Indiana University Sudan Divestment

To:  IU Trustees, Foundation and Administration

WHEREAS the government of Sudan has engaged in a policy of genocide against its own civilians in Darfur through use of its military and through sponsorship of attacks by armed militias known as the janjaweed; and

WHEREAS the janjaweed and military of the Sudanese government are responsible for razing over 80% of Darfur’s villages, gang-raping civilians, slaughtering up to 400,000 victims, displacing 2.5 million more, using forced starvation as a weapon of war, and impeding access of humanitarian aid to the up to 3.5 million Darfurians that are now reliant on assistance; and

WHEREAS the Sudanese government and janjaweed militias have continued their attacks despite the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement; and

WHEREAS the Darfur crisis represents the first time the US Congress, State Department, and President have declared a genocide while the atrocities are ongoing; and

WHEREAS certain international companies operating in Sudan bring significant revenue, cover, and arms to the Sudanese government while providing little benefit to the majority of Sudan’s citizens; and

WHEREAS Khartoum has funneled the majority of foreign direct investment from these companies into military expenditures used to perpetuate the genocide while neglecting needed development projects in the Darfur region; and

WHEREAS the government of Sudan has a history of remedying egregious behavior in response to economic pressure; and

WHEREAS the current Sudan divestment movement now encompasses nearly 100 universities, cities, states, and private pension plans; and

WHEREAS in 2007, the State of Indiana enacted legislation prohibiting the investment of monies from its Public Employees Retirement Fund and its Teachers Retirement Fund in Sudan because the Sudanese government supports genocide; and

WHEREAS the divestment movement has already gained the attention of the Sudanese government and altered the behavior of some companies operating in Sudan; and

WHEREAS, the policy and practice of genocide is abhorrent to the moral and political values of the members of Indiana University, the people of the United States, and indeed democratic and free societies everywhere; and

WHEREAS, investing public retirement or endowment funds in certain business firms and financial institutions with clear ties to the repressive regime in Sudan is inconsistent with the moral and political values of Indiana University;

THEREFORE BE IT DETERMINED that we, the undersigned students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff of Indiana University call on President McRobbie, the Indiana University Trustees and the Indiana University Foundation to act in accord with the Bloomington Faculty Council Resolutions passed in November 2007 and February 2008, calling for the university and the Foundation respectively, through its investment managers, to adopt as policy the requirements placed on the State of Indiana’s Public Employees Retirement Fund and its Teachers Retirement Fund by Sections 3, 4 and 5 of House Enrolled Act no. 1067.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Indiana University Sudan Divestment Petition to IU Trustees, Foundation and Administration was created by IU STAND and written by Emily Roberts (stand@indiana.edu).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.