ME and Ophelia

- - -

SIEMENS, ABB, ALCATEL, TATNEFT, PETROCHINA -
Are the targets of a divest campaign

Here is one of the plots and schemes from the remarkable Mark at fightordie. You've got to love Mark's way with words. Note this excerpt from his email:

" ... We would like to make these five corporations, each listed on NYSE, targets of a divestiture campaign to start here in New York City:

Germany's Siemens AG - electric generation
Switzerland's ABB Ltd - electrical, oil production
France's Alcatel - telecommunications
Russia's Tatneft - oil
China's PetroChina - oil

Once-a-week event (say, every Wednesday noon-2) with an impressive, good-looking show will do it. I see the kick-off one to be a “wake-up, wall street” thing, from 7 to 10 in the morning.

To achieve this, we hope to target the stock exchange area first with a "walking vigil", the purpose of which is to gain media attention.

As our goal will be media attention, which is different from our goal at the embassy, we will not be able to do a "show-as-you-can" type of thing like we're running now in front of the mission. Since we're made up of working stiffs and we do not have the bodies to keep a constant vigil in front of the stock exchange, we figure maybe a once-a-week event (say, every Wednesday noon-2) with an impressive, good-looking show will do it. I see the kick-off one to be a “wake-up, wall street” thing, from 7 to 10 in the morning.

This plan has a whole lot (a real understatement) of room for growth and varied areas where all our friends can easily lend a hand.

Other possible early targets: Columbia U, NYC Council, NYU, etc... "divest!" Anyone remember the anti-apartheid campaigns?? All we need is a stack of Village Voices from the 1980's to plot our game plan. Coca-Cola. Remember when they went after apartheid-loving Coca-Cola? Well, there's this thing called "gum arabic." Don't ask me. But one thing I know is soda pop uses gum arabic like it's going out of style. Perhaps we could siphon the great Coke media sponge once again. It's going to take a bit of research.

Many Sudanese fellows yesterday were telling me how effectively they felt our campaign was unnerving the Khartoum representatives.

Our central contact in Darfur Rehabilitation Project told a story of how he was visiting the embassy, and, on the way in, he saw one of our very dedicated people (a lady) out front, alone, holding up her sign.

When he came out, two hours later, she was still there, still holding the sign high. He said he was deeply moved by the dedication she showed, and he felt he'd rarely seen a sight as powerful as this one lady's vigil.

IF YOU ARE STILL A DEDICATED EMBASSY VIGIL WORKER (OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME ONE,) we are changing the vigil times again. Effective immediately, we will have two shifts per day, every day: 11:30-2:30 and 2:30-5:30. PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP, telling me what day and what shift you will cover every week. If you would like to cover a shift you make the times up for yourself, let me know. That will be very cool. ..."