June 12, 2009

Friends and Supporters:

I am very pleased to announce the public launch of the Conflict Risk Network (CRN). Major institutional investors and asset management firms representing a combined total of over $400 billion in assets under management, have stepped up to partner with us in areas afflicted by severe conflict and to further their corporate responsibility goals.

Prior to the launch of CRN, our corporate responsibility work was conducted through the Sudan Divestment Task Force (SDTF). CRN will continue the research previously done by SDTF on companies with Sudan-related operations, and now, with its substantial membership base behind it, continue SDTF's corporate engagement work as well. We encourage you to participate in CRN. Please go to more information.

Below are additional items of interest from GI-NET. We are always thinking about how to improve our work and refine our goals for 2009 and beyond. As a valued supporter and someone who is familiar with our work, I'd love to hear your suggestions for how GI-NET can fulfill its mission.

Thank you,

Mark Hanis
President
Genocide Intervention Network

  • Advocacy: We reached the landmark milestone of the 25,000th call through our 1-800 GENOCIDE hotline. The hotline was promoted on Larry King Live and during my appearance on MSNBC Morning Joe
    Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia signed a bill that prohibits the state from contracting with companies that conduct business or have ties to the African country's oil, power, mineral and military sectors. Companies that plan to do business with Georgia state agencies are now required to disclose international business contracts during the Request for Proposal, or RFP, process. Nominated as Ambassador to China, Governor Huntsman of Utah signed legislation that would prohibit companies, including many Chinese state businesses, with problematic business operations in Sudan from receiving contracts with the state of Utah. This is consistent with the 2007 Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (SADA) that we authored and was passed unanimously by Congress and signed into law by President Bush.
  • Partnership: Coordinated with Save Darfur Coalition and ENOUGH Project on well-publicized joint statements and co-sponsored a U.S. Senate event with the U.S. Campaign for Burma.
  • Recognition: While we haven't been satisfied with his actions on Sudan, President Obama recognized our student-led division STAND in his remarks at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
  • Fundraising: We successfully completed our $25,000 Burma Challenge Grant campaign where 100% of funds were matched by the Echoing Green Foundation and allocated to GI-NET's radio-based early warning system. The radio network enables Burmese civilians to receive and send information regarding impending attacks by the Burmese military on villages. Next week we will also kick-off our Summer Fundraising Challenge which recognizes the inspiring stories of "People Moving the World." Our goal is to raise $30,000 by August 31st.