NEW YORK, February 21, 2007—American Jewish World Service announces the launch of a targeted divestment initiative as part of its ongoing advocacy campaign to end the genocide in Darfur. This initiative will promote individual, institutional, and government divestment from companies that help finance the Sudanese government's brutal campaign against the people of Darfur.

Though the U.S. government banned American companies from doing business with Sudan, many U.S. corporations, mutual funds and individuals are invested in foreign companies that operate in that country. Some of the mutual funds and investment firms invested in companies working in Sudan include Berkshire Hathaway, Fidelity and TIAA-CREF.

As the first national Jewish organization to promote targeted divestment, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) will promote and support targeted divestment efforts through a multi-pronged approach. At the core of this effort will be the mobilization of AJWS' grassroots network of 24,000 Darfur activists who will be called on to support targeted divestment personally, in their community organizations, cities and states as well as by the federal government.

"AJWS' targeted divestment initiative is a very exciting way to engage the many activists and synagogues who are committed to stopping the genocide in Darfur," said Ruth Messinger, president of AJWS.

"Murder and devastation continue daily in Darfur, and our money absolutely cannot be used to support this genocide," continued Messinger. "Targeted divestment is an effective strategy for citizens to express their outrage and put economic pressure on the government of Sudan to change its ruthless behavior."

Clearinghouse for Action AJWS will serve as a resource and clearinghouse for this national targeted divestment initiative. Information and tools will be provided on the AJWS web site to help individuals screen their investments (www.ajws.org/darfur). These will include answers to frequently asked questions, a link to a tool for screening mutual funds, and sample letters for contacting money managers and investment firms.

On the organizational level, AJWS will focus on synagogues and Jewish community organizations as well as colleges and universities. AJWS activists will be urged to work with their congregations, Jewish organizations, colleges and universities to ensure that their investments are not helping to fund the government of Sudan's genocidal campaign. A sample divestment policy for institutions will be provided.

"As we know from the divestment campaign in South Africa, religious institutions and institutions of higher education hold tremendous sway in shaping public opinion and effecting government policy. They can do no less now for the people of Darfur," said Messinger.

"We're delighted that organizations like the Jewish Council for Public Affairs are considering divestment resolutions," said Messinger. "The AJWS Rabbinical Council strongly endorsed AJWS taking on this divestment initiative."

At the government level, AJWS will work with local activists to support municipal resolutions as well as binding targeted divestment legislation proposed by states and by Congress. Soon AJWS will make available an interactive map on its web site that will have information about legislative activities in cities and states.

AJWS' Commitment to Darfur AJWS is an international development organization that has been leading the Jewish community's efforts to stop the genocide in Darfur since April 2004. AJWS provides humanitarian aid to the displaced people of Darfur and is engaged in a simultaneous education and advocacy campaign to pressure the United States and world leaders to end this crisis.

AJWS co-founded the Save Darfur Coalition to mobilize coordinated faith-based advocacy and humanitarian responses to the Darfur genocide. The Coalition has since sponsored two major national rallies and a global public awareness campaign.

In November 2006, AJWS' board voted to divest AJWS holdings in companies that help fund the Sudanese government's ongoing brutalization of the people of Darfur.

Funding the Genocide While American companies have been banned since 1997 from doing business with Sudan, many pension and investment funds are invested in foreign companies that do business in that country. Despite the ongoing genocide in Darfur, the revenue of the Sudanese government has increased over the past few years due to heavy foreign investment, according to a 2006 analysis by the Sudan Divestment Task Force of the Genocide Intervention Network.

Most of the targeted companies that do business in Sudan are in the oil, energy, telecommunications and weapons industries. Human Rights Watch reports that the majority of Sudanese oil revenue is used to support the Sudanese military. Approximately 70% of the oil revenue in Sudan, fueled by foreign direct investment, goes to the country's military. Amnesty International reports that oil revenue funds expensive military equipment like the bombers and helicopters used in Darfur. Historically, the Sudanese government has been responsive to economic pressure.

Targeted divestment does not affect companies involved in medicine, education, agriculture, consumer goods or the provision of humanitarian aid. The Sudan Divestment Task Force carefully screens companies identified for targeted divestment. For a current list, visit www.sudandivestment.org.

Growing National Divestment Movement The movement to divest from companies doing business in Sudan has grown rapidly, from student groups on college campuses to some of the largest states in the country. There are now over 30 universities that have divested and 20 others have campaigns actively encouraging divestment.

This past September, California divested its state employees' and teachers' retirement funds, the largest state employees' and teachers' pension funds in the country. Five other states also divested: Illinois, New Jersey, Maine, Oregon and Connecticut. Ohio and Vermont passed non-binding divestment resolutions. Cities are now considering taking this action as well. Philadelphia passed legislation to restrict its Sudan investments, and a targeted divestment resolution is now awaiting action by the City Council of New York to divest municipal pension funds from Sudan.