Rage
Sunday May 27, 2007
It is hard to escape a sickening thought about the hell going on in Darfur - that one day Jesus will judge us for what we did and did not do to help. Question that? Read what he had to say in Matthew's 25th chapter. What kind of hell in Darfur? Read this story - really read it. Don't avert your eyes. Don't think of these women as "Africans" - as people somehow different from our neighbors or sisters or wives. Don't put any distance between yourself and the story. And then? You will probably feel rage and then helplessness but there are things that can be done - simple things.
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Hi canucklehead, I'm certain that negative publicity would force companies here to take some sort of action. Look what happened to Don Imus, for example. - PW
It's unlawful for US based companies to engage in trade with the Sudan, with certain exceptions for agriculture and medical projects, which require special permission from the US Treasury Dept. However, US law does not prohibit any person or organization from investing in companies which still do business in the Sudan. A quick internet search for companies doing business in the Sudan has turned up the following report from the Wisconsin World Affairs Council, dated 2006: The multinational company, Exxon, is responsible for drilling the oil for the Chinese. This company is obligated to do what is best for its investors. Sudan offers the possibility to utilize the oil reserves for the benefit of this venture. China has done nothing that is clearly in violation of the UN Charter, and for this reason it would be immoral to deny our services to China because of impact in the US. We also offer opportunity within Sudan to help improve living conditions of the people there. It is not without much thought and deliberation that we decided to accept the Sudan project. Hilton Hotels also runs 2 hotels in the Sudan, in Khartoum and in Port Sudan. The list of companies still doing business as of Feb 2007 include (source: Amherst Magazine): Alcatel SA Alstom SA China National Petroleum Corp. Harbin Pwer Equipment Co. Lundin International SA Mobil Oil Sudan Ltd. Norinco Oil & Natural Gas Co., Ltd. PECD Berhard PETRONAS Schlumberger Ltd. Sumatec Resources Tatneft Videocon Industries Ltd. Weir Group PLC (Weir Pumps Ltd.) In addition, several states, universities, and financial institutions are working to divest their portfolios of investments in these companies. A list of states which could use some prompting on our part to either take action or follow through with their initiatives can be found at: http://www.sudandivestment.org/home.asp
"We also offer opportunity within Sudan to help improve living conditions of the people there." This was a standard argument that Talisman used that people didn't buy, they talked about building schools, hospitals, etc.
It was the Chinese company that Talisman sold to.
"one day Jesus will judge us for what we did and did not do to help?" It is a sickening thought, but how true is it? What can you or I do to help those in Darfur, realistically? What would God expect us to do other than pray for them. I have just as much ability to help them as I have to stop a murder taking place across the country. Virtually none. (I don't count writing a letter to my Congressman as help.) I guess it all depends on who you mean by "us" and "we" in the above sentence.
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