Oakland, CA Resolution on Public Retirement Funds Being Invested In Companies Doing Business with Sudan

Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted on 3/15/05

Vote: Unanimous

Source File: http://clerkwebsvr1.oaklandnet.com/attachments/10198.pdf

Text:

TITLE: ADOPT A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 11(ACR 11) INTRODUCED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER MERVIN DYMALLY URGING THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM (PERS) TO ENSURE THAT NO PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUNDS ARE INVESTED IN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN SUDAN, AS LONG AS THE GENOCIDE AND FIGHTING CONTINUES IN DARFUR.

WHEREAS, Assembly Member Dymally introduced ACR 11, Public Employees' Retirement System: Sudan.

WHEREAS, this measure would urge the Public Employees' Retirement System to ensure that no public employee retirement funds are invested in companies doing business in Sudan.

WHEREAS, the government of Sudan and the southern opposition signed a peace agreement on Sunday, January 9, 2005, in Kenya, Africa; and

WHEREAS, The peace agreement is expected to put a stop to Sudan's cruel treatment of southerners; and

WHEREAS, The rebel south will not have to redeploy an army consisting of children; and

WHEREAS, Secretary of State Colin Powell, on behalf of the United States, with Ambassador John C. Danforth, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, assisted in negotiating the peace agreement; and

WHEREAS, Stopping the conflict in western Darfur is not part of the peace agreement, however; and

WHEREAS, The Sudan government is suspected of a policy of genocide in western Darfur; and

WHEREAS, There is a need for the United States and the United Nations to continue to put pressure on the Sudanese government to stop supplying arms to the Janjaweed; and

WHEREAS, The City of Oakland is deeply concerned over the poor human rights situation in Sudan; and

WHEREAS, The City of Oakland calls for stepped-up international efforts to end the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, and concurs with United States policy, which has officially declared that genocide is ongoing in the Darfur region of Sudan; and

WHEREAS, Despite significant pressure from the United States government, the government of Sudan has not taken all the necessary actions to disassociate itself fully from the fighting in Darfur; and

WHEREAS, The 2002 Machakos Protocol, signed by both sides in the civil war in Sudan, has recognized that "Sudan is a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-lingual country," and that there "shall be freedom of belief, worship and conscience for followers of all religions or beliefs or customs and no one shall be discriminated against on such grounds" once a peace agreement is signed;

now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the City of Oakland, hereby declares its support for ACR 11 urging the Public Employees' Retirement System {PERS) to give notice to United States' companies doing business in Sudan that PERS will withdraw employee retirement funds that are invested in those companies as long as the conflict continues in Darfur, and that failure to comply with this warning shall result in that withdrawal;

now, therefore, be it further
Resolved, that the City of Oakland urges PERS to ensure that no public employee retirement funds are invested in companies doing business in Sudan, as long as the genocide and fighting continues in Darfur;

now, therefore, be it further
Resolved, that the City Administrator is directed to forward a copy of this resolution along with a cover letter to the appropriate State Officials and Agencies advising them of the City's position.