Palestinian grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign www.stopthewall.org June 2007 Towards a Global Movement for Palestine: A framework for today’s anti-apartheid activism Contents • Introduction … p.1 • What are BDS? … p.1 • Legacies of BDS: Activism and Apartheid South Africa … p.3 • Lessons learned: The Arab League Boycott … p.5 • Resurrecting Boycott as a Tool for Change … p. 8 • Challenges Ahead … p.9 • How can a boycott work? – Tackling key economic sectors … p.11 • Conclusion - Where Next in Building Unity for a Global Movement? … p. 13 A guide for Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions 1 lished in 2007, containing further Introduction detail and referencing. With the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanc- aim of supporting grassroots cam- tions (BDS) have gained currency in paigners, the study comes at a time recent years as a series of strate- when BDS solidarity has the poten- gies used to pressure Israel in the tial to grow into a truly global pursuit of justice for Palestinians. movement. Materials, resources Reminiscent of the global anti- and tools – based upon the frame- apartheid movement against South work of the report - are being Africa, various BDS initiatives have constantly added to emerged within a loose coalition of www.bdsmovement.net, an social movements, trade unions, invaluable site for today’s Palestin- churches, civil society groups and ian solidarity. activists. In the infancy of BDS cam- paigns there have been some nota- 1. What are BDS? ble successes. Yet, it is clear that initiatives need to strengthen and A united Palestinian Call for a gain greater popular support if they comprehensive BDS campaign are to be an effective force in sup- against Israel emerged in 2005 and port of Palestinians. has been signed by over 170 Pales- tinian organizations. Importantly We consider the scope for the devel- the signatories represent the three opment of a global BDS movement major components of the Palestin- which can work in accordance with ian people: the refugees in the dias- the goals set out by Palestinians in pora, Palestinians under occupation their calls. We assess the various in the West Bank and Gaza Strip objectives of BDS initiatives and and the subjugated Palestinians who conclude with a framework of hold Israeli citizenship. Their appeal goals, priorities and aims to take for external support invoked spe- such work forwards. The oft-cited cific solidarity strategies, all of model of the international anti- which have historical significance in apartheid movement against South challenging injustice. Africa will be explored to see if it forms a relevant basis for today’s oycotts, at least by name, BDS activism, and what strategies B originate from the experiences may be applied from past cam- of an Irish community in relation to paigns. The Arab League boycott an agent of a British landlord called will also be considered, and what Captain Boycott during the 19th can be learnt from other boycott century. As a means of expressing experiences that stretch back over local grievances held against Boy- half a century. cott, the community successfully isolated the agent and refused to This report is a summary of an deal with him. After he returned to extensive BDS study to be pub- England, the story immortalized his 2 last name and boycott has populace looks for external been used ever since to support in their struggle to describe the collective bring about social or politi- power of a group to ad- cal change. This becomes vance their goals via strate- even more pertinent when gies of ostracism. History the offender depends upon has shown how a variety of external backing in order boycotts can successfully to carry out and perpetu- overcome forms of injus- ate crimes. tice. Today activists and groups have many forms of boycott at their disposal: anctions can be deployed S across a wide array of institu- • Consumer/Payment tions, taking in measures made by • Trade and Embargo local community groups, to munici- • Cultural palities and city councils, to inter- • Academic national forums and bodies. They • Secondary (surrogate) are embodied in the actions taken • Sports to rebuke or inhibit the activities of • Tourist the offender, in ways conducive to Increasingly in northern-based so- attaining change. Momentum for cieties boycott refers to consumer sanctions tends to begin at a grass- rights and as an important tool of roots level even if implementation often relies upon decision-making protest, exercised through not purchasing the products of an of- bodies which have some claim to fending country, company or insti- representation. The phenomenon tution. In other parts of the world, of “peoples sanctions” developed boycotts remain one direct mecha- by the anti-apartheid movement referred to the success of cam- nism to ensure the attainment of basic rights and services (such as paigns that called for and suc- ceeded in ensuring mechanisms of over rents, electricity and water). Boycott calls can also be made in pressure were put upon South Af- situations where an oppressed rica. In some instances sanctions institutionalize the boycotts pro- moted by grassroots campaigns. At a higher level, sanctions are im- plemented by governments (local and national), associations such as the EU or NAM, or global agencies such as the UN or WTO. It can be argued they reinforce the strength and legitimacy of powerful actors, many of whom have questionable commitment to human rights and 3 social justice. However, making demands on these bodies also en- sures that powerful states and global institutions face up to their responsibilities regarding such rights and international law. Moreover, a strong movement advocating sanc- tions can stimulate consciousness- raising amongst the public and adds an important element of moral pressure to campaign work gener- ally, even if the sanctions them- 2. Legacies of BDS: selves are not always attained. In Activism and Apartheid recent years sanctions campaigns South Africa have emphasized various forms: South African history has en- • Diplomatic shrined boycotts, divestment and • Military/Arms sanctions as invaluable tools in • Economic/Trade combating oppression and injustice. • Oil/Energy How they were deployed can yield ivestment was first used in important lessons for a BDS move- D the 1950's as a way to de- ment today, and are also relevant scribe the stripping away of eco- given the parallels drawn between nomic investments as a mechanism Israel and apartheid South Africa in of protest and pressure. Today it is public opinion and academia. How- referred to as the process in which ever, their effectiveness and contri- an individual, group or institution bution to the South African strug- disposes of its stocks and shares gle requires consideration if cur- within a business or holding. rent campaigns are to emulate pre- vious solidarity. In solidarity work, divestment is While resistance to white rule pre- similar to sanctions in that it can ceded the struggle against the rely upon securing certain actions apartheid system introduced from by others (in this instance, share- 1948, it was not until the late 1950s holders or companies withdrawing that appeals for BDS emerged and investments). However, a variety of solidarity campaigns were launched. institutions exist in which individu- Early studies recognized that the als and constituents hold consider- South African economy was vulner- able stake and influence (churches, able to external pressure and cam- unions, universities, pension funds), paigns were organized around im- and which hold great potential for posing sanctions on the regime (oil, BDS campaigns. diplomatic and military), as well as developing boycotts against key 4 South African exports (agriculture, tional and support-building activi- coal). In other parts of the world, ties: distributing fliers and pam- especially in states directly opposed phlets, getting endorsements from to recognition of racist South Af- community leaders, showing films, rica, boycotts were promoted in sponsoring conferences and orga- sports, the arts and culture. nizing speaking engagements with black South Africans and Americans In Europe in 1963, Danish dockers with knowledge on southern Africa, set an important precedent when submitting newspaper articles, hold- they refused to unload a shipment ing cultural and social of South African goods. events, doing research on Dockers in Sweden also Connecticut investments refused to unload the and obtaining support and cargo and later that year endorsements from or- governing parties in Scandi- ganizations around the navia jointly proposed a state. Out of the relatively resolution advocating eco- small group emerged a nomic sanctions on South lobby powerful enough to Africa. It revealed how influence wider changes at initiatives taken on the a state level, symptomatic ground could pressure or of the success of outreach influence those with politi- programmes across the cal power. country. By the 1970s activists advo- The NAM and the UN cated that apartheid could became more vocal in their not survive without the condemnation of the re- external assistance which gime and South Africa was fuelling the economy emerged in the 1980s as an and entrenching a system of racial increasingly isolated pariah state. capital based upon the exploitation Nevertheless, western governments of black labour. Divestment activity and companies maintained their emerged on US university and col- economic ties with the regime. lege campuses and in city and town Western leaders claimed that apart- councils, targeting any companies heid could be reformed, while banks with links to the regime. Typically with strong interests in South Africa solidarity was driven by committed (such as Barclays) stated that grassroots activists. The Connecti- “economic ties and investment” cut Anti-Apartheid Committee were “the only viable instruments of (CAAC) formed in August 1978 peaceful change.” However, South had a nucleus of between six and Africa’s internal resistance rejected ten people on the steering commit- anything other than overthrowing tee for the first 18 months.