The regime has financed its killing and rape sprees in part through
prodigious foreign investments from companies such as the China
National Petroleum Corporation, Russia’s Tatneft, Germany’s Siemens
AG, Switzerland’s ABB Ltd., and France’s Alcatel. Many of these
companies deal in petroleum, so it’s no surprise that China and
Russia have both resisted placing effective sanctions on the
Sudanese oil industry, which brings the Khartoum $2 billion in
annual revenues. (Russia has also recently sold ten MiG-29 fighter
planes to the Khartoum military). Since all of the aforementioned
companies are listed on the New York Stock exchange, American
investors are also helping themselves to a few drops of the blood
money.This bit of dirty laundry is about to be aired in the light
of day, however. A bipartisan bill has been introduced into the
House of Representatives that would legally require disclosure of
‘the identities of all entities that are engaged in commercial
activity in Sudan,’ and the spread of this information could well
force the companies in question to divest their interests in the
Sudan region under the threat of boycott. If the Khartoum regime
were weakened and isolated by real multilateral economic pressure,
peace in the area would be more easily attained.Regardless what
happens in Sudan, much work remains to expose the various links
between big business, oil, and human suffering. When companies
forget their conscience in the quest for profit, it is our duty to
remind them.
— Brendan ThemesGo there >>
Financing
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