ManUni Occupation – Solidarity with Gaza

We have had some huge steps forward with our demands, but still have much work to do! Here is a brief update on where we are at:

Our demand that the University should contribute to an Aid Convoy to Gaza- agreed to! We are presently working out what we can send. So far the library has agreed to send books, and we are also trying to get surplus furniture/computers from renovated buildings sent over.

Our demand for a fundraising day- we successfully worked with other societies on campus to put on ‘Children in Conflict Week’. During this week we raised thousands of pounds for the DEC appeal, as well as other charities, put on many succesful events and created a buzz on campus. We reached thousands of students and were able to tell them about the continuingly appalling conditions in Gaza. It also helped us build a even bigger Palestine campaign on campus ready for next year! Congrats to everyone who was involved!

Our demand for scholarships for Gazans has been met! We are now working out the practicalities of the relationship. It should be in place in the new academic year of 2010. The VC even said we made a strong proposal!

Our demand that the University should divest from the arms trade is harder. We are in talks with the University over who they invest in, who they buy from, and who they do research for. So far we have agreed moves to increase transparency of investments. We need to keep up the pressure on this issue, making sure that we oppose any relationship between our Universitry and companies which support the arms industry.

Our demand for a module open for all students on the history of modern Palestine is still being worked on. We do need help on this issue however. Any ideas on favourable academics, of what should be taught, or how we can present this to the University would be much appreciated!

We have working groups set up which look at each of our demands. If you would like to get involved (even if its only just a little bit) then please reply to this thread in the comments section.

From the very first moments of the occupation everyone has had so many good ideas-lets keep this up and make sure that the Palestine campaign goes from strength to strength!

First of all, sorry for taking so long to let you know the good news from Monday’s negotiations. We have all been extremely busy with the Student Union elections taking place this week; (Man Uni students: make sure you have cast your ballot for the many Pro-Palestinian candidates who are standing, by 6pm Thursday).

Last Friday we vacated the Simon Building, on the promise of negotiations with the Vice Chancellor, Alan Gilbert, on Monday. These negotiations went ahead as promised, with three occupiers sitting alongside the Student Union Executive. Despite unsympathetic voices on S.U. Executive, the negotiations were promising.

One demand was fully met. The University is arranging for surplus academic supplies to be sent to the Islamic University of Gaza. Alan Gilbert was very keen on this demand, and has been in discussions with the librarians to ensure that all disused books and other supplies are made available. As the occupation lasted a lot longer than expected (evidently longer than it takes to drive to Gaza!), the Viva Palestina convoy mentioned in the original demand has now arrived in Gaza, so we are in the process of researching other ways we can transport these supplies.

Major progress has been made in securing divestment from the arms trade. Gilbert has agreed to improve transparency over the University’s investment portfolio. This may not seem like a lot, but students have been campaigning over the University’s millions of pounds of investments in the arms trade for over three years now and, despite numerous stunts and protests over the issue, progress has been frustratingly slow. In a matter of weeks, Manchester students will know exactly where the University is involved with the arms trade, and so, in future, will be able to make far more specific, and therefore realistic, demands for divestment.

Such information will also help us in our demand for the university to boycott Israeli goods. Although the Vice Chancellor refused to boycott a country, he was willing to consider boycotting key companies linked to Israel. Soon the University should make available to us lists of the companies that it holds investments in, and purchases supplies from. From these we plan to make specific, realistic suggestions of companies linked to Israel that the University can boycott, and Gilbert has indicated that he would be willing to do this.

The negotiations are by no means over. Many of our demands have not yet been discussed, due to lack of time on Monday. Some have been rejected: the University will not official fundraise for the DEC appeal, although Gilbert has invited us to do so ourselves on campus, including by entering lectures. But much has been achieved, and we are expectant of more successes ahead. The negotiating team, along with the Union Executive, will meet again with the Vice Chancellor on Friday; at least an hour and a half has been blocked out in his diary.

All of the occupiers are hoping for the best, with the election results on Thursday night, and then these negotiations on Friday.

Tomorrow is going to spell the most important time for the students and Palestine movement as the ‘occupiers’ move into talks with Gilbert. Representatives along with members of the SU executive will meet with the Vice Chancellor to discuss the logistics of each and every demand in what is hoped to be a series of talks. The students know they have the upper hand; being able to mobilize other activists quickly if there demands are not negotiated with bona fide; but there is a strong sense of optimism that the talks will be a success.

Manchester Student Union radio station Fuse FM have produced a news video of Wednesday’s events and put it on YouTube. They have done a great job, even capturing Gilbert’s rant at us on camera. Brings back memories of a very exciting day!

After 31 days, 2 Emergency General Meetings, support from academics, students and trade unions from across the globe, as part of over 30 occupations in the U.K, students scaling the gates and blockading the Board of Directors car park; with guest speakers, workshops and film nights; after resolute defiance to countless threats from the University administration, students and activists from the University of Manchester can declare they are entering into negotiations on their terms with the Vice-Chancellor!

The decision was made from the group that leaving today was going to leave them in a position of strength. The fact the Vice-Chancellor did not issue an ultimatum time demonstrates it was the students calling the shots.

In addition to this, the lecturers of the University, who have provided substantial support to the occupation, have indicated things are looking optimistic for negotiations which will commence on Monday. The Vice-Chancellor will meet with some members of the student union of the executive and representatives from the occupation. But the entire dynamic of the negotiations favours the students. With Alan Gilbert fully aware of how quickly the students can mobilise and are not afraid to take direct action.

The battle is by no means won but by ending on such a strong position, with the threat of the hundreds if not thousands of students who are able to mobilise quickly, Gilbert is in a vulnerable position.

The Vice Chancellor Professor Alan Gilbert’s former university which he brought to near ruins by privatizing the university’s assets effectively creating a two-tier system, have been in constant correspondence with us throughout the occupation providing support and solidarity. Today they sent pictures of students outside the self-named Alan Gilbert building with a banner which they have sent showing support for all the occupations across the United Kingdom.

Dear Professor Gilbert,

Yesterday afternoon protestors assembled outside the John Owens building requesting a meeting and announced that we were willing to end the occupation at 4 o’clock in exchange for talks to begin at 4:30. This morning we sent you a letter reiterating our eagerness to meet with you, in exchange promising to end the occupation the very moment our first meeting began.

We received no response to our offers. We can only conclude that you are determined to treat our protest with insincerity. This confirms our suspicions that you do not sincerely intend to take seriously the demands as endorsed by the wider student body through the democratic procedures of the Students’ Union.

We reiterate that we are willing to end our occupation but only on a multilateral basis. Currently we feel the conditions you have placed upon the occupation constitute a unilateral imposition of your authority. As such offer no assurances that you will take our demands seriously during the substantive negotiation stage.

In relation to the accusations of blockading, restricting free movement, harassment and intimidation we maintain that we did not stop anyone from leaving the premises. This is a fact we made clear to both the police and security last night. Testament to the legality of our actions the police did not arrest any individuals on last night’s actions.

With specific reference to your letter dated 5th March 2009, we would like to reiterate that we would like to leave the occupied space, once we have been provided with a satisfactory appointment for substantive discussions on the student body’s demands.

This protest has remained peaceful throughout the last four weeks. We are confused by your allegation that the occupation harassed and removed the property of an official visitor to the university. This was an action organised by a different group on campus called ‘Disarm Manchester’, and we claim no responsibility for this.

Furthermore, we will not accept any student being victimised for any actions throughout the last four weeks of occupation, including all actions taken yesterday. As mentioned previously, we have remained within the law and have remained peaceful.

We thank you in advance for your speedy response.

Regards

The Occupation.

The time for the ultimatum to vacate has passed and the students have stayed in defiance. Having discussed the pros and cons, with one eye on the clock, the final decision was made to stay and write a letter advising the occupation would leave upon receipt of appointment.

After the meeting, security started moving em mass toward the building initially stating that they would film students once they would moved out of the building. In reponse, the 50 or so students who gathered, began to mask themselves with keffiyahs and flags however, after negotiating with the security guards, they (security guards) decided to defy the University admins demand to film and gave a good faith agreement not to.

Having initially taken down all the banners and flags, following the decision, the occupation quickly redecorated. Discussion and letter writing still continues amongst the students. Keep checking for up to the minute news.