For Immediate Release

HOUSE PASSES SUDAN DIVESTMENT LEGISLATION

BOSTON — Representative John P. Fresolo (D-Worcester) today announced that the House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at divesting the state’s employee pension funds from companies providing financial support to the Sudanese government.   

Divestment is a strategy that has been successfully employed by the Commonwealth in the past.  In the early 1990’s, during apartheid in South Africa, Massachusetts lead the charge of divestment and was joined by other states nationwide in applying economic pressure to the South African government. 

“Massachusetts will not stand by and watch while genocide persists.  The Sudanese government relies heavily on foreign investment to fund its military.  By ending our investments with companies that provide economic backing to the Sudanese government and military, we will financially weaken the forces that continue to commit acts of genocide against the people of Darfur,” said Representative Fresolo.   

To date, over 400,000 people have been murdered and over 2.5 million have been displaced from the Darfur region of Sudan.  Both the United States government and the United Nations have declared the killing in the Sudan to be genocide. 

“I am heartened to see this legislation move forward, both personally and professionally.  I trust this will send a strong message that the Commonwealth will no longer tolerate nor invest in regimes like the one present in Sudan,” said Representative Jay Kaufman, (D-Lexington) a key sponsor of the divestment legislation and Chairman of the Committee on Public Service. 

Several other bills have been filed that deal with divestment, including measures which would end the state’s investment in companies that support the Iranian government.  

If signed into law, Massachusetts would become the 12th state to divest from Sudan.