Number Three The newsletter of Washington's STATE-WIDE ANTI-APARTHEID NETWORK COCA COLA OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA, BUT IS IT THE REAL THING? Inside this issue of SWAAN Call: The latest on the Coca-Cola campaign (page two) Congress passes historic sanctions bill (page 11) National day of protest on 10 October (page 3) PLUS: Regional updates, October/November Freedom Calendar, and more . .. Products of DOES APARTHEID The Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola (classic, diet, cherry, etc.) GO BETTER WITH TAB Sprite Mello Yello Fresca Mr. PIBB Hi-C soft drinks Fanta Five-Alive COKE? Minute Maid Ju~ces Ramblin' root beer Bright and Early beverages Maryland Club coffee The Coca-Cola Company controls 90 percent Butter- Nut coffee of t he soft drink market in South Africa, Belmont Springs distilled water and is the third largest employer there, with 5,000 employees. Columbia Pictures Tri-Star Pictures (partial ownership) The company announced on 17 September that Embassy Television it c.Jould "disinvest" by selling its hold­ RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video ings to black South African businessmen, Walter Reade theatres so the public was confused that the Georgia Coalition for Divestment did not *********************************** cancel plans to launch a nationwide Coke What the Coca-Cola Company has to say: Divestment Campaign on 10 October. WHY? The goal is to pressure Coca-Cola into "We have committed $10 million to the leading corporate withdrawal from South Equal Opportunity Funds, independent Sou~h Africa. This has not happened. African foundations which we are confident will play a major role in the shaping of "For one thing," according to the Wall post-apartheid South Africa. Street Journal, "the company won I t lose "At the same time, we have been any money; its products will still be sold reducing our investment in South Africa through the 15 independent Coca-Cola for a number of years, and, because there bottlers in South Africa." The company has been so little progress in the will supply those bottlers. So Coca-Cola dismantling of apartheid, we are now will still be making money from and for preparing for the sale of our remaining apartheid. South African holdings." According to the Georgia Coalition for Divestment in South Africa, "Coca-Cola I s Analysis: Although Coca-Cola claims a move is not actually disinvestment. Total "longstanding commitment to help build a disinvestment must mean the cessation of black economic infrastructure," it has in all economic operations and connections, fact operated in South Africa for 48 including license, trademarks, factories, years. suppliers, and distributors." Without the continued presence of American By announcing that it will sell its South companies, the racist regime could not African holdings "because there has been maintain power over the black maj ori ty. so little progress in the dismantling of It is well documented that the apartheid apartheid," the Coca-Cola Company has in economy is dependent on foreign investment effect admitted that it should withdraw. for its survival. Although Coca-Cola is To see that the company acts on this not a "strategic product," the company principle will require commitment and pays millions of dollars in taxes which support for this campaign. Large-scale are used to conduct the exploitation and public actions will take place on Friday oppression of 22 million black South 10 October. There will be a demonstraton Africans. This cannot be reconciled--not at the Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta, even with a $10 million Equal Opportunity and press conferences and demonstrations Fund. American corporate disinvestment in every region of the United States. will cripple the apartheid machine. 2 "I was once employed by Coca-Cola in South Friday 10 October Africa. I worked as a day worker--that is if I was lucky enough to be chosen from 50 or so other workers vying to be chosen that day. Coke's management attitude National Protest Day for South easily thwarted any sense of dignity. African Divestment and Sanctions Hi tter were the uses of Coke in South Africa for us. Coke took advantage of us, barely paying enough to make a return trip National: One minute of silence at 10 a.m. to offer ourselves as exploited labor." Pacific Time (1 p.m. EST). Wear black --Thabo Raputo armbands and placards or sashes with names of South African political prisoners. Spokane: 7 p.m.: Concert by the Spokane WHAT YOU CAN DO: Triumph Community Choir, and a South African speaker on "Women and Apartheid." ***Take part in actions on 10 October. For information call SCAAR, 509-837-7870. ***Endorse the Coke Divestment Campaign, Denver: 10 a.m. demonstration at the Coca­ using the form on page 9. Cola bottling plant, 38th and York St. 7 p.m.: Rally at Macedonia Baptist Church. ***Hoycott Coca-Cola products and demand Speakers will include State Senator Regis that all Coke machines be removed from Groff. For information call 303-832-4508. your work/study place. Tacoma: Free South Africa Rally, 6:30 p.m. ***Send ideas for the campaign to the at Jason Lee Junior High, 602 N. Sprague. Georgia Coalition for Divestment in South Speakers on political prisoners, divest­ Africa, 92 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta GA ment, and Namibian liberation, plus films. 30303, telephone 404-586-0460. For information call 1-800-5-PARENT. Seattle: University of Washington: Students Against Apartheid rally at 12: 15 in front of the HUB, with speakers and a "tour of the University's connection to apartheid." Shoreline Community College will observe a minute of silence at 10 a.m. There will be a rally; for information call 564-4541. ****************************************** This day of protest was called at a national student anti -apartheid strategy session, and is supported by the Call-To­ Conscience network. FREE SOUTH AFRICA We urge everyone to participate in planned actions on 10 October. Or hold a press DIVEST NOW conference to announce your organization's BREAK ECONOMIC LINKS WITH APARTHEID endorsement of the Coca-Cola campaign and demand sanctions against South Africa. ****************************************** "You would not invest in a company that supplied a concentration camp, no matter how well it treated its employees."--from the Shell Boycott campaign 3 Seattle* Updates PEACE, JOBS & JUSTICE RALLY NW Ac tion for Peace, Jobs & Justice hopes to gather two thousand people for a march and rally on Sunday 2 November. Gather at CONFERENCE AT COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO the Federal Building (2nd and Marion, Seattle) at 1 p.m. An ANC speaker has Activists from six states attended the been invited. Fo r information call Gerry August conference on racism on aparthei d . Co ndon at 328-2451. Keynofe speakers were Tandi Gcabashe, national Coca-Cola campaign coordinator, The Seattle Coalition Against Apartheid and Carey Schaye, regional coordinator for celebrates its second anniversary on 24 the Shell boycott. November. For information about Coaliti on events, call Cece Beckwith at 328-3184. SOUTHERN AFRICAN VISITORS Edmonds: Maplewood Presbyetrian Church wi l l have a South Africa Sunday on 5 The National Council of Churches is Oc t o ber, beginni ng at 9:45 a . m. sponsoring South African women on a t o ur of the US. They will arrive in Seattle on Yakima: On 11 October, the Council of 8 October. Events include: Churches wi ll sponsor the Yakima Justice 2:30 p.m. People's Welcome at the Networking Conference, at Saint Paul's public market (Seattle) Cathedral, 12th and Chestnut, 9 a.m. to 4 7:30 p.m. public community welcome p.m. A woman from the South African at St. Mark's Cathedral (Seattle) Council of Churches will speak. For more They will speak in Seattle, Tacoma, information call 206-525-1988. Yakima, and Spokane, and at rallies on 10 Octcber. For details, call Reverend Loren Ellensburg: The Alaska-Northwest Presby­ Arnett at 525-1988 . terian Synod wi ll sponsor a conference on "Connections with South Africa" at CWU in The Namibian woman will travel to Portland Ellensburg, on Friday-Saturday 7-8 via Vancouver WA, speaking at Clark November. The keynote speaker is an College, and Portland City College. For exiled South African minister . For infor­ information call 206-693-1476. mation contact the synod at 720 Seneca, Seattle WA 98101 or call 206-623-4073 . The Seattle Chapter of the National Black United Front will host Elizabeth Sebiko, Denver* national chairperson of the women's division of the PAC (Pan-African Congress Linda Mizell Taylor told the regional of Azania), on 18 October at 7 p . m. at conference that the Colorado movement is CAMP, 18th and Cherry Streets, Seattle. alive and eager to connect with the Northwest. Linda is compiling a list of all resources--books, videos, films, Tacoma:* Multi-cultural conference on 10 speakers, papers, etc.--and asks anti­ October, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Jason Lee Jr. apartheid groups to send her an inventory High, 602 N. Sprague Avenue. Theme-­ of what they can share, and the cost (if enabling children to see the great any) . Call 303-832-4508 (Mon-Thur) or contributions their ethnic groups have write to Denver Coalition Against made. "Please wear authentic attire from Apartheid, 1660 Lafayette Drive, Denver CO your ethnic heritage." 80218. On 1 October, the City of Tacoma voted to divest its South Africa holdings. Valeriano Ferrao, Mozambique's ambassador to the US, will speak at the Park Hill NAACP meeting . 18 October at 9:30 p.m . A Montana: Butch Turk is area coordinator public reception is planne d ; call for and may be contacted at 406-549-9679. information. 4 Spokane* HAMILTON AMENDMENT FAILS Regional coordinator is Diane Jhueck, c/o Passage of Section 107 of the Intelligence SCAAR, West 321 Eighth Street, Spokane Authorization Act would have made congres­ 99204.