27 October 2012
Dear Friends,
At the opening plenary of the African National Congress' (ANC) 3rd International Solidarity Conference, former Dutch anti-apartheid activist, Adri Nieuwhof, presented a statement on behalf of over 150 former international anti-apartheid activists (from more than 19 countries and belonging to over 35 organizations) calling on the ANC to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign. The statement reads:
"We -- former international anti-apartheid activists -- supported the ANC and the people of South Africa in their fight for liberation and against apartheid by mobilizing support for boycott, divestment and sanctions against the South African apartheid regime. We succeeded to put the crime of apartheid on the agenda of political parties, trade unions, churches…and concerned citizens. We called on people not to buy apartheid products and we discouraged tourism to the country. We campaigned for a weapons embargo, an oil embargo, a Krugerrand boycott, a sports, academic and cultural boycott."
"On the occasion of the 3rd ANC International Solidarity Conference, we call on the ANC to support the Palestinian people in their fight for freedom, justice and equality....We call on the ANC to support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) as expression of the party's solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people to enjoy their rights."
>>> Find the full statement and all signatories attached, below or at this website: http://tinyurl.com/9t33x27 <<<
Nieuwhof commented after presenting the statement on behalf of her international anti-apartheid counterparts: "We once galvanized world opinion against Apartheid South Africa, the time is to now galvanize world opinion against Apartheid* Israel. I am confident that the ANC will heed our call."
Signatories to the call include the former United Nations Centre Against Apartheid director, E.S. Reddy; Prexy Nesbitt of the World Council of Churches Program to Combat Racism; the acclaimed author and US civil rights activist, Alice Walker; Mireille Fanon, the daughter of Frantz Fanon and the current President of the Fanon Foundation; Victoria Brittain from the UK Anti-Apartheid Movement and Kate Gilford of the Mozambique Angola Guinea Bissau Information Committee.
If you would like to sign this international call (and fullfill the criteria, i.e. you were active in the international anti-apartheid movement) please send an email to alerts@bdssouthafrica.com with the following information:
1) your full name and surname;
2) the anti-apartheid organization that you may have been part of; and,
3) the country in which you were (most) active.
BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS in SOUTH AFRICA (BDS SOUTH AFRICA)
Office 915 | 9th Floor | Khotso House | 62 Marshall Street | Johannesburg
PO Box 2318 | Houghton | 2041 | Johannesburg
T: +27 (0) 11 492 2414 | F: +27 (0) 86 650 4836
BDS South Africa is a registered Non-Profit Organization. NPO NUMBER: 084 306 NPO
BDS South Africa is a registered Public Benefit Organisation with Section 18A status. PBO NUMBER: 930 037 446
* In 2009 the South African Human Sciences Research Council, in an investigation commissioned and funded by the South African government, found that Israel, through its policies and practices, meets the legal criteria for the crime of apartheid.
Dear South African Comrades,
We -- former international anti-apartheid activists -- supported the African National Congress (ANC) and the people of South Africa in their fight for liberation and against apartheid by mobilizing support for boycott, divestment and sanctions against the South African apartheid regime.
We succeeded to put the crime of apartheid on the agenda of political parties, trade unions, churches, non-governmental organizations, artists, sports bodies, universities and concerned citizens. We called on people not to buy apartheid products and we discouraged tourism to the country. We campaigned for a weapons embargo, an oil embargo, a Krugerrand boycott, a sports, academic and cultural boycott. We pressurized companies and banks to withdraw from apartheid South Africa. We mobilized thousands of people to participate in demonstrations against apartheid.
On the occasion of the 3rd ANC International Solidarity Conference, we call on the ANC to support the Palestinian people in their fight for freedom, justice and equality. We are deeply concerned about Israel's ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people with total impunity.
In 2005, Palestinian civil society released a call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel to pressurize the Israeli government to change. The call - anchored in universal human rights - deļ¬ned three basic Palestinian rights that constitute the minimal requirements of a just peace, namely, that Israel should:
- End its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantle its Apartheid Wall;
- Recognize the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and,
- Respect, protect and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
We call on the ANC to support the Palestinian call for BDS as expression of the party's solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people to enjoy their rights, including the right to self-determination.
ALL SIGNATORIES:- Adri NieuwhofHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Alan MaassAnti-Apartheid Alliance Northwestern Uni. ( USA )- Alice WalkerUS Civil Rights Movement ( USA )- Amir HassanpourWorld Confederation of Iranian Students ( USA )- Anette GrothAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Germany )- Angela Mai( Germany )- Anneloek Bunnik-TeenstraaWorking Group Kairos ( Netherlands )- Arn DekkerAnti-Apartheid activist ( UK )- Ate KooistraInterchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation ( Netherlands )- Baldwin SjollemaWorld Council of Churches Programme to Combat Racism ( Switzerland )- Basil ClunieChicago Committee in Solidarity with Southern Africa ( USA )- Beate Klein BeckerAnti-Apartheid activist ( USA )- Begona ZabalaInternationalist Women ( Basque Country )- Ben Khumalo-SeegelkenAnti-Apartheid activist ( Germany )- Bernard SpongSA Council of Churches ( South Africa )- Bertil HogbergAfrica Groups of Sweden ( Sweden )- Betty HunterNational Union of Teachers ( UK )- Billy FitzpatrickAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Billy Fletcher Jr.Trans Africa Forum ( USA )- Blake AlcottAnti-Apartheid activist ( UK )- Bob NewlandLondon Recruits ( UK )- Bob WareCalgary Free Southern Africa Committee ( Zimbabwe )- Brian CampbellSACTU Solidarity Committee ( Canada )- Brian DurransCommunity Heart Charity ( UK )- Carla SchuddeboomAmandla ( Netherlands )- Carol ThompsonAssociation of Concerned Africa Scholars ( USA )- Chandler DavisToronto Committee for the Liberation of Portugal's African Colonies ( Canada )- Charles HayesCork City Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Christabel GurneyAnti-Apartheid Movement ( UK )- Claudia OmoregieWorkshop Southern Africa ( Germany )- Cor GroenendijkShipping Research Bureau ( Netherlands )- Corrie RoeperLiberation Fund of Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Dave EsbesterAnti-Apartheid activist ( UK )- David HillmanLondon Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK )- David LeadbeaterCanadians Concerned About Southern Africa ( Canada )- David LloydUni. California Berkeley Faculty Against Apartheid ( USA )- Declan BreeAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Diane LangfordAnti-Apartheid Movement ( UK )- Dirk BakkerInterchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation ( Netherlands )- Doris BittarAnti-Apartheid activist ( USA )- Enuga Sreenivasulu ReddyUnited Nations Centre Against Apartheid ( USA )- Erik Bergh, van denWorking Group Kairos ( Netherlands )- Farouk DindarANC-Canada ( Canada )- Francesca VicecontiArtists Against Apartheid ( UK )- Frank KeoghanAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Frankie GreenAnti-Apartheid Movement ( New Zealand )- Gary KinsmanSimon Nkoli Anti-Apartheid Committee ( Canada )- Gavin BrownCity of London Anti-Apartheid Group ( UK )- George Shepherd Jr.American Committee on Africa ( USA )- Gert Van MaanenChristian Fellowship Trust ( Netherlands )- Gustave MassiahMovement Anti-Apartheid ( France )- Guus HoelenWorking Group Kairos ( Netherlands )- Hans BlumWorking Group Southern Africa ( Germany )- Harry DerksenSupport to ANC refugee camps ( Netherlands )- Heather GreyMartin Luther King Center Atlanta ( USA )- Helen McCueANC Support Committee ( Australia )- Herman Van SpijkerLiberation Fund of Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Hilde ScholtenAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )- Hildegard LenzKairos ( Germany )- Himan BannerjiYork Uni. Faculty Association ( Canada )- Howard DavidsonAlberta Anti-Apartheid Alliance ( Canada )- James GodfreyCoalition Against Apartheid ( Australia )- James E. RauchProtest Action Princeton ( USA )- Jannie BrightmanAnti-Apartheid activist in US Civil Rights movement ( USA )- Jannie DreezenFlemish Anti-Apartheid Coordination ( Belgium )- Jannie Van der KolkWorking Group Kairos ( Netherlands )- Janwillem RouwelerShipping Bureau ( Netherlands )- Joanne NaimanCanadians Concerned About South Africa ( Canada )- Johan Kesteren, vanHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- John GreysonSimon Nkoli Anti-Apartheid Committee ( Canada )- John MintoHalt All Racist Tours ( New Zealand, UK )- John RoseLondon Recruits ( UK )- John Y. JonesAnti-Apartheid activist ( Norway )- Joke Van MaanenChristian Fellowship Trust ( Netherlands )- Karel KosterHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Karel SolomonSydney People opposed to Racist Tours ( Australia )- Karl SchmidtFreedom for Nelson Mandela Committee ( Germany )- Karl-Gunnar NorenIsolate South Africa Campaign ( Sweden )- Karmelo LandoGuernica Committee ( Basque Country )- Kate GilfordMozambique Angola Guinea Bissau Information Committee ( UK )- Ken KeableSecret operations into South Africa ( UK )- Kier SchuringaAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Netherlands )- Klaus MassmanAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Germany )- Kolin ThumbadooAnti-Apartheid activist ( Australia )- Lester GreenCanadians Concerned About South Africa ( Canada )- Lisa HoelenWorking Group Kairos ( Netherlands )- Lisa McCaskellToronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada )- Lore HofmannAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Germany )- Lynda Anne LembergCanadians Concerned About Southern Africa ( Canada )- Margaret Bruun-MeyerToronto Committee for the Liberation of South Africa ( Canada )- Margaret LingAnti-Apartheid News ( UK )- Marja WeijdemaAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )- MarkUni. of Pittsburgh and city of Pittsburgh ( USA )- Meredeth TurshenAssociation of Concerned Africa Scholars ( USA )- Michael KuttnerOntario Secondary School Teachers Federation Divestment Action ( Canada )- Michael MacAonghusaAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Mike CushmanAnti-Apartheid Movement ( UK )- Mireille Fanon-Mendes FranceFrantz Fanon Foundation ( France )- Monira KitmittoAnti-Apartheid activist ( Lebanon )- Monser AnnerIsolate South Africa Campaign ( Sweden )- Nasser BarghoutiColumbia Uni. Students Against Apartheid ( USA )- Omar BarghoutiColumbia Uni. Students Against Apartheid ( USA )- Oystein TveterNetworkers South/North ( Norway )- Patrick BondJohn Hopkins Uni. Coalition for a Free SA ( USA )- Paulette Pierson MathyCommittee Against Colonialism and Apartheid ( Belgium )- Paulette StaalHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Penny NewellAnti-Apartheid Movement, Free Nelson Mandela Campaign ( UK )- Per GoransonIsolate South Africa Committee ( Sweden )- Peter CohenAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )- Peter HermesAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Netherlands )- Peter SluiterHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Peter Harold SmithLondon Recruits ( UK )- Pierre GalandEuropeans Against Apartheid ( Belgium )- Prabha KhoslaToronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada )- Prexy NesbittWorld Council of Churches Program to Combat Racism ( USA )- Rene RoemersmaAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )- Ria Haften, vanAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )- Richard FungToronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada )- Richard B. LeeToronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada )- Rob KlootwijkAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )- Robert NoorlanderHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Roger ColeAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Rosemarie HuysseHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- S FaziaSupport to ANC Delhi Mission ( India )- Sabino CuadraInternationalist Committee ( Basque Country )- Sean EdwardsAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )- Sherry WolfNorthwestern Uni. Anti-Apartheid Alliance ( USA )- Sietse BosgraHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Stephanie UrdangSouthern Africa Committee ( USA )- Sue BlackwellCambridge Anti-Apartheid Group ( UK )- Susan Pearl StoutSACTU Solidarity Committee ( Canada )- Sylvia HaleAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Australia )- Tim AndersonAnti-Apartheid Movement ( Australia )- Tim McCaskellfounder Simon Nkoli Anti-Apartheid Committee ( Canada )- Tony SouzaToronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada )- Toos Van LiereAnti-Apartheid Action ( Belgium )- Trevor PurvisCarleton Uni. Students' Association ( Canada )- Trineke WeijdemaHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Urko AiartzaAbertzale Left ( Basque Country )- Vicky RusselYoung Liberal Committee for SW England ( UK )- Victoria BrittainLondon Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK )- William MinterSolidarity with Southern Africa Liberation ( USA )- Wim MinnaardInterchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation ( Netherlands )- Wim ScholtenHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Wout NijlandHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )- Zeva SchubChicago Committee in Solidarity with Southern Africa ( USA )
+copy.jpg)