Students’ Union General Meeting
:: UGM ::
Friday 22 January
- Room: KLT & JCR -
1:45 – 5:00
AGENDA
1. Student Union Officer Reports
2. Junior Common Room & Bar Refurbishment Update
3. Motions
a) Support BooksForSudan Campaign
b) Students’ Union Unite Against Fascism & Love Music Hate Racism Motion
c) Support for a National Campaign to End the Immigration Detention of Children
d) Native Spirit & SOAS Student Union
e) Support the National Convention Against Fees & Cuts
f) Justice for Tony Blair, Troops out of Afghanistan: Support the Demonstrations next week
g) De-Militerise Aid For Haiti
h) Defend the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign
i) Viva Palestina – Resume Land Convoys
j) Allow Foreign Languages in Union Spaces
k) Defend Muslims at UCL
l) Diversify the SOAS Bar
4. Any other Business & Announcements
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Support BOOKSFORSUDAN Campaign – Failed
Proposed By: Eric Jean-Pierre
Seconded By: Sebilio Uribe
This Union Notes:
1.1 Southern Sudan Juba University has just reopened after the second civil war started in 1983 in Sudan between the North and the South. The library, the heart of a University, remained in Khartoum.
1.2. At the moment there is no support to Juba University and its library, while donors are investing billions in ambitious state building and security programs with little tangible results for the population and the youth. Education is more effective than any DDR or ‘good governance’ project that favors the elite only.
1.3 Currently Southern Sudanese willing to receive a higher education are moving abroad or to Khartoum, reducing the likelihood of a civil transformation of Southern Sudanese society.
1.4 In the UK there is an exuberance of books: for publishing houses is more convenient to destroy books rather than storing them.
1.5 BOOKSFORSUDAN is collecting those academic books for free to send them to Juba University. The new Academic Year in Southern Sudan is starting in April 2010. All arrangements with the University have been made.
1.6 BOOKSFORSUDAN is receiving a great support also from private donors, international NGOs and research centers.
1.7 The only cost that the project entails is the purchase of a container (850 pounds) and the shipment to Juba (around 9000 pounds). BOOKSFORSUDAN, through its SOAS society and private donors is already fundraising for the goal but it needs more support as time is short.
This Union Believes:
2.1 That supporting Juba University library would help Southern Sudan to emerge from the current post-war instable situation. A furnished library will trigger the development of the University and attract southern Sudanese students and professors from abroad.
2.2 That SOAS can support the development of Juba University. In turn, SOAS would benefit not only in term of reputation, but also of knowledge and expertise, through a more direct connection with Sudan and future exchange of students and professors.
This Union Resolves:
3.1 A container of 40ft to be purchased for Juba University now. The cost of a waterproof container, including delivery to SOAS, is of 850 pounds.
3.2 A space to be allocated within SOAS premises to host the container for few months. While at SOAS the container can be painted and marked with SOAS logo.
3.3 When full, the container will reach destination in 2/3 months. At destination, it will be readapted as an archive/library facility and remain at University facilities. A direct connection between SOAS and Juba University will then be established and SOAS would get great visibility as a sponsor of African Universities.
3.4 That experiment, if successful, can be the first one of a series which will bring SOAS to all African Universities. SOAS should assure its support to BOOKSFORSUDAN throughout the operation and, if needed, allocate a little amount to cover a percentage of the shipment cost.
Students’ Union Unite Against Fascism & Love Music Hate Racism motion – Passed
Proposed By: Matthew Richards
Seconded By: Ben Sellers
This union notes:
1.1 That last years election of two members of the fascist British National Party to the European parliament marks a turning point in British politics. This is the biggest electoral breakthrough for a fascist party in the UK. Their election threatens to normalise the presence of the BNP in mainstream politics.
1. 2 That the BNP is dedicated to an all-white Britain, the destruction of trade unions and the elimination of basic democratic rights. The BNP mobilises on the basis of racism, seeking to divide society. Its politics of hate and division threaten the freedoms and safety of those the party would see annihilated – Jews, black people, trade unionists, Muslims and all ethnic minorities, gays and lesbians, disabled people and anybody who stands for a democratic society.
1.3 That Love Music Hate Racism is organising a national tour in the run up to the European election in key areas where the BNP have managed to gain electorial seats and are looking to gain. Unite Against Fascism will be distributing over 1 million anti-BNP leaflets around the country via Unions, schools, workplaces and branches.
This union believes:
2.1 That racism divides students and has no place within the student movement.
2.2 That at a time of deepening recession, the BNP’s policies of hatred and division offer no solution and we must be united against them.
2.3 That as a matter of urgency, we must unite to build the broadest possible opposition to the BNP. Music is a medium that unifies cultures and celebrates diversity and musical events have the ability to unite people in opposition to racism.
This union resolves:
3.1 To send up to 20 student delegates to the 2010 Unite Against Fascism/Love Music Hate Racism conference taking place on the 13th of February at a cost of £10 per delegate.
Support for a National Campaign to End the Immigration Detention of Children – Passed
Proposed by: Adam Payne
Seconded by: Jon Evershed
This Union Notes:
- A recent and growing movement in the UK media calling for an end to the practice of detaining children for the purposes of immigration control.
- That each year, in the UK, between 1,000 and 2,000 children are detained for the purposes of immigration control.
- That, in effect, no ‘exceptional circumstances’ are required for the detention of children, as they are ostensibly for the detention of other vulnerable individuals or groups.
- That this summarily excludes detained children from the protections afforded to other children by UK and international law (e.g. the Children’s Act, the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child).
- That it costs the state about £900 per week to maintain the detention of a child.
- That a report published in Child Abuse and Neglect: the International Journal in September 2009 detailed the impact of detention on children and noted a severe detrimental impact on children’s mental, physical, psychological and emotional health.
- That a joint statement by the Royal Colleges of Medicine in December 2009 noted that “Any detention of children for administrative rather than criminal purposes causes unnecessary harm and further blights already disturbed young lives.”
- That detention has a detrimental impact on every child that is detained.
- That symptoms exhibited by children that have been detained include insomnia, weight loss, bedwetting, depression and self harm, and that symptoms continue after children have left detention.
- That detention has a demonstrable negative and disruptive impact on a child’s development and education, causing regression in literacy and speech.
This Union Believes:
- That immigration detention is an expensive, cruel, traumatic and ultimately unnecessary process, and that this is particularly true in the case of children and families.
- That the disregard for the welfare, health and well-being of detained children by UKBA and the private corporations that manage the UK’s detention estate amounts to abuse which is morally indefensible.
- That all children should be treated as children first and foremost, that the interests of children should be the primary consideration in any UK government policy pertaining to children and that all children in the UK should be entitled to the protections afforded by UK and international law.
- That the practice of detaining children for the purposes of immigration control should therefore be ended immediately.
- That now is the time for an effective national campaign to demand an end to the detention of children.
This Union Resolves:
- To commit its voice and resources to the opposition of immigration detention and particularly the detention of children and families
- To support a multifaceted national campaign calling for an end to the detention of children.
- To encourage and support its members to oppose the detention of children, and to begin by encouraging all members to sign the No.10 petition which can be accessed online at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoChildDetention/.
- To post a link to the petition on its website.
Native Spirit & SOAS Student Union Partnership – Passed With Ammendments. 3.2 Removed 3.6 Changed
Proposed by: Sebilio Uribe
Seconded by: Syed Masad Reza
This Union Notes:
1.1 Native Spirit Foundation is a non-profit organisation, which promotes the knowledge and preservation of Indigenous Cultures and funds educational resources for young indigenous people.
1.2 It is independent, self-funded and run entirely by volunteers.
1.3. Native Spirit holds an annual Festival of Films, talks and performances celebrating the indigenous culture, which takes place in London and Spain.
1.4. During the year Native Spirit also organises events such as fundraisers, musical, art exhibition and film screenings, providing a platform to indigenous artists to showcase their work.
1.5. Native Spirit has worked and been supported by many people and organisations. Renowned international artists such as Manu Chao and Radio Bemba, Ojos de Brujo and Blackfire, human rights and environmental organisations such as Amnesty International, the Department of Regional Environmental in Cantabria are among the contributors.
1.6. Native Spirit supports educational projects throughout Latin America, providing funding, technical and human resources for school in indigenous communities. We work within the concept of La Nueva Escuela (The New School), a proposal for autonomous education within indigenous communities based on an indigenous understanding of life.
1.7. Native Spirit Foundation has offered to provide Internships and life-work-experience in their Educational Projects to SOAS students and Alumni in exchange for support.
1.8. An old prophecy states:
“When the Condor of the South will meet the Eagle of the North, the warriors of the rainbow will be born. When the tears from these birds are merged, the warriors of light will be born”
This Union Believes:
2.1 NSF is part of a drop of water that together with others, form the rain and the sea. It is a grain of sand together with others that form the shores. They will work to reclaim the harmonious heritage of humanity and the responsibility that goes with it.
2.2 NSF events will offer SOAS students, scholars, and the wider public an opportunity to glimpse into some of the worlds oldest surviving and most marginalised people on this planet;
2.3 These often over-looked communities are rooted in ancient traditions, cultures and languages, yet are more commonly characterised today by displacement, conflict and exploitation.
2.4 It is crucial to set this in the multicultural SOAS University where all NS events can work as a source of research, interaction and examination.
2.5 It is of great importance to establish bridges and to find parallels between indigenous cultures and modern societies.
2.6 Students and scholars will benefit as the events will work as an open door to get involved directly with projects related to protection of diversity and minority cultures, the environment, nature, and autonomous education
This Union Resolves:
3.1 To develop a regular platform for Native Spirit work which includes:
i) Providing a platform for Indigenous voices to recount history from their perspective
ii) Promoting social and environmental awareness and respect
iii) Promoting the culture and the protection of indigenous people and their diversity
3.2 To reserve a Venue in SOAS that fits at least 140 people every full moon for Native Spirit use
3.3 To Support the Native Spirit Festival in October 2010 by
i) being a venue for forums with indigenous elders from around the world
ii) To have SOAS as a permanent supporter and partner of the annual Native Spirit Festival, a celebration of an ancient multicultural and sacred world
3.4 To have SOAS as a permanent supporter and partner of the annual Native Spirit Festival, a celebration of an ancient multicultural and sacred world
3.5 To formally affiliate to the Native Spirit Foundation
3.6 Finalise all agreements for internships and visits to indigenous communities by SOAS students and scholars before affiliation arrangements are made.
SUPPORT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION AGAINST FEES & CUTS – Passed
Proposed by: Ben Sellers
Seconded by: Clare Solomon
Notes:
- That the government review of top-up fees is underway, and Peter Mandelson has announced £500,000,000 cuts to Higher Education.
- That in February there will be a National Convention Against Fees & Cuts, currently supported by Sussex, UCL students’ unions, NUS LGBT and Black campaigns and other organisations.
- That this convention is intended to build a national student voice against cuts, to co-ordinate the activities of and to provide students and their unions with the information and practical skills required to fight fees and cuts.
Believes:
- That fees and cuts will be damaging both to students’ education and staff job security.
- That increased fees and cuts in education funding are a national issue and require a response from students at a national level.
- That this convention will put students in a stronger position to resist fee increases, course closures, and other cutbacks in education
- That we should therefore promote the event and facilitate student involvement.
Resolves:
- To officially support the National Convention Against Fees & Cuts, and to publish a short statement of our support, a link to the Convention blog and regular updates on the national campaign against cuts on the SU Website
- To advertise the convention and its blog in all relevant medias.
- To mandate the SU sabbaticals and executive to attend where possible.
JUSTICE FOR TONY BLAIR, TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN: SUPPORT THE DEMONSTRATIONS NEXT WEEK – Passed
Proposer: Kevin Dean
Seconder: James Meadway
Union notes:
1.1 That the ‘International Conference on Afghanistan’ is taking place in London on 28 January, with attendees from all the NATO countries currently occupying the country.
1.2 That over 100,000 troops now occupy Afghanistan, along with over 100,000 private military contractors. Over 30,000 extra troops are on their way.
1.3 That opium production in Afghanistan has now reached record heights, with a UN-estimated 200,000 hectares under cultivation, supplying 93 per cent of the world’s heroin.
1.4 That a 2009 Department for International Development investigation found that 80 per cent of aid delivered to Afghanistan went instead to foreign contractors, with 30 per cent of the aid total being spent solely on security.
1.5 That 249 UK service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001. No reliable figures exist for the number of Afghan deaths, but it they are estimated at a minimum to exceed 10,000.
1.6 That repeated opinion polls have found over 70 per cent of British people want UK troops out of Afghanistan.
1.7 That former Prime Minister Tony Blair is scheduled to give evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war on 29 January.
1.8 That a Sunday Times opinion poll found a majority of the British public believe that Tony Blair lied to take Britain into the Iraq War.
1.9 That Blair himself has recently admitted, in a Sunday Times interview, that he would have invaded Iraq regardless of circumstances.
1.10 That it has been credibly estimated, using the best available research methodology, that over one million deaths have occurred in Iraq as a result of the invasion.
1.11 That the recent Dutch inquiry into the Iraq War has offered the legal opinion that the 2003 invasion constituted a war crime.
Union believes:
2.1 That the evidence presented to the Chilcot Inquiry demonstrates the intention of Blair to support the invasion of Iraq, regardless of cause, and that he and his government subsequently lied to cover up this fact.
2.2 That a premeditated and unprovoked military attack constitutes a war crime, as defined by the 1945 Nuremburg Convention, and that sufficient evidence exists to launch a prosecution against Tony Blair.
2.3 That the victims of his and George Bush’s aggression demand justice, and that their crimes should not be forgotten.
2.4 That the continued occupation of Afghanistan is spreading further instability in the region, with the war now spreading across the country and spilling over into Pakistan.
2.5 That we are currently trapped in a vicious circle: more troops creates more instability, creating demands for more troops to be sent. Only a withdrawal of NATO forces will break this cycle.
2.6 That Hamzid Karzai now rules as a virtual dictator, with no other opposition parties capable of standing against him and with Parliament repeatedly over-ruled by the President on key decisions like the composition of the government. The occupation has not brought democracy to Afghanistan in any meaningful sense.
2.7 That NATO in general, and the US and UK in particular, are desperate to save face in Afghanistan, attempting to find a NATO-led military solution to the conflict where none exists.
2.8 That the ‘International Conference’ is part of this face-saving operation, designed to both confuse the public about the true effects of the occupation, and create the impression of an ‘international consensus’ amongst NATO countries. Further, that Gordon Brown is attempting to use this conference to present himself as a ‘world leader’ ahead of the general election.
2.9 That destabilising an entire region and slaughtering thousands of people to do little more than save Gordon Brown’s blushes in an election year is morally repugnant.
2.10 That troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Union resolves:
3.1. To support the blockade of the international conference called by the national Stop the War Coalition on 28 January, publicising the event across SOAS.
3.2. To support the Stop the -War Coalition protests outside Tony Blair’s Iraq inquiry hearing.
De-Militarise Aid For Haiti - Passed
Proposed by: Sebilio Uribe
Seconded By: Elly Badcok
This Union Notes:
- The Aid currently given to Haiti is largely managed by the US military
- Haitians are still digging for people under the rubble
- The infrastructural program to rebuild the country will use most of the aid money that has been donated
- The President of Senegal will ask the African Union what support there is for a repatriation program for Haitians in Africa
- George W. Bush Jr. has been put onto a panel that will decide how USAID works in Haiti
- The US military also managed the Humanitarian Relief given to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and notoriously blocked off bridges to medical convoys from the Red Cross.
This Union Believes:
- Most of the Aid money will go to rebuilding the country
- Haitians should be given access to the best international education available at the moment
- Militarised aid should be one of the smallest forms of aid in the region and if necessary they should be lead by the UN or ALBA rather than the USA
- George W. Bush has never proven his capacity to lead any humanitarian effort
This Union Resolves:
- To ask every Union member that is a citizen of the United States of America to write to their senators to de-militarise their aid and complain that George W. Bush is on the panel to decide what aid goes to Haiti
- Create links with groups who are actively working to spread information about the mishandling of Aid in the country
- Host at least three fundraising events within the second term to help Haiti
Defend the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Passed
Proposed by Ian Drummond
Seconded by Arianna Tassinari
This Union notes:
1.1 -Israel’s crimes of occupation in the West Bank and siege on Gaza continue to cause daily suffering for the Palestinian people
1.2 -A call has been made for boycott, divestment and sanctions on the model applied successfully to apartheid South Africa, by representatives of Palestinian civil society
1.3 -The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, responding to this call, protested against the presence of “distinguished IDF musicians” the Jerusalem Quartet at the 2008 Edinburgh festival, and 5 of its activists are now on trial in Edinburgh, facing charges of “racially agravated conduct”, the original charges having been dropped and change to this after the Gaza War
This Union believes
2.1 -That supporting the Palestinian call for boycott is a democratic, non-violent way for ordinary people to attempt to affect world politics in the direction of peace and justice
2.2 -The current trial of the SPSC 5 is one of political victimistation, both attempting to criminalise the boycott campaign and equate a method of anti-racist struggle with racism
This Union resolves
3.3 -To send our solidarity to the SPSC 5
Viva Palestina – Resume Land Convoys – Passed
Proposed by Ian Drummond
Seconded by Elly Badcock
This Union notes:
1.1 -The siege of Gaza, with the complicity of the Egyptian regime, continues to cause daily suffering to the people of Gaza and compound the effects of Israel’s 2008-9 war of agression even one year on
1.2 -The Viva Palestina aid convoys have broken the siege 3 times, most recently on the 6th of this month
1.3 -2 previous UGM’s supported the convoy, the SU and SOAS students fundraised for it, and SOAS student Ian Drummond was part of the student contingent on it
1.4 -The convoy arrived 10 days later than planned due to obstructions put in its way by the Egyptian government
1.5 -Egypt has since banned future land convoys
This Union believes
2.1 -The siege is an illegal, immoral act of collective punishment while the convoys represent the best of human solidarity in trying to break it
2.2 -Egypt’s complicity with the siege and obstruction of the attempts to break it and alleviate the suffering it causes is utterly deplorable
This Union resolves
3.1 -To continue to support Viva Palestina in its future attempts to break the siege of Gaza
3.2 -To call for the resumption of land convoys to bring desperately needed aid and hope to the people of Gaza
Allow Foreign Languages in Union Spaces – Failed
Proposed by: Sebilio Uribe
Seconded by: Yelden Saraby
This Union Notes:
- There is currently legislation within the Union that does not allow posters in any language that is not English to be displayed in Union Space without it’s direct translation beside it.
- We have a range of languages studied and used within the institution
This Union Believes:
- If anyone in the world should know the difference between scripts it should be SOAS students
- By promoting equal rights to all languages we promote the recognition of every cultures value to humanity as a whole
This Union Resolves:
- To have at least one poster translated a week
- To have all posters that will be in foreign languages submitted to either the International Students’ Officer or the co-President of Finance & Communications with the translation for verification
- To have segment behind one of the Union display cases for all the material that is of a foreign language
Defend Muslims at UCL - Passed
Proposed by Clare Solomon
Seconded by Ian Drummond
This Union Notes:
1.1 -That the London Metropolitan Police demanded that UCL hand over a list of emails of members of its Islamic Society to the security services under ‘anti-terror’ laws.
This Union Believes:
2.1 -That this action is an unnecessary invasion of the rights to privacy of ordinary students who signed up to the ISOC and have nothing to do with violence
2.2 -That this is part of a general trend to the erosion of liberties around the “War on Terror”
2.3 -That this action will feed into the Islamophobia resulting from our government’s role in the “War on Terror”
2.4 -that this contravenes data protection laws.
This Union Resolves:
3.1 -To condemn the actions of UCL management in giving and the security services in taking these personal details
3.2 -To support the petition calling for the return of the students’ details
Diversify the SOAS bar. – Passed
Proposed By: Edward Armston-Sheret
Seconded By: Sebilio Uribe
This Union notes:
- SOAS is a diverse university with many of its students having a highly international and ethical outlook towards the world; however the student population is not reflected in the drinks currently served in the SOAS bar.
- Currently the beverages sold are mostly owned by large European companies and there are no ethically sourced soft or alcoholic drinks on sale.
This Union Believes:
3. That choice and diversity in the SOAS bar would be a good thing, as it would make the SOAS bar more unique and give students more choice. Students would also be able to choose more ethically sourced drinks which would be a positive thing.
This Union Resolves:
4. To create a work team composed of SOAS students will look into which new drinks people want to be stocked. The work groups will be composed of any SOAS students who wish to take part and will report back at the next UGM
5. To review the NUSSL contract and see if the SOAS bar can be diversified while this contract is still in place.
6. To invite anyone interested in joining the work group or with any suggestions of drinks which should be stocked to email: 257383@soas.ac.uk .
A quick note to everyone to notify you that the Union Elections are back upon us. The following posts for the Academic Year 2010-2011 running fromAugust to August. There are three full-time Sabbatical Posts (students who take a year off or a year after their subject) and eleven non-sabbatical posts. Nominations will open at 10am Monday 2nd February and close on Thursday 25/2/08 5pm SHARP.
