Support the Sheffield Uni occupation!

Sheffield university are now in their 8th day of occupation! Please take a minute to help them out by copying and pasting the following text into and email (or writing your own) and sending it to the Vice Chancellor Keith Burnett at vc@sheffield.ac.uk to put some pressure on him to open up negotiations! CC to sheffieldoccupation@google

mail.com, and to Burnett's secretary at r.sharples@sheffield.ac.uk


Professor Burnett -

I understand that, despite a verbal agreement from yourself, negotiations involving the student occupiers and other interested parties are yet to take place. I further understand that the proposed negotiation process, if it takes place at all, will take place without input from the occupiers.

I believe that a negotiation process centrally involving the occupiers (as well as other relevant organisations such as the Palestine Society) is in the interests of all involved, as it is clearly the only way to move the situation forward towards a satisfactory conclusion.

I therefore call on you to listen to the increasing student pressure (on campus and elsewhere) for negotiations around the campaign demands.

[INSERT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS HERE]

Statement sent to Sheffield Occupation

To the Sheffield occupation,

The movement born out of the successful student occupation at the University of Sussex gives our wholehearted support and good wishes to the Sheffield occupation. We are disappointed by the heavy-handedness and lack of regard with which the University of Sheffield has treated you, and appalled by the lack of support you have been shown by your own Students' Union. The determination that you continue to show despite these obstacles is testament to the urgency and importance of your objectives and an inspiration to all of us working towards the same ends. We are publicising your actions and your petition among our members and supporters on campus and elsewhere. Please remember that your work is not unrecognised and there are thousands of university students and staff across the country who support your actions and stand in solidarity with you. We know from our own experience that despite the adversity that you face, these aims are realistic and achievable and are worth fighting for. Please let us know if there is anything further that we can do to help.

Yours in solidarity,

The students and staff of the University of Sussex movement.

Meeting and events today and updates.

The last meeting before the easter break will take place today at 2pm (not 4pm as previously). Please come along to figure out how we can make use of this time. Meet Falmer common room.

Where we're at at the moment:

Boycott and divestment working group - have a list of stocks and shares worth £4m of uni investment. We are also liaising with Corporate Watch. Easter will be a time for research. The movement to put traffic light stickers on all produce is currently going through.

Events - Big event highlighting ethical investment issues being planned for next year. There is also talk of a video-link Q&A with a very prominent anti-war academic. Lots of work required to organise - please come and get involved.

Surplus resources - Efforts are currently being made to co-ordinate things on the national level. Help welcomed.

National liaison - We are currently involved in helping to co-ordinate a national student congress on the 18th of April. Open organisation: please email sussexnational@gmail.com to help or add your email to the national list at studentcoordination@gmail.com.

Events today:

Prominent Israeli Socialist Eric Lee - Arts A103 6pm, Wednesday 18th.
Eric Lee will be talking on socialism in Israel. As a controversial figure with a background leading from trade unions and the mayor's office in New York to being a socialist author, journalist and lecturer in Israel, he'll definitely have an interesting perspective on issues in the middle east. Includes time for questions and answers.

Tonight's student night at the Cowley club will again be raising money for the Brighton-Tubas twinning project (who last week brought a women's delegation over from Al Quds university). Cheap organic beer and vegan food and open mic. Come down and celebrate the end of term!

Support to Sheffield:

The management of Sheffield uni have now locked the occupied building so that no one can enter and have threatened the occupation with a court injunction. They have also disrupted students by relocating lectures despite the occupation having made it clear that they wish lectures to continue as normal in the occupied space.

Please sign the petition here:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/sheffield_occupation/index.html

And copy and paste the following text (feel free to amend or add your own) to Vice Chancellor Keith Burnett at vc@sheffield.ac.uk CCing in Rowann Sharples, his personal secretary, at r.sharples@sheffield.ac.uk, and the occupation at sheffieldoccupation@googlemail.com.

Dear Professor Burnett -

We believe that your position of refusal to engage with the occupiers of the Hicks lecture theatres is entirely unreasonable. The occupation began as a response to your failure to respond to earlier correspondence well before the occupation took place; the onus was on you to continue negotiations and discussions in this manner, and your refusal to do so is what led the occupiers to conclude that direct action was the only option left to them.

Furthermore, the Student Union's statement of condemnation - upon which you base your refusal to negotiate - was predicated entirely on a falsehood. The occupiers have consistently express their willingness for lectures to take place in the occupied space, and indeed have taken it upon themselves to facilitate this despite University management's attempt to unilaterally relocate lectures. The vast majority of students and lecturers who have visited the occupied space have found it a welcoming, non-intimidating environment that would be in no way disruptive to learning and education.

An emergency meeting of the Student Union Executive Officers (which only reached its decision by a majority of 5-3) cannot possibly be held to be meaningfully representative of the wide layers of deeply felt student opinion around this issue. We call on you and other members of the University's senior management to immediately retract your position of refusal to negotiate with the occupiers and enter into open discussions with them.

Additionally we would like to condemn the heavy handed and overblown reaction by the management to the occupation with regard to threats received today in relation to legal action against participants.

Yours -

[Insert your name and contact details here]

You can also ring Rowann Sharples on (0114) 222 1006.

Sheffield occupied today!

Breaking news!

Two lecture theatres at Sheffield University have been occupied in solidarity with Palestine since 7pm this evening! Check out their blog at http://sheffoccupied.blogspot.com.

Slightly older news...

Newcastle have been successful in negotiating some of their demands following a short occupation of the fine arts building on their campus from 10th-11th March.

Having finally taken the decision to end the occupation with the demo following a whole month occupying various university buildings, Manchester Uni have made some progress in negotiations with the demand for the shipping of surplus resources having been fully met along with greater transparency over the university's investment portfolio. They also have a student slate standing for union election this Thursday.

There have also been news of two other student occupation actions in Okinawa, Japan (over lay-offs and course reductions) and in the Technological Institute of Puerto Rico, Manati (over closure of facilities and overpopulation of students).

General meeting this Wednesday is at 2pm!!! Meet Falmer Common Room.

Call to Action: solidarity with arrested Jayyous students

Please circulate widely.

Week of action in solidarity with the arrested students of Jayyous
2nd- 9th March

On February 18th 2009 in the early hours of the morning, Occupation forces rampaged through the West Bank village of Jayyous conducting violent house to house raids and carrying out mass arrests totalling over 50 students and nearly the entire youth committee of Stop the Wall Campaign.

For months the youth movement in Jayyous had made it one of the most active villages in the West Bank , embodying a strained resistance against occupation and the wall which will carve through village land destroying hundreds of olive trees and cutting the village off from many of its primary water supplies.

The students of Jayyous have called for IMMEDIATE BOYCOTT AND DIVESTMENT action in response to the incursion.

The students of the University of Sussex stand in solidarity with those in Jayyous and appeal to the wider student body to join us next week in a week of action against Israel ’s attacks on the basic human rights of those students in Jayyouss who dared to express dissent.

It is crucial that we recognise the severity of this event and draw wider attention to it as an example of the crimes on humanity that Palestinians experience every day.

In solidarity,

Sussex .

Cardiff University Occupied!

Today Cardiff university became the 28th UK university to occupy, and the first occupation in Wales!

A student from the occupation said:

"I am ashamed that Cardiff University is helping fund the horrific violence in Gaza the consequence of which is the obliteration of education infrastructure in another, poorer part of the world. I don’t want the money I pay for my education contributing to the destruction of someone else’s. Our thoughts from the occupation are with the people of Gaza, who have lost so much.”

Please send messages of support to cardiffstudentsagainstwar@gmail.com copying in VC FarnhamS@Cardiff.ac.uk.

Meetings this week and national news

There has been a bit of difficulty in scheduling the meeting dates this week as there are too many other events going on! So we have decided for this week only to have two meetings for whoever can make either one...

One TODAY (Tues), meet 6pm Falmer Common Room - we will be organising Thursday's events in library square among other things.

One on THURSDAY at 4pm, for one hour, meet FCH.

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Occupation news:

18 NYU students have been suspended following the occupation which ended on Thursday. Please check www.takebacknyu.com to see how you can support them.

Congratulations to UWE who won their occupation a couple of days ago.

Solidarity to Plymouth and the University of the Arts, London became the latest universities to occupy yesterday.

St Andrews, UEL and Manchester continue to occupy, with Manchester now in their third week of occupations!

Check occupations.org.uk for news...

Urgent meeting today and NYU occupation update

There is an urgent meeting today at 5pm in Falmer Common room to brainstorm how we can support the students of Jayyous, Palestine who were arrested on Wednesday when Israeli troops stormed their village. See www.stopthewall.org for details.

NYU management have begun negotiating with the occupation. Hundreds of supporters are outside on the streets, singing, dancing and resisting police, with 30-40 having stormed the 3rd floor of the occupied Kimmel building to join protestors inside. They say:

"This is for the students who work three jobs to attend the school of their dreams. This is for the students in Gaza, whose university is destroyed and can no longer study. This is for workers in Abu Dhabi building our facilities with no human rights to speak of. We are a global university and our actions are connected to world events, whether we like it or not. It is our responsibility. We have voices. Let’s use them."

NYU and UWE occupations! And a couple of other things...

We were all super excited to hear today that New York University has become the second university stateside (after Rochester got all their demands met within a day) to go into occupation with students barricading themselves inside a dining hall. The occupation was initiated by the Take Back NYU! coalition and along with demands for 13 scholarships for Palestinian students and the donation of surplus resources, incorporates broader demands designed to increase democracy, accountability and
student participation in the governance of the university. They
say:

"We apologize for inconveniencing the loyal lunchgoers of the Kimmel Marketplace, but we are not sorry for causing a disruption! Established channels have been insufficient to make our voices heard by the administration, and we have waited too long to be taken seriously. By disrupting the University’s functioning now, we are forcing the administration to deal with those people it depends upon the most—we, the students!"

We really hope that this will be the inspiration and the precedent for a new wave of similar student actions across the atlantic, and wish them serious success.

It seems that the initiative to take action via occupations is also spreading to other demands and issues, as Byam Shaw People's University in central London went into occupation yesterday over recent structural changes and managerial decisions that have seen the institution stripped of its independence, courses scrapped and staff made redundant. A couple of weeks ago workers at Waterford Crystal took over the running of their factory as the management tried to covertly close the plant down on a weekend. We welcome this resurgence in student and worker self-organised action, and with the NUS along with other national unions and the government still ignoring the needs and demands of those they claim to represent to pursue their own agendas we're expecting more to come...

Also back on these shores the University of Western England has become the latest to go into occupation in solidarity with Gaza showing that just because the atrocities are no longer making the evening headlines doesn't mean that we're not watching! They say:

This is following the recent atrocities that have and continue to take place in the Gaza Strip & occupation of the West Bank. We as students ourselves wish to offer our unity and support to our fellow students in the region during these hard times. We have proposed a set of demands of the University including scholarships for Palestinian students, a boycotting of Israeli goods, support for fundraising for DEC, and a condemnation of Israeli Actions in the region.

Good luck and solidarity guys.

Responses are slowly starting to drift in from all the letter writing done during the occupation. Today we received back a letter and what can only be described as a reading pack from our local MP David Lepper. He says he is a member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, however, he says he cannot sign the Early Day Motion in parliament which expresses support for the student occupations because he does not know what the 'aims of the recent occupation at Sussex were'. We would have thought that perhaps as an MP he would be aware of the national wave of occupations and of other such popular actions in his constituency, but we will nonetheless be writing back to inform him! A response was also received last week from the BBC who perplexingly cited not "compromising public confidence in the BBC's impartiality" in covering stories "where issues of responsibility for civilian suffering and distress are intrinsic to the story and remain highly contentious" and "a fragile ceasefire and sporadic border access" as justification for their refusal to broadcast the DEC humanitarian aid appeal. We were assured that "In the meantime your complaint has been registered on our audience log."

The minutes from yesterday's meeting can be found in the occupation gmail account. Tomorrow there will be a meeting of the Boycott and Divestment working group at 12pm (meet Falmer Common Room) - they have had lots of success in their research and will be planning the next steps. Next week's organisational meeting will take place on Tuesday at 6:00pm so as not to clash with the Free Education demo in London. Please come down and get involved! Meet in Falmer Common Room.

Two new occupations today! And one meeting...

We are still paying attention and we are still angry! Today saw two new occupations at St. Andrews University and the University of East London.

At St. Andrews, 50 people occupied the Lower College Hall in protest at the University's complicity in the Israeli occupation after having presented the principal with a petition signed by over 30 academics and 700 students. They say:

"Now is the time for students, staff and management to show that we do not lack the courage to condemn crimes against humanity, nor the generosity to help those who are in such desperate need."

Please send messages of support to: campaign@scottishpsc.org.uk

Our congratulations and solidarity to both.


Another productive general meeting today with feedback from the various working groups on progress with our demands among other things and lots of plans and ideas for more events and initiatives including some exciting things going on in library square and a new website in the offing. We've tried to ignore our deadlines and obligations, but they still won't go away: we still very much need people to volunteer for tasks and get involved. The Events and Education and Scholarships and Supplies working groups could both do with some extra help at the moment. Please email the relevant working group contacts (previous post) to find out about things that you can do or scheduled meetings.


Coming up next week are a couple of events:

On Monday 23^rd 5:00pm in Mandela Hall there will be a Stop the War event with speeches from Lindsey German, convenor of Stop the War Coalition, and Rose Gentle, Military Families Against War.

Then on Tuesday 24^th at 5:00pm, SWSS are hosting a talk with John Rose, author of 'The Myth of Zionism' in Engineering 2, AS03

We will be rescheduling next week's organisational meeting as lots of us will be off to London to overthrow NUS president Wes Streeting who, after last week's sensational attempt at claiming that the occupations were actually the inspiration of the NUS, this week treacherously attacked the occupations with inexplicable accusations of causing intimidation and inciting racism, saying "I do not believe that the sit-ins relating to the Gaza crisis have been the student movement's finest hour". Lucky you don't speak for the student movement then Wes. Oh no wait a moment...

Occupation Victories, Divine Divestment, Disciplinaries, Debates and Free Popcorn!

OCCUPATION NEWS

Amazing news from the Goldsmiths Occupation, who won all of their demands in 29 hours! Congratulations to the members of the occupation, as well as the university management for their swift and total cooperation in developing and fully funding 4 new scholarships (2 for Palestinian students, and 2 for students from other conflict areas). 20 scholarships are guaranteed, starting from 2009-10 to 2019-20, after which a review board involving the entire student body will vote on further funding for these scholarships. More details, as well as the official response and agreement from Goldsmiths university management can be found on their blog.

The university management at UEA has been less cordial in their response to the members of the occupation on that campus, which included a vague threat to forcefully remove students from the Arts building if the occupation didn't cease. However, the management has agreed to negotiate with the members of the occupation outside of the occupied building, so for now the UEA Occupation has ended. We wish them the best in their negotiations and solidarity in their efforts.

Edinburgh also ended their occupation this morning with some solid victories including five scholarships and a lecture series, and a vow that "This is only the beginning of the movement to end the university’s role in the occupation and oppression of Palestine by the Israeli government and military." They say: "We feel it’s important to emphasize that the student occupation should be understood not simply as a tactic or a bargaining chip in getting our demands... At it’s best, the occupation provided a space for a process far more democratic than what conventional university structures are able to achieve. The changes we want to see will be attained through our direct action but also by creating such spaces, and expanding them indefinitely."

We hope that these victories will be motivation for more students to occupy!

Manchester university continues to occupy, using creative methods to continue to gain strength and support despite pressure from their VC. They have posted a radio interview with members of the occupation on their blog.

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OTHER NEWS

The past few weeks have seen lots of interesting new abuses of the English language, what with the BBC desperately cleaving to a meaningless notion of 'impartiality', 'anti-semitism' and even 'Zionist' gaining the popularity of playground insults, educational establishments with arms investments claiming to be 'apolitical', and various other complex concepts being reduced to vacant media cliches... but it seems that the British constabulary are still hung up on good old 'terrorism' as, within hours of the Viva Palestina convoy setting off from London to provide vital aid and humanitarian supplies to Gaza, it was apprehended by the North West Counter Terrorism Unit. Nine people were arrested, vehicles seized and several houses raided. According to that old bastion of British impartiality, the Telegraph, 'one van bears an image of the Palestinian flag on its side while the other has signs saying Stop Killing Children, Free Palestine, and From Blackburn (UK) to Gaza... A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said the men were arrested "on suspicion of committing offences under the Terrorism Act 2006."' We wonder if it was the urgently needed medicines, or the warm clothing. or the art supplies for students that made them suspicious? Nice one guys; thanks for keeping us all safe there.

The disciplinary hearing for victimised Sheffield Hallam union officer, Matt Vickery has been scheduled for Thurs 19th Feb. Please continue to email Russ Swannack, the union president, to express your sentiments: r.swannack@shu.ac.uk, uuspresident@shu.ac.uk.

Divestment: even the Church of England is getting in on the act, having just withdrawn shares from heavy-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar, whose bulldozers have been used to raze the homes of thousands of Palestinians. According to an article on Indymedia, the Church had "about £2.5m invested in a company that manufactures one of Israel's weapons of mass misery and destruction." Apparently even the Church is now starting to recognise the blatant immorality of profiting from senseless death and destruction: we hope that with God's ministers guiding the way and divestment from the Israeli war machine now divinely sanctioned, other less trailbreaking British institutions will soon see the light and follow suit.

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SUSSEX NEWS

Come and indulge in some Arts A2 nostalgia with us this Tuesday:
At 6:00 there will be an exciting debate between the URNU and Students Against the Arms Trade on whether military-funded bodies should be allowed on campus.
Then at 8:00 is the Free Film Soc screening of the extraordinary animated documentary, 'Waltz with Bashir'. Film starts 7:00pm, followed by discussion, with a free popcorn policy.

On Friday several members of other occupations came down to Sussex for an informal chat about the next steps for the national movement and share experiences and ideas. Discussion was productive and we all left feeling very enthusiastic. Feedback will follow to the national list shortly.

The next weekly organisational meeting will take place on Wednesday 18th Feb at 4:00pm. Meet in Falmer Common Room.

Goldsmiths, Edinburgh, UEA occupied! Shame on Sheffield Hallam SU!

Nearly a month after some SOAS students took the MOD building on their campus in solidarity with Gaza, the (inter)national wave of occupations is still growing, with those who have ended occupations showing no sign of lessening their resolve to ensure that demands are implemented and practical solidarity with Palestine is achieved, and news of new and planned occupations still coming in constantly.

Today saw new occupations initiated at Goldsmiths (right), Edinburgh, and the University of East Anglia. Among UEA's demands are twinning with the bombed University of Gaza, and a condemnation from its union of the "failure of the NUS to address the massacre in Gaza in a meaningful way", whilst Edinburgh has demanded "that the university suspend all relations with companies enabling the conflict and/or occupation" and "that the university provide logistical and financial support for a series of informative lectures on the Palestine/Israel question."

In other shocking news, Matt Vicary, equal opportunities officer at Sheffield Hallam, has been suspended by the president of his own student union for a display of solidarity with Gaza at the recent NUS conference in the face of the imminent passing of the structurally debilitating governance review (which effectively takes away the student voice at a national level). Several other students have been threatened with suspension for their part in the university occupations. Such victimisation of those students who are prepared to stand up for their own basic rights and those of others globally is wholly disgraceful and a danger to the movement and to the basic concept of our freedom to protest. Join the facebook group in support of Matt, or ring Hallam Union on 0114 225 4111 to complain.

Lastly, Maria Gallestegui ended her hunger strike yesterday on doctors' warnings after 30 days without food calling for the lifting of the blockade on Gaza. We wish her a quick recovery and condemn the UK government and media for their failure to acknowledge this heroic act of solidarity and the urgency of those issues underlying it.

A message of solidarity from the Islamic University of Gaza

Dear fellow students of Sussex University,

We would like to express our sincere thanks and deep appreciation for all your conscious efforts, endeavours and demands to support the right to education, justice and freedom in Palestine.

We wholeheartedly support your peaceful protests against the blanket bombing of Gaza in general and the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) in particular which suffered extensive destruction and damage to all its buildings, academic facilities. Additionally more than 20,000 students, whose families have been agonizing from the suffocating siege of Gaza, have lost some members of their families and many others have lost their houses.

With great respect and admiration, we have been following all activities taking place in 19 British universities. Your brave campaign has strengthened both our hope and will that we are not alone in this just battle against unprecedented blatant injustices and flagrant violation of human in Palestine.

We are absolutely proud of you all and proud of your solidarity and support campaign for the right to education in Palestine which gives us bright light in the heart of the military occupation darkness.

We wish you full success in your supportive campaign and in achieving all your sensible demands which show a high level of awareness and commitment to defend basic human rights in Gaza at a time of obvious media bias and hypocrisy of many governments.

We hope to cooperate with you soon to establish mutual academic cooperation between our academic institutions. In this regard, we confirm our high interest and strong willingness to provide you with any information, facts, plans, courses, etc related to your practical demands.

In solidarity with Sussex university students in Occupation

Dr Kamalain Sha'ath
President, The Islamic University of Gaza

Glasgow occupied!

Breaking news! Glasgow students have entered into occupation...

"We are currently occupying the top floor of the Computer Science building in solidarity with the Gazan people, and in protest to the war crimes committed by the state of Israel against the Palestinian people, the University's complicity in this via links to the arms trade, and the BBC's refusal to show the DEC appeal."

Excellent work! We send our solidarity. Watch this space...

General update Sunday

First of all, an urgent call-out for art materials for the Viva Palestina convoy that will be leaving from London on Sat 14th February. This is a request from art students in Gaza, whose university was bombed. They are looking for paint, paintbrushes, canvases, sketch pads: in fact anything that an art student could use. If you can help with this request, please contact Harriett, from the Surplus Resources and Scholarships working group asap.

The national wave has gone international! We received news yesterday that the University of Rochester in New York had gone into occupation, and within nine hours they had claimed a complete victory! Their demands, which the Dean of Student affairs signed without amendments, were divestment from arms companies and other war profiteers, a day of fundraising for humanitarian aid for Gaza, twinning with the devastated University of Gaza and the sending of surplus academic resources, and five annual scholarships for Palestinian students. No students faced repercussions for their actions. Congratulations to Rochester for their swift success, and to other unis internationally: get on it guys!

In an amazing and appallingly unpublicised act of individual solidarity, Maria Gallestegui has entered the 4th week of a hunger strike in Parliament Square in London. She has been delivering a petition to Downing Street every day, having pledged not to end it until the blockade on Gaza is lifted. We hope that, with the blood of over 1300 Palestinians on their hands already, the British government will listen to the public voice before another life is lost to the Israeli occupation. Peace, solidarity and awe to Maria. 

On Saturday, a few members of the occupation went down to the demo at warehouse of Carmel-Agrexco, the main UK importer of produce from the occupied territories. After a few organisational hiccups, protestors arrived to find that the Met police had already set up their own blockade with 150 policemen blocking off the entrance having been camped out all night, so they waited around being photographed by the Forward "Intelligence" Team before the banners and the media arrived, and then had a bit of a chant and a rally. 

Last week saw a variety of different educational public events around campus including a moving performance of the Palestine Monologues, a panel including the Palestinian ambassador, and a screening of Occupation 101. All events were well-attended, showing the continued interest and energy  across campus around the issues motivating the occupations around the country.

We are also working hard to continue extending our links nationally with representatives attending the Stop the War conference on Saturday and a delegate visiting the Manchester occupation (which is still going and urgently need support: email VC Alan Gilbert at president@manchester.ac.uk) this weekend. We will also be hosting a national forum next Friday for representatives from the different occupations to meet and discuss our next steps as a national movement. 

And also on the subject of the national movement, check out the article in today's Independent, particularly notable for the following shock statement which almost sounds like an endorsement from NUS president Wes Streeting: "It's about time we got [sic] the student movement going again and had an impact." Glad to have you on board at last Wes! We look forward to seeing the national student union joining in with the national student movement! Check out as well the coverage of the occupation in the Badger last week. We made the front page! 

Manchester Uni Occupied, Strathclyde and Queen Mary Victories, and Sussex Updates

Over 150 University of Manchester students have occupied the main university administration building in a demand for a stronger and more proactive position from the university on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as reported on Indymedia. This is wonderful news and we wish them all the best in solidarity!

Please follow their blog at: http://manunioccupation.wordpress.com/

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Congratulations to the Strathclyde University Occupation, whose overnight occupation of the registry hall in McCance Building ended today in victory. They have issued the following statement:

"Following the overnight continuation of our occupation and a hugely succesful solidarity rally on the steps of the McCance, University of Strathclyde Principal Andrew Hamnett has conceded the following:

“1. We will not place any further orders with Eden Springs for operational reasons.

2. Funds for 1-3 scholarships.

3. Co-operation between students and management in posting Gaza Appeal on campus. Link on Uni website advertising Gaza Appeal.

4. Press Release reiterating Strath Uni longstanding relationship with the University of Gaza.”

We have also secured the uni’s commitment to a public debate between representatives of BAE Systems and anti-war student activists, on the weapons manufacturers’ ethical credentials and whether the talents of our engineering students should be used for BAE’s benefit.

We consider this a victory and have already done a lap of the uni in celebration. We are simultaneously elated, exhausted and looking ahead to the battles to come. The struggle must continue until BAE is evicted from Strathclyde and freedom and justice is secured for the people of Palestine.

Today we have taken a tiny step towards the final victory.

Solidarity forever,

The Strathclyde Uni Occupation"

There was a report that the police had been dispatched to remove the students last night, but a member of the occupation has sent out the following clarification:

"To clarify, the police were called (we believe by a member of the Estates Management security staff), only to be turned away immediately by the Secretary to the University. We are assured that the uni authorities will not engage in ‘provocations’, to use their words."

Victory also came yesterday to the Queen Mary occupation who, after eight days in occupation, were succesful in negotiating most of their demands, including the donation of surplus resources, and divestment from Cobham and a co-operative review of the university's ethical investment policy. They say

"Though the Occupation has ceased, the cause has not. We will still fight for freedom for Palestine."

Congratulations and solidarity to all involved

Keep up to date with national occupation news at http://occupations.org.uk/

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Here at Sussex, we are still going strong, with well-attended meetings on how to continue the movement. We had an amazing panel on Tuesday, featuring the Palestinian Ambassador, and we hope to have a video from that up soon. There are also other events being suggested and some currently being put together, so we are nowhere near being out of ideas and nowhere near allowing the atrocities in Gaza to become ignored again.

As a reminder to those on-campus and in the Brighton area, we still have two more events for Palestine Week:

TONIGHT: The Palestine Monologues - 7pm in Arts A 103 at the University of Sussex. An informative but emotionally charged live drama performance, The Palestine Monologues explores the day to day experiences of life under Israeli occupation and also highlights some of the turning points individuals have had when they have seen past the dominant and conflicting narratives perpetuating the conflict. Entry by donation.

FRIDAY: Film Screening of Occupation 101 - 4pm in EDB 121 (between Arts B and C). 'Occupation 101' presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions. The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and the major obstacles that stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace. The event is free and will be followed by discussion and refreshments.

Click to view the trailer for Occupation 101 on YouTube

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The final point is to draw attention to some new links in the "Media" section on the right hand side of the blog: the Emancipating Education for All website, which follows worldwide events and actions to make education available for everyone. Also, there are two articles from The Socialist Worker on the UK university occupations, featuring quotations from Sussex students!

National occupations update

Congratulations to King's College London who yesterday announced victory after two weeks of occupation and protest:

"The college has agreed to a series of measures to directly address the current crisis in Gaza, including the provision of scholarships for those directly affected by the crisis, and the donation of educational resources to institutions in Palestine", said Mido Khan on behalf of the student protesters. "In addition, the college has acknowledged the scale of discontent that the award to Peres has generated among the student population, particularly considering the award in the context of what has happened recently in Gaza."

Less welcome news from the Nottingham university occupation who yesterday were forcibly removed by security guards without prior warning. The protest had been peaceful and had explicitly stated its intentions of non-disruption to other students from the outset (although the university took the decision to disrupt lectures). Following this illegal eviction, many students were kept outside in the snow without jackets and prevented from retrieving their possessions still left in the hall. The media were denied access to campus. The actions of the university in collaboration with the local police are disgraceful, unnecessary and dangerous. There have been reports of injuries to students, personal items being confiscated, intimidatory recording of names and ID numbers, police and security refusing to take statements from students assaulted during removal and failing to help the process of identifying those members of security responsible for assault and injury. Please call and email the university to register your outrage at this disgusting behaviour.

Dark news also from Sheffield Hallam who have now been told that, following their eviction on 29th January after serious intimidation and threats of arrest, those involved are to be suspended from the university, which means that they will be unable to take part in exams and lectures. This is in breach of earlier assurances from university officials that there would be no repercussions for protestors if they agreed to leave the occupation peacefully (which they did). University security was subsequently sent to break up the arranged post-occupation organisational meeting. That students should suffer severe intimidation and academic penalty, effectively jeopardising their futures, for peaceful political protest of this sort is unacceptable and an extremely worrying precedent. Please complain to Sheffield Hallam University by ringing them on 0114 225 5555 or email Philip Jones the Vice-Chancellor at enquiries@shu.ac.uk.

Finally Queen Mary are still going strong and have achieved their first success, with the university agreeing to add the 'Palestinian Territories' to the Scholarship list. The occupation continues to press for all expenses paid scholarships for students specifically from the Gazan University for the coming Academic year 2009 - 2010 and 10 extra general scholarships to be created for future years so as not to disadvantage students from other parts of the world.

We urge all other universities who are still considering occupation to get on it now!

Some final messages of support...

"Congratulations to everyone involved in the occupation for the pathbreaking way in which you have conceived, organised, sustained, publicised and achieved such positive results from this campaign. I am proud to be part of a University that has such students." - Andrew Chitty, Department of Philosophy

"Good to see a positive end to it - great going, guys, let's hope this does give rise to a new movement of student activism! It's certainly an exciting time to be working at Sussex."

- Jon Mason

"Congratulations on having made an important statement and obliged an institution to face a cultural prejudice. Would that our media were free enough to report your and other student-body actions and achievements to those who have little or no clarity about the long suffering of Palestinian peoples." - Louis Loizou




"Respect is due for all your hard work. Please do not let the struggle die. We must turn Sussex into a non-militarist campus by protesting the international security agenda. This movement has proved that only united and organised students have the chance of making this a reality!" - Alana Lentin, Sociology Department

"I just wanted to say that I'm really happy to see that there is a new breed of fine activists at Sussex doing interesting, creative, engaging and innovative campaigns and events to support the Palestinian people.

I was Comms a while back and a staunch Palestine supporter during my whole time at Sussex. It really is great to see what you guys have been up to and in using blogs, facebook and gmail to communicate your activities I feel like I've been with you.


A huge congratulations for all that you have done and, I'm sure, will continue to do."

- Alexandra Molano

"You speak for the millions of young people throughout the world who are sick and tired of war and injustice, who simply desire a world in which the young grow up not knowing what it is like to kill and maim.You are an inspiration to us all and we wish you every success and call upon all those who want a more peaceful world to support your action." UCU NEC members (p/c)

Nottingham under siege

Nottingham have just had all of their power cut off except the lights and been asked to leave on pain of disciplinary action by the Director of Student Operations and Support. The students have been warned that ‘no dialogue will take place whilst this room is occupied’. Please send statements of support to occupationnottingham@googlemail.com and complaints to vice-chancellor David Greenaway and director of student operations and support Stephen Dudderidge.

Update on national occupations

Here is an update on the status of the student occupations still ongoing around the UK:

King's College London are now in their 10th day of occupation making it the longest-running univesity so far. Good progress has been made in negotiations, however the university is still refusing to revoke the honorary doctorate awarded to Shimon Perres. Today a march is scheduled to the principal's office to hand in a petition showing support for this demand.

Warwick ended their occupation yesterday after 9 days after the univesity sent word that they are "prepared to come to the table (with our SU mediating) and discuss where to go from here (with respect to sending aid, ethical investment, etc.)"

Nottingham and Queen Mary's are now in their 3rd day of occupation and gathering strength and support.

Cambridge ended their occupation yesterday after shameful intimidatory tactics culminating in a court injunction from their university management. They gained some concessions and tremendous student and local support. They say "we have raised awareness and wish to build a significant student campaign off of this".

Sheffield Hallam are now in their 3rd day of occupation. So far the management have been uncooperative, refusing to enter into negotiations and threatening police eviction. Support and advice is welcomed.

Leeds are now in their 9th day of occupation and are busy in negotiations with their management.


There is an organisational meeting for all those involved or who wish to be involved in the Sussex occupation in order to strategise and decide how best to take things forward at 2pm in FH126.