Dear Friends,
 
At the opening plenary of the African National Congress' (ANC) 3rd International Solidarity Conference, former Dutch anti-apartheid activist, Adri Nieuwhof, presented a statement on behalf of over 150 former international anti-apartheid activists (from more than 19 countries and belonging to over 35 organizations) to the ANC, South Africa's ruling party. The statement calls on the ANC to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel campaign. The statement reads:

 

>>> Find the full statement and all signatories attached, below or at this website: http://tinyurl.com/9t33x27 <<<

 

Nieuwhof commented after presenting the statement on behalf of her international anti-apartheid counterparts: "We once galvanized world opinion against Apartheid South Africa, the time is to now galvanize world opinion against Apartheid Israel*. I am confident that the ANC will heed our call."

Signatories to the call include the former United Nations Centre Against Apartheid director, E.S. Reddy; Prexy Nesbitt of the World Council of Churches Program to Combat Racism; the acclaimed author and US civil rights activist, Alice Walker; Mireille Fanon, the daughter of Frantz Fanon and the current President of the Fanon Foundation; Victoria Brittain from the UK Anti-Apartheid Movement and Kate Gilford of the Mozambique Angola Guinea Bissau Information Committee.
 
If you would like to sign this international call (and fullfill the criteria, i.e. you were active in the international anti-apartheid movement) please send an email to alerts@bdssouthafrica.com with the following information:
1) your full name and surname;
2) the anti-apartheid organization that you may have been part of; and,
3) the country in which you were (most) active.
 
BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS in SOUTH AFRICA (BDS SOUTH AFRICA)
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CALL BY FORMER INTERNATIONAL ANTI-APARTHEID ACTIVISTS TO THE ANC

 

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 - defined 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.

- 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 Kooistra
Interchurch 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 Hogberg
Africa 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 Schuddeboom
Amandla ( 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 Leadbeater
Canadians 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 Green
Anti-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 Blum
Working 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 Godfrey
Coalition 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 Lando
Guernica 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 Green
Canadians 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 Turshen
Association 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 Mathy
Committee Against Colonialism and Apartheid ( Belgium )
- Paulette Staal
Holland 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 Khosla
Toronto 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, van
Anti-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 Klootwijk
Anti-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 Cuadra
Internationalist Committee ( Basque Country )
- Sean Edwards
Anti-Apartheid Movement ( Ireland )
- Sherry Wolf
Northwestern 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 Minnaard
Interchurch 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 )