Since the Sixties until 1994 I have dedicated most of my time -apart
from a spell on Robben Island Prison-to promote and enforce the boycott
of Apartheid South Africa. I have no doubt that international
solidarity, particularly in the form of the boycott campaign,
contributed to change in South Africa.

Despite the political changes in South Africa, Apartheid lives on. It
lives on in the oppression of the Palestinian people and their daily
subjection to the racism of the Israeli state. The actions of the
Israeli state is reminiscent of, and often even worse than that of the
South African apartheid regime.

Apartheid South Africa also acted with impunity. It was supported by the
West and let us not forget, by pariah states such as Israel and
Pinochet's Chile. It was only when people of conscience and
organisations around the world pressured their own governments and
multilateral institutions, did we see movement toward democracy in South
Africa.

Facile arguments against the boycott of Israeli institutions are
familiar to me. They were the same or similar to the arguments used
against anti-apartheid activists.

Israel, like Apartheid South Africa, ignores international law and is
supported in this by the major powers. The latest outrage is the near
silence on the grotesque and obscene Apartheid Wall which the
International Court of Justice condemned some time back. This
complicity, understandably, contributes to the desperation felt by many
in Palestine. The call from Palestinian academics for a peaceful boycott
campaign should therefore be embraced particularly by those who
pontificate against violence.

In the spirit of moral consistency and resistance to all forms of
injustice I have no hesitation in supporting the call for the academic
and cultural boycott of Israeli institutions. While I believe in the
comprehensive boycott of Israeli institutions, I applaud the recent
decision of the UK based Association of University Teachers as a step in
this direction.

I call on academics and scholars throughout the world to join us in this
action.

Dennis Brutus, professor emeritus, Department of Africana Studies,
University of Pittsburgh/ Patron, Jubilee South Africa.

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