The Amherst Decision - A Step in The Right Direction

In a quiet but principled move that is so rare these days, but which could serve as an example to others, Amherst College Trustees decided to disinvest in companies doing business with the government of Sudan. To those whose attention has been riveted to the distraction of the Iraq occupation, it may come as a surprise that the Sudanese government has sponsored and facilitated the genocide of more than 200,000 innocent civilians in the Darfur region, while many tens of thousands more have died of starvation and deprivation after being driven from their homes into the arrid desert. The size of the average household in the area has been reduced by about 50% as a result. Despite calls from the international community, the Sudanese government has done virtually nothing to stop the genocide or to help the starving and displaced victims.

As would be expected, since the people of Darfur region have no oil or major resource to exploit, the United States government has provided little more than lip service in support of the victims, "urging" the Sudanese government to improve its human rights conduct. The same President that chose to invade Iraq as a humanitarian gesture to remove an evil Saddam Hussein regime has not lifted a finger to oppose the Sudanese regime that is systematically annihilating hundreds of thousands of innocent and vulnerable people. The bombing of villages, rape of inhabitants and pillaging of all belongings of value continues as the Sudanese government continues to supply militias and terrorist groups perpetrating the crimes.

Amherst College has no authority or portfolio to intervene in the crisis directly. It has no military resources to deploy, or even a diplomatic envoy to send to intervene. What it does have is an endowment of hundreds of millions of dollars. The College therefore decide to exercise the limited influence that it does have by removing from its investment portfolio any companies that deal with and profit from dealings with the Sudanese government. If all private investment were to take a similar principled stand, the collective impact would perhaps not be sufficient to save many of the people in Darfur now close to starvation. However, the clear and unequivocal stand on principle could spark a change in public opinion and corporate responsibility, and just possibly lead to real change for the better. It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. We can only hope that the candle symbolized by the Amherst decision will spark a wildfire that lights up the conscience of this American Nation that is so clouded and obscured.