Sudan and you
The heartbreaking story of a Holocaust survivor and the horrors witnessed can bring a room to tears. Recently, in Juneau, when the daughter of a Holocaust survivor shared her mother’s story, it had exactly that effect. “She said that it was indifference on the part of other people that allowed such a thing to go on for so long. That was so moving,” said Joyanne Bloom, a Juneau resident in the room at the time. But this room wasn’t just any room; it was a meeting of the senate State Affairs Committee, where Senate Bill 227 was being read for the first time.
The woman giving testimony was comparing her mother’s Holocaust experience to the genocide occuring in the Darfur region of Sudan. SB 227 is legislation drafted to force the Permanent Fund to divest any investments with companies that do business in Sudan. In 2007, a federal law was passed banning U.S. companies from investing in companies linked to the violence in Sudan, but the Permanent Fund is still investing in a handful of foreign gas and oil companies whose royalty money is supporting the Sudanese military.
Alongside Bloom, many others have been stepping up in protest of Permanent Fund investments, seeing their annual dividend check as “blood money.” Most recently, Governor Sarah Palin endorsed the Sudan divestment plan, which is broken down in SB 227.
“We have a moral responsibility to condemn the genocide in Darfur,” said Palin, through a spokesperson. “I commend the actions of the Senate State Affairs Committee and I hope the entire legislature gets a chance to weigh in on this matter.”
This is also the main concern of two Alaska state lawmakers who are supporting House Bill 287, the companion piece of legislation to SB 227. Sponsored by Representatives Bob Lynn (R-Anchorage) and Les Gara (D-Anchorage), the legislation would force the Permanent Fund to stop investing in foreign companies who support the Sudanese government and would require the Permanent Fund to divest from, as well as track and avoid, those companies until the violence ends. The conflict in Darfur is responsible for thousands of mass killings; since 2003, according to estimates from activists with Save Darfur, the region has seen 200,000 to 400,000 deaths and the displacement of 2.5 million people.
The Permanent Fund only has one half of 1 percent of its investments in these companies and it would be easy for it to find an investment just as good somewhere else, said Gara. However, the Permanent Fund is not supporting divestment for fear that other investments may not generate the best return.
“For some reason the Permanent Fund has engendered a lot of opposition in the building of the bills, so while most of the rest of the country is moving towards distancing themselves from the genocide, the Permanent Fund is insisting that we hold on. It’s troubling,” said Gara.
Gara expressed two main reasons why he thinks the Permanent Fund should divest.
“First, people should always take a stand against atrocities like this. Second, it’s effective,” said Gara. “Since the divestment movement has started, a lot of companies have left Sudan based on that pressure.”
Although HB 287 isn’t seeing much movement, SB 227 was passed by the Senate State Affairs Committee and is now moving on to the Finance Committee. With public support backing it up and the endorsement of Governor Palin behind it, the fate of SB 227 is starting to look promising for supporters, although the legislature adjourns on April 13.
“This is genocide we’re talking about. The greatest crime of humanity. And that’s where we’re drawing the line,” said Bloom. “I’m really optimistic that Alaska’s going to do the right thing.”
—Abby Hancoc
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