POWYS community groups championing refugee causes in the county have contacted a number of organisations urging them to rid themselves of investments in companies complicit in Israel’s breaches of international law in relation to its conflict with Palestine.
Members of Knighton and District Amnesty International, Knighton and District Refugee Support Group, Montgomeryshire Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Radnor Palestine Links and the Mid Wales branch of Unite Community have sent letters to the Powys Local Pension Board, Powys Pensions and Investment Committee and Rosemarie Harris, former leader of Powys County Council, calling on them to divest their pensions investments from companies "complicit in Israel’s breaches of international law".
They say Israel’s "occupation of Palestine" and "implementation of apartheid policies" denies Palestinians basic human rights to housing, education, water, electricity and medical care.
The groups are also calling on the Powys Pension Committee to implement a robust statement of investment principles, to ensure that the fund cannot invest in companies that contribute to a breach of international law or are complicit in human rights abuses.
The groups hope and expect that their letter will not go unnoticed and that it will be discussed by the board at their next meeting on June 15, by the committee at their next meeting and that Powys’ new-look council will also take an interest in the matter.
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