Voice of Revolutionary Students

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

We are leaving Occupation - Newcastle University Students

Demands re-draft, and the next step - WE ARE LEAVING THE OCCUPATION

It's been a very exciting couple of hours! We have, with the help of Dr. Trottier a politics lecturer with vast knowledge of Gaza and Palestine, re-drafted our demands. They now read as follows:

*Newcastle University to issue the same public statement as Oxford University expressing “concern for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza” and stating, “it is regrettable that many civilian casualties occurred in educational institutions.”
*Adopt the same ethical policy towards the arms trade as towards its tobacco industry policy, with a timetable of implementation. This includes indirect investments.

*Newcastle University supports the Newcastle University Gaza Solidarity Campaign’s coming projects of a) collecting computers, software, books etc for the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) and b) the visit of a student delegation from Newcastle University to IUG to establish their needs, c) the ensuing student projects to follow up on those needs, d) developing an ethical investment and trade policy with Israel, e) publicising the Disaster and Emergency Committee’s appeal for aid.
*Newcastle University supports new and ongoing academic collaborations with IUG, including distance education tools to link University of Newcastle Students and IUG students.

*Review of rules and regulations that will allow political activism in a variety of channels. This includes leafleting, flyers, posters, and meetings.

John Hogen, Registrar, has signed the following statement and we are to meet tomorrow to begin negotiations on our terms:

We will leave the occupation this evening on the condition that:John Hogan will meet with Newcastle University Gaza Solidarity Campaign at 12pm on March 12th, on equal terms for meaningful negotiations on our revised demands to begin. The Vice Chancellor and/or Paul Younger will be present as well as Dr. Trottier.
We are excited about the talks tomorrow.

The occupation itself has ended at this point because we have been promised that the necessary steps will be taken immediately for our demands to be realised. We have no guarentee, of course, that our demands will be met, but are confident that the appropriate people will be present at these talks to continue our campaign effectively. This was our democratically chosen condition for the occupation.

We will not rule out further direct action if the University management go back on their word.It's been great! We are tired and now we are going to the pub to plan for tomorrows important meeting - the next step.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR MESSAGES OF SUPPORT.

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