Towards a viable academic boycott campaign

 The gist of my article is saying there is a

student movement that is very strong and
capable in canada.  If you read carefully you can
 see I too recognize the capabilities of the students
to take on today's challenges.

My article is a critique of the movement for boycott
on campus, not of the students' abilitiy to mobilize.
It is a call out to professors and leading activists to
come together with students on one table and put
together a long term plan around academic boycott.
Again, this is a battle we cannot lose.

The article is based on the breadth and depth of
organizing over a 10-year period across Canada,
not one city or the successes of the last few months.
We all need to step back from the euphoria.

All the work being done by CAIA to provide materials
for the students is great and should be expanded.
To that end we have invited Adam Haniah to present
at SPHR's annual conference and have extended and
invitation to your newly formed SAIA at York to come
and share their experiences with the other students in
Canada and the US. I want to take this chance to also
invite you and any of CAIA members to SPHR's national
conference in Montreal, May 2nd to 4th 2008. The call
out has not been made officially yet but here is the final
conference schedule anyways.

Hope to see you there,

Laith


Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, a network
of 14 student organizations across Canada is
turning 10 years old this year. Our  Annual
Conference this year (May 2nd to 4th in Montreal)
will be a  turning point in our movements history.
For the first time joining us  will be student groups
from US campuses, as we build bridges across
borders. We are also taking another historic step as
professors and important activists join our board
of directors.

 Last year was the year we opened up SPHR to all
 student groups working on the issue in Canada.
This year we want to open it up to all student groups
 in the US. We are holding our annual conference,
workshops and GA as usual, but this year we have
expanded it to be a North American student conference
and have also added an academic aspect to it.

 As I mentioned we are going to have a conference at
the same time. We will have three main categories to
discuss; Apartheid and One State, Solidarity and
Indigenous struggles, and finally BDS and other direct
 action strategies.  We are hoping this would bring the
 student's and the professors to the same table for the
 first time. We are aiming to commit the academics to
more than words. Already people like Ali
Abunimah have accepted to join our Board of
Directors, and that is  just to name one person.

 We are hoping you will be joining us from May 2nd
 to 4th 2008 in Montreal, Canada for our conference.

 Thank you for your time, and hope to hear from you soon.

 Laith Marouf
 Chapter Coordinator
 SPHR-National
 (514) 999-1948
 www.sphr.org

 

 --Friday May 2nd (McGILL University)

 7pm – Friday Keynote Opening Plenary: Zionist
 Apartheid and the One Country solution.
 Prof. Ilan Pappe and Ali Abunimah,


 --SATURDAY May 3rd (Concordia U)

 11am-1pm – Workshop: "Knowing Ourselves" -
Groups are to introduce  themselves and can book a
 15 minute period for a more extensive presentation.

 1pm – Lunch

 2:30pm-5pm – SPHR GM, Part 1 -
Introduction to SPHR's structure and
 nominations for Board of Directors representatives.

 7pm – Saturday Keynote: Native Solidarity
 from Here to Palestine
 Dr. Roland Chrisjohn, Laith Marouf, and Jamila Ghaddar.


 --SUNDAY May 4th (Concordia University)

 11am-1pm – Workshop: "Ideas for Our Movement" -
Registered groups are welcome to book a 15 minute
period to present campaigns or projects
 that could benefit us all.

 1pm – Lunch, demonstration,
       and direct action activities.

 4:00pm-5pm – SPHR GM, Part 2 -
Ratifying motions and campaigns along
 with electing the executive team.

 5pm – Closing plenary :
Boycott, Direct Action and Movement Building
 Prof. Salim Valley, Prof. Margaret Aziza Pappano,
 Adam Haniah and Dana Olwan