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 – deï¬ 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.
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ALL SIGNATORIES :
– Adri Nieuwhof Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Alan Maass Anti-Apartheid Alliance Northwestern Uni. ( USA ) – Alice Walker US Civil Rights Movement ( USA ) – Amir Hassanpour World Confederation of Iranian Students ( USA ) – Anette Groth Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Germany ) – Angela Mai
( Germany ) – Anneloek Bunnik-Teenstraa Working Group Kairos ( Netherlands ) – Arn Dekker Anti-Apartheid activist ( UK ) – Ate KooistraInterchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation ( Netherlands ) – Baldwin Sjollema World Council of Churches Programme to Combat Racism ( Switzerland ) – Basil Clunie Chicago Committee in Solidarity with Southern Africa ( USA ) – Beate Klein Becker Anti-Apartheid activist ( USA ) – Begona Zabala
Internationalist Women ( Basque Country ) – Ben Khumalo-Seegelken Anti-Apartheid activist ( Germany )
– Bernard Spong SA Council of Churches ( South Africa ) – Bertil HogbergAfrica Groups of Sweden ( Sweden )
– Betty Hunter National Union of Teachers ( UK ) – Billy Fitzpatrick Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Billy Fletcher Jr. Trans Africa Forum ( USA ) – Blake Alcott Anti-Apartheid activist ( UK ) – Bob Newland London Recruits ( UK ) – Bob Ware Calgary Free Southern Africa Committee ( Zimbabwe ) – Brian Campbell SACTU Solidarity Committee ( Canada ) – Brian Durrans Community Heart Charity ( UK ) – Carla SchuddeboomAmandla ( Netherlands ) – Carol Thompson Association of Concerned Africa Scholars ( USA ) – Chandler Davis Toronto Committee for the Liberation of Portugal’s African Colonies ( Canada ) – Charles Hayes Cork City Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Christabel Gurney Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK ) – Claudia Omoregie Workshop Southern Africa ( Germany ) – Cor Groenendijk Shipping Research Bureau ( Netherlands ) – Corrie Roeper Liberation Fund of Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Dave Esbester Anti-Apartheid activist ( UK ) – David Hillman London Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK ) – David LeadbeaterCanadians Concerned About Southern Africa ( Canada ) – David Lloyd Uni. California Berkeley Faculty Against Apartheid ( USA ) – Declan Bree
Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Diane Langford Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK ) – Dirk Bakker Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation ( Netherlands ) – Doris Bittar Anti-Apartheid activist ( USA ) – Enuga Sreenivasulu Reddy United Nations Centre Against Apartheid ( USA ) – Erik Bergh, van den Working Group Kairos ( Netherlands ) – Farouk Dindar ANC-Canada ( Canada ) – Francesca Viceconti Artists Against Apartheid ( UK )
– Frank Keoghan Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Frankie GreenAnti-Apartheid Movement ( New Zealand )
– Gary Kinsman Simon Nkoli Anti-Apartheid Committee ( Canada ) – Gavin Brown City of London Anti-Apartheid Group ( UK ) – George Shepherd Jr.American Committee on Africa ( USA ) – Gert Van Maanen
Christian Fellowship Trust ( Netherlands ) – Gustave Massiah Movement Anti-Apartheid ( France )
– Guus Hoelen Working Group Kairos ( Netherlands ) – Hans BlumWorking Group Southern Africa ( Germany )
– Harry Derksen Support to ANC refugee camps ( Netherlands ) – Heather Grey Martin Luther King Center Atlanta ( USA ) – Helen McCue ANC Support Committee ( Australia ) – Herman Van Spijker Liberation Fund of Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Hilde Scholten Anti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands ) – Hildegard Lenz Kairos ( Germany ) – Himan Bannerji York Uni. Faculty Association ( Canada ) – Howard Davidson Alberta Anti-Apartheid Alliance ( Canada ) – James GodfreyCoalition Against Apartheid ( Australia ) – James E. Rauch
Protest Action Princeton ( USA ) – Jannie Brightman Anti-Apartheid activist in US Civil Rights movement ( USA )
– Jannie Dreezen Flemish Anti-Apartheid Coordination ( Belgium ) – Jannie Van der Kolk Working Group Kairos ( Netherlands ) – Janwillem Rouweler Shipping Bureau ( Netherlands ) – Joanne Naiman Canadians Concerned About South Africa ( Canada ) – Johan Kesteren, van Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – John Greyson Simon Nkoli Anti-Apartheid Committee ( Canada ) – John Minto Halt All Racist Tours ( New Zealand, UK )
– John Rose London Recruits ( UK ) – John Y. Jones Anti-Apartheid activist ( Norway ) – Joke Van Maanen Christian Fellowship Trust ( Netherlands ) – Karel Koster Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )
– Karel Solomon Sydney People opposed to Racist Tours ( Australia ) – Karl Schmidt Freedom for Nelson Mandela Committee ( Germany ) – Karl-Gunnar Noren Isolate South Africa Campaign ( Sweden ) – Karmelo LandoGuernica Committee ( Basque Country ) – Kate Gilford Mozambique Angola Guinea Bissau Information Committee ( UK ) – Ken Keable Secret operations into South Africa ( UK ) – Kier Schuringa Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Netherlands ) – Klaus Massman Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Germany ) – Kolin Thumbadoo Anti-Apartheid activist ( Australia ) – Lester GreenCanadians Concerned About South Africa ( Canada ) – Lisa Hoelen Working Group Kairos ( Netherlands ) – Lisa McCaskell Toronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada ) – Lore Hofmann Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Germany ) – Lynda Anne Lemberg Canadians Concerned About Southern Africa ( Canada ) – Margaret Bruun-Meyer Toronto Committee for the Liberation of South Africa ( Canada ) – Margaret Ling Anti-Apartheid News ( UK ) – Marja Weijdema Anti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands ) – Mark Uni. of Pittsburgh and city of Pittsburgh ( USA ) – Meredeth TurshenAssociation of Concerned Africa Scholars ( USA ) – Michael Kuttner Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation Divestment Action ( Canada ) – Michael MacAonghusa
Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Mike Cushman Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK ) – Mireille Fanon-Mendes France Frantz Fanon Foundation ( France ) – Monira Kitmitto Anti-Apartheid activist ( Lebanon )– Monser Anner
Isolate South Africa Campaign ( Sweden ) – Nasser Barghouti Columbia Uni. Students Against Apartheid ( USA )
– Omar Barghouti Columbia Uni. Students Against Apartheid ( USA ) – Oystein Tveter Networkers South/North ( Norway ) – Patrick Bond John Hopkins Uni. Coalition for a Free SA ( USA ) – Paulette Pierson MathyCommittee Against Colonialism and Apartheid ( Belgium ) – Paulette StaalHolland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )
– Penny Newell Anti-Apartheid Movement, Free Nelson Mandela Campaign ( UK ) – Per Goranson Isolate South Africa Committee ( Sweden ) – Peter Cohen Anti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands ) – Peter Hermes Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Netherlands ) – Peter Sluiter Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Peter Harold Smith London Recruits ( UK )– Pierre Galand Europeans Against Apartheid ( Belgium ) – Prabha KhoslaToronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada ) – Prexy Nesbitt World Council of Churches Program to Combat Racism ( USA ) – Rene Roemersma Anti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands )– Ria Haften, vanAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands ) – Richard Fung Toronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada ) – Richard B. Lee Toronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada ) – Rob KlootwijkAnti-Apartheid activist ( Netherlands ) – Robert Noorlander Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Roger Cole Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Rosemarie Huysse Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands )
– S Fazia Support to ANC Delhi Mission ( India ) – Sabino CuadraInternationalist Committee ( Basque Country )
– Sean Edwards Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland ) – Sherry WolfNorthwestern Uni. Anti-Apartheid Alliance ( USA ) – Sietse Bosgra Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Stephanie Urdang Southern Africa Committee ( USA ) – Sue Blackwell Cambridge Anti-Apartheid Group ( UK )
– Susan Pearl Stout SACTU Solidarity Committee ( Canada ) – Sylvia Hale Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Australia ) – Tim Anderson Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Australia ) – Tim McCaskell founder Simon Nkoli Anti-Apartheid Committee ( Canada ) – Tony Souza
Toronto Committee for the Liberation of Southern Africa ( Canada ) – Toos Van Liere Anti-Apartheid Action ( Belgium ) – Trevor Purvis Carleton Uni. Students’ Association ( Canada ) – Trineke Weijdema Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Urko Aiartza Abertzale Left ( Basque Country ) – Vicky Russel Young Liberal Committee for SW England ( UK ) – Victoria Brittain London Anti-Apartheid Movement ( UK ) – William Minter
Solidarity with Southern Africa Liberation ( USA ) – Wim MinnaardInterchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation ( Netherlands ) – Wim Scholten Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Wout Nijland
Holland Committee on Southern Africa ( Netherlands ) – Zeva Schub Chicago Committee in Solidarity with Southern Africa ( USA )
