Comments on: Baltimore City Council considers divestment from Sudan http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/ Religion, Policy, Activism Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:53:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Sudan » Blog Archives » ONGC Videsh seeks more oil blocks in Sudan http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/#comment-2274 Sudan » Blog Archives » ONGC Videsh seeks more oil blocks in Sudan Sat, 01 Dec 2007 05:11:59 +0000 http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/#comment-2274 [...] Baltimore City Council considers divestment from SudanThey are hearing bill 07-0591; an ordinance that would prohibit the investment of public pensions or retirement funds in Sudan or in companies doing business in Sudan. This type of legislation is designed to put pressure on the … [...] [...] Baltimore City Council considers divestment from SudanThey are hearing bill 07-0591; an ordinance that would prohibit the investment of public pensions or retirement funds in Sudan or in companies doing business in Sudan. This type of legislation is designed to put pressure on the … [...]

]]> By: Ernest http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/#comment-2196 Ernest Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:00:17 +0000 http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/#comment-2196 Great job bruh. We need to rally in support of this legislation. There are other cities that have divested. Divestment was a major tool used to help bring down the Apartheid government of South Africa. Great job bruh. We need to rally in support of this legislation. There are other cities that have divested. Divestment was a major tool used to help bring down the Apartheid government of South Africa.

]]> By: Heber Brown, III http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/#comment-2195 Heber Brown, III Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:31:42 +0000 http://faithinactiononline.com/2007/11/07/baltimore-city-council-considers-divestment-from-sudan/#comment-2195 UPDATE!! Hey family - I just got back in from City Hall. (goodness gracious it's cold out there) The hearing was sparsely attended, but it went well nonetheless. During my testimony I told Holton and the rest of the council that it's been 1,155 days since the Bush Administration declared that genocide was going on in Darfur and that I was tired of the flowery words and proud pronouncements. I reminded them that Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu concluded about a year ago that the genocide was allowed to rage on unchallenged because the victims were African people and that if any other group of people were experiencing such grave danger (excluding the Palestinian people of course) that the international community would be moving post haste to stop it. I also told them that Sen. Verna Jones' bill - SB543 (Darfur Protection Act) was a good start in the divestment movement and that I was in Annapolis pushing it, but now the State Pension Board is waffling on executing the mandates of the legislation. (I find it quite interesting that the State Pension Board was there for the press conference with Lt. Gov Anthony Brown and other notables, but now when it comes down to divesting from Sudan they're having second thoughts.) I encouraged the Taxation and Finance Committee (Chaired by Councilwoman Helen Holton) to give a favorable report to the legislation. After I spoke a Mr. Taneyhill from the Fire and Police Employees Retirement System stood to tesify announcing that his agency was not in support nor opposed to the legislation. After admitting that his agency has 6.9 billion in holdings in China Petroleum Chemical Company, - a company doing business with Sudan - he said that the bill "doesn't do anything" and that while they agree with its intent; they couldn't take a position on the bill as it stands. So Holton tabled a vote on the bill until Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:15AM at City Hall (4th Floor). If you are interested in expressing your support for this needed legislation please contact Councilwoman Helen Holton at (410) 396-4818. Also give State Treasurer, Nancy Kopp, a call expressing your concern that the State Pension Board is equivocating on what it is mandated to do under the Darfur Protection Act. (Senate Bill 543). Call Kopp at (800) 974-0468. If you are able to come to City Hall next Thursday (Nov. 15th), I'm sure that the council would appreciate your presence and welcome your testimony on this issue. UPDATE!!

Hey family - I just got back in from City Hall. (goodness gracious it’s cold out there) The hearing was sparsely attended, but it went well nonetheless. During my testimony I told Holton and the rest of the council that it’s been 1,155 days since the Bush Administration declared that genocide was going on in Darfur and that I was tired of the flowery words and proud pronouncements. I reminded them that Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu concluded about a year ago that the genocide was allowed to rage on unchallenged because the victims were African people and that if any other group of people were experiencing such grave danger (excluding the Palestinian people of course) that the international community would be moving post haste to stop it. I also told them that Sen. Verna Jones’ bill - SB543 (Darfur Protection Act) was a good start in the divestment movement and that I was in Annapolis pushing it, but now the State Pension Board is waffling on executing the mandates of the legislation. (I find it quite interesting that the State Pension Board was there for the press conference with Lt. Gov Anthony Brown and other notables, but now when it comes down to divesting from Sudan they’re having second thoughts.)

I encouraged the Taxation and Finance Committee (Chaired by Councilwoman Helen Holton) to give a favorable report to the legislation. After I spoke a Mr. Taneyhill from the Fire and Police Employees Retirement System stood to tesify announcing that his agency was not in support nor opposed to the legislation. After admitting that his agency has 6.9 billion in holdings in China Petroleum Chemical Company, - a company doing business with Sudan - he said that the bill “doesn’t do anything” and that while they agree with its intent; they couldn’t take a position on the bill as it stands.

So Holton tabled a vote on the bill until Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:15AM at City Hall (4th Floor).

If you are interested in expressing your support for this needed legislation please contact Councilwoman Helen Holton at (410) 396-4818. Also give State Treasurer, Nancy Kopp, a call expressing your concern that the State Pension Board is equivocating on what it is mandated to do under the Darfur Protection Act. (Senate Bill 543). Call Kopp at (800) 974-0468.

If you are able to come to City Hall next Thursday (Nov. 15th), I’m sure that the council would appreciate your presence and welcome your testimony on this issue.

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