Voices

Campaign for 400,000 voices for 400,000 lives

Some of the 400,000 voices

• Dear Ms. Crowley: 
  I woke up this morning worried about whether or not I would live to see another day. I slowly roll over and watch as my two children, the ones that haven't been executed or burned alive, cling to each other in their sleep---haunted by nightmares of days gone by.  I pause for a moment, knowing that it is now my turn to traverse into the woods to gather firewood so that we can cook the small amount of food we have gathered.
  I pause because yesterday when I took the same path I was raped by seven men at gunpoint. They slit my thighs as a reminder that I am a dirty and unwanted woman. I watch as the sunlight creeps through the trees, waiting to shed its blazing glory on our thirsty, exhausted, parched bodies as we endure another day of unknowns. Waiting. Hoping. Praying. Crying. Believing that somewhere, somehow, someone will take a moment to do what is right...what is human....what I would do for them if I was sitting in their high and lofty place. 
  I Object To Fidelity's Investments In Sudan....I am Darfur, and I have a voice.
  - One voice from California
• I am the son of a Holocaust witness. My father helped liberate Buchenwald. I find it particularly offensive that the "excuse" that Fidelity has used is that it is willing to engage in activities that may be morally reprehensible if it makes money for its clients. I am a client, and I expect better from you. When it was profitable to melt gold from Holocaust victims' teeth would Fidelity have financed it? As you know, the Swiss banking conglomerates which profited from expropriation of Jewish property during the 1940s continue to pay for that poor decision. Does your organization really want that type of long term liability? Does your organization really think that short term profits can possibly justify long term shame?
  
  As stated above. I do expect more. I hope that the management of Fidelity will be willing to look beyond immediate profits and short term gain. I am willing to assume less profitability if I am secure that those profits which I do have are not made immorally. I would prefer to leave my investments with your company. However, if the choice requires me to turn a blind eye (as did the citizens of Buchenwald ) on profiteering from genocide, then I cannot do that, and I will encourage my colleagues, patients, and coworkers the same.
  - One voice from New Hampshire
• I am a concerned citizen and Fidelity investor. I am deeply disappointed that Fidelity is continuing to make large investments in the Sudan oil industry which serves to help fund the genocide in Darfur. I urge Fidelity to divest the PetroChina and Sinopec stocks now held by your Contrafund and other mutual funds. I am outraged and disgusted with the statements Fidelity has made in response to inquiries about their investments in the Sudan. Fidelity's statements show a total lack of moral responsibility to human life. I will be watching very closely to see Fidelity's response now that a large campaign against them has been initiated, and will decide what to do with my Fidelity investments based on that response.
  - One voice from Massachusetts
• Approximately three weeks ago, I called Customer Relations at Fidelity regarding my great concern about Fidelity's investment in PetroChina. I am aware of the role that China has in enabling the over-four-year-old genocide in Sudan, a genocide in which over 400,000 civilians have died, as well as over 2,500,000 citizens have been driven from their villages. I am aware that China through PetroChina and Sinopec is funding the genocidal Sudanese regime. They purchase a huge percentage of oil from Sudan. The regime in turn buys military weapons from China. In addition, China has had a critical role through its veto power in the United Nation's Security Council by having blocked any effective international action to put stop the genocide.
  
  I do not want to make money through supporting this horrific genocide--the first of the 21st century. My hunch is that if investors were aware of the connection between their investments in Fidelity and the unbelievably horrific crimes against humanity, most would want to immediately take their money out as well.
  
  The only reply from Fidelity I received in response from my call was, "Call back in a couple of weeks." You indicated no interest in my concerns and no willingness to follow up with me.
  
  As a result, I am taking all my and my husband's moneys out of Fidelity. I hope other investors who do not want to contribute to crimes against humanity follow suit soon.
  - One voice from California
• Dear "Executive Offices" - Thank you for your form letter response, which addresses nothing, and is consistent with your refusal to take responsibility for the Fidelity investment in the ongoing Darfur genocide. How could such a letter do anything but further disgust your customers and reinforce the desire to divest ourselves of any and all Fidelity holdings. Clearly the "Executive Offices" are devoid of conscience, and willing to pursue profit while aiding in the rape, mutilation, and murder of an entire people. My wife and I shall be visiting one of your corporate offices to personally communicate these views to one of your smiling associates as we withdraw all investment in your organization.
  - One voice from California
• At an early age in our public schools, we are introduced to the atrocities of the Holocaust. As a young student, I remember thinking the exposure was excessive and I couldn’t imagine our civilization us ever facing a similar situation. But today genocide rages in Darfur, Sudan. I can’t believe that so many people, who have the same education and exposure to the Holocaust as I, can push these assaults on humanity out of their minds. After all, didn’t we all agree that indifference is as culpable as support for genocide?
  
  In my years of advocating for peace in Darfur, I was most surprised when I learned that my pension funds are footprints to Darfur. I have mutual funds with Fidelity.  I hope that we can all remember our education on genocide, and recognize our responsibility to live up to our promise, “Never again.”
  - One voice from Massachusetts 
• I currently have several investment and cash accounts with Fidelity and have had a wonderful relationship with your company for approximately 10 years. I was surprised and disappointed to recently learn that Fidelity holds significant investments in the Sudan oil industry that is funding the horrific violence and genocide in Darfur. When I asked two investment advisors at one of your offices if there was a plan to divest, they were completely unaware of the issue and stated, "Fidelity leaves politics to the politicians."
  
  I truly hope this is not your corporate stance on the issue, and I urge you to divest the PetroChina and Sinopec stocks now held by your Contrafund and other mutual funds as soon as possible. I am so concerned and sickened by the fact that I am supporting directly or supporting a company that invests in this industry that I will move all funds from Fidelity if divestment is not planned.
  
  I sincerely hope that this is an issue of major concern to Fidelity and that you will communicate your plan to ignore the issue or began divestment to your field offices so that they may answer customer questions, like mine.
  - One voice from Texas sending an email to Fidelity
  
• As a Fidelity investor and descendant of holocaust victims, I am requesting that Fidelity discontinue investments in the Sudan oil industry which helps to fund the genocide in Darfur. I urge Fidelity to divest the PetroChina and Sinopec stocks now held by your Contrafund and other mutual funds. We must not allow more genocide in our time.
  -One voice from Massachusetts sending an email to Fidelity
  
• I recently was deciding between Vanguard and Fidelity to move an IRA from Merrill Lynch. As I learned about Fidelity's involvement and attitude in the face of protest, I chose Vanguard.
  -One voice from Minnesota sending an email to Fidelity
  
• It is more than moral blindness to maintain that someone else has the authority, capability, and responsibility to end the massacre of Sudanese citizens by their own government.
  
  By merely glancing at the internal operations of your own company, you know full well that globalization means just that! We are in this together--all of this together, including you, Ms. Crowley. No matter of human living is any longer exempted from the actions of anyone else. I am responsible for Darfur, for Fidelity, and for me. Fidelity is responsible for Fidelity, Darfur, and for me. This is the 'new game.' And I believe that, somewhere deep down, you know this.
  
  If Fidelity were to accept its grave responsibility and to seize leadership in ending this atrocity of historic dimension, it might actually change the Earth in this century. That would be true and real faithfulness--to company goals and to the human race.
  - One voice from California sending an email to Fidelity
• I have householded (x) dollars worth of accounts at Fidelity. I have a daughter at college who is concerned about Africa. I am an old hippie, and I am concerened about Africa. It is an imperfect world, and yes, Fidelity can not rally behind EVERY cause. But Ms. Crowley, if you do not have kids, you have had parents, siblings, or friends. Imagine they were being killed and tortured in the African holocaust. It is an imperfect world, but that does not excuse our doing absolutely nothing about anything.
  
  I, as a customer, want my company, Fidelity, to not make money off the most egregious profiteers, who don't give a damn about ethics and decency. I want to hear back from you about whether Fidelity is going to listen to their hearts, because what good is money if you have no heart?
  
  Please pass my email along. And please know that as of today, I have begun researching other brokers to whom I shall consider moving some or all of my accounts.
  - One voice from Oregon sending an email to Fidelity

• Up until about five minutes ago I was a Fidelity investor. In fact, it constituted more than 30% of my 401K funds. This morning, I found out that Fidelity is continuing to make large investments in the Sudan oil industry, which serves to help fund the genocide in Darfur. There is no way I can ignore the fact that these investments are funding the horrible atrocities committed daily in Darfur, and there is no way for you to pretend otherwise. I would much rather invest my money in companies who are socially and environmentally responsible. Fidelity can say their company did not CAUSE the genocide, but Fidelity's investments (in particular the PetroChina and Sinopec stocks) are certainly helping fund the janjaweed responsible for the killing. This is blood money, and no disingenuous statements about leaving political issues to be resolved by the governments concerned can wash it clean.
  
  I urge Fidelity to divest the PetroChina and Sinopec stocks now held by your Contrafund and other mutual funds. I am so concerned and disappointed that I have moved my money out of Fidelity. MY money will no longer be used to fund the genocide, and I suspect many people who learn of Fidelity's Darfur connection will feel the same way; already, three of my co-workers have divested their Fidelity stock for the same reasons.
  - One voice from California sending an email to Fidelity

• I am disappointed to learn that Fidelity is continuing to make large investments in the Sudan oil industry which serves to help fund the genocide in Darfur. With the response of "We believe the resolution of complex social and political issues must be left to the appropriate authorities of the world that have the responsibility, and capability, to address important matters of this type. And we would sincerely hope that they would do so wisely on behalf of all of the citizens of the globe," it demonstrates the glaring lack of corporate and personal responsibility. In a perfect world we should expect the "appropriate authorities of the world" to address these matters. Tragically, in this case, this is not being done. When those with the responsibility fail to act it is then the responsibility of others to act on the nameless millions who have innocently been caught in in the middle of this conflict. It is your and my responsibility as well as those corporations around the world who can speak with their sizable assets to honor and uphold basic human dignity.
  
  Investments in companies that help financially support the ongoing conflict in Darfur, such as PetroChina and Sinopec, may make good sense for the bottom line for Fidelity and it's customers, but in the long run it does more damage than good. The ability of Fidelity to make a satisfactory return for it's investors is overshadowed by the moral responsibility to human rights.
  
  Fortunately, I am not a current Fidelity customer. I understand this gives me an even lesser voice in questioning it's investment strategies. However, if presented with the opportunity to invest with Fidelity in the future I will not be choosing that option. I urge Fidelity to divest those investments that are directly or indirectly tied to the government in Khartoum, Sudan, and the companies that are largely responsible for funding the operations of the Sudanese government.
  - One voice from Connecticut sending an email to Fidelity
  
• I saw the news report last on TV and it was very disturbing. I had very little sleep knowing that I have money invested with Fidelity. It was shameful the response Fidelity gave to the TV reporter. I do not want my money to be invested in a country where children, innocent people are being murdered, rape and tortured. This is not the way I want to make a profit. I hope and pray that the CEO of Fidelity stop send our money to Sudan. I am planning to contact my employer and have them look into this matter. I do not need "blood" money.
  - One voice from America commenting on the Campaign blog
• Obviously Fidelity's primary purpose is to earn the highest return for its investors. But even so, there are some lines that should never be crossed, even to make a buck. Who would have defended investors in Zyklon B, the gas that killed millions of Holocaust victims in WWII? And Fidelity's clam that such matters should be left to governments rings hollow. The US already bans investments in Sudan. But we now have an opportunity to influence Chinese companies that are enabling this genocide. Fidelity should play a leadership role. Doing so would not only be a moral decision but a financially sound one.
  - Once voice from America commenting on the Campaign blog
• The snowballing divestment campaigns at universities, state and municipal retirement funds, and other institutional investors may already be causing the value of Fidelity's holdings in PTR and SNP to erode. Fidelity's amorality and indifference will receive its just rewards.
  - Once voice from America commenting on the Campaign blog
• I recently sold some stock through Fidelity, with the money currently in a cash account there. While I was pleased and impressed with the helpfulness of the staff, I have just learned of Fidelity's involvement in Sudan. As a concerned citizen. I am deeply distressed to find out that Fidelity's large investments in the Sudan oil industry help fund the genocide in Darfur. I urge Fidelity to divest the PetroChina and Sinopec stocks now held by your Contrafund and other mutual funds. I am so concerned and disappointed that I am strongly considering moving my money out of Fidelity.
  - One more voice from America sending an email to Fidelity
• Shame on Fidelity for putting money above human suffering - in a way their cold behavior is even worse than that of the massacring Janjaweed!
  - Once voice from America commenting on the Campaign blog
• AFTER READING MIA FARROW'S COMMENTARY ON FIDELITY'S INVESTING IN THE SUDAN MASSACRING MY WIFE AND I BECAME PHYSICALLY SICK. THERE MUST BE BETTER PLACES TO BE INVESTING OUR SAVINGS THAT WOULD BE MORE HUMANE THAN PETROCHINA. HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF SHAME?
  - Once voice from America commenting on the Campaign blog
• My wife and I have been staunch Fidelity customers for approximately 25 years - we hold the bulk of our assets in two accounts with you, one self-managed [ ] and one through an investment advisory firm [ ]. Together, they amount to nearly $[ ]. I am writing to tell you the personal reasons for why we have decided to withdraw all funds in support of the Fidelity Out of Sudan campaign.
  
  It is with great reluctance that we take this action because we have never had any reason to be dissatisfied with Fidelity’s quality of offering or customer service. We admire the firm for its innovation and high integrity. We generally do not commingle our political or social justice agenda with investment strategy. However, this case rises to a threshold that we feel cannot be dismissed.
  
  We have read Fidelity’s published response to the divestment campaign and we do not feel it is a defensible position given the gravity of the situation and the chain of responsibility that links ownership in PetroChina, Sinopec and other Chinese oil companies with support to the inhumane and criminal government of Sudan.
  
  Why should we single out Fidelity for shouldering the responsibility? Because you are a leader in the industry and you are the single largest institutional shareholder in PetroChina. With success comes responsibility. As goes Fidelity, others will follow - Fidelity should consider getting out ahead of the wave as this movement builds. We may not be your biggest account, but I think we are representative of how many of your customers feel on this issue.
  
  Divestment has been demonstrated to be an effective tool for change. I am old enough to have lived through the closing chapter of apartheid in South Africa which I believe was substantially accelerated by financial sanctions.
  
  Consider if this was 1938 and you were major shareholders in IG Farben (a diversified chemical company that manufactured and sold Zyklon B for the gas chambers? There must be some limit to a policy of neutrality.
  
  It is a considerable inconvenience, but I will be withdrawing my accounts in stages over the month or so. I very much regret leaving Fidelity but I feel that you have a choice and we don’t. I fully expect that you will be changing your policy in the near future and I will be delighted to return our accounts to you as soon as that happens. Please feel free to contact me to directly to discuss how we have come to this decision.
  
  Do the right thing.
  - One voice from Massachusetts in a letter to Fidelity