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<P ALIGN=LEFT><B><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=6 FACE="Arial">University attempt to intimidate students blocked</FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=4>Luke Fomiatti,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I> <FONT SIZE=4>Sydney</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us"><B>Students are claiming victory after the University of Western Sydney allowed a forum with Iraqi trade unionist Farouk Isma’al to go ahead on September 21 on the Bankstown campus.</B> </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">They had been told that the forum, to be held in a classroom, would not be allowed to happen unless it was “approved” for “insurance purposes”. For it to be approved, UWS security manager Brian Castelli asked the Students Association (UWSSA) to supply him with a list of everyone expected to attend the forum; the subject matter of Isma’al’s talk, or preferably the talk itself; a list of books that would be referred to by the speaker; and copies of any printed material that would be handed out. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">UWSSA refused to comply, and took the story to the media. After being contacted by the<I> Australian</I>, UWS management backed down. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">This is not the first time this intimidation has happened. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">The socialist youth organisation Resistance and the students association were in the process of organising a speak-out a few weeks earlier when they were told they had to pay for extra security, and that “the relevant people” (presumably ASIO) would be informed. Years of organising on-campus forums and demonstrations had never elicited this response. The difference was that the star speaker at this forum on human rights and the “war on terror” was the former guest at the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, Mamdouh Habib. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">A UWS security officer told me that, “If we think someone needs to know, we let the relevant people know, but we don’t share that kind of information with the students association”. UWS later confirmed that “the authorities” were informed of the forum. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">The Muslim Students Association have had similar requirements made of them. They have Friday night events on campus and, according to spokesperson Zena Nikro, for the last two years have been sent bills for security, now totalling $1500. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">UWS security manager Brian Castelli told me that all events were managed according to the Student Event Organisation Guideline. This covers “open days, concerts, sporting tournaments, rallies, protests, orientation activities, contests, and the like”, and states that “event organisers are responsible for ensuring that adequate security is provided at events”. It also notes that UWS security can be provided “at an appropriate cost” and states that UWS will not allow “any activity that is innately dangerous, unlawful, or detrimental to the University, its image, or reputation”. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">However, this policy seems to be enforced at the discretion of security. Other UWS student clubs I contacted have not been asked to fill out the four-page guideline form; they have simply been allocated rooms by the university’s timetabling department and run their events or, where the events are outside, just run them without asking anyone. The Japanese Animation Society which, like the Muslim Students Association, frequently holds events outside normal uni hours and on weekends, has had to fill out the form to gain access to rooms but has never had to pay for extra security. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">In addition, the event guideline has not been through the normal committee process, allowing staff and students a say, and it is not listed on the UWS rules website. The copy I obtained was titled “4th Draft”. A UWS spokesperson told me that the policy was approved in 2002 by the university executive as a “working draft”, but that changes have been made since then. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">UWSSA president Amber Jacobus said, “It’s outrageous that UWS would bring in restrictive rules on students without even asking for student input. We want the whole policy scrapped. UWSSA will be working with clubs to produce an alternate policy.” </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">While the policy has, so far, not been used to stop a student event, threats have been made. On September 8, the Bankstown Muslim Students Association held a hotdog stall to raise money to help pay off their security debt. They were told by UWS security that as they had not filled out the appropriate form and been given permission to hold the stall, they would have to shut it down. After an argument the stall was allowed to continue, however they were told that they would not be allowed to hold such an “event” next time unless they had permission. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">UWS denies there is any discrimination. Paul Woloch, director of policy and governance told me, “The policy should apply to any and all events”. He said, “If there are concerns [with the guideline], we will take them on board”. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">The clampdown on student organising at UWS comes as the “war on terror” is increasingly being used to justify restrictions on free speech and the right to organise. While Muslims have been most targeted, with suggestions that “radical” Islamic books and speakers should be banned, all those who dissent from the war and globalisation agenda are being scrutinised. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">The recent deportation of US anti-war activist Scott Parkin, for reasons of “national security”, and the cancellation of a conference at Sydney University on the basis that its headline speaker, leftist Antonio Negri, was a “terrorist mastermind”, are cause for alarm. </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">Michael Walton from the NSW Council for Civil Liberties told me that “in Australia political speech is protected by the constitution. Making it difficult for people to speak out by intimidating them by collecting names and assessing content is outrageous. Political speech, short of incitement to violence, should be free and uncensored ... especially on a university campus.” </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">[Luke Fomiatti is the editor of<I> Western Onion,</I> the UWS student newspaper<I>.</I> This is an abridged version of his article<I></I> first published in its September 28 edition.] </SPAN></P>
<P ALIGN=LEFT><SPAN LANG="en-us">From<I> Green Left Weekly,</I> October 12, 2005. </SPAN></P>
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