Published 3 May 202414 May 2024 · open letter / Palestine Open Letter to Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater from Auckland University Staff in Solidarity with Students Protesting for Palestine Auckland University Staff in Solidarity with Students Tēnā koe Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater, As members of staff of the University of Auckland, we are deeply concerned by your announcement of 30 April 2024 advising students and staff of your decision to not support the establishment of an overnight encampment by students protesting in solidarity with Palestine. Firstly, we are concerned that your announcement failed to acknowledge that our students were planning to establish an encampment to urge the University of Auckland to divest from any entities and corporations enabling Israel’s ongoing military violence against Palestinians in Gaza, where at least 34,535 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military operations since 7 October 2023. Importantly, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese recently found that there are “reasonable grounds” to determine that this violence by Israel amounts to the commission of the crime of genocide. Rather than acknowledging this cause, your announcement disappointingly mischaracterised and minimised Israel’s violence as a “conflict” and the resulting humanitarian crisis as a “heightened geopolitical tension.” Secondly, we are concerned that in making your decision, you sought advice from the New Zealand Police rather than from your own students and staff. We believe that this approach to such an important matter falls short of the “values which bind us as a university community” you mentioned in your announcement. Thirdly, we are concerned that the reason you have provided for your decision is that the University of Auckland needs to avoid “introducing the significant risks that such encampments have brought to other university campuses.” We believe that this reasoning erroneously places the blame for any safety risks in overseas campuses on students and staff who established peaceful encampments, rather than on university administrators who decided to seek unnecessary police intervention to break up these encampments, which has then led to the unjust arrests and detainments of students and staff. Finally, we are concerned that your decision to seek the advice of the New Zealand Police and blame peaceful encampments for safety risks in other campuses suggests that you intend to call the New Zealand Police on your students and staff who decide to exercise their right to protest with a peaceful encampment on campus grounds. We believe that making such a suggestion to students and staff also falls short of the “values which bind us as a university community” you mentioned in your announcement. Accordingly, we urge you to reverse your decision and to offer your full support to students and staff who may choose to exercise their right to protest by establishing a peaceful encampment on campus grounds. We also urge you not to discipline or penalise students and staff who may choose to participate in peaceful protests and encampments in any way, and to engage with them in good faith and in accordance with the “values which bind us as a university community.” Ngā mihi nui, Fuimaono Dylan Asafo Associate Professor Rhys Jones Professor Papaarangi Reid Professor Emeritus Jane Kelsey Dr Suliana Mone Professor Emeritus David V Williams Professor Andrew Jull Associate Professor Donna Cormack Dr Nav Sidhu Associate Professor George Laking Mia Carroll Ankita Askar Caitlin Merriman Dr Rebekah Jaung Dr Eileen Joy Sione Ma’u Arin Hectors Dr Ian Hyslop Dr Fleur Te Aho Associate Professor Treasa Dunworth Professor Nicholas Rowe Dr Emalani Case Emmy Rākete Kendra Cox Zoe Poutu Fay Kenzi Yee Niamh Pritchard Associate Professor Lisa Uperesa Eru Kapa-Kingi Daniel Wilson Kate Jack Dr Karly Burch Sean Sturm Campbell Talaepa Professor Liz Beddoe Erin Jia Emily Sposato Fahizah Sahib Dina Sharp Dr Murray Olsen Dr Cynthia Wensley Sasha Rodenko Gabbi Courtenay Atama Thompson Professor Paula Lorgelly Jess Kelly Amelia Kendall Abigail Siddayao-Ramos Bianca Parker Georgia Nemaia Muhammad Bazaan Ghaznavi Erica Farrelly Dr Vivienne Kent Morgan Allen Carrie Rudzinski Thomas Gregory Lauren Brentnall Lily Chen Awhi Marshall Max Stephens Dr. Charlotte Toma Sonia Fonua Benjamin Kauri Doyle Kyrin Bhula Isobel Rist Kelly Young Ngahuia Harrison Briar Meads Emma Parangi Mai AlSharaf Dr Anita Mudaliar Dave Henricks Maryam Madawi Yeray Madroño Marnie Reinfelds Maizurah Maidin Nida Zuhena Professor Virginia Braun Bridget Conor Amani Mashal Anastasia Papadakis Ayla Hoeta Lecturer, Assistant Associate Dean Maaori Associate Professor Elana Curtis Professor Nicola Gaston Nina Dyer Renz Alinabon Dr Ariana Andrews Nicola Paton Tara Parsons John Egan Joelle Yap Tiari Killeen-Townsend Ngahuia Harrison Simon malpas Caitlin Moffat-Young Professor Cate Macinnis-Ng Dr. Katharina Bauer Dr Marcia Leenen-Young Lauren Aspoas Peter Wills Dr Alehandrea Raiha Manuel Elle Puni Olivia Tennet Dr Faasisila Savila Fiona Jack Finn Manu Bellingham Associate Professor Marama Muru-Lanning Dr Callie Vandewiele Jesse Hession Grayman Professor Jennifer Curtin Honorary Associate Professor Susan St John Dr Sarah Hendrica Bickerton Ashley Prenisha Kumar Barry Hughes Tom Wilkinson Mīharo Anti-Fascist Aotearoa (Te Taoū – Ngāpuhi) Arshveen Kaur Maureen malcolm Kakatarau Te Pou Kohere Emma Sadera Dr Gerard Cotterell Associate Professor Aroha Harris Dr Alice Mills Philip Wills Haze Kenyon Julian Castano Gallego Nadia Mantell Dr Deborah Widdowson Dr. Naashia Mohamed Hana Burgess Kieran McLean Java Grant Dr Angus Campbell Julian Castaño Gallego Janeen Page Dr Ritesh Shah Bee Fourie Eleanor Adeane-Nancarrow Ruth Soukoutou Alex King Layla Thomas Olivia Coates Associate Professor Bruce Cohen Briana Duffy Kera Derbyshire Grace Jessup Jacqui Thornley Nick Ringwood Professor Francis Collins Ramazan Tekinkaya Lauren Williams Tia Dawes Zoe Bertenshaw Kieren Lilly Chantelle Kimberley Eden Clarke Sam Fluit Jon Bywater Dr Ciara Cremin Dr Ake Nicholas Leila Boyle Nina Mamnani Dr Patrick Thomsen Alexa frost Professor Klaus Bosselmann Neil Matheson Dr Alexander Elliott Chris McMillan Simran Sonawalla Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles Dr Ciara Cremin If you are a member of staff of the University of Auckland and would like to sign this letter, please complete this form. Image: Wikimedia Commons Auckland University Staff in Solidarity with Students More by Auckland University Staff in Solidarity with Students › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 6 December 20246 December 2024 · Palestine The movement for Palestine is now… Sam Wallman "The movement for Palestine is now stronger, smarter, louder and better connected than ever before." (Noura Mansour) 29 November 2024 · Climate politics Pacific nations can’t afford to be hypocrites on human rights Kavita Naidu In the Pacific, we know that climate change is exacerbating a human rights crisis. Our survival relies on the world following international law to limit the warming that threatens our people and shores. 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