We’re in the headlines after we stunned everyone at
Apple’s big shareholder meeting this week!
Thanks to your signing, sharing and emailing your pension and
investment funds, we got FOUR TIMES as many votes for human
rights at the annual meeting than in any previous
year.
It was an unforgettable day for Tibetan-American activist
Sonamtso and SumOfUs’ very own Vicky. I couldn’t make the trip to
California, so I stayed glued to my phone for updates!
Sonamtso and Vicky after the AGM. Watch
video on Facebook or on
YouTube.
Armed with our 130,000 strong petition -- including your
name -- the intrepid pair made their way to the Steve
Jobs Auditorium at Apple HQ, California.
Sonamtso was excited and nervous. It was up to
her to make a speech to persuade Apple’s board to take
action on free expression. She was speaking for us all
directly to the top bosses of the world's second most valuable
company. And she nailed it! Watch
the video of her speech on Facebook or YouTube.
Minutes later, Sonamtso got her own face to face time
with Apple’s big boss Tim Cook. She politely confronted him and
delivered our petition!
When the vote came, a surge of support meant more than
40% of Apple investors backed us -- even though the company
told them not to and tried to block us at every turn.
Two firms that advise the world’s largest investors on
how to vote at company’s annual meetings -- ISS and Glass
Lewis -- came out in support of human rights and recommended
that investors vote for our proposal.
It looks like big investors listened to them, as well as
to 5,479 SumOfUs members who sent emails to their pension and mutual
fund managers, asking them to support our proposal.
Apple bosses know they have to respond. They’ve ignored us for
years -- but hours before the meeting, maybe panicking at
what was to come, we finally got an email from Apple. It’s
a start -- and we’ll be pushing to meet them face to face.
Apple bosses haven’t agreed to stop backing the government of
China -- yet. But it’s very clear we’ve rattled them.
Thank you for the regular donation you
already make. It means we are ready to leap in at a
moment's notice. But now we’ve got Apple on the ropes -- so it’s the
moment to redouble the pressure. Can
you chip in with a one-off donation today to keep the fight
going?
I’ll leave you with one final image from this week. Let’s
remember why we’re doing this.
Tibetan activists in Dharamsala light lamps for the oppressed
Tibetan, Chinese, Uyghur and Hong Kong peoples. Watch
the video on Facebook or Youtube.
Millions of people are living in fear of the
government of China. Waiting for a knock on the door. Terrified of
the concentration camps that await those who displease the
authorities.
If we keep working together, we can build on our success this
week. Together, we will make Apple see the light and stop
helping the government of China hurt people.
