Eight Join S. Africa Fast

Eight more students have joined a fast against the University's South Africa investment policies, one of the new strikers announced last night before the open meeting of the Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility.

Reading from a slightly altered version of the letter the original strikers submitted to President Bok on Monday. Frederick C. Moten '85 reiterated the demand for total divestiture from South Africa-related stocks and said that the eight would eat only fruit and water for seven days.

Moten said that the group chose to fast seven days to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the 1976 Soweto massacres, when South African security forces killed a large, unknown number of protesting Black students.

Tactics

The tactics of the new strikers are different from those of the original strikers who vowed to sustain themselves on water and vitamins only until their demands are met.

"Our objective is not to kill ourselves, but to call attention to the issue." Abner Mason '85, one of the new fasters, said. "We are convinced that by fasting and prayer we can capture the hearts of Derek Bok and the Corporation."

But Alan L. Jackson '85, another faster said he did think the group's demands would be met "We are realistic," he said.

Members of the group said that they would attempt to use the fast as a way to show solidarity with Blacks in South Africa, as well as educate the Harvard community.

Jackson yesterday telephoned the United Nations Committee Against Apartheid to report the fast, and the committee will read a short statement of the protest before the General Assembly sometime this week fasters said.