Summer of discontent

>> Concordia's stormy season continues with debates over expulsion and student rights

by CRAIG SEGAL

Two Concordia students say they are talking with the university about setting up an investigation into events that led to their expulsion. "We're willing to have an independent tribunal as long as we are presumed innocent before it starts and reinstated," says Tom Keefer, 23. Reinstating the students is looking less and less possible, as the deadline passed on Wednesday. But Keefer doesn't think that's a problem. "They can bend the rules if they need to bend the rules," Keefer says.

Concordia expelled and banned Keefer and Laith Marouf, both members of the Concordia student union executive, after a scuffle with security guards July 20. The incident occurred after Marouf, also 23, allegedly spraypainted pro-Palestinian graffiti on a now-demolished building on Concordia property.

The university says their decision "comes as a result of an assault on Concordia University security guards and the uttering of a death threat by one of the individuals," according to a letter on their Web site. But according to a statement put out by the Concordia Student Union (CSU), the university rector Dr. Frederick Lowy made his decision "solely on the basis of statements made by Concordia Security guards."

The students had originally refused the university's offer of an investigation because they did not think it would be independent. "They're basically admitting they didn't have all the facts when they decided to expel us," says Keefer.

The university addressed this contradiction in a statement. "In announcing this decision, Rector Lowy indicated that he remained convinced that the decision to exclude the individuals was justified," the letter reads. "Nevertheless, given the serious consequences for the individuals, he wanted to ensure that an impartial and independent review of all the facts is undertaken."

There are other indications the university is backing off its hard-line stance. In a September 8 letter to the Gazette, Lowy defended his decision to expel the students for reasons unrelated to the scuffle: "Concordia Student Union activists must turn to methods that the majority of students will respect," the letter says. "These are the methods of reasonable persuasion, not the strong-arm tactics of political pressure, misrepresentation, inflammatory posters or demonization of university administrators and anyone who disagrees."

No to campus activism!

CSU researcher David Bernans says the expulsions are part of attempts to repress campus activism at Concordia. He says the Concordia administration denied the student group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) the right to use university space for its events, implemented a new policy limiting postering for all Concordia student groups, and refused to allow student groups to book a large hall for student events.

Both sides have their respective support. The executive of the Concordia University Faculty Association wrote the administration a letter of support and the Gazette ran a favourable editorial. Meanwhile, the SPHR, the Canadian Federation of Students-Quebec, professor Lillian Robinson, chair of Concordia's Simone de Beauvoir Institute, and Noam Chomsky support the students. Chomsky said in a letter sent to Concordia that he was "deeply disturbed" by the expulsions. He says the charges "seem questionable," and "without due process."

Following Tuesday's attacks against the U.S., the SPHR cancelled a huge rally titled "End Israeli Colonialism--Unite for Justice," scheduled for September 15. They expected 20,000 people. "The demonstration was to be held to commemorate a massacre that occurred 18 years ago, whereas a massacre of tremendous and unbelievable proportions occurred yesterday, which leaves us in shock and mourning," says Samer Elatrash, VP Information for the SPHR. "And another reason is because of the wave of anti-Arab prejudice that's been whipped up and a lot of people are worried for their safety. The most prudent thing is not to gather a large group of Muslims and Arabs."

Regardless, Elatrash accuses Concordia administration of cracking down on the SPHR. "We have been facing an incredible amount of repression and resistance by the administration, Zionist community organizers and groups," he says. "And the fact that we're facing so much resistance from these people who represent to us the status quo--which is repressive and undemocratic--signals to us that we're on to something really good here. And we're on to positive change and raising public awareness of Israeli abuses of human rights."

Jewish students also cancelled a solidarity march today because of the attacks. Patrick Amar, president of the Concordia chapter of the Jewish student organization Hillel, says the university administration also cracked down on his organization. "They were tough on our rally last year. We had to hold it outside," he says. "The ban on postering affects us too." Amar says he does not back the university's actions against the expelled students. "I don't advocate the expulsion of the students. I feel bad for them because I know them."