International academics can lend their support by sending their name,
title, designation and institutional affiliation to ujpetition@gmail.com.
University of Johannesburg petition (UJ) | 05/03/2011 |
Dear PACBI,
I am writing to request your assistance in passing this message to international academics that you think would consider supporting the attached academic petition (www.ujpetition.com). The UJ Petition was initiated late last year by South African academics, who have now asked for international support.
The petition is in support of the campaign being led by academics and students at the University of Johannesburg (UJ): calling on UJ to cancel its relationship with the Israel’s Ben-Gurion University (BGU). This is on the grounds of BGU’s active support and collaboration with the Israeli military and occupation.
To date over 300 prominent South African academics have signed the UJ Petition including some of our country’s leading voices: Professors Neville Alexander, Kader Asmal, Alan Boesak, Breyten Breytenbach, John Dugard, Antjie Krog and Wilhelm Verwoerd. The campaign has received the full support and backing from Vice-Chancellors of three SA universities: Professors Barney Pityana (University of South Africa), Derrick Swartz (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) and Saleem
Badat (Rhodes University). Furthermore, Nobel Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote this open letter to UJ.
On the 23rd of March 2011 UJ’s Senate will meet to finalize this matter. The UJ Petition has become an important statement on the issue – and in the run up to the final decision, the voice of international academics will assist enormously. International academics can lend their support by replying to this email or by sending their name, title, designation and institutional affiliation to ujpetition@gmail.com. As a member of the international academic community, their name will be added in a « support » category next to the list of SA signatories.
Thanks so much.
Dasantha Pillay
PS: You can be assured that we will include the standard disclaimer: « Institutional names are for identification purposes only »