Letter to David Lepper, MP

Arts a0002,

University of Sussex,

Falmer,

Brighton BN1 4ND

Dear Mr Lepper,

You are of course aware of the current wave of national university occupations taking place in protest at the recent actions of the Israeli Government. Here at Sussex University, out of the sixteen universities that are being occupied (including LSE, Oxford and Cambridge) we are one of the largest, and as such we wish to communicate to you our reasons for our discontent.

We are currently engaging in peaceful dialogue with our university administration regarding our demands and have made it clear that we mean them to do all that they can to help the Palestinian people. Our demands, like those of other occupying universities nationwide, include a boycott of Israeli goods; a statement of condemnation of the Israeli government’s actions; as well as educational and financial aid to Palestinian organisations and universities. We are a group of people with a cause. We have gathered much support, concern and awareness around the siege in Gaza, and we are gaining more and more. We urge you to end the suffering in Gaza and the West Bank to the best of your abilities.

We are disgusted that the UK government is not honouring it’s obligation under international human rights law to lift the unnecessary and disproportionate restriction currently placed on the movement of Palestinians and of goods in and out of the Gaza Strip. We demand an immediate independent investigation using the UK’s diplomatic tools in respect to the war crimes committed by the Israeli government – examples of which, unfortunately, are too many to list in a short letter.

It is an undeniable truth that innocent people are dying and being treated unjustly. Please do all you can to stop this suffering instead of stalling the process of justice with political procrastination, mislabelled as ‘international diplomacy’.

Listen to our voices: the students protesting nationwide twenty four hours a day; your constituents that support us; the thousands of people who have been protesting in Britain’s streets; but most of all the voices of those Palestinian people who have had their lives shattered who we see in the media everyday.

The message we send to you is very clear: not just as our representative in Parliament, but as a human being; end in the siege in Gaza

Yours sincerely,

The Sussex Occupation

Letter to director general of the BBC

Monday 26^th of January 2009

Arts a0002,

University of Sussex,

Falmer,

Brighton BN1 4ND

Dear Mr Thompson,

Millions of people in this country, and worldwide, have relied on the BBC to convey unbiased, truthful and transparent news for decades. We, a group of around a hundred Sussex University students are writing to convey our deepest outrage with the frankly biased news coverage concerning the current actions of the Israeli government.

We have joined together, like many other universities over the country, and occupied a University building until our university administration meets our demands of boycotting Israeli goods and giving financial and academic aid to universities and civilians on Palestinian occupied land. We are here to call for aid and awareness of the reality of the events that are happening in the Middle East at the moment, and you should be ashamed that we no longer feel we can use BBC journalism as a reliable source.

On a number of occasions you have misinformed the public on the very facts that have made the massacre so despicable. You have lied about the deaths of innocent children and the disgraceful use of weapons by the Israeli government; you have not shown appeals of aid for fears of being ‘biased’. For almost a week now we have joined together despite different backgrounds, religions and political-lineages under one cause: to show solidarity with the suffering people of Palestine. This undeniable horror is in need of desperate attention.

The job of the BBC is to respond to the interests and opinions of the British public. We are in our millions, united by the knowledge that what is happening in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is unacceptable. Only when the grim reality of the Israeli occupation is reported truthfully will the BBC be working towards the public’s goal, not against it.

We urge you to broadcast the truth, as millions worldwide depend on you to do. No more lies. No more fictions.

Yours sincerely,

The Sussex Occupation

Letter sent to Gordon Brown

Arts a0002,

University of Sussex,

Falmer,

Brighton BN1 4ND

Dear Mr Brown,

You are of course aware of the current wave of national university occupations taking place in protest at the recent actions of the Israeli Government. Here at Sussex University, out of the sixteen universities that are being occupied (including LSE, Oxford and Cambridge) we are one of the largest, and as such we wish to communicate to you our reasons for our discontent.

We are currently engaging peaceful dialogue with out university administration regarding our demands have made it clear that we mean them to do all they can to help the Palestinian people. Our demands, like those of other occupying universities nationwide, include a boycott of Israeli Goods; a statement of condemnation of the Israeli government’s actions; as well as educational and financial aid to Palestinian organisations and universities. We are a group of people with a cause; and we have gathered much support, concern and awareness around the siege of Gaza and the West Bank, and we are gaining more and more.

Hence we speak for many more than ourselves when we say that we are disheartened, if not disgusted, by the dire stance the British government has taken on the persecution and slaughter carried out by the Israeli state. Time and time again we are on the streets of Britain, en masse, calling for those of you who are able to directly end the siege in Gaza and the West Bank– you have not listened.

It is your duty to uphold the implementation of human rights law and support the investigation of those who break them to be held accountable. The world has witnessed the Israeli military breaking these laws repeatedly, yet not enough has been done to hold the perpetrators accountable. You are not fulfilling your duty to the British people by ignoring these events, and further; you are not fulfilling your duty to human rights and to those who are suffer through their transgression.

We urge you to use your diplomatic tools to stop this suffering; do not prolong it with procrastination and silence masked as ‘international diplomacy’.

Listen to our voices: not just of the students occupying universities; not just of those who are showing their support; not just the hundreds of thousands of protestors and commentators of the recent weeks – but most of all listen to the voices of the Palestinians as they are mercilessly attacked and mistreated.

The task we demand of you is very clear: end the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. This is the demand of millions of people, and like our occupation, they will not back down until this demand is met.

Yours sincerely,

The Sussex Occupation

Letter sent to Palestinian universities

Dear Students of ….,

We from the University of Sussex occupation are writing to convey to you our support and solidarity with the appalling circumstances affecting your everyday lives.

We represent around a hundred students from numerous backgrounds, religions and political-lineages. We all feel compelled to join together under the common cause of showing solidarity with the victims in Palestine. We have been occupying our main lecture theatre for about a week now, demanding the University of Sussex administration give financial and academic aid; as well as a statement of support to Universities and civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Please be aware of this message of support, not only from members of the occupation, but also of those who have shown support for our actions; and most importantly, the hundreds of thousands of British civilians who have been campaigning for the end of the occupation of Palestinian land for years; and who will not stop until justice is achieved.

You are in our thoughts.

In solidarity,

The Sussex occupation