Divest Nebraska, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln student group, recently was awarded a grant of $400 from the nonprofit Campus Progress for its campaign to convince Nebraska lawmakers to not invest in companies that support the Sudanese government.

The student group is targeting companies that operate in Sudan, provide few to no benefits to Sudanese citizens and generate revenue used by the Sudanese government to fund genocide.

Up to 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been forced from their homes in five years of fighting in Sudan, according to the Associated Press. The International Criminal Court last year issued arrest warrants for a Sudanese government minister and for a commander in the government-backed janjaweed militia, which has been blamed for the worst atrocities in Darfur.

The ICC is considering issuing a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, whom the court blames for the widespread rape and murder of civilians in refugee camps.

Despite the conflict’s horrific nature and international outcry, many firms continue to do business in Sudan in ways that support the Sudanese government’s campaign of terror, according to Divest Nebraska.

“As citizens of Nebraska, we don’t think that we should be investing in firms that support genocide,” said Sarah Beringer, a UNL student and Divest Nebraska member. “Divest Nebraska will be working very hard this school year to ensure that our state invests its money in companies that respect human rights.”

In addition to raising awareness on campus, the group intends to work with members of the Nebraska Legislature to pass divestment legislation, and engage students in their efforts to make an impact on human rights abuses in Sudan.

So far, 27 states and 61 universities have decided to divest from targeted companies doing business in Sudan, according to Divest Nebraska. To learn more, go to www.divestnebraska.org.