Students protest for refugees

BY KATELYN MOUNTFORD

SYDNEY — Plans
for a week of on-campus activity around Tampa Day (August 26) on Sydney
University are well underway after a hugely successful inaugural Refugee
Collective meeting August 1. The 60-strong meeting was preceded by a boisterous
speak-out on the university's front lawns.

Addressing the speak-out on behalf of Sydney University Staff for Refugees,
Richard Bailey offered the listening students a “friendly challenge”: to
have a bigger student than staff contingent at the next refugee mobilisation.
SUSR has more than 150 members and mobilised around 100 of them for the
Palm Sunday pro-refugee march. The challenge was accepted with a loud cheer.

At the meeting, students decided to:

* attend an August 7 public meeting, at 6pm in the Eastern Avenue Auditorium,
put on by Vice-Chancellor Gavin Brown to ask that he back his anti-mandatory
detention public statements with action, including allowing refugees on
temporary protection visas free study at the university;

* hold a black armband day on August 26;

* hold a week of activity on August 26-30, including a campus pro-refugee
rally on August 28, and meetings, debates and music;

* support a public meeting with Afghan Hazara activist Riz Wakil on
August 20; and

* investigate holding a student general meeting later in the semester
to galvinise support for refugees.

Six campus security guards monitored the meeting, and two police vans
circled the front lawns during the speak-out (despite a clause in the university
constitution requiring an “emergency” before police are called onto campus).
On July 31, students at a stall publicising the August 1 meeting and speak-out
were pressured to remove posters from walls and stop blocking the walkway.

A neighbouring stall held by Christian evangelist group “Student Life”
was not disturbed, despite also impeding the walkway, and a student band
event stall was allowed to tape up posters. When Socialist Alternative
campus organiser Marc Newman argued the hypocrisy of security's actions,
he was “escorted” off the campus.

To get involved, e-mail Katelyn at <kmou2119@mail.usyd.edu.au>
or Luisa at <LCPocho@yahoo.com>.

From Green Left Weekly, August 7, 2002.

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From GLW issue 503