Carleton University students win divestment from apartheid South Africa, 1985-87

Across much of the world during the mid-1980s, students on university campuses led boycott, divestment, and other solidarity campaigns targeting the apartheid government of South Africa. This solidarity movement played a fundamental role in the ultimate dismantling of the apartheid state, spawning institutional and governmental pressure beyond just educational institutions. This student-catalyzed movement emerged around 1985, and by 1990, with the release of Nelson Mandela, most of the groups' campaigns were successful. Student activists normally led a three-pronged attack on apartheid, pressuring universities to reform institutional investments and products sold at campuses with ties to South Africa, and reject the public relations speaking attempts of South African envoys at universities.

In October 1985, in response to the news of a scheduled lecture by Glen Babb, South African Ambassador to Canada, students at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, formed the Carleton Anti-Apartheid Action Group (CAAAG), in partnership with and supported by the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG). The aim of the CAAAG was to sever all institutional ties to South Africa while under apartheid rule, meaning that the student union (CUSA) and Board of Governors (BoG) would fully divest from South Africa the endowment fund and other short term investments. Carleton PhD student and CAAAG founder Augustin Moshi justified the divestment campaign: “Unlike those in power, we can't do big things like initiating national economic sanctions against South Africa or taking such measures like severing diplomatic links with it. Since, however, part of out money is used to shore up apartheid, then we have a card we can use to influence the game, although in a small way. The best way to use this card is to call for divestment of university shares in South Africa-related companies.”

By spring 1986, the CAAAG launched a campus-wide student pressure campaign, successfully convincing the CUSA (student union) to boycott South African goods, notably food, beer, and cigarettes. This campaign was fueled by a general campus awareness initiative comprised of student newspaper editorials, leaflets, and meetings. During this same period, the group consistently lobbied the university administration for divestment, growing in strength and numbers and eventually gaining the lobbying partnership of the CUSA.

In the fall of 1986, faced with a lack of response by the administration, the CAAAG began gathering signatures for a massive student petition calling for divestment that reached over 3,000 signatures. Even with the large petition, President Beckel and the BoG were unresponsive to student demands. In response to the lack of action by the administration, at a BoG meeting on January 26, 1987, 300 students protested outside the Board of Governors. Chanting loudly, the student protesters interfered with the BoG meeting, blockading doors and elevators until the police were called and forced to drag each student out of the building.

Obligated to respond to the student protest, CU President Beckel stated: “To cease all business dealings with such companies would significantly interfere with the operation of the University. I will, however, be investigating approaches to some form of restriction on the business we do with these companies in the interest of giving the signal approved by the Board of Governors that Carleton University abhors [sic] apartheid and will do all it can to show its position on apartheid within its business practices.” Following this statement, the Board of Governors announced on March 4, 1987 that it would fully divest from South Africa. On March 20, the BoG, under no additional pressure from students, followed up its divestment commitment with a complete university boycott of all South African goods and South African-owned companies.

Two and a half years after the successful divestment at Carleton and many other universities around the world, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, marking the beginning of a 4-year period of dismantling apartheid rule in South Africa. Today, similar student initiatives are forming in response to the perceived Israeli apartheid, and student activists are turning to successful solidarity models like those targeting South Africa in the mid-1980s. The Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) group at Carleton, part of a broader Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, are calling for institutional divestment via the pension fund, but current President Roseann Runte has yet to take a stand on this issue. The CAAAG alumni are planning a 25-year reunion at Carleton University to lend support to and advise the current student solidarity campaigns, primarily the SAIA.

Across much of the world during the mid-1980s, students on
university campuses led boycott, divestment, and other solidarity campaigns
targeting the apartheid government of South Africa. This solidarity movement
played a fundamental role in the ultimate dismantling of the apartheid state,
spawning institutional and governmental pressure beyond just educational
institutions. This student-catalyzed movement emerged around 1985, and by 1990,
with the release of Nelson Mandela, most of the groups' campaigns were
successful. Student activists normally led a three-pronged attack on apartheid,
pressuring universities to reform institutional investments and products sold
at campuses with ties to South Africa, and reject the public relations speaking
attempts of South African envoys at universities.

In October 1985, in response to the news of a scheduled
lecture by Glen Babb, South African Ambassador to Canada, students at Carleton
University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, formed the Carleton Anti-Apartheid
Action Group (CAAAG), in partnership with and supported by the Ontario Public
Interest Research Group (OPIRG). The aim of the CAAAG was to sever all
institutional ties to South Africa while under apartheid rule, meaning that the
student union (CUSA) and Board of Governors (BoG) would fully divest from South
Africa the endowment fund and other short term investments. Carleton PhD
student and CAAAG founder Augustin Moshi justified the divestment campaign:
“Unlike those in power, we can't do big things like initiating national
economic sanctions against South Africa or taking such measures like severing
diplomatic links with it. Since, however, part of out money is used to shore up
apartheid, then we have a card we can use to influence the game, although in a
small way. The best way to use this card is to call for divestment of
university shares in South Africa-related companies.”

By spring 1986, the CAAAG launched a campus-wide student
pressure campaign, successfully convincing the CUSA (student union) to boycott
South African goods, notably food, beer, and cigarettes. This campaign was
fueled by a general campus awareness initiative comprised of student newspaper editorials,
leaflets, and meetings. During this same period, the group consistently lobbied
the university administration for divestment, growing in strength and numbers
and eventually gaining the lobbying partnership of the CUSA.

In the fall of 1986, faced with a lack of response by the
administration, the CAAAG began gathering signatures for a massive student
petition calling for divestment that reached over 3,000 signatures. Even with
the large petition, President Beckel and the BoG were unresponsive to student
demands. In response to the lack of action by the administration, at a BoG
meeting on January 26, 1987, 300 students protested outside the Board of
Governors. Chanting loudly, the student protesters interfered with the BoG
meeting, blockading doors and elevators until the police were called and forced
to drag each student out of the building.

Obligated to respond to the student protest, CU President
Beckel stated: “To cease all business dealings with such companies would
significantly interfere with the operation of the University. I will, however,
be investigating approaches to some form of restriction on the business we do
with these companies in the interest of giving the signal approved by the Board
of Governors that Carleton University abhors [sic] apartheid and will do all it
can to show its position on apartheid within its business practices.” Following
this statement, the Board of Governors announced on March 4, 1987 that it would
fully divest from South Africa. On March 20, the BoG, under no additional
pressure from students, followed up its divestment commitment with a complete
university boycott of all South African goods and South African-owned
companies.

Two and a half years after the successful
divestment at Carleton and many other universities around the world, Nelson
Mandela was released from prison, marking the beginning of a 4-year period of
dismantling apartheid rule in South Africa. Today, similar student initiatives
are forming in response to the perceived Israeli apartheid, and student
activists are turning to successful solidarity models like those targeting
South Africa in the mid-1980s. The Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA)
group at Carleton, part of a broader Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS)
movement, are calling for institutional divestment via the pension fund, but
current President Roseann Runte has yet to take a stand on this issue. The
CAAAG alumni are planning a 25-year reunion at Carleton University to lend
support to and advise the current student solidarity campaigns, primarily the
SAIA.