Diverts from Oil Holdings

To the editors:

The article "Council Urges Harvard to Cut Ties to Irresponsible Firms" (News. April 6) left out the key point of the divestment bill that passed through the UC on Monday night: the reasons Harvard shouldn't be investing in the corporations of Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, Texaco and Shell.

Students, faculty, alumni, and now to Undergraduate Council are calling for divestment because these companies are part of the Global Climate Coalition, an industry group working to undermine the broad scientific consensus that human induced global warming is a threat to human health and the environment and are severely violating human rights in Nigeria.

The GCC is actively obstructing government actions that would curb global climate change, including the Senate ratification of the Kyoto Protocal, an international agreement that would obligate the United States to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. Calling for divestment demands that these companies stop funding the GCC, stop obstructing actions that would curb global warming and start implementing responsible solutions to global climate change.

Several years ago, the Undergraduate Council passed a resolution calling for divestment from the oil companies with operations in Nigeria due to the human rights violations being committed in this country. Renewing the call for divestment from Shell Oil and other oil corporations operating in Nigeria sends the message to these companies to begin involving local citizens in the Niger Delta Region in the decision making processes of oil extraction, and to uphold financial, social, and environmental responsibility to these same communities. FRANK J. GORKE   April 6, 1999