In light of the continued suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza after months of brutal bombardment by the Israeli military, we call on the university administration and the vice chancellor at Lund University to make their position clear.
To the attention of:
Professor Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University
In light of the continued suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza after months of brutal bombardment by the Israeli military, we call on the university administration and the vice chancellor at Lund University to make their position clear.
Tens of thousands have been killed so far and the majority of them are children and women. Thousands of students and hundreds of Palestinian scholars have been murdered. Documented videos show Israeli troops use controlled explosions to destroy universities in Gaza in a flagrant attack on the Palestinian academic community. Major international organizations have called for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians, and Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. As universities and scholars, we have a particular responsibility to stand by our colleagues and support students everywhere.
Lund University has not made any clear statement regarding the war against Gaza. This silence is increasingly affecting our colleagues and students who speak for Palestine at the university where freedom of expression, a core democratic value, is threatened. Your continued silence threatens our democratic society. The university rightly stood up against Russian aggression and offered support for Ukrainian students and scholars. We want to see Lund University acting on its responsibility to also support Palestinian students and scholars and ensure freedom of expression for all. We, therefore, as staff and students at Lund University demand that the university respond and act upon our demands as soon as possible. Silence is complicity!
OUR DEMANDS ON LUND UNIVERSITY
Detail the concrete steps Lund University will undertake to ensure freedom of expression while ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all, specifically addressing rising antisemitism and Islamophobia;
Establish support for affected students at Lund University and announce targeted measures of pastoral and financial support for affected Palestinian academics and students;
Publicly review all collaborations with Israeli research bodies and companies to ensure that the University is not complicit in breaching international law, directly or indirectly;
Discontinue all cooperation with Israeli universities, research institutes and companies associated with the Israeli military industry. Such cooperation contributes directly to the illegal occupation of Palestine and the oppression of the Palestinian civilian population;
Express solidarity with the Palestinian people and call on our political representatives to take immediate action for a ceasefire in Gaza, for the entry of humanitarian aid and for UN protection of the population;
Appoint coordination and expert groups in a similar structure to that the university formed regarding the war in Ukraine to ensure an appropriate, informed response.
Lund University Academics for Palestine (LUAP) on behalf of the signees,