[pjw] UPDATE: City Council needs pressure to put companies back on no-buy list

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hi
Below is an updated email alert from Americans United for Palestinian 
Human Rights which was written last Thursday. On Friday, the City 
published the actual Council resolution being proposed by Commissioner 
Novick based on the input of the citizen advisory body. The 
resolution references 9 companies recommended by the Committee but not why 
they're not adding the other 7, including Caterpillar, Wells Fargo, and 
other human rights foes.

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/auditor/article/620472

The hearing is Thursday at 3:30 PM (assuming it's not snowed out).
dan h
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 03:14:45 +0000
From: "Peter Miller"
Subject: AUPHR Alerts: Important action needed to support
     City Council Socially Responsible Investment Campaigns

AUPHR Alerts - Palestine and Middle East Events

Dear Supporters of Occupation-Free Portland,

We REALLY need all hands on deck one more time. THIS COMING WEEK. On 
December 15 at 3:30pm the City Council will vote on the SRI 
recommendations and what companies to include. It is not yet clear what 
they will propose, however, we have some bad news from Commissioner Steve 
Novick' office: Novick is planning to introduce a resolution that 
doesn't have either Caterpillar or Wells Fargo on the Do Not Buy List 
(DNBL)!

This is very disappointing. The only companies he is recommending (besides 
keeping Walmart and the Fossil Fuel 200) is Nestle and Credit Suisse. 
Surely these companies deserve to be on the DNBL, but we are deeply 
disappointed that Caterpillar, Wells Fargo, and Bank of NY Mellon are not 
on the list.  Caterpillar is involved with violations of the Standing Rock 
Sioux tribal rights and gross human rights violations against Palestinians 
over many years.  Wells Fargo and Bank of NY Mellon are deeply complicit 
with the creation of private prisons. To add insult to injury, Wells Fargo 
was recently found to be defrauding thousands of customers by creating 
fake bank and credit card accounts in their names.

<snip expired action alert>

Also, please plan to attend the City Council hearing on Thursday 12/15 at 
3:30pm!

See more ideas below for calling and emailing members of Portland City 
Council. And Please Sign Enlace's petition! 
(http://auphr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9bfde066eca506e64013fa1db&id=328fa35b70&e=74b37ef680)



Occupation-Free Portland needs your help for our final push heading to the 
City Council vote which will be on December 15 at 3:30pm. We need you to 
call and write to City Council to show your support to add Caterpillar, 
Wells Fargo, Bank of New York Mellon and the other companies to the City's 
Do-Not-Buy list. Finally, we need our supporters come out and attend this 
December 15th meeting of City Council. Stay tuned for updates!

We had a tremendous day of testimony on November 30th when the Portland 
City Council took public testimony on the Socially Responsible Investments 
Committee Report. We want to thank all of the wonderful people who showed 
their support, including our allies like Enlace 
(http://auphr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9bfde066eca506e64013fa1db&id=91e9105a96&e=74b37ef680) 
, Climate Justice people, and our many fine speakers (almost 40!), 
including Cindy and Craig Corrie.  And thanks to Commissioner Amanda Fritz 
for kindly giving Cindy more time to speak.

The opposition was represented by the Jewish Federation, the Jewish 
Community Relations Council, and StandWithUs They came in full force and 
spent their time demonizing any criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic. 
Though they talked about the need for dialogue (even as they were 
insulting everyone who disagreed with them) they quickly left the room 
when their testimony was finished.  So much for dialogue. Unfortunately, 
they didn't see all the incredible and diverse array of voices speaking to 
uphold human rights, civil liberties, and environment justice and who were 
asking the city to put Caterpillar on the Do-Not-Buy list. They did not 
care that Caterpillar was helping build the Dakota Access pipeline and 
destroying the sacred sites of the Standing Rock Sioux in North Dakota, 
nor did they care about Caterpillar's role in fossil fuel extraction and 
the implications for our planet. They only care that companies complicit 
with human rights violation against Palestinians never be held to account. 
One thing is clear: they were unable to offer any testimony to show that 
Caterpillar does not indeed violate human rights!

Here is what is needed:

- Write or call members of Portland City Council to show your support for 
divestment

* Mayor Charlie Hales:  503-823-4120 mayorcharliehales at portlandoregon.gov 
(mailto:mayorcharliehales at portlandoregon.gov)

* Commissioner Nick Fish:  503-823-3589 nick at portlandoregon.gov 
(mailto:nick at portlandoregon.gov)

* Commissioner Amanda Fritz: 503-823-3008 Amanda at portlandoregon.gov 
(mailto:Amanda at portlandoregon.gov)

* Commissioner Steve Novick: 503-823-4682 novick at portlandoregon.gov 
(mailto:novick at portlandoregon.gov)

* Commissioner Dan Saltzman: 503-823-4151 dan at portlandoregon.gov 
(mailto:dan at portlandoregon.gov)


* If you are authorized to represent a faith organization or any other 
group, add that information.

* Talking points can be found here 
(http://auphr.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=9bfde066eca506e64013fa1db&id=48d3611e8f&e=74b37ef680) 
!

* It is fine to write a short comment. Tell the City Council why it is 
important to you that they put Caterpillar on the Do-Not-Buy list—it can 
be for violating Palestinian human rights, polluting our environment, 
contracting to dig the Dakota Access Pipeline, having poor corporate 
ethics, making bulldozers that are simply weapons of war.

* The full researched report on Caterpillar's violations can be found here 
(http://auphr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9bfde066eca506e64013fa1db&id=7721a96f94&e=74b37ef680) 
.

* We also urge you to support our ally, Enlace 
(http://auphr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9bfde066eca506e64013fa1db&id=0f6371d579&e=74b37ef680) 
. Let the City Council know you stand with the Prison Divestment movement 
and call for an end to the City of Portland's investment in prison 
profiteers. By investing in prison profiteers, the City’s financial 
future depends upon continued criminalization of our communities of color. 
Support placing Wells Fargo, the Bank of NY Mellon, JP Morgan Chase and 
HSBC on the Do-Not-Buy list.