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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 1152A' A Resolution m o4MosY WHEREAS, the governments of the-,-Republics of South Africa and Namibia have maintained the institution of apartheid for over thirty years, resulting in the degradation and dehumanization of over four-fifths of their people solely because they are non-white; and WHEREAS, the government of the Republic of South Africa has practiced and continues to practice a totalitarian censorship of the press and has threatened, harassed and imprisoned without justice its people for speaking out against its tyranny; and WHEREAS, history has demonstrated that a government which rules a nation in a manner-so violative of human rights draws down vio- lence, destruction and tragedy upon its people and itself; and f HE AS, the 'blind intransigence of the government of South Africa continues to, lead that country toward racial and civil war; and - - WHEREAS, the citizens of the City of Fort Worth recognize the -.,_.pre-eminence of the national government in foreign matters as law- fully delegated to it by the Constitution and through their, freely " elected representatives, join in -support of the Act of Congress condemning apartheid and invoking sanctions against the governments which practice it; and WHEREAS, the institutions and practices of apartheid in South Africa and Namibia have provoked and continue to provoke civil dis- turbances, turmoil and violence and have thereby destabilized the economics in those lands; and WHEREAS, the security of financial investments in businesses with substantial assets in foreign nations is determined in large measure by the stability of the political and economic systems of those nations; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Employees' Retirement Fund of the City of Fort Worth has announced that it will volunta- rily and of its own motion seek investments free of the taint of the institution of apartheid; and WHEREAS, it having been declared by the City Council of Fort g th and enacted into law that all persons should enjoy equal rreedom to pursue their aspirations and that discrimination against any individual or group because of race, creed, color, sex, national origin or. age is detrimental to the peace, progress and welfare of the City; and MT or pons won= -- '.,.: WHEREAS, it is important to the economic health of the Fort Worth area that the government and citizens of the City of Fort Worth demonstrate to foreign, citizens who may be considering investing "in the Fort Worth economy that the City of Fort Worth strongly and actively supports the concept of equal rights, justice and opportunity for all persons; and WHEREAS, the City Council of Fort Worth, as the freely elected representatives of the people of the City of Fort Worth, wish to speak for the people of the City, conveying the people's support for, and solidarity with, the struggle for freedom, equal rights and justice in South Africa-and Namibia, and the people's contempt and abhorrence for the totalitarian apartheid governments; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION I. That the City Council adopts the findings set out in the pre- amble of this Resolution. SECTION II. That the City Council condemns the governments of South Africa and Namibia for their practice of apartheid in violation of the most basic of human rights and declares that supporters of apartheid are viewed with contempt in Fort Worth. SECTION III. That the City Council commends the Board of Trustees of the Employees' Retirement Fund for voluntarily undertaking', consonant with the fiduciary duties imposed by law upon the Trustees of the Board, a review of investment strategies in order to seek out and utilize investment opportunities free of the taint of apartheid. SECTION IV. That the City Council, while of the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, the lack of a provision allowing support for such provisions and sanctions issue at any such time matters. supporting the policies and aims expresses its disappointment with for local sanctions, declares its recommends re-examination of the as Congress shall act upon these SECTION V. That we, the City Council of the City of For.t reaffirm our commitment to uphold the dignity, respect equality of, opportunity of all people without regard lief, origin, sex or age. a CM or POW WORM Worth, hereby and right to to race, be- IT,. Within sixty days of the City Council of the City of that any entity proposing to by bid or otherwise, disclose business interest such entity or corporation doing business South Africa and/or Namibia, South Africa or Namibia. SECTION VI. effective date of this resolution, the Fort Worth will require by ordinance contract with the City of Fort Worth, the extent of any ownership or other has with any individual, partnership with the governments of th Republic of or doing business in the Republic of SECTION VII. The South Africa Study Committee is hereby continued in exis- tence under the terms of Fort Worth City Council Resolution 1179 for the purposes of reviewing at least semi-annually and from time to time as the Committee deems appropriate all information compiled under the provisions of this Resolution and any ordinances hereunder, and to make such recommendations for action by the City Council'as the Committee deems proper. SECTION VIII. I The City Council of the City of Fort Worth, consistent with the v' laws of the United States and State of Texas, will attempt to procure from the appropriate offices a ruling on the validity of an ordinance requiring, that any entity proposing to contract with the City of Fort Worth provide to the City of Fort Worth an affidavit stating that to the best of such entity's knowledge, after diligent inquiry, such entity has no ownership interests or business `, relationship with any individual, partnership or corporation doing aj 4'1;usiness with the governments of the Republic of South Africa or Namibia, or with any individual, partnership or corporation doing business in the Republic of South Africa or Namibia. ?3. SECTION IX. e That this Resolution take effect immediately from and after its passage and it is accordingly so resolved. ADOPTED this 4& day of t , 1987. APPROVED BY; ' CITY COUNCIIJ APR 14 1987 /?7n iru rvu^yvJ City Seotem[y of the City of Fort^xth, T"Qla CITY OF PORT WORTH