Contents: Background • Boycott Activities • 1. What Member Can Do • 2. Congregations, Denominations, Parishes and Peace with Justice Networks Can • 3. Local Coalitions Can • Resources • A Call from Archbishop Desmond Tutu • The report says South Africa's religious community remains one of the last major institutional voices not yet silenced by the Botha government's intensified repression of the struggle for freedom; its leaders, including Rev. Allan Boesak, Rev. Frank Chikane and Fr. Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, have called for comprehensive sanctions and additional effective economic pressures which, in the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, constitute "the last tool in the hands of...
Contents: Background • Boycott Activities • 1. What Member Can Do • 2. Congregations, Denominations, Parishes and Peace with Justice Networks Can • 3. Local Coalitions Can • Resources • A Call from Archbishop Desmond Tutu • The report says South Africa's religious community remains one of the last major institutional voices not yet silenced by the Botha government's intensified repression of the struggle for freedom; its leaders, including Rev. Allan Boesak, Rev. Frank Chikane and Fr. Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, have called for comprehensive sanctions and additional effective economic pressures which, in the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, constitute "the last tool in the hands of the international community for peaceful change." The report says the U.S. faith community's implementation of the international Shell boycott will demonstrate the ties that bind us to our South African sisters and brothers in a common struggle to abolish apartheid; the boycott will do more than send a strong moral message to the largest international oil company in South Africa; it will affirm the positive power of a unified religious community to effect social change--a potential acknowledged in the anti-boycott Neptune Strategy commissioned by Shell. The report says individual members can refuse to purchase Shell products, and encourage others to do the same; sign the attached No-Purchase Pledge and send it to the National Council of Churches Africa Office, to be forwarded to Shell; return their Shell credit cards and inform the company why they are doing so; send printed postcards, available from ICCR, to Shell's CEO calling for Royal Dutch/Shell to leave South Africa; Call Shell's toll free number, ask to be connected to the Houston Office, and urge them to ask Royal Dutch/Shell to leave South Africa. The report says local coalitions can join with other religious, community, labor, civil rights and anti-apartheid groups to support administrative action and legislation to insure cities, states and other institutions prohibit bulk purchases of Shell products; Initiate protests at Shell locations to dramatize the call for Shell to end its South Africa business; and urge local radio stations to publicize the Shell boycott using available public service announcements. The report says Los Angeles and San Francisco coalitions have passed strong selective purchasing laws which prohibit or penalize city government purchases of products from Shell and other companies which do business in South Africa; New York City organized a successful march from Mobil Oil to Shell offices, where they held a rally to commemorate Soweto Day; WBCN is waging a popular "Shell Shock" campaign to spread the boycott in the Boston area. The report says resources include the Boycott Shell/No-Purchase Pledge; the Boycott Shell bulletin; Shell Boycott Public Service Announcements; ICCR Brief: "Fueling the Machines of Apartheid: Shell in South Africa" by Catherine M. Novak; ICCR Brief: "The Neptune Strategy: SHELL Battles it Antiapartheid Critics" by Diane Bratcher; Shell Boycott Campaign Materials; Shell Boycott Implementation Packet; Sample resolutions; and Postcards calling on Royal Dutch/Shell and Mobil Oil to leave South Africa. The report includes a quite by Archbishop Desmond Tutu from May 3, 1988. The report discusses ICCR (Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility), the NCC (National Council of Churches), the NCC Africa Office, the United Mineworkers of America, the Boycott Shell Campaign, brochures, buttons, bumper stickers, posters, and video tapes. [This document may have been produced by the Center for South African Ministry.]
