Add Reply
Add Comment As A Guest
Close Topic OptionsManchester University Discuss Anti-military Motion
Manchester University Discuss Anti-military - Sciences, Education, Art, Writing, UFO - Posted: 23rd Apr, 2008 - 11:24pm
Play Text RPG
- Location:
- International Discussions
- ➢
- ➢ Discuss
- ➢ Sciences, Education, Art, Writing & UFO
Posts: 1 - Views: 656
Manchester University Discuss Anti-military Motion
It seems that my Student Union is coplying UCL and jumping on the bandwagon in an attempt to gain press coverage by banning military presense from its campuses. This is a hugely unpopular move, which is sparking anger from students and members of the armed forces alike.
Below is the proposed motion:
| QUOTE (Proposed University of Manchester Student's Union motion) |
| THIS UNION NOTES 1. The issue of military recruitment in schools and universities has become a major flashpoint recently. 2. The Rowntree Report on recruitment in education has damned the Army for "glamorising war and recruiting children". 3. A number of Students" Unions have passed policy banning the military, most notably at a UCL General Meeting which made national news, following which the General Secretary was briefly suspended by a minority clique on the executive before her reinstatement. 4. That in Scotland, University groups have run mass campaigns to remove army recruiters. 5. That the recent NUT Conference voted to oppose military recruitment in schools. 6. That the military has a large recruitment operation at many colleges and Universities. 7. That the UK has occupied Afghanistan since 2001 and Iraq since 2003. 8. That the UN has called Iraq 'the worst humanitarian disaster in the world". 9. That NUS Annual Conference 2008 passed a policy calling for student occupations in the event of an attack on Iran. 10. That over 50,000 people marched against the War at the Labour Party conference in Manchester in 2006. THIS UNION BELIEVES 1. That the Occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan have meant the army find it far more difficult to recruit. 2. That a mass campaign against military recruitment can be part of the effort to end the occupations in the Middle East. 3. That anti-recruitment campaigns can relate to students and the military families campaign. 4. That the military's role in Iraq and Afghanistan has been disastrous and is opposed internationally, including by military families in the UK. 5. The crisis in the Middle East, and strength of opinion here has resulted in a credibility and recruitment crisis for the armed forces, and increased targeting of students. 6. One of the responses to this is MoD school lesson plans, and macho "action man" style publicity aimed at young people. 7. It is completely unacceptable for military recruiters, whose purpose is to recruit young people to fight and die in massively unpopular wars, to target us in our educational establishments. 8. It is disgraceful that military propaganda is focused on the excitement of military life, and targets students with economic problems on the basis of a well paid job, obscuring the reality of military life and the wars being fought. 9. That British troops should be withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan immediately. 10. That there should be no attack on Iran. THIS UNION RESOLVES 1. To affiliate to the Stop the War Coalition. 2. To campaign for immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. 3. In the event of any attack on Iran, to mobilise students to take whatever action is necessary to halt the attack. Including occupations, demonstrations, teach-ins and direct action. 4. To organise at least one Stop the War Teach-In each term, where people can discuss the issues raised by the "War On Terror". 5. To ban the military of any country from union premises, and from all Freshers and careers fairs, and other similar events. 6. To do everything possible to support and publicise the campaign against military recruitment on our campuses. 7. To steadfastly defend Students" Unions democratic right to oppose the military in cases such as that of UCL where cliques manoeuvre to try and overturn the democratic will of the students. 8. To support other unions involved in similar campaigns. 9. To actively support the Stop the War Coalition in their efforts to end the Occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. 10. To encourage students to join the anti-war march at this year's Labour Party Conference in Manchester, should such a demonstration be called. |
Sponsored Links:
TOPIC: Manchester University Discuss Anti-military Motion