- You may have heard by now that both B'nai Brith and CIJA have launched a very public campaign denouncing the upcoming "Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace" to be held on Glendon campus from June 22-24, 2009. Most recently, B'Nai Brith has asked Minister Gary Goodyear to review the SSHRC funding of the conference (see B'Nai Brithstatement at the end of this e-mail). The Minister has responded by asking SSHRC to consider conducting a second peer reviewof the conference funding application!For other examples of how this attack on the conference is being waged, see the CIJA site (Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy): http://www.cicweb.ca/scene/2009/05/cija-statement-on-upcoming-york-university-conference/... and an article in yesterday's National Post: http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=1675953CALL FOR ACTION: Support academic freedom! Challenge these attacks on academic conference!1) Write to York University President Shoukri. Congratulate him on his strong stand in support of the conference and academic freedom (though he also denounces the academic boycott of Israeli universities more generally). Tell him that you do not agree with CIJA.E-mail: PRESIDNT@YORKU.CA (NOTE: There is no second "e" in this e-mail address; it is not a typo)2) Write a letter to Minister Goodyear. Tell him that you object to a second peer review, and ask him to account for his actions. You may also wish to say that you support CAUT's call for his resignation (http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2009/10/c4859.html) He can be reached at GOODYG@PARL.GC.CA3) Attend the conference. Program and registration information can be found at: http://www.yorku.ca/ipconf/4) Write a letter to the Globe and Mail, responding to today's article (200 words or less). E-mail LETTERS@GLOBEANDMAIL.CAHere is the link to the article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/goodyear-questions-mideast-forum-funds/article1175909/5) Sign Faculty4Palestine Open Letter to defend academic freedom and freedom of speech on Palestine in Canadian universities and colleges. Go to www.caiaweb.org/faculty (click on red icon to view petition). To sign, send an e-mail to faculty@caiaweb.org
Le CRSH, par le biais d'un communiqué, a rebuté le ministre Goodyear qui appelait à un réexamen du financement de la conférence cédant ainsi aux pression du lobby pro-israélien, exprimant sa son attachement à l'intégrité du processus de revue par les paires préalable à tout financement public de conférences académiques. Notons aussi la réaction de l'Association des Universités et Collèges du Canada, qui condamne par la voix de son directeur exécutif "The action of the Minister of Science and Technology contacting the president of SSHRC to express political concerns is not something we have seen in this country since the McCarthy period" et appelant à la démission du ministre.
Les organisations pro-israelienne ne baissent pas pour autant le bras et continuent, à quelques jours de la conférence, de faire pression pour un retrait du financement public (le Présient de l'université Mamdouh Shoukri ayant réaffirmé que la conférence aurait lieu comme prévu). Ainsi le blog ''Proud Zionist'' (sic!) appelle toujours à presser SSHRC de retirer son financement sous le pretexte que le programme ayant été revu initialement est différent du programme actuel. Un mensonge éhonté, je peux en témoigner. Une solution pour mettre fin à cette ridicule polémique serait d'exposer exceptionnellement sur la place publique le processus de revue ayant abouti au financement de la conférence. Encore que l'objectif des organisations pro-israelienne semble bien être simplement l'intimidation des conférenciers et le maintien d'une pression continue afin de prévenir au future, si possible, toute manifestation semblable. La ''Coalition Against Israeli Aparthaid'' ayant connu les mêmes difficultés à exprimer son opinion sur certains campus universitaires au Canada.
Affaire à suivre..
