[R-G] Fwd: York Hopes new Task Force will end Repression of Palestine Solidarity Activism

[Anthony Fenton]

SAIA @ York Hopes new Task Force will end Repression of Palestine
Solidarity Activism

Toronto, Ontario – March 17, 2009 On Monday March 16th, York University
announced the launch of its "Task Force on Student Life, Learning and
Community" as a measure to address the current campus environment and  
the
"free exchange of ideas". As a student group that mainly works in
solidarity with the Palestinian people, Students Against Israeli  
Apartheid
(SAIA) @ York has encountered, and is still encountering, numerous
attempts of silencing, mainly by the pro-Israel groups on campus.
Recently, SAIA has been encountering an immense level of intimidation  
and
harassment along with restrictions of free speech through administrative
repression.

SAIA hopes that the task force will be able to deal with these issues  
and
uphold SAIA's fundamental right to free speech in raising awareness  
about
Israel’s apartheid policies and its support for the Palestinian civil
society call for boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) – a peaceful
initiative by Palestinian civil society that seeks to end such
discriminatory policies – in an open and safe campus space. To this end,
SAIA repeats its suggestion that the University sponsor a debate on the
BDS-campaign as a peaceful means of pressuring Israel to end its
systematic violations of international law and fundamental human rights.
By sponsoring a high-caliber discussion on this topic, York will be  
taking
a leadership role in promoting the University as a site willing to  
engage
the pressing issues of our day.

The activities of SAIA and its supporters have been met with persistent
episodes of harassment, slurs and abuse by campus Israel advocacy
organizations and their powerful backers, in conjunction with middle- 
aged
thugs from off-campus hate groups like the Jewish Defense League (JDL).
Members of these groups constantly harass Palestine solidarity activists
and students, with cameras and other forms of provocation focusing  
mainly
on women members of SAIA. At one instance during Israeli Apartheid  
Week, a
female member was physically pushed by a JDL member.

Adonis El-Jamal, SAIA @ York member states “This task force should serve
to once and for all, end bouts with administrative repression of social
justice oriented activists and further open discussion of critical  
issues
through initiatives like a debate around the academic boycott of Israeli
Apartheid.”

SAIA York hopes the new task force is a genuine attempt to create a more
accessible and equitable campus and not serve as another tool to stifle
free speech, repress student activism, and control student behaviour in
student space. In striving for an open campus concerned with social
justice, SAIA York hopes this new task force will address these  
systematic
efforts of intimidation and repression that SAIA faces, and ensure that
SAIA’s right to assembly and free speech are upheld.

					 -30-
Media Contact:
Adonis El-Jamal
647-688-3825