Armenian National Committee of America
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PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
December 13, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES SENATE PASSAGE OF SUDAN DIVESTMENT MEASURE

— Human Rights Legislation Passes Over
Strong White House Opposition

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
hailed U.S. Senate passage of legislation which would allow state
and local governments to divest from companies supporting Sudan’s
genocidal regime.

The resolution, introduced by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), was adopted
just before midnight yesterday evening, despite ongoing opposition
>From the departments of State and Justice. A similar resolution
was overwhelmingly adopted by the U.S. House this July by a vote of
418-1.

"We join with all our allies in the Save Darfur Coalition in
welcoming the adoption of this anti-genocide measure, and in
extending our appreciation to Senator Dodd and all those who moved
this measure through the U.S. Senate," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. "We look forward to working with our friends in
the House to see this measure adopted as quickly as possible so
that it can be sent to the President for his signature."

The ANCA has been working as part of the Save Darfur Coalition in
support of the measure, encouraging activists in key states to
contact a number of Senators who were holding up passage of the
measure.

In a November 5th letter circulated to Senators, the ANCA and Save
Darfur Coalition members noted that, "In the last month, the
Sudanese government has delayed the deployment of the UN/AU hybrid
peacekeeping force, perpetrated and then denied the forced eviction
of a refugee camp, and continued a campaign of violence that not
only included the murder and rape of civilians but also the murder
of three UN truck drivers… The events of the past month
illustrate that the time for increased economic pressure is now."

The Senate bill would allow states and localities to divest from
companies involved in certain Sudanese business sectors and allow
mutual fund and private pension managers to cut ties with those
same companies.

"This legislation empowers Americans to exercise their rights as
investors, taxpayers, and pensioners to divest from businesses
directly contributing to the violence and misery of hundreds of
thousands of innocent Darfuris," said Senator Dodd.

The State Department and Justice Department have expressed strong
objections to the legislation, citing infringement on Executive
branch flexibility in conducting foreign policy.

The Save Darfur Coalition endorses divestment from certain foreign
companies doing business in Sudan as a means to apply economic
pressure on the government of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir to
change its policies, and to seek a peaceful resolution to the
ongoing conflict and subsequent humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The
coalition supports targeted divestment from shares of the "highest
offending" foreign companies in mutual funds and pension offerings.

Some twenty states, including Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont, have already adopted
Sudan divestment policies, and similar campaigns are underway in 20
additional states.

The Senate legislation is now headed to the U.S. House for its
consideration.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress