, representing the Permanent Fund Board, cited an article that stated that divestment did not impact the outcome of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, and therefore, the Sudan divestment effort is likely to be just as ineffective. Mr. Burns was comparing, perhaps unknowingly, apples to oranges. The South Africa divestment movement encouraged what is called blanket divestment. Blanket divestment targets all companies equally. Divesting from South Africa meant divesting from companies that financed arms deals and from companies that provided medical supplies. All companies doing business in South Africa were impacted, and therefore, the South African people were as impacted at least as much as the government, and often to a greater degree.

Our state divestment bill (HB 287/SB 227) proposes targeted, not blanket, divestment. Targeted divestment calls for divestment from about 24 companies that either contract directly with the Government of Sudan or work on projects run and financed by the Government of Sudan. These companies are either directly or indirectly enabling the Darfur genocide and providing minimal services, goods, or support to the regular people of Sudan.

Yes, blanket and targeted are both divestment approaches, just as apples and oranges are both fruit. But they are very different - - just ask anyone who's ever had a warm piece of orange pie.

Truth 2: Targeted divestment works.
Mr.Burns also stated that divestment would not effect the companies targeted and would not have any real impact on the genocide. Mr. Burns is not a foreign policy expert, or an expert on genocide, so he may have been speaking a bit beyond his area of expertise. He may also not have been aware of the following facts:

Companies operating in Sudan have proven highly responsive to the current Sudan divestment movement. Canadian oil company, Talisman, withdrew from Sudan in 2002. "Shareholders have told me they were tired of continually having to monitor and analyze events relating to Sudan," Talisman CEO Jim Buckee said in a press release. He conceded that the criticism directed at the company's activities had had an effect, stating: "Talisman's shares have continued to be discounted based on perceived political risk in-country and in North America to a degree that was unacceptable for 12 per cent of our production." Other oil companies followed Talisman's lead and, soon thereafter, the Khartoum regime entered into negotiations that finally ended the country's 21-year civil war.

In 2007, the Canadian firm CHC Helicopter Corporation, the world's largest provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry and previously a Highest Offender on the Sudan Divestment Task Force list of companies, ceased all business operations in Sudan for the indefinite future after substantial levels of inquiry from a range of concerned investors. CHC Helicopter had been executing a contract with Greater Nile Petroleum Company, the largest oil consortium in Sudan.

Also in 2007, the British firm Rolls Royce PLC, previously a Highest Offender due to the sale of oil equipment to a problematic consortium abutting Darfur, announced it will begin withdrawing from current contracts in Sudan and cease pursuing new contracts. Schlumberger Ltd.,which provides oil-field services to the major oil consortiums in Sudan, committed to reinforcing its existing outreach programs by implementing substantial humanitarian programs to reach marginalized populations in the country. This includes several humanitarian projects carried out in coordination with non-profit entities in one of the country's many Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. "Substantial" humanitarian action is rigorously defined in the Sudan Divestment Task Force's "targeted divestment" model, and Schlumberger has committed to this high standard in a detailed written letter to the Task Force.

As for the government of Sudan? The Sudan Divestment Task Force sums it up well: "Perceiving the divestment movement as a clear threat, the Khartoum government has taken considerable steps to publicly oppose divestment, placing a $1 million advertisement in The New York Times extolling the virtues of investing in Sudan, and issuing both a press release and an op-ed condemning the divestment movement. In direct correspondence with the Task Force members, the Sudanese Ambassador to the United States reiterated his country's strong opposition to divestment. As Sudan researcher Eric Reeves notes, 'The fact that the regime is responding so distinctly to the movement means they certainly understand the implications.'"

House State Affairs Committee Review of HB 287 Postponed to Feb. 9th

2008-02-01T21:42:00.001-09:00

This postponement gives us another week to contact House State Affairs Committee members and ask them to support HB 287. Please find time this week to contact each member listed below, so that they will have no doubt that Alaskans do not want to profit from genocide!

House State Affairs Committee Members:
Chair - Rep. Bob Lynn (465-4931)
Rep. Lynn is sponsoring the legislation, so be sure to commend him for his great work and let him know we support his efforts!
Vice-Chair Rep. Bob Roses (465-4939)
Member Rep. John Coghill (465-3719)
Member Rep. Kyle Johansen (465-3424)
Member Rep. Craig Johnson (465-4993)
Member Rep. Andrea Doll (465-3744)
Member Rep. Max Gruenberg (465-4940)

Alaska House State Affairs Committee Reviews HB 287 on Feb. 2nd

2008-01-27T17:01:00.000-09:00

Please let your voice be heard this week. The House State Affairs Committee will review HB 287 Saturday, Feb. 2nd. The legislation must pass this committee and then go on to the Finance Committee before it can be voted on on the House floor. Let the State Affairs Committee members know that we Alaskans do not want our state funds invested in companies that help the Government of Sudan continue its genocidal campaign against the long-suffering people of Darfur.

House State Affairs Committee Members:
Chair - Rep. Bob Lynn (465-4931)
Rep. Lynn is sponsoring the legislation, so be sure to commend him for his great work and let him know we support his efforts!
Vice-Chair Rep. Bob Roses (465-4939)
Member Rep. John Coghill (465-3719)
Member Rep. Kyle Johansen (465-3424)
Member Rep. Craig Johnson (465-4993)
Member Rep. Andrea Doll (465-3744)
Member Rep. Max Gruenberg (465-4940)

DARFUR NOW Showing Highlights the Real Beauty of Alaska

2008-01-23T20:39:00.000-09:00

I've lived in Alaska for over 10 years now, and I am still frequently amazed by Alaskans. Most outsiders would probably suspect that the indomitable spirit or the athletic prowess of the average Alaskan would render me awestruck from time to time. Both certainly have. But, more often than not, it has been the earnest compassion and easy generosity of the people in this state that has blown me away -- like on Monday night.

We sponsored two showings of DARFUR NOW at the BearTooth that night. After the showings, we had a table set up for people to write their legislators to ask them to support Sudan divestment legislation (HB 287 and SB 227), which will be heard soon in the State House and State Senate. People crowded our table after each showing. They waited patiently to ask questions, filled out postcards, and one man even offered to go over there and fight the Janjaweed. Many, and I mean, MANY thanked us for pushing for divestment and for giving Alaskans an opportunity to take a stand for the people of Darfur. I have never been more proud to be a member of this beautiful state -- to be one of the people of this state.

Thank you all for your compassion for the people of Darfur and for your generosity with your time and voice in support of them.

AK Divestment Legislation Uses Targeted Divestment Model. What is that?

2008-01-20T19:52:00.000-09:00

Targeted divestment calls for the expedited engagement of companies that are directly or indirectly helping the Sudanese government perpetuate genocide. Only if a company refuses to change its behavior in response to shareholder engagement does the targeted divestment model call for divestment from that company. Since the ultimate intent of Sudan divestment is to protect the victims of genocide, it is important to tailor divestment to have maximal impact on the government of Sudan's behavior and minimal harm to innocent Sudanese (and to the financial health of institutional portfolios). Divestment should therefore be targeted to those companies that have a business relationship with the government or a government-created project, impart minimal benefit to the country's underprivileged, and have expressed no significant corporate governance policy regarding the Darfur genocide (so-called targeted divestment). Such targeted divestment implicitly excludes companies involved in agriculture, the production and distribution of consumer goods, or the provision of goods and services intended to relieve human suffering or to promote health, religious and spiritual activities, or education.

When an institution divests from these types of companies (so-called "worst offenders") demand for offending companies' stocks falls and share prices decline. Share price is further reduced by the presence of additional Sudan divestment campaigns, many of which are already in progress. To protect the value of shareholder investments, offending company executives would convey to the Sudanese government that perpetuation of genocide in Darfur is making the country an undesirable place to do business. As a result, either government behavior would change (in order to keep businesses in Sudan) or offending companies would leave Sudan, thereby withdrawing money that had been used to purchase military equipment for the genocide. Withdrawal of business investments from Sudan would simultaneously create an economic penalty for genocide and reduce Khartoum's ability to fund the campaign.

Senator Hollis French Will Sponsor Sudan Divestment Legislation in Alaska Senate

2008-01-08T20:12:00.000-09:00

Sudan divestment legislation will be introduced in both houses during the next session of the Alaska State Legislature, which begins on January 15th. Representatives Bob Lynn and Les Gara will co-sponsor the legislation in the House, and Senator Hollis French will champion the legislation in the Senate.

It is very important that each of these gentlemen, as well as each of our own state legislators know that Alaskans support this legislation. Please call/write/email and let them all know you want them to vote in favor of Sudan Divestment Legislation.

Sinopec Out of the Running for AGIA Contract

2008-01-05T12:13:00.000-09:00

Sinopec and three of the four other bidders for the AGIA contract did not pass the initial phase of the AGIA review. Thus, Sinopec is out of the running for the AGIA contract. Although this is great news in that Alaskans will not be asked to support or work with Sinopec, Save Darfur Anchorage is disappointed that Governor Palin did not seize the opportunity to reject Sinopec on the grounds of their complicity in the Darfur genocide. We feel she missed a great opportunity to take a public stand against the Darfur genocide and the essential role foreign direct investment in Sudan by companies including Sinopec play in financing it.

Our governor could have stood before local, national, and international media and acknowledged the genocide and the business practices that enable its continuation, while also sending a message to the people of Darfur and the rest of the world that Alaskans know what's happening in Sudan, care what's happening in Sudan, and will act to help bring an end to the genocide wherever possible. Instead, Sinopec's bid came and went, and an opportunity to stand together as a state against the genocide and in support of the Darfur people came and went.

President Bush Signs Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act into Law

2008-01-01T19:12:00.001-09:00

Great News! On December 31st, President Bush signed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (SADA) into law. The SADA protects states' rights to divest from holdings in companies doing business with Sudan and prohibits Sinopec from receiving federal contracts for the duration of the genocide. To read more, click here.

Save Darfur Anchorage to Meet with Governor Palin's Office

2007-12-22T11:51:00.001-09:00

On December 26th, representatives from Save Darfur Anchorage will meet with Governor Palin's office to ask that she reject Sinopec's bid for the AGIA contract on the grounds that Sinopec is helping to fund the Darfur genocide and not using its influence as the leading oil field services provider in Sudan to petition the Government of Sudan to end its brutal campaign against Darfuri civilians.

Save Darfur Anchorage will also ask Governor Palin to publicly support the divestment campaign that will take place in the State House and the State Senate next session. Although legislators will determine whether or not Alaska adopts a policy of targeted divestment for the duration of the genocide, it would be great to also have the Governor's support.

In the Spotlight: The Darfur Wall

2007-12-21T19:10:00.001-09:00

There seem to be as many ways to raise awareness (and money) for the people of Darfur as there are creative people. Check out http://darfurwall.org and see how one father and his two sons have answered the call to action. All donations (the minimum is $1) are split evenly among Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, Save Darfur Coalition, and Sudan Aid Fund.

One of the best features of the wall is that you can click on any of the white numbers and see the name and location of the person whose money lit that number. The names are from all over the United States and beyond. It's a great feeling to instantly see how widespread the love, concern, and compassion for the people of Darfur truly is.

Federal Government Takes Aim at Sinopec: Will Alaska?

2007-12-19T18:21:00.001-09:00

The following is the press release sent out to all Alaska radio and television news stations to announce the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act and to call on the Alaska Government to follow the Federal Government's lead and reject opportunities to do business with Sinopec. Governor Palin is likely to announce the accepted bidders for the AGIA contract on Monday, December 24th, so there's still time to contact the Governor's office and let her know we want her to reject Sinopec's bid on the grounds that they are helping to bankroll the Darfur genocide.

Company fueling genocide still in the mix for pipeline contract.

Today, in a bipartisan show of force, the United States House of Representatives passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act by a vote of 411 to 0. Last week the Senate unanimously approved the measure which now needs only President Bush’s signature to become law. The bill would prohibit federal contracts with companies fueling the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, including current Alaska Gasline Inducement Act bidder, Sinopec. The bill also authorizes individual states to independently enforce a similar prohibition.

More than two weeks after the Genocide Intervention Network sent a letter to Governor Palin urging Alaska to reject the Sinopec bid because of the company’s involvement in Sudan, the bid is still pending. In a poll conducted last Tuesday by Channel 2 News (KTUU), 80% of the poll’s respondents said the state should reject a gas pipeline bid from a company with known ties to the Darfur genocide.

Sinopec is the largest oil field services provider in Sudan, where the government has been accused by President Bush and Congress of committing genocide.

“The pipeline is an investment in Alaska’s future and should be built in a way that is consistent with Alaskan and American values. We should not allow a company that is currently bankrolling the 21st century’s first genocide to bid for this very important project. Governor Palin should immediately reject Sinopec’s proposal for the AGIA pipeline on these grounds.” said Save Darfur Anchorage member Kelley Nixon.

The links between foreign direct investment in Sudan’s oil industry and the Darfur conflict have been extensively documented by numerous governments, non-governmental organizations, and foreign policy experts. Roughly 90% of Sudan’s export revenue comes from oil and despite the country's enormous foreign debt; Sudan funnels as much as 70% of that revenue into its military.

In a letter addressed to Governor Palin, Genocide Intervention Network Executive Director Mark Hanis said that awarding the contract to Sinopec would amount to support for the murderous Sudanese government at a time when others are divesting from the company, and that Sinopec’s bid presents a significant opportunity for Alaskans to stand up against the world’s worst crime.

Twenty-two states and over fifty universities have passed divestment measures from problematic companies in Sudan. As a result, many of these entities have sold substantial stock holdings in Sinopec. A number of Alaskan state legislators are also preparing to introduce Sudan divestment legislation in the upcoming legislative session.

Local Artist Paints to Raise Funds and Awareness for Darfur

2007-12-16T17:57:00.000-09:00

Anchorage artist, Katie Sevigny, recently painted a beautiful depiction of Sleeping Lady under a Van Gogh-inspired sky for a silent auction held at the Anchor Pub and Grill through the end of December. Half of the sale proceeds will go to the Save Darful Coalition to continue our fight to bring a resolution to the Darfur genocide.

Bids will be accepted at the Anchor Pub and Grill -- where Katie's painting currently hangs -- through the end of December. The Anchor is right next to Katie's own gallery on 4th Avenue, near G street. We hope you will be able to stop by the Anchor and see or even bid on Katie's incredible handiwork. Katie's artwork is also accessible throught the web at http://www.katiesevignyart.org

Katie, thank you so much for donating your time and creating such a lovely piece!

Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act Passes the U.S. Senate

2007-12-13T21:18:00.000-09:00

The Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act has finally made it through the U.S. Senate! The bill authorizes states and local governments to divest from companies that support the Khartoum government at the expense of marginalized populations and it prohibits federal contracts with those companies. Although the State Department and the Bush Administration have repeatedly voiced opposition to this bill and stalled it in the Senate multiple times, last night the Senators united and held their ground. Be sure to thank Senators Stevens and Murkowski for consenting to this bill's passage.

The bill will return to the House for consideration and then go to the President for final approval. The House passed a similar bill in July by a vote of 418-1 so the House should be no problem. (It's more a procedural mater than anything.) We'll see what President Bush does when he is asked to sign it into law.

To read more about the bill, see articles from
sudandivestment.org
savedarfur.org
ajws.org
allafrica.com
africa.reuters.com

Sinopec Should Not Build Our Pipeline

2007-12-08T12:22:00.000-09:00

Save Darfur Anchorage, along with other anti-genocide groups, are urging Governor Palin to reject Sinopec ZPEB's bid to build the Alaska gas pipeline. Sinopec, whose majority shares are owned by the Chinese government, is the leading oil-field services provider in Sudan and a major revenue source for the Sudanese government. In fact, 90% of Sudan's export revenue comes from the oil industry and 70% of that is used to finance the government's military. Despite repeated pleas from anti-genocide groups, Sinopec has refused to alter its operations in Sudan despite the link between the money Sinopec provides to the Sudanese government and the atrocities happening in Darfur.

We urge all to contact Governor Palin and ask her to please reject Sinopec's bid. Ask her to please use this opportunity to take a clear stand against genocide on behalf of all Alaskans. Click on the following for Governor Palin's contact information: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/govoffices/

To review articles covering Sinopec's bid and some local editorial sparring on the issue, check out these links:
http://www.sudandivestment.org/docs/alaska_pr_final.pdf
http://www.adn.com/opinion/compass/story/9511985p-9422765c.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7133145
http://alaskareport.com/news1207/z47116_berkowitz.htm
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/114192

Presidential Candidates Share Views on Darfur

2007-12-07T18:04:00.000-09:00

Two-minute YouTube videos of leading candidates talking about their views and policies specific to the Darfur genocide can be viewed at www.savedarfur.org/candidates.

UAA Chapter of STAND Presents DarfurFast Event

2007-12-05T12:12:00.000-09:00

Tonight, the UAA Chapter of STAND welcomes all to a showing of The Devil Came on Horseback in Room 101 of Rasmuson Hall on the UAA Campus. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted for The Genocide Intervention Network's (GI-Net) Civilian Protection Program. The first of its kind in Darfur, this program works with Darfuri community leaders, displaced women and girls, and the African Union Mission in Sudan to protect women and girls in internally displaced persons camps. In Darfur, women and girls are forced to wander in search of firewood for cooking, exposing them to rape and attack from militias. GI-Net's Civilian Protection Program offers safer cooking options by providing alternative-fuel stoves, guarded firewood patrols, and income-generating projects for women so that they can afford to buy firewood from the robust firewood market.

A question/answer session will be held after the movie and Save Darfur Anchorage will be there to show support and offer any information needed. We will also be there to help attendees write their legislators to ask for divestment of Alaska funds from companies that assist the Sudanese Goverment in its genocide campaign and to write Governor Palin to ask her to reject Sinopec's bid to build the Alaska Gas Pipeline.

Gift Ideas that Help Raise Awareness

2007-12-01T12:07:00.001-09:00

The Holiday season often means a lot of gift buying, why not purchase some gifts this year that will also help raise awareness about the Darfur genocide. Amnesty International has put together Instant Karma, a CD of John Lennon songs performed by contemporary artists such as Aerosmith, the Black Eyed Peas, and Christina Aguilera. You can check out the CD website by visiting http://www.instantkarma.org/InstantKarma.html. You can purchase it at Amazon.com for convenience.

The Save Darfur Store offers a limited selection of items (e.g., ribbon decals, t-shirts, yard signs) sold by the Save Darfur Coalition. For a broader and more creative selection of Save Darfur items, check out CafePress.com. They sell hundreds of designs on everything from buttons, to tote bags, to t-shirts for humans and animals!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T13:39:00.000-09:00

FRONTLINE: On Our Watch

2007-11-21T22:25:00.000-09:00

PBS aired FRONTLINE: On Our Watch last night. The program presented a chronological accounting of the international community's (particularly the United Nations') response to the Darfur genocide. If you missed it, you can watch it online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darfur/.

If the program drives one thing home, it is that our government and the governments of other countries can not be counted on to end this genocide. We can no longer sit idly by and expect, or believe, that some entity on its own accord will save Darfur. We must accept that the responsibility really lies with each and all of us. Now, let's get to work!

22 States Have Now Divested

2007-11-13T22:10:00.001-09:00

Last week, Massachusetts and New Mexico divested from Sudan, bringing the total number of states to divest to 22. Will Alaska be the 23rd? We certainly hope so, and Save Darfur Anchorage is continuing efforts to push for divestment and raise awareness about the genocide.

On Sunday, a letter-writing event was held at Holy Family Cathedral. Parishioners and others took time after mass to learn more about the genocide and divestment and to write their state legislators to request Alaska's divestment. Our appreciation goes out to every single person who took the time to send this very important message to their state senator and representative, to Holy Family Cathedral for providing the venue, and to Shawn Powers for putting the event together.

We also continue to work more with UAA Anchorage's STAND chapter. This incredibly motivated chapter of STAND is putting together plans for an on-campus showing of The Devil Came on Horseback. It will be held on Dec. 5th in conjunction with DarfurFast. We will publish the time and place once they are finalized. Admission will be free, but donations will be collected to support the Genocide Intervention Network's Civilian Protection Program. The program works with Darfuri community leaders, displaced women and girls, and the African Union Mission in Sudan to protect women and girls in internally displaced persons camps. Learn more aboutDarfurFast and this program at http://www.standnow.org/darfurfast.

Rep. Les Gara Joins Rep. Bob Lynn in Championing House Divestment Legislation

2007-11-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Representative Lynn and Representative Gara! Yesterday, in a teleconference attended by members of Save Darfur Anchorage, Max Croes of the Sudan Divestment Task Force, Representative Bob Lynn and his staff, and Representative Les Gara and his staff, Representatives Lynn and Gara agreed to join together to introduce divestment legislation in the House in January. We are really excited to now have committed leaders from both parties and look forward to working with them and their motivated staff members to finalize the divestment legislation.

Please take the time to contact the offices of Rep. Lynn and Rep. Gara to thank them for taking on this very important cause. They need to know that we Alaskans support their efforts...because we do!

Representative Les Gara: 716 W. 4th Avenue, Ste 310, Anchorage, AK 99501-2133, Phone# 269-0106, Fax# 465-3518, Email Rep_Les_Gara@legis.state.ak.us Representative Bob Lynn: 716 W. 4th Avenue, Ste 650, Anchorage, AK 99501-2133, Phone# 269-0205, Fax# 269-0207, Email dirk_moffat@legis.state.ak.us (our staff contact in Rep. Lynn's office).

How to Care About Darfur

2007-10-25T18:04:00.000-08:00

Last month an article, "Why We Don't Care About Darfur," was published in the September issue of O Magazine. In it, the author cites scientific research that shows that humans have a much easier time being empathetic toward individuals than toward groups. Researchers note that as the number of affected persons increases in a tragedy, such as in genocide, the human brain's ability to process such heart-rending information becomes more difficult. The assigned term is 'psychic numbing.'

As a defense mechanism, psychic numbing is invaluable because it protects us from being constantly assaulted by grief; however, this mechanism can also hinder very generous and good people from taking much needed action in times of great need - - like now in Darfur. The only way around this defense mechanism and toward positive action is by conscious effort. One must make a conscious effort to see beyond the statistics. This means we must make a choice to commit time to educate ourselves about the specifics of the genocide. We must reflect on these specifics and try to truly comprehend the range of struggles the people of Darfur are facing. We must consciously try to achieve and maintain a level of compassion that prompts action, instead of surrender.

For some, having a face to associate with a struggle helps make it more "real" to them. I rely on this technique at times. On those days when the slow progress toward ending the genocide leaves me feeling discouraged and powerless, I see the face of a woman. I have never met this woman. I saw her once in a documentary about the genocide in Rwanda. In the documentary, she eloquently pleads for help from the news crew that is filming her and about a hundred other Tutsis that have gathered together after fleeing their Hutu pursuers. She knows once the film crew leaves, the Hutus mulling about at the periphery of the gathering area will attack. And, that's what happens: the film crew leaves and the Hutus slaughter every person in that group, including the beautiful, well-spoken woman.

I imagine standing face to face with this woman. She asks me what I am doing to help end the genocide in Darfur. I look at her and wait for words to form, but they never do. Instead, every time, I simply get back to learning and doing more about Darfur. It is the only answer I feel she deserves. I sometimes feel no less discouraged, but I am always reminded of why to keep trying -- people's lives depend on it.

Meeting with Representative Bob Lynn

2007-10-18T19:43:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, Oct. 14th, three of us met with Representative Bob Lynn (House District 31 - Anchorage)and his aide Dirk Moffatt. For almost two hours we talked about the situation in Darfur. We presented our request for Rep. Lynn's support of legislation calling for the divestment of the Permanent Fund and state pension funds, and before we knew it Rep. Lynn stated that he plans to sponsor legislation to address targeted divestment of the Alaska State Permanent Fund from Sudan during the next session. His office has already begun drafting the legislation!!

And, if that wasn't enough, Rep. Lynn also provided a list of other representatives and senators that he believed would be sympathetic to this cause. We will begin contacting them this week. He warned us that this divestment campaign would not be an easy one. We certainly expect that - money's involved - but this campaign is certainly a worthy one.

SAVE DARFUR ANCHORAGE TRIPLES IN SIZE

2007-10-14T22:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's group meeting was absolutely inspiring. So many new faces, new enthusiasm, and new ideas! Thanks to the showing of The Devil Came on Horseback at the Bear Tooth earlier this month, our group listing on the Save Darfur coalition website, and Tamar's recent speaking engagement at UAA, Save Darfur Anchorage tripled in size in just two weeks. Growth means more people are not only more aware of the current plight of the Darfuris, but more people are also taking action to help end their suffering!

New members include students from UAA, some of which are founding members of the local chapter of STAND (a student anti-genocide coalition), newcomers to Anchorage, and long-time Anchorage residents that are for the first time taking action that, dare I say it, looks a lot like activism. With each new member our skill base grows, our determination is bolstered, and our ability to raise more awareness about the genocide grows exponentially. Perfection, a ridiculously high IQ, and extreme wealth are not requirments for group participation (not that people with these attributes would be turned away), a person need only the desire to do what he or she can to help end a genocide that has gone on FAR too long.

At Saturday's meeting, we decided to increase our outreach to the University of Alaska Anchorage, and our new student members have agreed to spearhead this effort. They will also look into beginning a campaign for divestment of the University's holdings in companies complicit in the Darfur genocide. Any APU students out there?

We are also going to reach out more to faith-based organizations with the help of some of our other new members who have ties to St. Elizabeth's, St. Anthony's, Faith Christian, and other churches. Some of our more seasoned group participants have put together some events scheduled for January: Holy Cathedral will be doing a letter writing campaign and we will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Church.

All ideas for outreach are welcome. All efforts to raise awareness are encouraged. And, all our new group members are greatly appreciated!!

Not On Our Dime!

2007-10-08T15:57:00.000-08:00

Often when I speak with people about the genocide in Darfur, I hear "that's so sad that there is nothing I can do about it." My breath catches every time. Not because I'm tiring of this excuse, but because I know it is not an excuse. People truly believe there is nothing we Alaskans on the other side of the world from Darfur can do to help. We Alaskans, as Americans living in the greatest democracy in the world, feel powerless to help the people of Darfur. I assure you all, we are not powerless! We are each the epicenter of power...an incredible power.

Before I became involved with the Save Darfur campaign, I had never once written, called, or emailed my state or national representatives. This activism thing is all new to me. I can't say I'm yet completely comfortable with it, but I simply cannot and will not tolerate genocide. It's genocide for pete's sake! As a child I could not understand how we as a country waited so long to help end the Holocaust, how people in America went about their lives without demanding more government action as other human beings were being brutally killed en mass.

I now know how. For three years, I heard bits and pieces about Darfur, and did nothing. I did my laundry, I worked, I grocery shopped, I watched Grey's Anatomy, but I never once made an extra effort to learn more and do more until about six months ago. I am ashamed it has taken me this long and I plan on wasting no more time. I truly believe that as an American I am one of the luckiest people in this world because I am free to speak out, free to ask more of my government on this issue, and free to do those two things as often as I need to to be heard.

Today I wrote Senator Murkowski and Senator Stevens to ask them to vote in favor of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act. The Act would authorize states and local governments to prohibit the investment of State assets in any company that has a qualifying business relationship with Sudan. As Senator Sam Brownback put it, "We've said often 'never again' and taken up the pledge of 'not on our watch.' We also need to take up the pledge 'NOT ON OUR DIME.'"

President Bush doesn't want Congress to administer any new sanctions because he thinks there is progress towards reconciliation. I asked our Senators not to be as gullible as our president. After all, just today the Sudanese government and their militias attacked a Darfur town -- the town controlled by the only Darfur rebel group to sign a 2006 peace deal!

Unlike President Bush, I don't want to wait and see, because what I think I'll see is just more of the same...evil brutality. I also don't want my money going toward prolonging this genocide. I want Alaska to divest our state pension funds and the permanent fund, and I want the right of states to divest to be beyond question. Please write, call, or email Senators Murkowski and Stevens to vote in favor of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act. Exert your power, my fellow lucky and powerful Americans!!

Call to Write State Represenatives and Senators

2007-10-04T17:57:00.000-08:00

The next session of the Alaska State Legislature begins in January of 2008. Our goal is that during that session, legislation is introduced and passed that will divest the permanent fund and state pension funds from targeted companies that meet the following criteria: 1) have a business relationship with Sudan, 2) impart minimal benefit to the country's underprivileged, 3) have demonstrated no substantial corporate governance policy regarding the Darfur situation. Our hope is that every single State Senator and Representative will vote for that legislation to show that Alaskans will not condone genocide.

Our State representatives are our voice. They want to hear what our priorities are and we ask that those of you who believe ending the genocide in Darfur is a top priority tell them that we want our state to exert as much economic pressure on offending companies as it can. Ask them to pass legislation to divest state pension funds and the permanent fund from these "worst offender" companies.

A personalized, handwritten letter or postcard will get more attention than a phone call or an email, so we recommend getting the old pen and paper out. Be brief, be factual, and be polite. Tell them that you are a constituent, and include your home address. Ask them to follow up with you. Here is a sample if you need some inspiration, but your own words are much more effective.

Dear_______________,

In a step toward ending the ongoing genocide in Darfur, I would like Alaska to divest both its Permanent Fund and pension funds from Sudan. As your constituent, I ask that you support divestment from the handful of foreign businesses involved with the Sudanese regime and complicit in the first genocide of the 21st century.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Your Address

If you do not know who your State Representative and Senator are and you live in Anchorage, you can look them up by clicking here . Type in your address, chose "Political" under the Category drop-down menu, and hit the Find button. Scroll down until you find the name of your Rep and Senator. If you live outside of Anchorage, find your community by clicking here. Your Rep and Senator's names are listed with a link to their websites.

Click here to find the address of your State Represenative and click here for your Senator's address.

Please leave a comment on this blog to let us know who you wrote so we can track our efforts. Thank you!

Divestment Op-Ed in the ADN

2007-10-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

Click here to read Shawn's article about divesting the permanent fund and state pension funds. The article appeared in the September 27th edition of the Anchorage Daily News. To continue this important public discussion, we encourage submittal of letters to the editor showing support for this effort.

Movie Raises Awareness

2007-10-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

All we can say is "WOW!" Alaskans came out in full force for The Devil Came on Horseback showing and those of us working the Save Darfur Anchorage table in the lobby were awed by the crowd's interest and support. THANK YOU!

We distributed all 120 "4 Actions for Darfur" bookmarks and all 100 of the postcard sets for viewers to send to their state legislator and representative to request targeted divestment of the permanent fund and State of Alaska pension funds from companies on Sudan Divestment Task Force's "worst offenders" list. For those who left their contact information with us, we hope to get back to you in the next few days with the information you requested.

The next Save Darfur Anchorage meeting will be on Saturday, the 13th of October at 2pm. The location will be posted soon. (Tomorrow we're going to look for a meeting venue bigger than our usual because we anticipate that a lot more folks will be joining us after watching Brian Steidle's incredible story.)

Upcoming Viewing of The Devil Came on Horseback

2007-09-30T12:09:00.000-08:00

The Bear Tooth will show The Devil Came on Horseback on Monday, October 1st at 5:30pm. Because of the adult subject matter and graphic photographs, children are discouraged from viewing this film. Some adults will likely find this a difficult film to watch, too -- it's hard to see and hear about brutality that few people can even imagine -- but, it tells a story that must be told if the genocide is to end. May all who view the film heed its call to action.

Welcome to Save Darfur Anchorage

2007-09-25T06:23:00.000-08:00

The mission of the Save Darfur Coalition is "to raise public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to mobilize a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of two million people in the Darfur region." Our member group, Save Darfur Anchorage (previously MAMAS for Darfur), was started in 2006 and is open to all Alaskans concerned about the people of Darfur. Sign up on the Save Darfur Coalition website to join the group. Welcome and thank you!