AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE Pacific
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,.._ -AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE Pacific Northwest Region Portland Area Program Office January 1985 Monthly Report Southern Africa Program Evaluation of Demonstrations (also see attached news articles) Mr. Van Pelt resigned as honorary consul on January 18, 1985. A statement he released to the press is attached. Ten POSAF and Rainbow-Organizing committee members evaluated the demonstrations at the POSAF meeting on January 22nd. Positive aspects: clear target and purpose; strong feeling of solidarity; some friendships developed on picket line; heightened public awareness of South Africa and Oregon connections; diverse organizational involvement; good press coverage after the first two weeks. We need to make more of an effort to get people's names who are on the picket line, although we did get an overall list of 70 names. A need for a get together was expressed by many and one was planned for 2-1-85 at Aldo's, a restaurant in the same block as the former consulate location. (The restaurant claimed to have lost lunch business during the first demonstration due to the huge crowd on the sidewalk.) It was expected that 50-60 people would attend this gathering. A letter of appreciation was also sent to Aldo's and an art gallery (also on the same block) expressing thanks for tolerating the demonstrations. Personal contacts were also made with the owner or manager of these businesses by a member of the Rainbow Committee to express the same. A total of 26 people were arrested during the five weeks of demonstrations which began on December 12th. The legal committee will attempt to negotiate getting the charges dropped. All cases are being handled by over 20 volunteer attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild. Two city commissioners (who participated in the demonstrations) met with Mr. Van Pelt after he resigned. They reported that nothing was accomplished by the meeting.· Organizations supporting the demonstrations included: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; Central America Solidarity Committee; Black United Front; New Jewish Agenda; New Clear Vision; Clergy & Laity Concerned; Black Students Union of Portland State University; Oregon Rainbow Coalition; African Students Association of Portland State University; Black Women's Network; Oregon Grey Panthers; Oregon AFL-CIO; Oregon Democratic Party; Right to Privacy PAC; National Lawyers Guild. Divestment -- Possible next steps, strategies and priorities still being discussed include divestment. The Rainbow Organizing Committee will write the bill. Representative Margaret Carter of Portland will introduce it, and POSAF may be iiwolved with others in an educational tour around the state. POSAF will also be a co-sponsor on the bill. Kruggerand research is being done by several to determine, among other things, volume, who sells them, etc. Banks-- The past campaign will be examined. Port of Portland - A South African ship was recently unloaded. Portland longsho~emen have a history of racism and also of not being interested in boycotting 1 loads. It was suggested that AFSC staff in San Francisco active in the dockworkers action may be a helpful resource. Randall Robinson has committed to a Portland visit, either late in February or in early April if we can work it out with his schedule. POSAF Committee-- It was decided at the January 12th POSAF meeting that based on our experience with the demonstrations the committees we need to maintain are fundraising, boycotts, and education/outreach. "What's Right" --Two participants in civil disobedience, Professors Trevor Purcell and William Little, agreed to appear on "What's Right", the religious emphasis television program moderated by Reverend Terry Swicegood of Westminster Presbyterian Church. Calvin Van Pelt was one of the guests. Meeting with the Oregonian Editorial Board-- Ave! set up a meeting with the Oregonian Editorial Board which was attended by POSAF supporters Art Alexander (producer, Black community television, POSAF, media consultant); John Blank (Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, Rainbow Organizing Committee); Reymondo Marin (Director, Metropolitan Human Relations Commission); and Richard Brown (Rainbow Organizing Committee). The meeting was requested in response to the 'Outrageous editorial that followed the Consul's resignation. The outcome was an invitation to do an "In My Opinion". * Concert-- Ben Priestley has written a letter to James De Priest, Oregon Symphony Conductor, asking him to support us and to consider having a concert for the Free South Africa Movement. Thandie Konkoe, a Black South African woman journalist and health care worker, is on tour sponsored by the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. and the Council for Human Rights in Eugene. We have been asked to have luncheon for her on February 19th, Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. Cultural Boycott-- Programmers at North Coast Community Radio in Astoria, Oregon requested a list of performers being boycotted for performances in South Africa i-n order to participate in the boycott. "'JQ~:;-to Panel Participation -- Buff was a panel participant for a discussion on "South Africa and the U.S. -- An Immoral Connection" at Lewis and Clark College. Divestiture-- Ave! attended a meeting on State Divestiture at the State Capitol on January 17 ," 1985. Nineteen were in attendance, including nine state legislators. An initial plan for achieving this goal was laid out with several organizations and individuals taking responsibility for pieces of the work. Transafrica Meeting-- On Saturday, January 5, A vel attended a meeting at TransAfrica in Washington D.C. The meeting was attended by 18 people representing major cities involved in demonstrations, as well as by some of the Steering Committee of the Free South Africa Movement, including Randall Robinson and Rep. Walter Fauntroy who co-chaired the meeting and Mary Berry. As of January 4th, a total of 487 arrests had taken place in 11 of the 15 cities where demonstrations have been occuring. TransAfrica is asking groups to increase demonstrations and numbers of arrests, but at the same time not provoke the police 2 in any way, i.e., keep the focus on the issue. There is now a plan to have mayors arrested around the country. On January 19th, there will be a demonstration spear headed by Jesse Jackson. The focus will be on the link between jobs lost here and exploitation of cheap labor in South Africa. The main reason that TransAfrica is asking for a step-up in demonstrations and arrests is because of the divestment and other SA related legislation .that is being introduced in Washington, D.C. and other cities. Representatives Gray, Solarz, Fauntroy, Kennedy, and others are putting together a bill that would include a stop to new investment, ban the Kruggerand and put a ban on transfer of technology and military assistance. TransAfrica is working with a legal firm that will coordinate the legal strategies around the country. Kathleen Herron, National Lawyers Guild, will keep in touch with that firm and also give them information on Portland's activities. The National Council of Churches is doing a letter writing campaign on the Kruggerand and divestment. Roger Wilkins did a mini-workshop on how to work with the press. Mary Berry will be go0st-writing editorials for our use. Robinson has written a letter to CBS regarding the 60 Minutes program on South Africa. A copy of that is available, along with a 27 page rebuttal of points made in the program. Contact Avel for copies. BCTV Panel-- Avet, Ben and Reed Professor Trevor Purcell participated as panelists on alive call-in program on"Free South Africa ~.1\ovement Update"-- BCTV Channel 23. Art Alexander was host. *Note: According to Art Alexander, The Oregonian ac·knowledged that they did little or no research prior to·publishing editorial. The editorial was allowed to go t~rough based on hears~y and not solid reporting. 3 STATEMaNT OF CALVIN L. VAN PELT January 18, 1985 For more than a decade, I have served as Honorary Consul for the Republic of South Africa in the State 'of Oregon. For the past six weeks, the position I hold has been the target of public demonstrations. The demonstrations have involved picketing at my place of work every Wednesday and F~iday, culminating each day in a •media arrest• of one o~ more people for criminal trespass. ·While I respect the right of people to assemble and ·express themselves, these demonstrations-have done more. They have disrupted the conduct of business at my place of work, interfered with the lives and affairs of other tenants in my office building, and injured retail-business . in the vicinity. They have necessitated the hiring of private security pe~sonnel by my l.andlord, and have cost the public thousands of dollars for police protection for me and for those who 11•• and work around me. During the past decade, many positive changes have occur-red in South Africa, and many more are underway, making life better for all people in that country. For this reason, I have served as Honorary Consul proudly and enthusiastically. The pace-of progress in South Africa has been slower than many South African-s would have hoped, just as our civil rights movement has taken more time than many Americans would have hoped. Nevertheless, substantial progress has been and .is beingmade. It is.now·clear that the demonstrations will not cease, and that I cannot continue to serve without inflicting further hardships on those who live and work around me. This I cannot conscientiously do. I am certain .. that.some elements will regard my resignation as a victory, but it is a·triumph for harassment, not of ideas. Fair minded people will assess this situation on its merits, not by protesters' ability to coerce resignations of unpaid consuls. Accordingly, I have today withdrawn from my position as He>horary Consul for the Republic of South Africa.