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CAFMENA Letters Sent Following are the contents of letters the Committee on Academic Freedom on the Middle East and North Africa (CAFMENA) has sent to heads of state, government officials, or other authorities in the past months. CAFMENA letters are also printed in the MESA Newsletter.
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The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Dear Secretary Rice: MESA is committed to fostering the free exchange of knowledge as a human right and to inhibit infringements on that right by government restrictions on scholars. The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provide the principal standards by which human rights violations are identified today. Those rights include the right to education and work, freedom of movement and residence, and freedom of association and assembly. Infringements include governmental refusal to allow scholars to conduct scholarly research, publish their findings, deliver academic lectures, and travel to international scholarly meetings. We believe that the denial of visas to these academics represents just such an infringement. We urge you to reconsider the recent decision to deny visas to the Cuban scholars scheduled to participate in the XXVI International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association. Intellectual exchange and scholarly collaboration across national borders is essential for our community. It is critical for foreign scholars to have freedom of access to our academic meetings—and just as critical for American scholars to be free to engage in scholarly argument about significant contested issues in our fields. These activities only benefit us all.
Sincerely, |
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His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan Your Excellency: I am writing on behalf of the Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association of North America. We wish to express our concern regarding the firing in early February of Claudia Kiburz, a teacher in the English Language Center of Zayed University. We view her dismissal as a violation of academic freedom and the right to freedom of expression, and urge you to reinstate Ms. Kiburz to her position. The Middle East Studies Association of North American (MESA) was founded in 1966 to promote scholarship and teaching on the Middle East and North Africa. The preeminent organization in the field, the Association publishes the International the International Journal of Middle East Studies and has more than 2600 members worldwide. MESA is committed to ensuring academic freedom and freedom of expression, both within the region and in connection with the study of the region in North America and elsewhere. According to information provided to our committee, you ordered Ms. Kiburz’s dismissal on February 7, 2006, several days after she had initiated a discussion in her class regarding the controversial and insulting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that had appeared months earlier in a Danish newspaper and were later republished elsewhere. During this discussion Ms. Kiburz reportedly also displayed to the students some of the caricatures in question. A number of students complained to the university administration, and a text-message campaign against Ms. Kiburz apparently ensued. As far as we can determine, your decision to dismiss Ms. Kiburz was issued in a summary fashion, without any regard to procedural safeguards and processes that faculty should have to protect their rights and to contest administrative actions taken against them. According to news reports, Andrew Hirst, the head of the English Language Center, was also dismissed. He was reinstated to his position the following week, but we understand that he has been told that his contract will not be renewed. We believe that any university decisions regarding Mr. Hirst’s contract should not be taken for punitive purposes as a result of this incident. In a statement about this case to media in the United Arab Emirates, you wrote: “Despite the freedom of expression and tolerance that we have in our country and all academic institutions, the professor of English at Zayed University has no right to behave like this.” We respectfully disagree. We recognize that many Muslims have taken offense at these caricatures of the Prophet, and we share your revulsion to the anti-Muslim prejudices that some of them manifestly embody. However, the right to academic freedom in the classroom, if it is to have any meaning, must extend to materials that some might find offensive or objectionable, and with which they strongly disagree. From the information we have been able to obtain, it appears that in this case the teacher was attempting to discuss issues related to freedom of expression, using the caricatures as a case in point. There has been no suggestion from any quarter that she was attempting to incite hatred of Muslims or any persons or group. Ms. Kiburz’s classroom initiative in this instance falls well within the realm of protected speech, and her dismissal constitutes a clear infringement of her academic freedom as well as that of the community of Zayed University. We therefore urge you to rescind her dismissal without delay and extend to her an offer of unconditional reinstatement. We also reiterate our concern that no punitive measures be taken against Mr. Hirst in connection with this matter. We look forward to your positive response in this important matter. Sincerely,
Juan R.I. Cole |
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Mr. Recep Tayyip Erodgan
Dear Prime Minister Erdogan,
The Middle East Studies Association of North
American (MESA) was founded in 1966 to promote
scholarship and teaching on the Middle East and
North Africa. The preeminent organization in the
field, the Association publishes the
International Journal of Middle East Studies and
has more than 2600 members worldwide. MESA is
committed to ensuring academic freedom and freedom
of expression, both within the region and in
connection with the study of the region in North
America and elsewhere.
We urge the government of Turkey to initiate the
steps necessary to remove article 301 from the
country’s Penal Code. Article 301 criminalizes any
“insult” to “Turkishness”, the Turkish Parliament,
the Turkish government, or the military and security
forces. It is difficult to imagine how the
government could prosecute a person under this law
without violating Turkey’s obligations, under
Article 10 of the European Human Rights Convention
and Article 19 of the ICCPR, to guarantee and
protect freedom of expression. Freedom of expression
lies at the core of academic freedom. At the very
least we encourage you to instruct the Prosecutor
General to drop immediately the charges against Mr.
Tas and desist from bringing such charges in the
future under the provisions of Article 301 of the
Penal Code as a way of punishing and intimidating
academics, publishers, public intellectuals and
other Turkish citizens who express ideas a views of
Turkish history and politics at variance with those
of the authorities. |
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His Excellency Husni Mubarak Your Excellency:
I write on behalf of the Committee on Academic
Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association to
protest the banning in Egypt of a book published by
the American University in Cairo Press, Wahhabi
Islam: From Revival and Reform to Global Jihad
by Natana J. DeLong-Bas for Egyptian scholarly
audiences. The Middle East Studies Association and its Committee on Academic Freedom of course take no position on the contents of this or any other book. It is the principle of academic freedom and the rights of citizens generally to free expression and to receive and impart information which is at stake here. These rights are guaranteed under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Egypt is a state party, and can be restricted only for sound reasons of national security, public order, or public health and morals. The banning of this book, particularly in the university setting of an academic press, clearly exceeds these permissible grounds for restriction. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Egypt is a party, states in its preamble that member states pledge themselves “that every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms.” DeLong-Bas’s Wahhabi Islam is being widely discussed by Muslim and other scholars around the world who look to al-Azhar and Egypt as respected centers of Islamic learning and intellectual leadership. It would be deplorable if a ban on the book makes it impossible for Egyptian citizens to contribute constructively to this discussion. This would be particularly unfortunate at a time when democratization is under lively discussion within Egypt and your government has committed itself to significant steps in that direction. Book-banning and similar acts of official censorship help to sustain a climate of intolerance that is debilitating to society in general and to intellectual life in particular. We ask you to take steps now to end official and state-sanctioned book-banning in Egypt, and thereby to affirm publicly your government’s commitment to the rights of free expression and the free flow of ideas that are fundamental to a civilized society. Respectfully yours,
Juan R.I. Cole cc:
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohamed Sayed Tantawi |
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Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan Dear Prime Minister Erdogan: I write to you on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, and its Committee on Academic Freedom, in order to express our grave concern over the prosecution of Orhan Pamuk for allegedly “denigrating national identity” during an interview published in the Swiss magazine, Das Bild (February 6, 2005). Mr. Pamuk, a world-renowned novelist who has been a visiting scholar at a number of North American universities and a member of this association, is scheduled to appear in court on December 16, 2005 and will be tried under Article 301/3 of the Turkish Penal Law. If he is found guilty, he may face up to 8 years in prison. The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) is comprised of 2600 academics worldwide who teach and conduct research on the Middle East and North Africa, and is the preeminent professional association in the field. The association publishes the International Journal of Middle East Studies, and is committed to ensuring respect for the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression in the region and in connection with the study of the Middle East and North Africa in North America and elsewhere. Trying Mr. Pamuk on these charges is in direct violation of his civil and human rights. As a member state of the Council of Europe and a signatory to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and as a state party to the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Turkey is required to protect freedom of expression. Because these rights are also enshrined in the Turkish Constitution of 1982, a judge will have every reason to throw out the case on the first hearing. We urge strongly your government avoid this embarrassment and act now to dismiss the charges against Mr. Pamuk, in the interest of justice and Turkey’s reputation. We further urge the government of Turkey to initiate the steps necessary to remove Article 301 from the country’s Penal Code. Article 301 criminalizes any “insult” to “Turkishness,” the Turkish parliament, the Turkish government, or the military and security forces. It is difficult to imagine how the government could prosecute a person under this law without violating Turkey’s obligations, under Article 10 of the European Human Rights Convention and Article 19 of the ICCPR, to guarantee and to protect freedom of expression. Freedom of expression lies at the core of academic freedom. At the very least, we encourage you to instruct the Prosecutor General to drop immediately the charges against Mr. Pamuk and desist from bringing any such charges in the future under the provisions of Article 301 of the Penal Code as a way of punishing and intimidating academics, public intellectuals, and other Turkish citizens who express ideas or views of Turkish history at variance with those of the authorities. Thank you very much for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to your positive response.
Sincerely,
Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei
Fax:
212-867-7086 The Ayandeh Research Institute conducted the opinion polls in question for the U.S.-based Gallup Organization and the Zogby Polling Institute. One poll was part of an international survey of values in Muslim societies; the other, conducted a week before the June 2001 presidential election in Tehran, surveyed popular perceptions of Iranian-U.S. relations. According to a submission Dr. Ghazian made to the Supreme Court, during his period of incarceration the authorities kept him in solitary confinement and subjected him to physical and psychological abuse. He also was denied the right to communicate regularly with his lawyers and family, in violation of Iran’s constitution. The legal office in Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to requests by Dr. Ghazian’s lawyers, stated in 2004 that the Islamic Republic does not consider the United States to be a belligerent state. However, Judge Mortazavi has to this point refused to allow this and other documents in the case to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. Your Excellency, the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran falls directly under your authority. Dr. Ghazian, who in several weeks will have spent three years in unjust detention, has been convicted and sentenced solely for acts that are protected under Article 19 of the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party. We urge you to take steps to secure his immediate and unconditional release and dismissal of the unjust charges on which he was convicted. We look forward to your positive response to this request, and thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely
yours, Cc: Ambassador Zarif, IRI Mission to the UN
September 6, 2005
By Facsimile: 972 2 651 2631 We write to you to express our grave concern over the impact Israel’s security barrier is having on the Palestinian educational system in East Jerusalem. In practical application, the barrier infringes on the academic freedom and right to education of hundreds of teachers and thousands of pupils by effectively denying access to East Jerusalem schools. We urge you to take decisive action that will guarantee the full right of access of all Palestinian teachers to their schools in East Jerusalem and the right of education to all Palestinian students. The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) comprises 2600 academics worldwide who teach and conduct research on the Middle East and North Africa, and is the preeminent professional association in the field. The association publishes the International Journal of Middle East Studies, and is committed to ensuring respect for the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression in the region and in connection with the study of the Middle East and North Africa in North America and elsewhere.
Israel’s security barrier has nearly been completed
in the Jerusalem area. In this area, the barrier is
being built entirely on Palestinian lands occupied
in the 1967 war, in clear contravention of
International Humanitarian Law. Because it is being
built deep inside Palestinian areas, the barrier has
cut off Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem
from surrounding Palestinian communities making it
nearly impossible for teachers living in the
outlying areas from reaching their schools in East
Jerusalem.
We have further concerns over the potential of
unwarranted delays in crossing the barrier even for
those teachers who have the necessary paperwork;
this has been a common problem elsewhere for
Palestinians seeking to cross the barrier or pass
other military checkpoints in the West bank.
Punitive or other delays not linked directly to
immediate and legitimate security risks would
likewise constitute an abridgement of the
Palestinians’ right to education.
Sincerely yours,
H.E. Tatoul Markarian By facsimile 202-319-2982
Your Excellency: Ali Banuazizi
June 22, 2005
Your Highness:
Prof. Al-Faleh was convicted of the
most specious of charges, including sowing disorder
in society, disobeying the authorities and issuing
declarations to public opinion inside and outside
the country (as quoted in al-Hayat, May 16,
2005, p. 1). None of these charges involve acts of
violence or threats of violence against the
government or any persons. In fact, Prof. Al-Faleh
has been convicted of exercising his
universally-acknowledged right to freedom of
speech. His conviction not only contravenes global
standards of academic freedom, it also runs counter
to international and Arab covenants to which Saudi
Arabia is a party. Yours sincerely, Ali Banuazizi President, Middle East Studies Association Professor, Boston College cc: Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon By Facsimile: 972 2 651 2631 Dear Prime Minister Sharon: On behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom, I am writing to express our strong opposition to the May 2, 2005 decision of the Israeli Cabinet to upgrade the status of the College of Judea and Samaria, located on the West Bank settlement of Ariel, to university status. Since that decision is subject to the approval of the Council on Higher Education, we are writing separately to that committee to urge rejection of the decision. [MESA is...] Our objection to this decision is based on the fact that Israel’s settlements on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip are in violation of international humanitarian law. Article 49 (6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) specifically forbids an occupying power from transferring and settling its own citizens in occupied territory. Article 55 of the Hague Regulations (1907) prohibits creating permanent changes in an occupied territory that are not intended to benefit the protected persons of that territory—in this case, the Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank. It is manifestly clear that this college, like the settlement of Ariel, is not intended to benefit the area’s Palestinian inhabitants. The College of Judea and Samaria has already increased the traffic of Israeli citizens to the illegal settlement of Ariel. The college’s faculty and students are prime users of the Trans-Samaria Road, a four-lane highway built on confiscated Palestinian land. Palestinians, including those whose land was confiscated to build this highway, are prohibited from using major portions of that road. West Bank Palestinians, moreover, are absent from the faculty and student body of the college. The establishment of an institution of higher learning in an illegal settlement thus creates an additional obstacle to Israel’s compliance with international law. Indeed, the college to be upgraded lies in an area where the Israeli government is obliged to freeze all construction work under the “Roadmap” peace plan drafted by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, endorsed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1515 (2003), and accepted by your government. Despite your government’s commitments in this regard, you were quoted as saying, in supporting this decision regarding the college, that it is “in keeping with government policy, which views strengthening the settlement blocs as being among its goals.” MESA’s Committee on Academic Freedom holds that the free exchange of ideas is among the human rights identified by the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This spirit of freedom of inquiry and exchange is the essence of what higher education should embody. It is clear that such exchange cannot occur at an institution of higher learning built on confiscated land and in clear violation of international humanitarian law. Moreover, upgrading the College of Judea and Samaria to the status of university, on a par with Israel’s other universities inside its internationally-recognized borders, would demean the reputation of the latter by giving an illegal institution equal standing with the recognized high standards of Israel’s universities as a whole. For these reasons, we strongly recommend that your government not proceed to upgrade the College of Judea and Samaria to university status, but rather relocate its facilities to a location inside Israel’s internationally recognized borders in order to provide educational opportunities to its present and prospective students. Israel must respect its obligations under international law and not tie legitimate educational requirements to its illegal settlement drive.
Sincerely, Cc:
Minister of Education Limor Livnat, and Chair,
Council of Higher Education June 14, 2005
Minister of Education,
Culture, and Sports Limor Livnat By Facsimile: 972 2-5602246 Dear Minister Livnat: On behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom, I am writing to you and to the members of the Council for Higher Education, to request that the Council reject the May 2, 2005 request of the Israeli Government to accredit the College of Judea and Samaria, located on the West Bank settlement of Ariel as a university. [MESA is...] Our objection to this decision is based on the fact that Israel’s settlements on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip are in violation of international humanitarian law. Article 49 (6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) specifically forbids an occupying power from transferring and settling its own citizens in occupied territory. Article 55 of the Hague Regulations (1907) prohibits creating permanent changes in an occupied territory that are not intended to benefit the protected persons of that territory—in this case, the Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank. It is manifestly clear that this college, like the settlement of Ariel, is not intended to benefit the area’s Palestinian inhabitants. The College of Judea and Samaria has already increased the traffic of Israeli citizens to the illegal settlement of Ariel. The college’s faculty and students are prime users of the Trans-Samaria Road, a four-lane highway built on confiscated Palestinian land. Palestinians, including those whose land was confiscated to build this highway, are prohibited from using major portions of that road. West Bank Palestinians, moreover, are absent from the faculty and student body of the college. The establishment of an institution of higher learning in an illegal settlement thus creates an additional obstacle to Israel’s compliance with international law. Indeed, the college to be upgraded lies in an area where the Israeli government is obliged to freeze all construction work under the “Roadmap” peace plan drafted by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, endorsed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1515 (2003), and accepted by the government of Israel. MESA’s Committee on Academic Freedom holds that the free exchange of ideas is among the human rights identified by the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This spirit of freedom of inquiry and exchange is the essence of what higher education should embody. It is clear that such exchange cannot occur at an institution of higher learning built on confiscated land and in clear violation of international humanitarian law. Moreover, upgrading the College of Judea and Samaria to the status of university, on a par with Israel’s other universities inside its internationally-recognized borders, would demean the reputation of the latter by giving an illegal institution equal standing with the recognized high standards of Israel’s universities as a whole. For these reasons, we strongly recommend that the Council for Higher Education reject the request of the government to accredit the College of Judea and Samaria as a university, and recommend that it be relocated inside Israel’s internationally recognized borders in order to provide educational opportunities to its present and prospective students. Israel must respect its obligations under international law and not tie legitimate educational requirements to its illegal settlement drive. Sincerely, |
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Professor Ali
Banuazizi, President Dear Professor Banuazizi, Thank you for your letter of June 14, 2005, concerning the proposed upgrading of the College of Judea and Samaria from a college to a university. We greatly respect your association’s commitment to “the principles of academic freedom ad the free exchange of information and ideas”, as expressed in your letter to the AUT’s President, stating your “determined opposition” to its proposed boycott of Israel’s university and blacklisting of their faculties. In that letter you also assert: We especially oppose penalizing entire segments of an academic community for any reason whatsoever.” The faculties and student bodies of all Israel’s higher education institutions are made up of people whose opinions and beliefs embrace the entire political spectrum. This is true at the College of Judea and Samaria as well. Seventy percent of its students come from Tel Aviv and central Israel. Approximately 300 of its students are Arabs. The reasons given by Arab students for studying at the college are manifold. The courses offered by the college are not taught at every university. Some of the College’s departments have a national reputation for excellence. Acceptance to the college is easier than to the universities, although its courses are difficult. To ensure that students succeed tutoring and English and Hebrew language instruction are available, which also eases their integration in to college life. Hebrew is not studied in Palestinian universities. Arab students have found that studying in Hebrew and learning about Israeli culture opens more doors to them in the job market after graduation. The College is convenient for students who commute, and for those who must work and study at the same time. Tuition fees at the College are half those of private colleges. Research to be published shortly concludes that the College’s Arab students have a positive sense of belonging. Relations between Arab and Jewish students are good; the former are active in campus politics and members of the student union. In an interview, an Arab student said, “If we stay home and don’t go to university, will that help us or our society more?” The College sponsors an outreach program to find more potential Arab students. Under its auspices, preparatory course for matriculation examinations are given in Arab cities and villages throughout the country. Last month, the names of three prominent Arab local council heads appeared in an ad on the front page of one of Israel’s major newspaper, Ha’aretz. The ad congratulated the College on opening registration for the 2006 school year, and commended it for encouraging coexistence between the various sectors of Israeli society. The administration and faculty of the College of Judea and Samaria is committed to providing its students-Jewish and Arab-with the finest higher education and training. We believe that, elevated to university status in accordance with the rigorous requirements of the council for Higher Education in Israel, the College can deepen its commitment to the future of our youth and society. When asked what attracted him to teaching at the college, an engineering faculty member stated that it was “the thought of teaching at a college in which there is an encounter between Jews and Arabs, between Israelis and Palestinians. It was very appropriate for me to bring people closer together in teaching and in research. Surely, these lessons in peace and understanding that the College’s students learn in and out of the classroom encourage the “spirit of freedom of inquiry and exchange [that] is the essence of what higher education should embody”. Sincerely yours, Limor Livnat |
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May
27, 2005 Dear Prime Minister Erdogan: Ali Banuazizi CC: H.E. Dr. Osman
Faruk Logoglu,
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May 18, 2005 We therefore urge you to take the steps necessary to end the multiple infringements of their fundamental human rights. Those still in custody should be released or charged with a recognizable criminal offense and provided with a trial in a court of law that meets international fair trial standards. Those in custody should be allowed access to their families and to legal counsel.
We also urge you to affirm the right of students as well
as others to organize social, political and cultural clubs and civil
society organizations free from unnecessary governmental interference.
If necessary, the government should revise legislation governing the
right of association to comply with international standards. We thank you in advance for your attention to this matter and look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
cc Dr. Hani Murtada, Minister of Higher Education,
Syrian Arab Republi |
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Dr. Angela Roger, President Fax: +44-020-7670-979 Dear Dr. Roger: The Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) is writing to express its profound disagreement with the recent decision of the Association of University Teachers (AUT) calling on its members to “refrain from participation in any form of academic and cultural cooperation, or joint projects” with Haifa University and Bar Ilan University, in Israel. We strongly urge the Association to withdraw or rescind this resolution to boycott these universities and blacklist their faculty at the very earliest opportunity. The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) comprises 2600 academics worldwide who teach and conduct research on the Middle East and North Africa, and is the preeminent professional association in the field. The association publishes the International Journal of Middle East Studies, and is committed to ensuring respect for the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression in the region and in connection with the study of the Middle East and North Africa. Our objection to this resolution derives from the deep commitment of this association and its membership to the principles of academic freedom and the free exchange of information and ideas. We are on record as opposing restrictions against individual scholars except in instances where those individuals have violated clearly established legal and ethical norms. We especially oppose penalizing entire segments of an academic community for any reason whatsoever. We find thoroughly objectionable the call of the AUT to refrain from any and all scholarly interaction with the entire professional staff of two universities because of the policies of the state in which they are situated. This association has gone on record on a number of occasions to protest actions by the government of Israel that restrict in a systematic manner academic freedom and the right to education in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are also mindful that establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law. For that reason, initiatives by scholars and academics urging the administration of Bar Ilan University to end its institutional complicity with such violations are appropriate, but these should not be initiatives that themselves constitute breaches with important principles of the right to receive and impart information and ideas, or that represent forms of collective punishment against individual academics who find themselves in that university. In closing, we reiterate our determined opposition to the AUT decision to boycott Haifa University and Bar Ilan University and blacklist their faculty, and we look forward to a speedy and satisfactory resolution of the matter. Thank you in advance for your attention to our views on this important matter. Sincerely, Ali Banuazizi President, Middle East Studies Association Professor, Boston College
CC: Michael Britnall, American Political Science Association Sally T. Hillsman, American Sociological Association Jonathan Knight, American Association of University Professors Maud Kozodoy, Committee for Concerned Scientists
[Response to the above letter: "Open Letter to MESA Members"] |
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The
Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg By facsimile: 212 788 8123 Dear Mayor Bloomberg: I write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our grave concern regarding the recent decision by the Chancellor Joel I. Klein to exclude Professor Rashid Khalidi from any further participation in teacher development workshops. This decision violates the right to impart and exchange information, one of the basic tenets of academic freedom and an essential right for elementary and secondary school teachers as well as university professors. [MESA is...]
Chancellor Klein’s decision, which was announced by his press secretary, Mr. Jerry Russo, was explained as a response to past statements made by Professor Khalidi that were critical of Israel. Mr. Russo is reported to have said, “Considering his past statements, Rashid Khalidi should not have been included in a program that provided professional development for DOE teachers and he won’t be participating in the future.” The suggestion that responsible criticism of Israel and its policies should disqualify Professor Khalidi or any other respected scholar from participating in a teachers’ in-service training program undermines the values of free expression that we value in our society.
We had hoped that this letter would be unnecessary, given your demonstrated commitment to the fundamental values of freedom in our society, but we have been disappointed by your silence on this matter. We would like to emphasize that Professor Khalidi is a respected historian, a former President of this organization, and a highly regarded teacher. It is noteworthy that prior to his dismissal he offered two lectures on the Middle East as part of the teacher development workshops that elicited only praise. Moreover, many of Professor Khalidi’s colleagues have heard him publicly criticize Palestinian political authorities. By Chancellor Klein’s logic, Professor Khalidi would on these grounds also be disqualified from lecturing on either side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which would be absurd, as I am sure you agree.
This decision by the head of New York’s Department of Education reflects poorly on a city renowned for its willingness to embrace a rich diversity of people and opinion, and especially on a school system justly revered for its bounty of fine graduates. Chancellor Klein’s decision necessarily raises fundamental questions about freedom of speech in the New York City’s schools when issues concerning the Middle East are concerned.
As you know, the New York Civil Liberties Union, in a letter to Chancellor Klein, dated March 2, 2005, stated that the Chancellor was violating Professor Khalidi’s First Amendment right to free speech, and the Civil Liberties Union cited constitutional case law to that effect. Columbia’s President Bollinger called the decision, “wrong not only as a matter of constitutional law but as a matter of good policy and as a matter of the conduct of education.” He is reconsidering Columbia’s participation in any future teacher training programs.
We note that Chancellor Klein’s arbitrary decision was announced at a time when there appears to be a momentum toward a peaceful solution to the conflict that enjoys wide support among Israelis and Palestinians, not to mention many Americans. While public opinion should not be the criterion of free speech, it appears that the Chancellor of New York’s schools may have improperly allowed himself to be swayed by loud and unrepresentative voices of those determined to de-legitimize and suppress any thoughtful discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that includes criticism of Israeli policies. In some cases these have been the voices of individuals seeking to gain political advantage by their posturing vis-à-vis Professor Khalidi and his colleagues at Columbia University.
Therefore, we respectfully request that you review the Chancellor’s decision with him, with a view to restoring, protecting, and advancing the free exchange of ideas to education in the City. We would also be grateful for a prompt public statement by you making clear that New York City’s teachers, and the children that they teach, will continue to be exposed to a diversity of perspectives in the classroom rather than merely to what the Chancellor may deem politically expedient or find personally comfortable.
Sincerely,
Ali Banuazizi President, Middle East Studies Association Professor, Boston College
MESA Board of Directors Laurie Brand, University of Southern California and CAFMENA Juan Cole, University of Michigan Ahmad Dallal, Georgetown University Ellen Fleischman, University of Dayton Dina Rizk Khoury, George Washington University and CAFMENA Leslie Peirce, University of California at Berkeley Donald M. Reid, Georgia State University and CAFMENA Amira Sonbol, Georgetown University
MESA Committee on Academic Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch/Middle East Lisa Anderson, Columbia University Kaveh Ehsani, University of Illinois at Chicago Gregory Gause III, University of Vermont Augustus Richard Norton, Boston University Marsha Pripstein Posusney, Bryant College Eve Troutt Powell, University of Georgia Glenn E. Robinson, Naval Postgraduate College Gershon Shafir, University of California at San Diego Keith Watenpaugh, LaMoyne College
cc: Chancellor Joel I. Klein, Chancellor of the Department
of Education New York City Department of
Education April 18, 2005 Mr. Ali Banauazizi, President
Dear President Banuazizi: Thank you for writing to Mayor Bloomberg to express your concern regarding Professor Rashid Khalidi of Columbia University. The Mayor received your letter and forwarded it to Chancellor Klein who has asked that I respond on his behalf. The New York City Department of Education greatly values the opinions of the academic community. The Department’s decision concerning Professor Khalidi was based on the program’s function in providing professional development for public school teachers who in turn instruct children in the classroom. We recognize that members of the academic community may agree or disagree with the Department’s decision, and we appreciate your interest in and commitment to the education of our children. Sincerely, Terry Bowman Dr. Lee Bollinger Dear Dr. Bollinger, I write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our concern regarding numerous public calls for Columbia University to suppress or infringe upon academic freedom. Recently these pressures have extended to demands for the dismissal of a professor in the Department of Middle East and Asian Language and Culture (MEALAC). We are heartened that the university administration has insisted on upholding the fundamental right of free expression in the university community. In this you have our unconditional support, and our encouragement to persevere. [MESA is... ] The latest salvo against academic freedom at Columbia has come in reports of a film by a Boston-based organization containing allegations against Professor Joseph Massad. According to these allegations, Dr. Massad had expressed views of Israel that were tantamount to anti-Semitism, and had intimidated students who did not share his views. The film has not, as of this writing, been available for public viewing. Its allegations have nonetheless received prominent notice in several New York-area tabloids, assisted by a letter to you, dated October 21, from Representative Anthony D. Weiner, a Brooklyn Congressman, publicly calling on you to “fire” Dr. Massad. Rep. Weiner’s letter also invoked earlier campaigns against Columbia’s appointment of Professor Rashid I. Khalidi to an endowed chair, and the appointment of former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson as Professor in the Practice of Public Affairs. In the most thorough journalistic account of the controversy over Dr. Massad, in the November 2 issue of The Jewish Week, staff writer Liel Leibovitz interviewed four of the seven students who reportedly appear in the film, and several dozens others who have attended MEALAC classes over the last five years. According to the article, those who took classes with Dr. Massad, including Jewish and Israeli students, were strikingly positive about their experience. We understand that you have asked the Provost of the university to look into the matter. This is certainly an appropriate step if there are any genuine grounds for concern regarding these allegations. Such a response, however, because it has been made public, may also suggest that the university is open to politicized pressure from the outside to silence debate and dissent on Columbia University’s campus. We therefore urge you to take every appropriate opportunity to reassert that Columbia University will continue to uphold the fundamental values of freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas, and that the campaign of defamation against Dr. Massad will find no resonance within your administration. We assure you of our full support in this endeavor. Sincerely, Laurie Brand Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch, Middle
East cc: Rep. Anthony D. Weiner, Member of Congress The Honorable Colin Powell and The Honorable Tom Ridge We, the Middle East Studies Association of North America’s Committee on Academic Freedom and the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Religion, are writing to express our very grave concern regarding the decision of the Department of State, made public last week, to rescind the visa for the well-known scholar of Islam Dr. Tariq Ramadan. Dr. Ramadan was slated to take up an appointment in the religion department of the University of Notre Dame, beginning earlier last week. He had received his visa in April 2004, only to have it rescinded, without explanation, in early August. The Department of State’s decision was reportedly taken on the basis of information provided by the Department of Homeland Security. Neither department has made public any reason for the decision. We request that you take the necessary steps to reverse this decision as a matter of urgency, in order that Dr. Ramadan can lecture and meet with students. The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) is… The American Academy of Religion (AAR) is the major scholarly society and professional association of scholars and teachers in religion. With 10,000 members, the Academy fosters excellence in research and teaching in the field and contributes to the broad public understanding of religion and religions. The AAR publishes the flagship scholarly journal in religion and books in five series through Oxford University Press. The decision to rescind Dr. Ramadan’s visa is particularly troubling on two grounds. First, he had already received his visa, going through the rigorous screening process that your Departments have implemented for foreign visitors. As far as we are aware, neither Dr. Ramadan nor the University of Notre Dame were consulted regarding any problems or new information that might give cause to rescind his visa. Second, the lack of explanation for rescinding the visa raises serious questions about the cause of the decision. In the absence of any explanation, we fear that pressures were applied to reverse the granting of the visa by people who disagree with Dr. Ramadan’s views as a scholar and as a public intellectual. That fear is exacerbated by the unsourced comments in some media outlets about alleged “links” between Dr. Ramadan and terrorist groups. There is absolutely nothing in the public record regarding Dr. Ramadan, or in his scholarly production, that would indicate any basis whatsoever for such allegations—and Dr. Ramadan is a scholar very much in the public eye in Switzerland, where he resides and teaches, and in Europe more generally. To us, these allegations smack of a character assassination campaign designed to suppress Dr. Ramadan’s voice at a prominent American university. Denying qualified scholars entry into the United States because of their political beliefs strikes at the core of academic freedom. On that basis alone the decision to deny Dr. Ramadan access to our country is unacceptable. We also find the decision profoundly counter-productive to the stated aims of our national policy. As our country tries to understand better the Muslim world and to encourage interpretations of Islam which reject violence and terrorism, we will have to be open to dialogue with Muslims who hold political opinions that do not espouse violence but do differ from the opinions of some Americans or are critical of U.S. policies. If controversy is cause enough to deny someone a visa, our prospects for reaching out to Muslims around the world are very dim. The decision to bar Dr. Ramadan from teaching and meeting students and other academics, if allowed to stand, will represent a very low mark with regard to the Bush administration’s commitment to the free exchange of ideas and freedom of expression. We are aware of absolutely no evidence for allegations that Dr. Ramadan has advocated violence or been associated with groups which perpetrate violence. On the contrary, important scholars and reputable universities have testified to his academic credentials and his character as a researcher and teacher. If the U.S. government has evidence to the contrary, let it be made public, to reassure the American public that untoward political pressures are not affecting the government’s decisions. In the absence of such evidence we can only conclude that denying Dr. Ramadan permission to enter the country constitutes a direct attack on academic freedom and freedom of speech. We respectfully urge you to reconsider this unfortunate decision and reinstate Dr. Ramadan |