SPHR felt compelled to address the Apartheid Wall. In March 2004, the barrier was 660 km long (several-fold the length of the Berlin Wall). It steals at least 943 000 dunums of land (16.8% of the West Bank; 4 dunums = 1 acre); and affects 875 600 civilians in 206 communities [2]. The Apartheid wall has destroyed the Palestinian economy, restricted the movement of Palestinians, and has taken the crown as the World's Largest Concentration Camp from Gaza [3]. It is blocking Palestinians from their farms, water sources, schools, hospitals, and employment; severely impeding the lives of 38% of the West Bank Palestinian population.
The entire display, erected in the main student centre, the University Community Centre (UCC), was fully approved by the University Students Council IN ADVANCE, and the London Police Hate Crimes Division, UWO's Equity Services, and the UWO President's Office after being erected.
Despite all of this clearance, on 16 December 2004, the Clubs Policy Committee (CPC) - a sub-committee of the USC - tried and convicted SPHR without giving SPHR an opportunity to defend itself, and without even telling the club what the accusations were. After a thorough investigation by the university Ombudsperson, the decision was deemed unfair and overturned.
This academic year, instead of issuing an apology for the USC's unfair treatment, the USC reinforced last year's illegal and unfair decision. On November 7, 2005, the CPC issued yet another decision "prohibit[ing] SPHR UWO from public space for the duration of 365 days".
Palestinian human rights activists and Palestinians living in the illegally occupied territories have seen this all before: silencing the oppressed and those who stand in solidarity with them is nothing new. The suppression of freedom of expression is a common tactic used by those who oppress, and is being used by the USC to avoid discussion of important issues by branding them as "controversial". The University must be reminded of their tainted history with the Arab and Palestinian community at Western [4] - and that it had pledged to do everything in its power to accomodate such groups and make the University a place where we could foster academic debate and pluralism.[5] This has certainly not happened here.
We invite members of the community and supporters of human rights to stand in Solidarity with the Palestinian people by educating themselves and others about the terrible impacts of the Apartheid Wall on Palestinian human rights. Let us together turn this attempt to silence us into an opportunity for discussion and education.
-30-
For further information:
- SPHR- University of Western Ontario,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- SPHR-Montreal: Laith Marouf (514) 999-1948
