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In 1993 it became clear that the African National Congress
(ANC) was going to call for the lifting of economic sanctions. We had always based our sanctions campaigns
on the call for sanctions by the liberation movement, especially the
ANC. On behalf of The Africa Fund, Dumisani
Kumalo and I coordinated this statement.
It was released on September 24, 1993, the day of ANC
President Nelson Mandela’s address to the United Nations calling for the
lifting of economic sanctions. We also organized a series of meeting for ANC officials who
had come to the New York with Mandela.
Among those who addressed these meetings were Trevor Manual, then Head
of the ANC Department of Economic Planning and now Minister of Finance. Richard Knight, posted January 2003 [Home to richardknight.com] [Back to Sanctions and Divestment] |
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The Africa Fund 198 Broadway • New York, N.Y. 10038 •
(212) 962-1210 Tilden J LeMelle,
Chairman Jennifer Davis, Executive Director |
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EMBARGOED UNTIL 1PM
EST. September 24. 1993 |
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Contact: Richard
Knight (212) 962-1210 |
September
24, 1993 |
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U.S.
ANTI-APARTHEID LEADERS APPLAUD END OF SOUTH AFRICA SANCTIONS CALL FOR
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT, BLACK EMPOWERMENT |
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Over 40 leaders of the U.S. movement to support democracy
in South Africa today welcomed the call by African National Congress
President Nelson Mandela for the end of remaining sanctions against
apartheid. The statement, signed by a group of prominent Americans that
includes Illinois Senator Carol Moseley-Braun, New York Governor Mario M.
Cuomo, New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins, United Auto Workers President
Owen Bieber, NAACP Executive Director Benjamin Chavis, United Mine Workers President Richard Trumka, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning,
Africa Fund Executive Director Jennifer Davis and TransAfrica
Executive Director Randall Robinson, said that agreement on a multi-racial
interim government to conduct South Africa's first ever democratic elections
was “an important milestone on the road to democracy,” and urged returning
U.S. corporations to help redress the economic and social legacy of
apartheid. “Agreement on a transitional government has shattered
forever the white monopoly over political power in South Africa,” said Africa
Fund Director Jennifer Davis. “It is an historic victory for the people of
South Africa and for countless Americans, Black and white, who have supported
their struggle for freedom. The challenge ahead is to ensure that next year's
elections are genuinely free and fair, and that new investment empowers the
Black majority.” Over $300 billion in public and private funds have been
barred from investment in U.S. companies operating in South Africa. In the
wake of Mandela's announcement, pension fund managers and local officials are
expected to move quickly to end the investment ban. Although Federal sanctions against South Africa were
lifted by President Bush in 1991, about 100 cities and 27 states have
maintained their own financial measures against the apartheid system of legalized
racial discrimination. Some of the largest states in the country, including
California, Massachusetts, Illinois and Florida have sanctions measures,
while the list of cities with sanctions ordinances include New York, Los
Angeles, Miami and Chicago. African National Congress President Nelson
Mandela recognized the importance of these local measures in a July 27 letter
to The Africa Fund: “We hope that the cities and states that were the firm
backbone of the anti-apartheid movement in the United States will commit
themselves to actively supporting re-investment in the South African economy
in a socially responsible manner which will help address the devastating legacy
of apartheid.” Many of the signatories to today's statement played a
major role in passage of local sanctions laws, and they pledged to promote
responsible business practices by returning U.S. companies. The end of
sanctions, the statement reads, “will not bring an end to our concern for the
people of South Africa.... As sanctions are lifted we will urge corporations
to uphold the standards set by the democratic forces in South Africa for
socially responsible investment that will promote equal opportunity, workers'
rights, environmental protection and community development.” The sign-on statement
was initiated by The Africa Fund, The Interfaith Center on Corporate
Responsibility, the Washington Office on Africa, the
United Mine Workers of America and the United Auto Workers. “People of conscience
throughout America can take great pride in the fact that we helped to make
this historic victory possible,” the statement concludes. “We launched a
successful drive to use our investment funds and our purchasing power to
combat the evil of apartheid. Now we must strengthen our partnership with the
people of South Africa to eradicate the legacy of apartheid and build an
equitable society in which all can enjoy the fruits of democracy.” — ends — Established by The American Committee on Africa. 1966 • Contributions are tax-deductible |
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STATEMENT ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ELECTIONS AND THE CALL
FOR END OF SANCTIONS The South African government has
finally agreed to hold free and democratic elections in which Nelson Mandela
and the Black majority will vote for the first time. This is an important
milestone on the road to democracy for the people of South Africa. The African National Congress and
the democratic movement in South Africa have told us that they hope these
elections will be free and fair. Nevertheless, they have asked us to be on
guard for violations of this historic agreement and we intend to honor that
request. Today those of us who have worked
long and hard to end apartheid are pleased to be able to join Nelson Mandela,
the African National Congress, the trade unions and the democratic movement
in calling for an end to economic sanctions. This will not bring an end to our
concern for the people of South Africa. Apartheid will leave a terrible and
bitter legacy of inequality, injustice and poverty. We believe that Americans
can contribute to overcoming that legacy. As sanctions are lifted we will
urge corporations to uphold the standards set by the democratic forces in
South Africa for socially responsible investment that will promote equal opportunity,
workers' rights, environmental protection and community development. People of conscience throughout
America can take great pride in the fact that we helped to make this historic
victory possible. We launched a successful drive to use our investment funds
and our purchasing power to combat the evil of apartheid. Now we must
strengthen our partnership with the people of South Africa to eradicate the
legacy of apartheid and build an equitable and peaceful society in which all
can enjoy the fruits of democracy. ends For more information contact: The Africa Fund Phone: 212-962-1210 Fax: 212-964-8570 |
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SIGNERS OF STATEMENT ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ELECTIONS AND
THE CALL FOR END OF SANCTIONS Jerry E. Abramson, Mayor, City of Louisville, KY and President, U.S.
Conference of Mayors Owen Bieber, President, United Auto Workers Union Julian Bond, civil rights activist William Booth, President, American Committee on Africa Mark Brooks, President, Professional & Technical Employees Union Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church Paul J. Brownridge, City Treasurer, City of Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Joan B. Campbell, General Secretary, The National Council of Churches of
Christ in the U.S.A. Ernie Chambers, State Senator, Nebraska Legislature Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Executive
Director, NAACP Sophia Collier, President, Working Assets Common Holdings Imani Countess, Executive
Director, Washington Office on Africa Mario M. Cuomo, Governor. New York State Jennifer Davis, Executive Director, The Africa Fund. Wilhemina Deico, Representative, Texas State Legislature and Chair, South
Africa Task Force, National Conference
of State Legislatures David N. Dinkins, Mayor, City of New York Donald Fraser, Mayor, City of Minneapolis, MD Wayne E. Glenn, President, United Paperworkers
International Union Avel L. Gordly, State Representative, Oregon State Legislature John C. Harrington, Harrington Investments Elihu Harris, Mayor, City
of Oakland Interfaith Center on
Corporate Responsibility, New York, NY Amy Isaacs, National Director, Americans for Democratic Action,
Washington DC Sharpe James, Mayor, City of Newark, NJ Lynn H. Jondahl, State Representative, Michigan State Legislature Susan Katz, National President, National Council of Jewish Women Anita de Luna, MCDP, President, Leadership Conference of Women
Religious Carol Moseley-Braun, Senator, U.S. Senate Joseph M. Neal, Senator, Nevada State Legislature John F. Peterson, Chairman and CEO, Chartwell
Surety John Ray, Councilman, City of Washington, DC Mark Ridley-Thomas, Councilman, City of Los Angeles, CA Randall Robinson, Executive Director, TransAfrica Byron Rushing, Representative, Massachusetts State Legislature James Scheibel, Mayor, City of St. Paul, MN David Scondras, Councilman, City of Boston, MA Wayne D. Silby, Chairman, Calvert Social Investment Fund, Washington DC Virgil dark Smith, Senator, Michigan State Legislature. Joyce Sohl, D.eputy General Secretary,
Women's Division, United Methodist Church Joan Specter, Councilwoman, City of Philadelphia, PA Richard Trumka, President, United Mine Workers of America Donald Tucker, Councilman, City of Newark and Chairman, New Jersey
Black Issues Convention Albert Vann, Assemblyman, New York State Legislature Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, Union of
American Hebrew Congregations Richard Zeiik, for the Steering Committee, National Catholic Coalition
for Responsible Investment, Charleston, WV Robert Zevin, United States Trust Company Boston |