Monday, July 7, 2008

Call on Investors: Stand Up for Human Rights in Darfur

We all know how our nation's dependence on foreign oil is bringing our economy to its knees. It turns out that the U.S. isn't the only country with a troubling dependence on oil.

In Sudan, the dependence on oil is literally a matter of life and death. We can use that dependence on oil to our advantage in the continuing struggle to end the human rights violations in Sudan.

I encourage all villagers to press some of the most powerful companies in the world to use their influence to help end the human rights catastrophe in Darfur. We need corporations to help ensure the speedy and full deployment of the UN-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) in Darfur. Khartoum must hear from key economic interests, including the oil companies that they depend on for revenue. To convince these oil companies to act, we must enlist their investors as our allies.

In the past year Amnesty International had success working with several top U.S. investment firms, including Morgan Stanley and T. Rowe Price, who have committed to raising concerns about Darfur with oil companies in which they are invested.

Perhaps it is time for us to add our voices. Perhaps, we can convince even those companies that ignore us to take a similar stand.

I encourage you to send email or letter to investors in Sudan’s oil industry. Ask them to follow the lead of companies like Morgan Stanley and T. Rowe Price to take a stand for the people of Darfur.

NOTE: This is a cross-post from the Electronic Village.

The next step is yours. What say u?

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