| Connecticut Coalition to Save Darfur |
Divestment From Companies Whose Actions Contribute To The Genocide
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| Denise Nappier introduces proposed legislation on divestment of state pension funds from Sudan at a press conference February 23. |
Denise Nappier, Connecticut State Treasurer, proposed legislation calling for the divestment of investments from Connecticut's pension funds from companies whose actions are assisting the genocide in Darfur.
The divestment legislation has been given a tracking number -- HB no. 5632. To follow its progress, go to search.cga.state.ct.us/dtSearch_lpa.html and type "Sudan." The bill will first come up in the Government Administration and Elections (GAE) committee, which will hold public hearings on Friday, March 17th. If there are any CT Coalition members who are testifying on Friday, Ken Harbaugh (kenneth.harbaugh@yale.edu) would like them to contact him so that he can better coordinate the message on that day.
Our latest info on the public hearing is that it will take place at either 10:00 or 11:00 in room 2B. Public testimony will be limited to 3 minutes per individual.
Christine Shaw, from the treasurer's office, said that there is an immediate need for advocacy at GAE. The two committee chairs are Sen. DeFronzo (New Britain) and Rep. Caruso (Bridgeport), and the full membership can be found at www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/MemberList.asp?comm_code=GAE&doc_type.
Ken is working with the Yale undergrads to lobby GAE. For the most part, this entails phone calls and emails from constituents. Please do what you can to help.
YaleSTAND has been actively working on the divestment campaign and has prepared a CT Divestment from Sudan Campaign Toolkit.
The Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School has prepared an extensive report about companies doing business in Sudan.
Eric Reeves, Professor of English Language and Literature at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, has collected extensive information about divestment from Sudan.
