Demonstrators Start Vigil In Front of Bok's Office

A small group of students yesterday began a 24-hour vigil outside President Bok's office to pressure him into holding a public meeting on whether the University should divest from companies doing business in South Africa.

Bok spoke only briefly with the 15 students when he left his office at lunchtime and again at the end of the day. He said he would respond to their questions in writing and would meet privately with them, but could not attend a rally for divestiture scheduled for this evening.

The president has stated several times he believes the University can do more to help South African Blacks by working within companies doing business there than by divesting from them.

After Bok had left for the day. University Vice President and General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54 talked to the group--in a slightly heated exchange--for about 10 minutes.

Steiner explained Bok's position that speaking before a largely hostile rally was not the best way to debate the complicated issue of divestiture.

The theme of the vigil, proclaimed on handbills the protesters gave to the passersby yesterday, is "Waiting for Derek." The students said they are waiting for Bok to meet with them, and waiting for him to respond to a question Dillon Professor of the Civilization of France Stanley H. Hoffmann asked him last year.

At a meeting last spring Hoffmann asked Bok under what circumstances he would support divestiture and how those circumstances would have to be different from current conditions in South Africa.

Students say they have yet to hear satisfactory response. "He's bad a whole year to think about it and I think that's enough," said Damon A. Silvers '96.

The other purpose of the vigil was to publicize tonight's rally scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on the steps of Memorial Church, said Anthony A. Ball '86.

On April 24-Ball wrote to Bok inviting him to speak at the rally, but yesterday the president refused in writing, citing a previous commitment.

The vigil began at noon yesterday and, weather permitting, is scheduled to continue until noon today. During the afternoon the students sat on the steps of Massachusetts Hall listening to reggae music, eating, and passing out literature.

When Bok left the building just after 6 p.m. the students surrounded him and asked why he refused to meet with them and explain his position.

"I've tried to express my views pretty clearly." Bok told the group, referring to the two open letters he has written on the subject and meetings he has had with students over the last decade.

Bok said he would respond in writing to any arguments the students had if they would put them on paper. He also said he would be willing to meet privately with them sometime in the future.

Ball said last night that the group would write a letter asking for an appointment and deliver if to Bok in the morning. Ball said "we're disappointed but not surprised," at Bok's unwillingness to talk to the group yesterday. "It's to be expected," he said.

Earlier in the afternoon, at about 1.30 p.m. some of the students got into an argument with two South African tourists. "Taking your money out of South Africa isn't going to help the Blacks. It's just going to put more out of work and make them more hungry and more upset," said one of the tourists.

"Every country has got its problems," said the South African, who refused to be identified. "You can blow any problem out of size."

"I think it's scary that they could think that," said Funmi B. Arewa '85. But, she added, "[they] see it from a certain perspective and [they] are not going to see mine."

After dark, the protestors spread sleeping bags across the sidewalk, brought in Chinese food from the Hong Kong restaurant, cases of Budweiser and settled down for the night.

Tonight's rally is sponsored by 12 student groups from the College and Law School but none endorsed the vigil. Ball said the protectors were wary of linking any specific group to the action in case any of the demonstrators were arrested.

During the afternoon, University Police kept the protestors under discreet but noticeable surveillance. The door to Mass Hall is usually open but it was locked throughout the afternoon and visitors had to pass through a security guard.

When Steiner met with the group in from of the building a policeman stood about 20 feet away at the corner of Mass Hall.

Steiner escorted Bok from the building and out of the Yard but returned a few minutes later to talk to the students.

"The President would be happy to meet and talk but he really doesn't feel that the way to exchange views is to stand up in front of a group of people." Steiner said.

"The thought of him getting him to a meeting with 300 people who disagree with him--that will not shed light on the issue."

"He has expressed his views in public and feels that is sufficient." Steiner added.

Ball asked Steiner whether the fact that 300 advocates of divestiture would attend such a meeting while only a few would speak against it was not an indication that most of the University community favors the move.

Steiner replied, "I doubt it, frankly." He said. "The people who advocate change are usually the ones who attend."

Steiner said repeatedly that Bok would be willing to respond to student opinions in writing or meet with small groups behind closed doors, but demonstrators argued that that was not sufficient.

"I think that he has a responsibility to talk in a public environment," said Melissa A Milligan '84.

Bok's reluctance to debate publicly is a key issue for the demonstrators Silvers said the protestors felt that while both sides are able to put out literature detailing their positions it does not amount to an "intellectual inter change."

"I'm more interested in laying the issues out so we have a real debate instead of this sort of naval barrage where one side fires a salvo and the other answers." Silvers added.

"Dialogue does not means position, papers, it means something akin to a seminar where ideas are exchanged in close proximity," he said.

However, Steiner said that any such meeting would have to come at the discretion of the president. "If he is the decision maker in the case he should decide which discussions which will cast light on the things he thinks are most important." Steiner said. "He's not up for grabs for you.