Apr 7, 2011

#BDS: After Board of Governors Rally, Carleton One Step Closer to Divestment

"On March 29th, 2011 students, faculty, staff, alumni and community allies made a significant stride toward divestment at Carleton University in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.  Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) first launched our campus-based pension fund divestment campaign in January 2010.  The student-led campaign was motivated by the 2005 call from Palestinian civil society “to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel… until it fully complies with the precepts of international law.” 

After over a year of failed attempts to meet with Carleton’s Pension Fund Committee, SAIA submitted a formal request to present our motion to the Board of Governors (BOG) – the highest decision-making body of the university – to divest from four companies complicit in violations of international law in Palestine: BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Motorola and Tesco Supermarkets.  These companies manufacture weapons and weapons components used by the Israeli military against Palestinians, and also facilitate the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank (for background see: http://carleton.saia.ca/pension-divestment-campaign.html).  SAIA’s motion also called upon Carleton to implement a binding socially responsible investment policy, in full consultation with the Carleton community." 

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