Sudan divestment bill passes in Massachusetts legislature
By Molly Ritvo
The Jewish Advocate
Massachusetts is one step closer to becoming the 21st state supporting economic divestment from Sudan. The Sudan Divestment Bill passed through the Massachusetts House of Representatives on Sept. 28, with a vote of 153 to 2. The legislation already passed the Senate chamber with a unanimous vote.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston has been actively lobbying for this bill, which would divest public pension funds from companies facilitating the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, and set its passage as one of their key agenda objectives for the coming year.
"We are very grateful for the support we have received from the legislators, especially the Jewish ones like Jay Kaufman that have been supporting this from the start," said Irit Tamir, director of government affairs at JCRC.
Nancy K. Kaufman, Executive Director of JCRC, added that her organization had a unique role to play in lobbying for this bill. "As a community scarred by the crime of genocide, Jews feel particularly strongly about the atrocities being perpetrated in Darfur," said Kaufman. "This bill will stop them."
The bills detractors, however, have argued that divestment from Sudan will do little to curtail the genocide. City councilor-at-large candidate Grace Ross, for example, has opposed economic divestiture from Sudan because, according to Ross, those measures do not help with the immediate humanitarian crisis.
Ross, the former Green-Rainbow nominee for governor has come under criticism from Jewish leaders not only for positions she and her party have taken denying that genocide is occurring in Darfur, but also for comments she has made likening Jews to the Columbine High School killers.
Ross did not return numerous calls for comment.
Meanwhile, the co-chair of the Green-Rainbow party – a woman who goes solely by Merelice – said divestment won't change the situation in Sudan.
"I'm not sure passing this will actually lead to peace and protection of the Sudanese people," said Merelice.
Daniel Millenson, national advocacy director for Sudan Divestment, said he did not know how to respond to Ross and her party.
"Ms. Ross is displaying a total incomprehension of the facts," he said. "Denying that the Sudanese government is perpetuating genocide is like denying that the sky is blue. It is completely nuts."
According to Millenson, passing divestment legislation is a huge step toward ending the genocide. "We still have a long way to go," he said. "But this is an exciting time right now. We have a ton of support behind us."
Before the bill becomes official, however, Governor Deval Patrick must sign the bill and account for some language differences in the sunset clauses of the House and Senate versions.
