Daily Darfur: Games of all kinds

Published July 03, 2009 @ 09:47AM PT

Political Games

The Justice and Equality Movement rebel group signed a deal with a Sudanese opposition party to "push for a new transitional government," according to both sides.

The opposition Umma party is an Islamic party led by Sudan's last elected leader, former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi (deposed just over 20 years ago by Sudan's current leader, Omar al-Bashir). As Reuters notes, this move is sure to "infuriate Khartoum".

It will be interesting to see how they proceed.

Umma and JEM leaders said Sudan's government would become "illegitimate" on July 9, the date that national elections were originally due to start under the CPA.

That will leave a "constitutional vacuum that can only be addressed through a national government," Umma vice-president Fadlalla Burma Nasir told Reuters.

The question is how they plan to set up that national government. JEM's attempts at taking over in Khartoum sure haven't gone well for them in the past.

Poker Games

Last night was the 3rd annual Ante Up for Africa, a charity tournament during the World Series of Poker co-hosted by world poker champ Annie Duke and actor Don Cheadle. The event raised money for the Enough Project and Refugees International's work in Sudan. Hollywood stars and famous athletes, including Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Charles Barkley, Sarah Silverman, Jason Alexander, and Mike Tyson came out for the event. Check out the Enough Project's blog for more coverage next week.

Financial Games

The first of two shareholder proposals for investment companies to restrict their investments to those that don't support genocide failed yesterday. No more than 17% of Vanguard shareholders in any one fund voted in favor of the proposal.

Investors Against Genocide claims that Vanguard misled shareholders. Eric Cohen said in response to the vote:

“Favorable votes at Vanguard’s meeting today were unnaturally low because Vanguard’s active opposition and misleading statement of opposition tilted the vote against the proposal,” said Eric Cohen, Chairperson of Investors Against Genocide. “If Vanguard wanted a good test of shareholder support, it would have taken a neutral stance, rather than seeking to obscure the interests of shareholders, especially since it is common practice for ordinary investors to ignore and discard their proxy materials.”

There's still time for Fidelity shareholders to vote for proposal 3.

Photo of a poker game during the Ante Up for Africa tournament from the Enough Project's Robert Padavick.

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Author

Martha is the campaign manager at the Save Darfur Coalition. She has worked with a number of organizations and institutions advocating against genocide, including Team Darfur, STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition and Voices for Sudan. The views expressed here are her own.