Posts Tagged ‘SOAS’

A SOAS student is among members of the humanitarian aid convoy, ‘Free Gaza’, which Israeli forces seized control of in international waters yesterday morning.

Anne de Jong, a PhD student from Holland who is also a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Anthropology, is said to be safe and unharmed but currently detained by Israel authorities. At least 10 activists were killed by the Israeli navy in the early hours of May 31^st when the ships were 64 km out to sea, causing international outcry.

SOAS students have been angered by the refusal of the institution’s head to take a stance on the incident.

Director and Principal Professor Webley sent an email to all students this morning stating that the School was monitoring the situation and “making further enquiries via the Dutch Embassy” regarding de Jong’s welfare.

He also wrote that: “The events in Israel have once again turned the international spotlight on the Middle East, a region where SOAS has strong academic links.  As a home of political debate, I hope that SOAS can act as a place where people can come together freely to discuss these events, and contribute to finding a resolution, in a respectful and open manner. It is very important that as an academic institution that we do not appear to take sides as this would prejudice the very objective of a fair and open debate.”

But some students penned angry responses to the Principal – calling on him to explicitly condemn Israel’s actions – and are encouraging other students to do the same.

Elly Badcock, and undergraduate Politics student wrote: “Whilst I agree that intellectual and academic freedom, and the right to engage in open debate without intimidation, are of utmost importance, I am quite frankly appalled that you have framed the murder of at least ten humanitarian aid workers by a state army in these terms. Commitment to a fair debate does not preclude taking a firm stand when a state breaches international law by boarding a ship in international waters and killing civilians and aid workers.”

PhD student James Meadway argued: “Even our own Foreign Secretary, who can in no sense be described as an opponent of Israel, has issued a firm rebuke. Under these circumstances, and with a SOAS student directly affected, the School’s response beggars belief. It is simply not credible to claim that School cannot be seen to “take sides”. The safety of a member of its academic community is at stake; the School should not have any option but to take the same side as the rest of the international community in voicing its strongest disapproval of Israel’s behaviour.

“Silence is complicity. It is time to stand up”
- Anne de Jong, SOAS

He added: “A loud, international consensus demanding the detainees safe return will help secure their welfare. By failing to issue a statement condemning Israel’s actions, the School is risking placing Anne in greater danger.”

Students from SOAS, UCL, LSE, King’s, Goldsmiths and other University of London colleges took part in a spontaneous demonstration of around 2,000 people yesterday, which saw protestors march from Downing Street to the Israeli embassy. Protests outside the embassy continue today, with students calling for the UK government to follow Turkey in expelling the Israeli ambassador and for Israel to be isolated politically and economically.

A national demonstration for an end to the siege on Gaza has been scheduled by various organisations for Saturday June 5^th.

SOAS Students Union has called an Emergency General Meeting for Thursday to table a motion calling for de Jong’s immediate release and for students to support her “in whatever way she deems necessary”. A facebook group calling for Webley to “stop sitting on the fence” has also been formed.

Jamal Elshayyal, a former SOAS student now working for Al Jazeera news, was also reporting live from on board the flotilla. Nearly 700 people were on board the ships which hoped to carry 10,000 tons of aid to Gaza, breaking the siege imposed by Israel since 2007.

De Jong’s family say they expect her to be deported. Her academic research focuses on joint Palestinian and Israeli nonviolent activism and resistance, and as part of her fieldwork research she spent 16 months in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel.

In a letter sent hours before she left, she wrote: “The siege on Gaza is not self-defense, it is a collective punishments which denies 1.5 million people their basic human rights. In the past, crimes against humanity have happened with the International Community watching and claiming ignorance. This is happening now, and we can no longer claim ‘we haben das nicht gewusst’ (we didn’t know): Silence is Complicity! It is time to stand up.”

Her facebook group and twitter feed are being updated regularly by family and friends.

For the fifth consecutive year, Goldsmiths’ College has featured prominently in the Turner Prize 2010 shortlist. Vying for the £40,000 prize are former student Angela de la Cruz and lecturer Kodwo Eshun from the Otolith Group.

Spanish-born de la Cruz’s solo exhibition ‘After’ at Camden Arts Centre, London, earned her the nomination for the shortlist.  Known for her abstract paintings and sculptures, she damages her artwork to reveal human frailties with titles such as ‘Ashamed’. She attended the College from 1991-1994 for her BA (Hons) in Fine Art.

“Awarded to a British artist under fifty for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the twelve months preceding.”

Founded in 2001 by SOAS graduate Anjalika Sager and Kodwo Eshun, the Otolith Group work with “media archives, histories of futurity, the legacies of non-alignment and tricontinentalism.” The group have been nominated for their mixed-media exhibition ‘A Long Time Between Suns’ at Gasworks and The Showroom, London.  The duo creates film-essays which fuse science fiction with social commentary, such as a film of sweatshop workers in Mumbai.

Dr Richard Noble, head of Goldsmiths’ Art Department, commented: “We congratulate both Angela and Kodwo, and we are honoured that two such brilliant artists have been associated with our programmes.”

Tate Britain will host an exhibition of the shortlisted artists from 4 October 2010.  The winner will be announced on 6 December.

The Institute of Education became the target for a pro-Palestinian protest on April 19^th, when it hosted a Zionist Federation event to mark Israel’s 62^nd ‘birthday’.

Around 30 people, including students from King’s, UCL and SOAS gathered outside the entrance to the ‘Israel 62’ party held in Jeffrey Hall. Activists twice entered the building and unfurled a large Palestinian flag bearing the words ‘Free Palestine’.

Police and private security staff ejected the protestors from the building on both occasions but no arrests were made.

Those attending the event heard a speech from Israeli Ambassador to Britain Ron Prosor. Changes to the line-up had included the withdrawal of Palestinian-Israeli singer, Mira Awad, followed by the cancellation of a billed performance by British X-factor finalist Stacey Solomon. The pro-Palestinian International Solidairty Movement said this was because she had become aware of the political nature of the event, but her management said she was never confirmed to sing.

Israelis celebrate the creation of the state of Israel, Yom Ha’atzmaut, as ‘Israeli Independence Day’ annually. Palestinians regard it as a tragic date in their history and commemor ate it as al-Nakba (Arabic for ‘the Catastrophe’) because of the expulsion and displacement of an estimated 700,000 Palestinian refugees.