Report and photographs by Corine Dhondee
In 2010 I filmed for 10 days with SOAS students whilst they were in occupation. How this happened was somewhat random. I was on my way to a student protest and popped into SOAS. A friend told me there were lots of talks and activity. When I got there the occupation space was empty bar a few people engrossed in paperwork. Before leaving I asked what was happening and was told that students had been served a court injunction at 11am and had to be in court 3 hours later. Students had no time to read the paperwork or get a lawyer.
It was a gross injustice and so I stayed, interviewed some people and went to court with them. In court students were told by the judge that the violence at Millbank meant all students could potentially be violent, (of course the judge forgot to mention the 50,000 students who walked past Millbank), and although SOAS students had carried out a peaceful protest this was not sufficient evidence to allay the concerns of SOAS management. The case was adjourned and students had less then 24 hours until their next court hearing.
A few exhausted students were now faced with a serious injunction, which if passed, would according to one lawyer mean that everyone in the world could be arrested if they had been in that occupied space. SOAS management had put forward a serious charge. Futhermore the management, although they agreed to have discussions with students never actually did, including on the day of the court case. So students who were waiting anxiously to meet with management at an agreed time to discuss the case were left out to hang when the management decided not to meet them.
The lawyer for SOAS management was glossy and polished, having had time to put together a case whilst the student lawyer had two hours to put together a case. However time constraints didn’t concern the judge. The students would have to end the occupation or face the consequences. Miraculously the injunction was changed to a lighter charge, so the whole world wouldn’t be arrested if they were in the occupied space.
After the court case came the massive student protest and SOAS students as did many other universities came out en masse. What happened to some of the students I formed friendships with was brutal. One fell over, on one side of her body were protesters, on the other riot police beating down with batons. She recalls screaming, trying to make sure people could hear her so that she wouldn’t have her back broken or die. Another friend, who stood next to her, later had part of his finger amputated after riot police smashed down onto his hands. Other friends were kettled on Westminster Bridge with a drop into the Thames on both sides. At 11pm the BBC reported that the bridge was empty. It wasn’t students were still kettled and wouldn’t get off the bridge until after midnight.
After the student protests many trade unionists spoke publicly about the student protests saying, hats off to our students. Len McCluskey said, ‘take your sleazy off our kids’. Believing that the next step was to join with trade unions SOAS students spoke at a Unison branch about their experiences of police brutality. They hoped the union would call their members out to the next student protest. In the meeting it became evident that the media’s reportage of student protests had been read as fact by the vast majority. Many couldn’t believe what they were hearing. In response unison members sent a message to all their branches in London telling them about the next student protest. At that protest organised for a Saturday, so that workers could attend, very few turned out. Those who did boosted student morale.
I have seen SOAS students, campaign, and occupy. They have been beaten, and yet time and time again students have stood up to stop fees being increased to £9,000. They as the vast majority of students have peacefully protested. They have supported their lecturers who went on strike by picketing and also occupying a building. SOAS management responded to the occupation by shutting down the computers in the main building so students could not use them. Their action, at a time when students were handing in work, and revising for exams, suggests they have no real interest in student’s academic achievement. SOAS students have also supported other campaigns most notably EMA, the TUC protest on March 26th and the Save our NHS campaign.
On the day SOAS management met and decided to raise undergraduate fees to £9,000 per year there was a small turnout. After they signed away SOAS they had a party in the library with a band and booze. Of course the library was shut to students.
I am writing this to urge you to sign the petition. The future education of the next generation is at stake. Many people sacrificed much so that we could all have access to university education. With the rise in fees we have been thrown back decades where yet again we are faced with only the rich minority having access to university education.
Please support our courageous SOAS students, sign the petition to stop SOAS management from raising fees to £9k per year.
http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/soasnoincreasedfees
We deplore the decision made by the SOAS Governing Body to increase tuition fees for undergraduate students to £9,000.
We have in a number of forums expressed our disagreement and dissatisfaction with increasing fees, and took part in or supported the SOAS occupation in 2010, as part of a wave of occupations across the country, in an effort to stop the implementation of such a decision.
We reject the argument that SOAS management has no choice but to set fee levels at £9,000. SOAS management is simply following other universities in the Russell Group in the mistaken assumption that a degree at SOAS will be considered less valuable if fees are less than £9,000.
In fact, we believe SOAS’ reputation will suffer from an increase in fees. We believe that increased fees will prevent prospective students from even considering the possibility of pursuing higher education, and leave most students with unacceptable levels of debt. Combined with cuts to research funding of 80 percent, this will severely impede SOAS’ reputation for unique teaching provision.
Failing to challenge these brutal cuts and unnecessary fee increases makes SOAS management complicit in wrecking the future of the higher education system in Britain and in lowering prospects for social mobility.
We believe that SOAS management has not considered the best interests of SOAS as a whole because it has not adequately considered how the quality of higher education and access to higher education will be affected in the future. This is a financial question in the immediate, but allowing the market to decide fee levels will change the nature of universities in a way that has severe negative impacts on quality and access.
Securing quality and access to education does require investment. We believe the government can find money for education. But if the government refuses to do this, institutions such as SOAS should not accept pressures to shift debt onto students.
SOAS’ distinctive contribution to the higher education sector in Britain means that SOAS should be setting an example by refuting the government’s ideological attack on the education system, not accepting it.
Whilst we agree with the need to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of SOAS, in charging undergraduates the highest possible fee levels, we believe that SOAS management is only concerned with its own financial interests.
Scholarships and bursaries will still fall far short of demand, and students from underprivileged backgrounds will be hardest hit by this decision.
SOAS management has a real opportunity to take a strong position on defending education and against student debt. We urge SOAS management to take a stand against government austerity plans and refuse to implement increased fees.
Report and photographs by Corine Dhondee
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News & Comment
The Right to Education Without Compulsion is a Basic Human Right and
Access should be Solely upon Good Conduct Academic Ability and Willingness
to Learn .
It is a Sign of Capitalist Oppression along with Usury the Charging of
Interest Upon Money that People from Poor Poverty Backgrounds are so
Appallingly Discriminated Against when it Comes to Education at Universities .
Tyranny Must be Resolutely Opposed and that Includes Upholding the Right
to Protest on a Daily Basis without State Harrassment or Intimidation
as Well as Resolutely Opposing all Oppressive Policies such as Excessive
Tuition Fees .
Universities should be the Preserve of those with Knowledge and Aptitude
Not Wealth .
Any One who Votes for the Con Dem Coalition Regime is Beyond Shameless.
The Problem Behind This as with All the In Justice and Oppression
such as Poverty and the Housing Situation Outrage is the Ivory Tower
Regime of Politicians Bureaucrats and Capitalist Wealth Pirates and
Those who Bury their Heads in the Sand Living in their Little Worlds
wherever it be TV Addiction the Football or Pub Alcoholism and the
Answer is to End the Ivory Tower System and Un Do the Damage Done by
Encouraged Selfishness and Spinelessness.
Well Freedom, I hope a blow was dealt last week when the Coroner in the Ian Tomlinson case, astonishingly and hugely welcomely – invited the Inquest Jury to consider a verdict of unlawful killing. And this week they bloody did and so, so good on ‘em! If this does not result in a charge of manslaughter at least (could be murder, you lucky pc tw*t!) it will be an absolute travesty and the fecking police will have got away with it again! But they are being made total fools of too: “Here’s your redundancy notice, would you like to come back next week and work for nowt as a special constable?”
Tell you what though, unlikely to be against us, daren’t kettle us any more as “the accused” must “take the victim as they find him” health wise (Martin – 1832 – 5 C&P, sorry, legal reference) still applies. Lovely own goal, decision either way, Home Sec! Call this a government? Couldn’t bloody run an under 5s 5 aside!
Remember to vote tomorrow folks!