Becoming the first university to adjust its investment policy in light of the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Stanford’s Board of Trustees approved a proxy voting guideline that will require the university to vote "yes" on shareholder resolutions requiring companies to disclose the use of minerals from eastern Congo in electronics products.
The New York Times recently reported on Stanford STAND’s efforts to change its university’s investment strategies regarding electronics companies, which may use minerals extracted by armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in various electronics products. Stanford’s progress in this matter is particularly significant, as much of Stanford’s research and funding stems from Silicon Valley technology companies.
Anti-genocide partners John Prendergast and George Clooney recently penned an opinion piece in USA Today, calling for the United States to use both carrots and sticks to leverage Sudan towards peace in Darfur and throughout the country. Prendergast later wrote that the article is, in part, a response to Special Envoy Gen.
Vice President Joseph Biden is in Africa this week, leading an interagency delegation through the continent before the 2010 World Cup kicks off on Friday. According to The Cable, Biden’s trip will not focus primarily on soccer diplomacy: rather, the purpose of his trip is to provide oversight for the execution of the Obama administration’s Sudan policy.
In this week’s issue: More clashes are reported in South Darfur; a splinter group of Burma’s NLD registered for the elections; MONUC will transition to MONUSCO in July with a greater focus on civilian protections
The Week That Was, May 26 to June 2, 2010, compiled by Joshua Kennedy of GI-Net and the STAND E-team.
Recent reports indicate that the United States government sent a junior-level consular officer to the inauguration of Omar al-Bashir last week, drawing criticism from a variety of human rights organizations.
Via the Genocide Intervention Network’s Facebook page:
Our STAND chapter at the University of Minnesota is one that is small and mighty. The chapter has united a group of students that are wholly unique and strong, and the bond that comes from working on such a worthy cause is unmatchable.
