Andrew Heavens reports for Reuters that MTN “is the latest big arrival. It bought the parent company of Sudan mobile operator Areeba in July last year. Late last month it re-branded Areeba as MTN-Sudan and since then it has been busy putting up its posters and stamping its name on the market”.

Although MTN does not appear on the Sudan Company report and is not a target for divestment, South African s should be alarmed that a company from our shores is making money in Sudan and as far as we know, have not spoken out against the Khartoum government.

MTN is not the only South African company in the Sudan. PetroSA is operating in Sudan and appears on the Sudan Company Report. A brief search reveals that Vodacom, SOEKOR and the Global Railway Engineering Consortium of South Africa are all also working or investing in Sudan (the latter’s venture in Sudan in 2004 was funded by Rand Merchant Bank).

None of these are targets for divestment but all of them, including PetroSA and MTN have some questions to answer:

• What can you do to create awareness and action amongst South Africans?
• What steps is your company taking to end the genocide?
• How much of your CSI budget is going towards efforts to support the victims of the genocide?
• What human rights and security issues should your company be addressing in Sudan?

For the full report on MTN’s involvement in Sudan, visit http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MCD652697.htm

By Dylan Wray