Student activists behind the 34-day encampment in the Old College Quad have criticised the findings of a report on changes to the definition of armaments used in the University of Edinburgh’s investment policy.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 11 June, the Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society (EUJPS) said their trust had been “completely broken” after the report fell short of its expectations.
They added that:
“In our actions moving forward, we will operate on the understanding that only escalation will garner the required respect for the students, for their demands, and for the Palestinian people.”
The report, released on Tuesday afternoon, follows a three-week review of the university’s definition of armaments and controversial weapons by a five-member Short Life Working Group.
As well as staff and student representatives, the working group also includes a Social Responsibility and Sustainability representative, whose expertise EUJPS say was “entirely ignored in the report”.
The working group was created last month in response to calls for divestment from Israeli-linked companies by the Old College encampment as well as over 600 staff members, who signed a letter to senior management supporting the demands.
Divestment Movement Timeline:
November – EUJPS stages a sit-in at the Main Library with over 300 students and holds a walkout in the Old College Quad
February – The group holds a week-long occupation of the Gordan Aikman Lecture Theatre
April – The group holds a week-long occupation of 40 George Square
5 May –EUJPS begins encampment in the Old College Quad
6 May – EUJPS Activists begin Student Hunger Strike 4 Divestment
10 May – Staff sign letter demanding divestment, and the Principal visits the encampment
14 May – The Principal announces two working groups on investment policy
29 May – University Court supports pause on new Alphabet and Amazon stock purchases
7-8 June – EUJPS ends encampment, and the university takes down “Martyr’s Memorial”
11 June – The group criticises the findings of the Short Life Working Group report
Alongside the report on defining armaments, Principal Sir Peter Mathieson announced a broader consultation on its Responsible Investment Policy that is open to all staff and students.
The consultation will be open until 30 August.
While the consultation is carried out, the university will not purchase Alphabet or Amazon stock. The two companies jointly provide cloud services and artificial intelligence for the Israeli government and military.
The activists claim that an “entire appendix on Amazon and Alphabet” was left out of Tuesday’s report.
According to EUJPS, Principal Mathieson promised in writing that divestment from Alphabet and Amazon was “a possible outcome” of the working group.
On Friday, 7 June – before the findings were released – the student activists ended the encampment. EUJPS said in their statement that they felt they had made “substantial progress” and that “divestment was on the voting table”.
However, tensions quickly re-emerged after the university took down the encampment’s “Martyr’s Memorial” and threw photos of Palestinians who had been killed in the conflict into a dustbin.
In an Instagram post, EUJPS called the move “disrespectful and sickening”. It has rebuilt the memorial, which has not been taken down by the university.
Speaking to The Student, a spokesperson for the university said:
“We abhor the ongoing violence and we understand the strength of feeling on this issue.”
“The posters were taken down as part of our standard operations in managing our spaces. We understand that this was not welcomed by some in our community.”
“We continue to review our approach to investments to ensure that they align with our values, including a review of the definition of armaments.”
The University Court – the university’s supreme governing body – will vote on any recommended changes to the investment policy’s definition of armaments on 17 June.
EUJPS have said they “want to be in a position to respond” to the vote and “will continue the struggle until a complete victory is achieved”.
Image via Jack Davies