198 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10038 I(212)962-1210 I (able AMCOMMAF CAmerican Committee On AfricaFALL 1984 Student Anti-Apartheid Movement Newsletter The tempo of protest and repression in South Africa has escalated dramatically over the past month, centering around widespread rejection of elections to newly created and powerless "Indian" and "Coloured" chambers of parliament. While the Reagan Administration has praised these sham elections--which exclude Blacks from even a token role--hundreds of protesters have been arrested and dozens shot dead in the townships of South Africa. Now it is even more critical for you to participate in campaigns to end U.S. support of South Africa and build direct support for those struggling to end apartheid. Along with a summary of the recent surge in divestment victories, this mailing contains information on political prisoner campaigns, Spring 1985 Weeks of Action, and Fall events. We hope that you will participate fully in these vital mobilizations: SATURDAY OCTOBER 6: A Southern Regional Anti-Apartheid Conference will be held in Atlanta focusing on campus and legislative divestment organizing, U.S. foreign policy, and material aid campaigns. FOR INFO CONTACT: Tandi Gcabashe c/o AFSC 92 Piedmont Ave Atlanta 30303 #404-586-0460 THURS OCT 11: The North American Regional Anti-Apartheid Conference held at the United Nations June 18-2.1 called for a day of Coordinated Protest in Solidarity with Southern African Political Prisoners on October 11. On that day we encourage you to hold events focusing on political prisoners as well as targeting your school or other local institution for divestment protests. At noon a minute of silence should be observed outside protest targets to indicate respect for victims of apartheid. By October 4 please mail ACOA (198 Bway NYC 10038) filled out copies of the petition on back page for the release of Nelson Mandela to be presented at an Oct 11 UN Session. SAT NOV 10: At Dwight Hall off High Str. on the old campus of Yale University in New Haven from lOam-6PM there will be a Northeast Regional Anti-Apartheid Conference. Focuses will be: l)Legislative divestment efforts 2)Campus anti-apartheid organizing 3)Spring 1985 Weeks of Action. FOR INFO: ACOA #212-962-1210 (Planning Mtg l1am Sat Sept 22) -198 Bway NYC Rm 402 EIGHT MAJOR DIVESTMENT VICTORIES SCORED IN PAST NINE MONTHS -On August 3, 1984 the trustees of the New York City Employees Retireme'h Sqft n voted unanimously to gradually withdraw the system's $665 million invested in . c'll"ani's'd_ .ink.'oig bet%nts's in Sdouth'Afrii ; Th"me ". .....M.I... o is cie'tll $:I00) m iilj'i at samge moth ifrwr, Ne ert' 1 ty odinane nwa u olivan,Co signaigse 3)Wiises; mnin five iyF pthe.i eund gnmed o cp rpus i' d, osiedin6outh ~fiAt ~thend~r-.@ xe f, caan<thqpg'rd.Pm a~i~ad d , mesatrta l pbeoeugistokontldi innil asistance to efforts to end apartheid." This should effect divestment from almost -I5 milo-th BoSton ky kedunto at an ordinance,-to:. )eampv all dcity'.saey deposited in lengrso Sguh si , -TNaibiasnd 2)Divest all stockholdings in Afr a ations gert siilr &utbil Africa and NamCbiy wThe opgasurewil affeact etee 0l-20 million. That same month in Newark, New Jersey a city ordinance n ! Mryarte diemandatin dizestmnt of city pension funds linked to South Africa. !g .- __, - -I 1shit [iouh tahidtaetioph isla oendiwfe diveedI -. , c , stment i -$65 fflid' in iiteks linked . tSouh AOnt o ab -ecmd aspie fa oIservTiv -rv Beffort i Congress. This measure 'f4ol0lowed a sucessfulbind g referendum in Santa Cruz (Dec 1983) cutting city links h1.fan fiks leifi 7E& South Africa and passage of a similar bill in Camahoga County which encompasses Cleveland. In Marcha partial divestment bil was also enacted in Nebraskasand Maryland became tie grsKsouthernstte to ps, lesislation'withenatmentRof a bankdivoestmeht bill. -On So4t0me. ayor Flynn d rdt t speaehsa e unaghi is ;ecison by the io -Execttiie: Commi'tefofih U.S.- 6n f~tende of 1-4 6yrs to rec, mmeind paisage of divestmen6k.egts4ation i41UScie. DIVESTMNT SMA-RY,:,Bindin ddivestmp iea7ures affecting t$400millto in publice -fnds ltethis datg.,have now beep:x enacted in:.,, Five~ ~ ~ SperCureiuMsahuaetts,.Mlchigan-(- 2 bills), ;.3ebraqka; anidMaryland. 12 Citiesand counties: Philadelphia, Boston, Berkeley, Cambridge, Cotati, Davis, dayahoga~oiinty rs,~Idoa York, Newark, Wilmington, and Washington DC. -Io a, citin, non-idn dietetreouIn have been pasae4 inknw ous ,places. -sa y including:, FXensgsAtlanta,...Po3rtland[i ~~-iut,a,- .EaseLai"ing, Graqd,-Rakt~ds and lMultnomah County. -Over 40 uT.S: eeI1eges and 'unf'('eritiii have di-iresteda tota o6f' about :$175 -milion io:Sauth Aftit~a-lihked holdings'-i'nde :1977 . 'Fotal sdiiiitmei Ehas taken' placea nine schobols' led~by:';Univ of 1isedinan ($r mll, ih State n'v$72mill), Agine ($3 mill) . PtfASE -TIINO0VER... -Make multiple copies (8 x 11") of the petition/declaration (below) which was initiated by Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, President of the British Anti-Apartheid Movement and backed by the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. Immediately begin tabling to gather signatures. -By October 4 mail all petitions that have been filled out to: American Committee on Africa, 198 Broadway NYC 10038 #212-962-1210 -All petitions received will be presented at a special United Nations Session in Solidarity with Southern African Political Prisoners to be held on Thursday October 11. Continue petitioning even after Oct 11. and save copy of each petition. (eo- below) PETITION FOR THE RELEASE OF NELSON MANDELA AND ALL SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL PRISONERS Nelson Mandela has been held by the South African authorities in continuous incarceration for over twenty years since his arrest on August 5, 1962. He continues to be a living symbol of resistance to apartheid. Nelson Mandela has dedicated his live to the cause of free dom for his people. He has been at the heart of numerous struggles against the injustices of apartheid and racial tyranny in South Africa for almost forty years. On June 12, 1964, together with Walter Sisulu and other African National Congress leaders, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. For Nelson Mandela and all other political prisoners in South Africa a life sentence means life. We cannot accept that Nelson Mandela and other imprisoned leaders would be allowed to spend the rest of their lives in the dungeons of apartheid. We refuse to believe that the world can any longer tolerate the defiance of the South African authorities in the face of world-wide appeals for the release of Nelson Mandela. We, therefore, declare our determination to actively strive for the release of Nelson Mandela and all South African political prisoners and urge the United Nations and their Governments and peoples of the world to join us in this endeavor: signature atreet ades printedname city,state,zip sinature street address . 2 printed name citystate'zip signature street address 3 printed name cftyetatezip signature 'tet address 4 printed name city,state,zip . tre tretetd1 re;. 6 printedname citytate,zip signature streetaddress 6 printedname citystateip - signature .streetaddress' 7 printed name citystate,zip sionature. striet address' 8 printedname citystate, zip signature street address 9 printed name city,statezip signature streetaddress 10o printedname ciystate'zip Please return petition to: (If possible by Oct 4) American Committee on Africa, 198 Bway NYC 10038 American Committee On Africa S .198 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10038 1(212)962-1210 I Cable AMCOMMAF ) iFALL 1984 CAMPAIGN FOR THE RELEASE OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN PRISONERS (List on back...) As resistance to apartheid grows in South Africa and Namibia, evergrowing numbers of people are being thrown into the dungeons of the white minority regime, where they are subject to electric shock treatment, daily beatings and other forms of torture. Adding to this, the police are now installing 24-hour surveillance cameras in the cells of political detainees in an effort to shatter all psycholo gical defenses to interrogation. .Britain, Scandinavia and otber.parts of the world therehave been sstematic ,aqpaign5 waged for the release of Namibian and South African prisoners. 1 [Ai natek!, in the United States the anti-apartheid movement has not developed such a focus. It is time to do so now. In.orde' tO assist in the launching of such a campaign the American Committee has developed tbe following list of Namibian and South African (see back of page) v soners a l6o with suggestions for :campaigning... In developing this resource -we vs been assi tpd by the International Defense and Aid Fund, the African National Congress, the P. n Africanist Congress, and SWAPO. f OUTLINt OF CAMPAIGN (Adopt-a-Prisoner) '. .he successful prisoner support campaigns must be ongoing. This fall is'thl-t'Ime to lay the basis for campaigns in support of bothNamibian and 4 4 Xfrcan prisoners of apartheid. l)On October 11 hold an event geared to building support of a prisoner support campaign. For example, petition and supply your audience with infor'mation about the prisoners You have decided to ad atd are pressuring your school or other local institution to adopt. By-October 4' you should already have sent in the petitions we, supplied for the release of Nelson Mandela after several weeks of intense petitioning. October 11 is the time to take the next step by including a focus on additional specific prisoners, particularly Namibians. • On October ii we are suggesting that groups observe a minute of silence at noon on behalf of victims of apar theid in the course of divestment demonstrations. *2)Out of the list of Namibian prisoners we are asking each group to select at 4eae-oe~-sw - the--y'atr agrre--eo-tk-~o.