STATUS REPORT AND CALL TO ACTION FOR HAWAII PENSION FUND DIVESTMENT LEGISLATION. READ IMMEDIATELY.

The leaflet says in spite of valiant efforts by a coalition of Hawaii's people to overcome intense South African government opposition to this year's divestment measures, final victory is not yet in sight; the resolutions (H.C.R. 74, H.R. 135, S.C.R. 18 and S.R. 23) call for divesting state moneys from S. African investments, especially the very large State pension fund with over $150 million in S. African stocks. The leaflet says the resolutions are important because Pension Fund trustees have assured the legislature that steps to begin divestment will proceed if both Houses call for divestment; thus, although it is true that resolutions, unlike bills, do not generally have the force of law, in this case, it is more than likely that the public policy request of the legislature would be taken seriously. The leaflet says as reported in previous alerts, the South African government sent its ranking diplomat to Hawaii to lobby against divestment; the Honolulu Star Bulletin ran an article (with photo) that stressed the S. African government viewpoint; the article subtly discredited the divestment movement in the U.S. and the liberation efforts in S. Africa. The leaflet says one surprising testimony against the resolutions was provided by the Executive Director o£ the State pension fund, Mr. Stanley Siu. The leaflet says even though the S. African government appears to have reached into the higher levels o£ Hawaii's government and media, people of goodwill continue the struggle for justice for all S. Africans by spending long hours at the State Capitol lobbying, preparing testimonies and alerting others about the attempts by an alien racist government to influence public policy in Hawaii. The leaflet says they include: Leigh Simmerer, Renee Furuyama, John Kagehiro, Maivan Lam, Rev. John Norris, Gary Rodrigues, Anson Chong, Ah Quon HcElrath, June Shimokawa, Prof. Joel Fisher, Hilde Cherry, Roy Takumi, Randal Yoshida, J. N. Musto, Russell Okata, and Kamaki Kanehele. The leaflet says Hawaii organizations that have come forward to fight the alien racist regime with written testimony include: Hawaii Council of Churches, HGEA, UPW, UHPA, ILWU, HSTA, Board of Education, United Church of Christ, UH Task Force for Divestment, Hawaii Committee for Africa, American Friends Service Committee, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The leaflet says it is likely that the House Finance Committee will hold hearings on divestment resolutions this coming week; please contact your friends and/or groups you belong to and request that they provide written testimony £or the resolutions next week; chair of the Finance Committee is Joseph Souki. • WHY THE RESOLUTIONS ARE IMPORTANT • STATE PENSION FUND USES S. AFRICAN GOVERNMENT MATERIALS TO ARGUE AGAINST DIVESTMENT! • HAWAII'S PEOPLE FIGHT S. AFRICAN GOVERNMENT RACIST PROPAGANDA • KOKURA NEEDED THIS WEEK • YOU CAN HELP