SOUTH AFRICA/NAMIBIA

WHEREAS, the South African government has stepped up repressive police and security force actions against its black citizens in order to maintain its institutionalized racist system of apartheid; and

WHEREAS, under the recently imposed "state of emergency" the Pretoria government has detained and imprisoned thousands of black men, women, and children, and among these over 180 black trade union leaders and other anti-apartheid activists; and

WHEREAS, police and security forces of the South African government have raided union offices all over the country, arrested union personnel, and charged several of these union leaders with treason; and

WHEREAS, we are appalled by the ceaseless, inhumane oppression of blacks by the Pretoria government and the resultant violence and murder that characterize daily life in South Africa; and

WHEREAS, the South African government has imposed de facto censorship of press and other reports concerning the situation inside South Africa; and

WHEREAS, the white-ruled South African government remains vehemently opposed to the full and equal participation of its majority black population in the political, social, and economic life of the nation; and

WHEREAS, the Pretoria government, not content with repression within its borders, continues its illegal occupation of Namibia in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 435 and willfully attacked three of its neighbors¾Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Zambia¾on May 19, 1 986; and

WHEREAS, the AFL-CIO has rejected the Reagan administration's policy of "constructive engagement" as a means for pressuring the South African government to abandon apartheid and create a society in which freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights prevail and has demanded among other things the opening of a dialogue between the regime and freely chosen representatives of black people to extend basic democratic rights to all on a basis of full equality:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers endorse the position of the AFL-CIO on South Africa/Namibia; and

RESOLVED, that AFT urge the president and U.S. Congress to implement legislation instituting effective and comprehensive economic sanctions against the government of South Africa, including total disinvestment of U.S. business operations there; and

RESOLVED, that AFT actively participate in campaigns to seek the release of all South African labor leaders imprisoned under the recently imposed "state of emergency"; and

RESOLVED, that AFT actively participate in AFL-CIO and ICFTU campaigns to assist the development of democratic labor unions for black workers in South Africa; and

RESOLVED, that AFT not invest any funds in financial institutions or corporations conducting business in South Africa, and that any funds so invested be sold within the shortest reasonable period of time; and

RESOLVED, that AFT urge all locals to actively work for the divestment of all pension funds in multinational companies investing in South Africa until such time that fundamental, democratic reform is implemented by the South African government; and

RESOLVED, that AFT urge the president of the United States to pursue U.S. opposition to apartheid and the oppression of human rights in South Africa with the same vigor and conviction that he applies to Nicaragua and Central America; and

RESOLVED, that AFT urge the Senate to support and the president to sign the Dellums Bill, which calls for strong sanctions against the South African government which has been passed by the House of Representatives.

RESOLVED, that all affiliated locals have their members' pension funds withdrawn from all banks and corporations that maintain investments in South Africa.