Are your investments funding Genocide?  Wouldn’t you be floored if your investments have contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands?

Genocide has occured in Sudan since 2003(www.sudandivestment.org) The government of Sudan has pursued a genocidal campaign against the citizens of Darfur, killing hundreds of thousands and displacing over 2.5 million people.  In 2004 (source: www.sudandivestment.org), the U.S. officially labeled the Darfur conflict as genocide.  This markes the first time the U.S. has declared a situation to be genocide while the atrocities are still happening.  People are being murdered as you read this.  It’s happening, right now.

Abraham Lincoln brilliantly said, “We – even here – hold the power and the responsibility.”

You can help fight genocide through the way you invest.

Sudan’s government is susceptible to economic pressure.  Possessing neither the capital nor expertise to exploit it’s own natural resources (source: www.sudandivestment.org), it’s dependent upon foreign direct investment – not only to pay it’s debts and fund their expenditures, but also to finance their war in Darfur.  It is estimated that 70% of the government’s oil profits is spent on the military (source: www.sudandivestment.org).

Divesting from companies who are accused of funding the Sudanese government is a way to help fight the genocide in Darfur.   The U.S. government has passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act.  24 states have adopted divestment policies related to Sudan, 59 universities, 16 municipalities, and 2 international pension funds have adopted similar policies… and this just scratches the surface (http://www.sudandivestment.org/statistics.asp for more).

Momentum is building all over the world.

If this issue concerns you, let’s talk about how you can participate in divestment without sacrificing your financial goals.  Thank you for your concern.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intented to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.  To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing.  All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results.  All indicies are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.

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