Brilliant video of an interesting meeting on Iran at SOAS.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Monday, 20 April 2009
Sign the petition against fieldwork fees for SOAS research students
SOAS failed to communicate its new fee structure to MPhil/PhD students starting 2008/09. Most students thought they would be paying £2,045 - and budgeted for that amount - but SOAS wants them pay the new fees next year - £4,000. So they have to come up with this extra cash by September. They refuse. Support SOAS research students and sign the petition here:
http://www.petitiononline.com/fieldfee/petition.html
In March 2008, SOAS management decided to implement a new fee structure for research students enrolling from September 2008. The most significant change was that the new structure no longer includes a provision for reduced fees for students on full-time fieldwork. While the overall cost of the degree varies for different students, fees for the fieldwork year increase by over 195% for UK/EU students and nearly 500% for international students.
Having taken this decision, SOAS failed to effectively communicate these changes to new research students, who continued their financing and budgeting plans on the basis of the fee structure communicated to them during the application process. The result was that students under-budgeted their fees for 2009/10.
SOAS’s inadequate communication around this issue was only discovered in March 2009, leaving many full-time research students with the near impossible task of raising the shortfall (£1,955 for UK/EU students and £7,955 for international students) before September 2009 i.e. in four months, or face disastrous consequences: deferring their degrees, transferring to another university, or abandoning their degrees altogether. Part-time students face the same consequences.
This issue is critical for the entire SOAS research community because it goes to the heart of how research is conducted at SOAS and the value that SOAS management places on research students. SOAS is effectively discouraging students from undertaking fieldwork, yet SOAS prides itself on developing fieldwork expertise.
Graham Furniss, Pro-Director, has acknowledged SOAS management’s failures in communicating the new fee structure, describing the communication as “less than ideal.” However, SOAS management’s proposed solution is to reschedule the fees for Year 2, allowing students to pay in installments. Students have also been invited to apply to the hardship fund to cover shortfalls, which has no guarantees of having sufficient resources. Research students and others at SOAS believe this offer is inadequate and amounts to an attempt to shift the cost of SOAS’s failures in communication onto students.
Research students and others at SOAS call upon SOAS management to retain the reduced fee provision for students going on fieldwork in 2009/10 and ensure that fee schedules are properly communicated to students in the future. Students refuse to pay for SOAS management's failures in communication.
http://www.petitiononline.com/fieldfee/petition.html
In March 2008, SOAS management decided to implement a new fee structure for research students enrolling from September 2008. The most significant change was that the new structure no longer includes a provision for reduced fees for students on full-time fieldwork. While the overall cost of the degree varies for different students, fees for the fieldwork year increase by over 195% for UK/EU students and nearly 500% for international students.
Having taken this decision, SOAS failed to effectively communicate these changes to new research students, who continued their financing and budgeting plans on the basis of the fee structure communicated to them during the application process. The result was that students under-budgeted their fees for 2009/10.
SOAS’s inadequate communication around this issue was only discovered in March 2009, leaving many full-time research students with the near impossible task of raising the shortfall (£1,955 for UK/EU students and £7,955 for international students) before September 2009 i.e. in four months, or face disastrous consequences: deferring their degrees, transferring to another university, or abandoning their degrees altogether. Part-time students face the same consequences.
This issue is critical for the entire SOAS research community because it goes to the heart of how research is conducted at SOAS and the value that SOAS management places on research students. SOAS is effectively discouraging students from undertaking fieldwork, yet SOAS prides itself on developing fieldwork expertise.
Graham Furniss, Pro-Director, has acknowledged SOAS management’s failures in communicating the new fee structure, describing the communication as “less than ideal.” However, SOAS management’s proposed solution is to reschedule the fees for Year 2, allowing students to pay in installments. Students have also been invited to apply to the hardship fund to cover shortfalls, which has no guarantees of having sufficient resources. Research students and others at SOAS believe this offer is inadequate and amounts to an attempt to shift the cost of SOAS’s failures in communication onto students.
Research students and others at SOAS call upon SOAS management to retain the reduced fee provision for students going on fieldwork in 2009/10 and ensure that fee schedules are properly communicated to students in the future. Students refuse to pay for SOAS management's failures in communication.
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Stop the War on the resistance
Chris Nineham from Stop the War, UK, on the resistance in the Middle East, at the anti-NATO conference in Strasbourg.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Anti-NATO protests in Strasbourg
This is what happened in Strasbourg...
Here's a slightly better and more succinct video/photo collage:
More importantly, a very good speech by Olivier Besancenot - soon to have English subtitles.
Here's a slightly better and more succinct video/photo collage:
More importantly, a very good speech by Olivier Besancenot - soon to have English subtitles.
Monday, 13 April 2009
Thai Red UK condemns the arrest of redshirt leaders
Giles Ji Ungpakorn and Watana Ebbage, on behalf of Thai Red UK, 12th April 2009.
Thai Red UK, the association of Redshirts in Britain, condemns the declaration of a State of Emergency by the illegitimate government of Abhisit Vejjajiva. We condemn the Military’s use of tanks and live ammunition against protestors. We say no to another coup. We also condemn the arrest of Redshirt leaders and demand that all of them be released. We are concerned by the creation, by pro-government politicians, such as Newin Chitchorp, of armed Blueshirted thugs, who have attacked pro-democracy demonstrators. The government should resign immediately to allow genuine democratic elections to be held as a matter of urgency. This would be a first step in allowing for a peaceful resolution of the long-running crisis.
Why the Redshirts are not merely a mirror image of the Yellowshirt Royalists
It is tempting for those watching the Thai events to merely conclude that the Redshirt protests are merely a mirror image of the Yellowshirt Royalists who seized the international airports late last year. There can be nothing further from the truth.
The Yellowshirts
The Yellowshirt Royalists built the PAD, a movement with worrying fascist tendencies. Since 2006, they have demanded that Thai Democracy be scrapped in favour of a “New Order” dictatorship. They have consistently claimed that the majority of Thais, especially the poor, are too ignorant to be allowed the right to vote. They welcomed the 2006 military coup, seized Government House and blocked Parliament with armed gangs claiming to be “fighting for the King”. Late last year, with the collusion of the Army, they took control of Thailand’s international airports and nearly caused a war with Cambodia. They are an integral part of the present (mis-named) Democrat Party government. This government does not represent the democratic wishes of the majority of Thais. It only came to power after the courts were used as political tools of the Yellowshirts to twice dissolve the most popular political party. The Army then bribed and threatened shady politicians like Newin Chitchorp to change sides. (This politician was named after the Burmese military dictator Newin!)
The Yellowshirts represent an elite, reactionary, alliance between the Army, the Palace and Privy Council, the PAD and the Democrat Party. They are fearful that their privileges will be jeopardised by further empowering the poor, who make up most of the electorate. The Democrat Party has never succeeded in winning a majority of the popular vote. Unfortunately the majority of Middle-Class academics and many N.G.O. leaders also support the Yellowshirts and welcomed the 2006 coup which ripped up the democratic Constitution of 1997.
During the violent Yellow shirt protests of 2008, the entire Thai state apparatus and media supported them. The PAD wrecked the interior of Government House, staged violent attacks on the police and created much damage to the economy by blockading the airports. Yet no PAD leader has been punished for this use of violence and none have been condemned by the Thai mainstream media or by academics and N.G.O. leaders. The Military have never been punished for their illegal coup or their rampant corruption. Talk now of “respecting the law” by Thai PM Abhisit, is therefore hypocritical nonsense.
The Redshirts
The Redshirts are a pro-democracy movement. Many support the policies of former PM Thaksin Shinawat because his government provided the first ever Universal Health Care system and other pro-poor measures. His party has repeatedly won elections, even after the coup. However, the Redshirts are not just supporters and puppets of Thaksin. They are ordinary citizens, most of whom believe passionately in freedom and democracy. There are many Redshirts who are not supporters of Thaksin. It is also a movement of the urban and rural poor, people who have had their democratic rights stolen from them by the Yellowshirts.
Today, in addition to fighting for democracy, the Redshirts are starting to question the “silent dictatorship” of the King’s advisors in the Privy Council. They have broken a decades old taboo about the Monarchy. Significant numbers are also becoming Republicans, while many still want a genuine Constitutional Monarchy which is not involved in politics.
The Redshirts do not have an armed guard like the Yellow or Blue shirts. They are not rich people who can protest for days on end without going to work. They have made great efforts to avoid violence, despite being attacked. The behaviour of Redshirts in surrounding the Prime Minister’s car or breaking into the hotel in Pattaya to close down the Asian Summit, did not result in serious injury or serious damage to property. This is in contrast to the actions of the Yellowshirts.
Both in terms of “means” and “ends” the Red and Yellow shirts are opposites. We call on all freedom-loving people throughout the world to support the fight for Democracy in Thailand. We support the recent comments by Redshirt Jakrapop Penkair, when he says that the Thai people have the right to mount a Peoples’ Struggle for Democracy.
Thai Red UK, the association of Redshirts in Britain, condemns the declaration of a State of Emergency by the illegitimate government of Abhisit Vejjajiva. We condemn the Military’s use of tanks and live ammunition against protestors. We say no to another coup. We also condemn the arrest of Redshirt leaders and demand that all of them be released. We are concerned by the creation, by pro-government politicians, such as Newin Chitchorp, of armed Blueshirted thugs, who have attacked pro-democracy demonstrators. The government should resign immediately to allow genuine democratic elections to be held as a matter of urgency. This would be a first step in allowing for a peaceful resolution of the long-running crisis.
Why the Redshirts are not merely a mirror image of the Yellowshirt Royalists
It is tempting for those watching the Thai events to merely conclude that the Redshirt protests are merely a mirror image of the Yellowshirt Royalists who seized the international airports late last year. There can be nothing further from the truth.
The Yellowshirts
The Yellowshirt Royalists built the PAD, a movement with worrying fascist tendencies. Since 2006, they have demanded that Thai Democracy be scrapped in favour of a “New Order” dictatorship. They have consistently claimed that the majority of Thais, especially the poor, are too ignorant to be allowed the right to vote. They welcomed the 2006 military coup, seized Government House and blocked Parliament with armed gangs claiming to be “fighting for the King”. Late last year, with the collusion of the Army, they took control of Thailand’s international airports and nearly caused a war with Cambodia. They are an integral part of the present (mis-named) Democrat Party government. This government does not represent the democratic wishes of the majority of Thais. It only came to power after the courts were used as political tools of the Yellowshirts to twice dissolve the most popular political party. The Army then bribed and threatened shady politicians like Newin Chitchorp to change sides. (This politician was named after the Burmese military dictator Newin!)
The Yellowshirts represent an elite, reactionary, alliance between the Army, the Palace and Privy Council, the PAD and the Democrat Party. They are fearful that their privileges will be jeopardised by further empowering the poor, who make up most of the electorate. The Democrat Party has never succeeded in winning a majority of the popular vote. Unfortunately the majority of Middle-Class academics and many N.G.O. leaders also support the Yellowshirts and welcomed the 2006 coup which ripped up the democratic Constitution of 1997.
During the violent Yellow shirt protests of 2008, the entire Thai state apparatus and media supported them. The PAD wrecked the interior of Government House, staged violent attacks on the police and created much damage to the economy by blockading the airports. Yet no PAD leader has been punished for this use of violence and none have been condemned by the Thai mainstream media or by academics and N.G.O. leaders. The Military have never been punished for their illegal coup or their rampant corruption. Talk now of “respecting the law” by Thai PM Abhisit, is therefore hypocritical nonsense.
The Redshirts
The Redshirts are a pro-democracy movement. Many support the policies of former PM Thaksin Shinawat because his government provided the first ever Universal Health Care system and other pro-poor measures. His party has repeatedly won elections, even after the coup. However, the Redshirts are not just supporters and puppets of Thaksin. They are ordinary citizens, most of whom believe passionately in freedom and democracy. There are many Redshirts who are not supporters of Thaksin. It is also a movement of the urban and rural poor, people who have had their democratic rights stolen from them by the Yellowshirts.
Today, in addition to fighting for democracy, the Redshirts are starting to question the “silent dictatorship” of the King’s advisors in the Privy Council. They have broken a decades old taboo about the Monarchy. Significant numbers are also becoming Republicans, while many still want a genuine Constitutional Monarchy which is not involved in politics.
The Redshirts do not have an armed guard like the Yellow or Blue shirts. They are not rich people who can protest for days on end without going to work. They have made great efforts to avoid violence, despite being attacked. The behaviour of Redshirts in surrounding the Prime Minister’s car or breaking into the hotel in Pattaya to close down the Asian Summit, did not result in serious injury or serious damage to property. This is in contrast to the actions of the Yellowshirts.
Both in terms of “means” and “ends” the Red and Yellow shirts are opposites. We call on all freedom-loving people throughout the world to support the fight for Democracy in Thailand. We support the recent comments by Redshirt Jakrapop Penkair, when he says that the Thai people have the right to mount a Peoples’ Struggle for Democracy.
Friday, 10 April 2009
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Guardian video of Ian Tomlinson
The video of Ian Tomlinson being beaten by the police at the G20 protest, shortly before he died.
G20 demo in London
Protests at the G20 demonstration in London, outside the Bank of England, 1st April.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
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