4/2/07
Campus

Howard University’s Board of Trustees voted on Jan. 27 to divest from Sudan and any company doing business in a country that has been involved in a system of ethnic cleansing since 2003. The vote was made public Friday.

The resolution, which was passed by a voice vote, makes Howard the first historically black college or university to take such action.  Howard University President H. Patrick Swygert said in a press release that divestment is an obvious course of action for the University.

“Clearly, it is the right thing to do,” Swygert said. “The situation in the Sudan is intolerable and has been so for a long time.”

He also said that because Howard has historically fought for oppressed people around the world, the University has to take action to stop the senseless killing of so many people.

“As an institution that has always opposed such flagrant disrespect for human rights, Howard University has to use whatever options available to pressure the government,” Swygert said.  “And hopefully bring to an end, sooner, rather than later, the suffering and wanton killing of so many people.”

To date, the conflict has resulted in the killing of as many as 450,000 people, the displacement of 2.5 million and the eradication of 90 percent of the villages in Darfur, Sudan.

The resolution bars investment in all companies doing business in Sudan. Investment managers and consultants will be advised by the University of their decision and will be asked to refrain from investment in Sudan.  They will also be required to inform the University of any company doing business in Sudan by June 30.

Taofeek Syinbola, the president of the African Students Association, said that while it is good for the University to fight for social justice for blacks, more students need to get involved in the effort.

“Howard University has shown that they are committed to the fight for social justice not just for blacks in America, but for black people internationally,” Syinbola said. “But it [is] also very important for students to get involved in the same global efforts as the University.”

He added that the destruction of life in Darfur at the hands of the government is despicable and that he is glad the administration is behind the effort.

Mafake Kane, a junior economics major, is a native of Senegal and once had close ties to the son of the Sudanese ambassador in Senegal.  She said that she does not trust many American media reports of the situation in Sudan, but it is good the University is attempting to put pressure on the government to take action to end the ethnic cleansing in the country.

“It is good for Howard to pull the money of the country,” Kane said. “Because whether or not the Sudanese government is still responsible for the genocide in the country, it will help put pressure on the government to do something about the situation.”

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