3rd Dec 07 - Alstom, the French energy and rail infrastructure group, is the latest company to be hit by an institutional investor boycott over business links in Sudan. KLP, Norwegian life and pensions company, is excluding Alstom from its index portfolio for alleged violations of human rights at a Sudanese hydro-power dam project.

TEN SECOND ACTION: The diplomatic circus surrounding the invitation of Robert Mugabe to the EU-Africa summit has obscured a more ominous silence by the EU. No-one has mentioned the invitation issued to President Bashir of Sudan.

Bashir and his government has remained defiant to the International Criminal Court indictments, obstructed the UNAMID peacekeeping force and caused endless delays to the delivery of humanitarian aid. The Government has rejected troops from contributing nations, delayed the granting of basic rights, denied visas, wrapped aid supplies in red tape and expelled UN and humanitarian officials.

Incredibly, it is reported that Darfur is not even on the agenda of the summit.

Kansai Electric Power Company, Japan’s second-largest electricity generation firm, will cut crude oil imports from Sudan over concern that oil revenues are being used to fund the Sudanese government’s military campaign in Darfur, according to a recent Bloomberg News Report.