Victory for Cardiff Student Occupiers!

The occupation of Cardiff University has ended with success as Cardiff University acceded to the occupiers’ key demand – to divest from the arms trade. Cardiff University have given students written confirmation that they have divested from the arms trade and have instructed fund managers not to reinvest.

The occupation will end at 4pm today with the mass of students walking out together waving occupation banners and chanting ‘Free, Free, Palestine’. They then held a ‘Books not Bombs’ rally as they marched around campus declaring their success.

The victory comes after three days of occupation which has made students across the campus aware of the £209, 000 worth of shares which, until yesterday, Cardiff University held in the arms trade. This included BAE Systems and General Electric who supplied Israel with weapons used in the recent attacks on Gaza.

The Cardiff Occupation, organised by Cardiff Students Against War, was in opposition to the University’s investment in the arms trade and to the atrocities committed in Gaza, where 1.4 million Palestinians are blockaded in a semi-autonomous apartheid state.

The occupation has been inundated with messages of support including most notably one from Noam Chomsky:

I am very pleased to learn about the courageous and honourable actions of the Cardiff University students. These are particularly significant because of Britain's role in arms sales generally, and it's contribution to the savage onslaught on Gaza and on the occupied territories generally, second only to the decisive role of the United States -- a disgrace for all of us. I hope you have the greatest success in arousing public opinion and bringing these crimes to an end.
The action at Cardiff is the twenty-eighth UK student occupation to have taken place in the last few weeks. This unprecedented wave of student dissent has seen many university’s capitulating to demands. The Cardiff activists hope their success will inspire other students to hold occupations on their own campuses.

Arla Gramper, 22, who took part in the occupation said: "Our success here at the occupation is a great realisation of what can be achived by direct action. It’s a starting point upon which we plan to build larger, wider reaching campaign to engage many more people in the debate and lobby the university.”

The actions don't end here and Cardiff Students Against War will continue to campaign to ensure the University cements its promise not to reinvest by putting it in policy and to fight against the deportation of Saudi ex-BAE trade unionist Yahya Al Faifi.

Love and Rage,
Cardiff Students Against War

OCCPATION Day 3

We have a big decision to make.

The university says it has divested from BAe Systems and the aerospace arm of General Electric, and has 'asked its external fund managers not to invest in these areas in the future'. This is a massive gain for Cardiff Students Against War, but this only came to us in an email from Louise Casella, the Strategic Development Director, with whom we have been in negotiations. In reality it might mean little unless it is presented to us on university letterheaded paper, signed by someone important. Furthermore there are still many demands left unanswered. Either way, this isn't the end and we are looking to step up our lobbying, petitioning and awareness-raising activities whether or not the occupation continues.

We're having a debate at 1.00 about whether / how to end the occupation on this victory, so we need EVERYONE involved in the campaign to come down and thrash this out.

Large Shandon lecture theatre.
Main Building.
NOW.

Stay tuned for developments.

CSAW out.

Message From Chomsky! Live Linkup! Yahya Speaks!

Hey all,

Cardiff Students Against War has just received a message of support from the legendary Noam Chomsky!!

I am very pleased to learn about the courageous and honorable actions of the Cardiff University students. These are particularly significant because of the Britain's role in arms sales generally, and it's contribution to the savage onslaught on Gaza and on the occupied territories generally, second only to the decisive role of the United States -- a disgrace for all of us. I hope you have the greatest success in arousing public opinion and bringing these crimes to an end.

Noam Chomsky

Obviously this is a massive boost to our morale after a rough first night on the cold, hard lecture theatre steps. Thank you Noam!


LIVE VIDEO LINKUP WITH GAZA!
2.00 Wednesday (today),
Large Shandon Lecture Theatre,
Cardiff University Main Building,
Park Place.

Today at 2.00 the occupation will be hosting a live video link with students in Gaza, organised by Islamic Society. Any technical problems notwithstanding, we will be able to express our support and solidarity face to face with our Palestinian brothers and sisters for whom a different, harsh and negative kind of occupation is an everyday reality. Everyone is welcome to come along, although non-students please email cardiffstudentsagainstwar@gmail.com before arriving as security are IDing students on entry and asking for a guest list of non-students. Bear in mind though that we have assurances no-one is to be penalised for attending the occupation, and that security will not attempt to identify you. Cover the name on your uni ID with your finger if you like!


YAHYA AL-FAIFI
3.15
Large Shandon Lecture Theatre.

Saudi trade unionist Yahya Al-Faifi will be speaking about his experiences working for BAE Systems in Saudi Arabia. Yahya is currently fighting deportation from the UK; if sent back to Saudi Arabia he faces imprisonment, torture and possible death for his socialist connections and trade union activities. His family will be uprooted, his children will have to break off their education and obviously they will all face the trauma of their husband and father being harassed by the Saudi state. Please come along and hear him speak, to add weight to our demand that Cardiff University issue a statement in support of his campaign to stay in Britain.


That's all for now folks! Stay tuned for more news and events in and around the occupation.

In solidarity, peace and respect,

Cardiff Students Against War

Photos of the First Night

Dinner, cake and discussions from last night

Occupation Day Two

Spirits are high as day two of the occupation begins. Sleep was a little fragmented last night with lights mysteriously turning themselves on. Everyone was well fed and watered though with curry and a particularly beautiful Disarm Cardiff cake.

Today we have a busy line-up of teach-ins with Cardiff Uni lecturers coming along to show solidarity as well as a lot of debating and knowledge sharing amongst each other.

At 2pm we have a live link-up with students from Gaza, everyone’s welcome along so please get yourselves down to the Shandon Lecture Theatre, main building.

Lots of messages of support came in overnight – including from several other student occupations – Sheffield Hallam, St Andrew Sussex and Queen Mary’s. Media coverage has spread as far afield as Russia and Croatia, but the local media has also given us attention with students being interviewed live on local radio last night.

What can you do? If you’re a student at Cardiff Uni please come and join the occupation, the Shandon Lecture theatre is a great place to be right now so it’s definitely worth coming along even if only for a few hours. If you’re not a student pop down to say hello and any food or drink donations would be very welcome.

Email messages of support to cardiffstudentsagainstwar@gmail.com and make sure to CC in David Grant, Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff Uni via PA: FarnhamS@Cardiff.ac.uk (please be polite :).

Hope to see lots of you in the Shandon lecture Theatre, Main Building – we’ll be here for a while :-)

Love and rage,

the Cardiff occupiers

OCCUPATION DAY 1

OCCUPATION NEWS

Dear all,

First, a massive thank you to everyone who has been involved in Disarm Cardiff University up to this point. Cardiff Students Against War are now occupying the Shandon Large Lecture in the Main Building! There have already been preliminary negotiations with Director of Strategic Development Louise Casella who has guaranteed that no repercussions will be taken against students and staff for taking part in the occupation, so anyone who wants to find out more or get involved please feel free to pay us a visit (however long) :D Non-students are also welcome but strictly as guests.

We have already received many messages of support from individuals and institutions, including statements from: Alan Thomson of UNISON Ymlaen Branch; Leanne Wood AC/AM (Plaid Cymru); Anne Greagsby (from the campaign against military training at St Athan); CND Cyrmu; and John Rees, co-founder of Stop the War Coalition. Thank you all so much for your solidarity with our action and our message!

The demonstration earlier outside the Student Union was a big success and generated widespread support and interest from passing students, staff and strangers, many of whom joined in spontaneously. Rest assured that Cardiff Students Against War will be organising all manner of events in and around the occupation. Expect teach-ins, guest lecturers, live music and hosting of the live video linkup with Gazan students, organised by Federation of Student Islamic Societies. We are aiming to create a positive, fun educational space dedicated to raising awareness of the effects of the arms trade, and the dire situation in Gaza.

Our demands to the university are as follows:

1. No repercussions for students involved in the occupation. (This demand has been met).

2. Cardiff University to divest all shares, direct or indirect, from arms manufacturers and aerospace companies.

3. Cardiff University to adopt an ethical investment policy that excludes the arms trade. This process is to be mediated by external ethical auditors based on responses of Cardiff University students and staff. The ethical investment policy to be freely available to all students and staff.

4. Cardiff University to be twinned with a Gazan university, to show support for the Gazan people at this desperate time.

The twinning is to involve:

a) Scholarships for at least 5 Gazan students to study in Cardiff, and for Cardiff University to help facilitate their travel.

b) Surplus books, computers and other educational materials to be sent to the twinned university.

5. Cardiff University to release a statement in condemnation of Israel's bombing and the blockade of Gaza, and in condemnation of the UK government's use of British armed forces as part of this blockade.

6. An official day of solidarity with Gaza supported by Cardiff University.

7. Cardiff University to issue a statement of support for Saudi ex-BAE trade unionist Yahya Al Faifi, who is currently fighting deportation from the UK.
8. No Israeli products to be sold in university shops.

9. Cardiff University to actively promote the Disaster Emergency Committee appeal for Gaza, including a banner on the website, and to issue a statement condemning the BBC and Sky News for not running the DEC Gaza appeal advert.

What you can do:

• SHOW YOUR SUPPORT - The more support the occupation generates, the more weight is added to our demands. You can show your support by demonstrating in solidarity with us, by bringing us vegan food, popping us a nice email, and by emailing Cardiff University Vice Chancellor Dr David Grant urging him to give more serious consideration to our demands. Email: v-c@cardiff.ac.uk. If you are a member of a trade union or any campaigning group or institution, we would appreciate whatever support you can generate.
  
• RAISE AND DONATE MONEY - The DEC aid appeal for Gaza is ongoing; every contribution matters so please give what you can: http://www.dec.org.uk/donate_now/
• JOIN OUR STREET TEAM - Leaflet for us etc. The street team meets at 12.00 every day in the Bute cafe, Bute Building, or if you want to get involved earlier give Jonny a call on: 07506715619.
• ORGANISE YOUR OWN OCCUPATION - 28 UK universities have now gone into occupation over these general issues. The more academic institutions that occupy, the more weight is added to our growing campaign. So go for it!

Contact Details:

Alys: 07970311943
Jonny (Street Team): 07506715619
cardiffstudentsagainstwar@gmail.com
Facebook: Cardiff Students Against War
Blog: http://occupiedcardiff.blogspot.com


Peace, love, resistence.

CSAW