RE: “It’s the stakeholders’ say,” Jan. 28 – Feb. 3, 2010
We are faculty members, shareholders and contributors to Carleton’s pension fund and are responding to the Charlatan’s editorial position, which suggests “if students want Carleton to be pickier about where it invests its money, they will need to get shareholders to demand such a change in a responsible way.” As shareholders, we fully support the divestment campaign launched by Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA), and echo their demand that the university’s board of governors and pension fund committee develop a policy on socially responsible investments (SRI), engaging all stakeholder groups in the process. We also demand that in demonstrating their commitment to the principle of SRI, they immediately divest from five companies who are in clear violation of human rights and possible violation of international law, particularly with respect to Palestinian people.
The violations committed by Motorola, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, L-3 Communications and Tesco are well documented in SAIA’s report titled “Carleton University Pension Fund: Complicity in Violations of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” Supported by sound research, compelling arguments are presented for divestment from companies that produce weapons of war and contribute to the confiscation of Palestinian lands, the destruction of the Palestinian economy, and promote further degradation and dependence.
We also disagree with the editorial’s contention that SAIA’s divestment video is somehow inappropriate and that it find “more logical ways to seek change to the pension fund investment portfolio.” The video was developed primarily as a tool for education. As such, its purpose is to raise awareness, enable constituencies to mobilize and act, using existing channels as appropriate. Therefore, the video is being used in a perfectly logical and responsible manner. Furthermore, it will achieve its intended objectives in due time as more Carleton faculty, staff and students unite to support justice, environmental sustainability and human rights by demanding immediate divestment and the development, adoption and implementation of a socially responsible investment policy.
Sincerely,
Nahla Abdo, Andrew Brook, Xiaobei Chen, Aaron Doyle, Peter Gose, Shereen Ismael, Radha Jhappan, Paul Keen, Rashmi Luther, Dawn Moore, Amina Mire, Augustine Park, Trevor Purvis, Diana Ralph, Bill Skidmore, Gopika Solanki, Daiva Stasiulis, Rania Tfaily, Brenda Vellino