Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1978 [PAGE 657]

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644

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[June 21

T h e School Sisters of St. Francis, St. Clara College Corporation, and T h e Eastern Province of Servite Fathers. T h e proposal was supported by 2.19 percent of the stockholders. T h e text of the proposal to the stockholders of Texaco was: Whereas in South Africa the black majority is rigorously controlled and oppressed by a white minority which comprises 18 percent of the population; Whereas South Africa's apartheid system legalizes racial discrimination in all aspects of life and deprives the black population of most basic human rights, e.g., Africans cannot vote, cannot collectively bargain, must live in racially segregated areas, are paid grossly discriminatory wages, are assigned 13 percent of the land while 87 percent of the land is reserved for the white population; Whereas South Africa's system of white minority rule called apartheid is widely condemned by the U.S. government and numerous international bodies, and the United Nations requires a mandatory arms embargo since South Africa is a threat to world peace; Whereas black opposition to apartheid and black demands for full political, legal, and social rights has risen dramatically within the last years; Whereas widespread killing, arrests, and repression has been the South African government's response to nationwide demonstrations for democratic rights; Whereas Prime Minister Vorster has openly declared his intention to maintain while political control and deny political rights to South African blacks; Whereas as church investors, we believe that U.S. business investments in South Africa, including our company's operations, provide significant economic support, international credibility, and moral legitimacy t o South Africa's apartheid government; Therefore Be I t Resolved the shareholders request the Board of Directors establish the following as corporate policy: Texaco and any of its subsidiaries shall terminate its present operations in South Africa as expeditiously as possible unless and until the South African government commits itself to ending the legally enforced form of racism called apartheid and takes meaningful steps toward the achievement of full political, legal, and social rights for the majority population (African, Asian, Coloured). T h e reasons given by its proponents were: As Church investors we believe that Caltex's investment in South Africa strengthens apartheid and white minority rule and, therefore, Caltex should withdraw unless South Africa takes steps to provide full rights for the black majority population. T h e oil industry in South Africa is extremely strategic, and the white government looks to it to provide petroleum products for the overall economy and its expanding military forces. Meanwhile, South Africa is attempting to suppress a virtual nationwide rebellion by its black population, continues to occupy Namibia illegally and recently invaded Angola. T h e United Nations, with U.S. support, recently passed a mandatory arms embargo against South Africa calling it a threat to world peace. Texaco has admitted that Caltex sells a variety of petroleum products used by the military and states that such sales are required under South