African Activist Archive

Contents:SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID • HISTORY OF RIDvest • WHY DIVEST? • WHAT CAN YOU DO? • INFORMATION SOURCES • The brochure says South Africa is the only country in the world which constitutionally enshrines racism, through its apartheid system. South Africa's 4.5 million whites ruthlessly control the political, social and economic lives of the country's 26 million Blacks; although whites are only 16% of the population, they control 87% of the land, denying Blacks access to employment and educational opportunities, as well as all political rights. Opponents of apartheid are jailed and are often tortured and even executed. Apartheid is diametrically opposed to the American ideals of freedom and justice. Investment by U.S. corporations in South Africa helps to support the system of apartheid; without foreign investment and assistance, the minority could not oppress the majority. The brochure says the RIDivest coalition, which now has more than 50 member organizations, began in March 1983; it is part of the nationwide movement calling for divestment of public and private funds from U.S. corporations operating in South Africa. RIDivest has worked for passage of a divestment bill and also educates the public about the horrors of apartheid and the need to end U.S. economic support for it. The brochure promotes divestment as a way to take concrete cation against apartheid addressing companies, banks, schools, State pension funds, and other institutions. By late 1984, five U.S. states and 20 major cities had enacted divestment legislation. The brochure mentions winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize Bishop Desmond Tutu, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Africa, Joseph E. Newsome, Prudence Mashile, American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), local contact Claude Elliott, and the American Committee on Africa (ACOA).

African Activist Archive

RIDivest

A STATE-WIDE COALITION WORKING FOR DIVESTMENT OF R.I. STATE PENSION FUNDS FROM U.S. CORPORATIONS DOING BUSINESS IN SOUTH AFRICA

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