SA academic banned by French universities from speaking on Palestine

26 MARCH 2015

University of Johannesburg PSF has learnt that former anti-apartheid activist, renowned international academic, Chairperson of the UJ Academic Freedom Committee and Head of the Religious Studies department at UJ Professor Farid Esack has been banned from speaking on the topic of Palestine by various French Universities.

Professor Esack is due to start a French speaking tour tonight (Thursday 26 March) on the topic of Palestine for and as part of Israeli Apartheid Week (Israeli Apartheid Week takes place in France this week). French Univeristies, as our French comrades have communicated, must be custodians of all freedoms, especially the freedoms of expression and assembly. Professor Esack has been banned from speaking at tonight's Israeli Apartheid Week event at the University of Sorbonne-Paris 1. The banning comes after certain pro-Israeli French Zionist groups, including the UEJF (Union of French Jewish students) and the BNVCA (the so-called National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism) wrote letters accusing Professor Esack of hate speech, anti-semitism and espousing violence. These groups openly claim on their websites and social network accounts, that they have put pressure on the French Education Ministry and on university administrations, by making bogus and slanderous allegations as well as the usual false accusation of anti-Semitism.

Conflating criticism of Israel's colonial policies of Apartheid can not and should not be equated with anti-Semitism, to do so is a disservice to the real victims of anti-Semitism. Professor Esack has consistently opposed anti-Semitism, for example, in his position as a Board member of the Palestine solidarity and human rights organisation BDS South Africa, Professor Esack spoke at a UJ PSF and BDS South Africa Holocaust Remembrance Day event in 2014. Click here for his speech from that event. www.iol.co.za/dailynews/opinion/the-dangers-of-ignoring-the-holocaust-lessons-1.1460188#.UQhaUeiKylQ

A petition has been launched demanding that French universities not to succumb to pressure to ban Anti-Apartheid Activist and Scholar Farid Esack from Speaking on Palestine. The petition has been signed by over 150 academics from across the world. The petition reads:

“It has come to our notice that various French Universities are coming under pressure to refuse Professor Farid Esack, a prominent figure in the South African anti-apartheid struggle for liberation, a leading gender justice activist and one of the most eminent international scholars on religious pluralism to speak on their campuses on the issue of Palestine. We understand that objections have been raised against his presence on the grounds that he is an alleged anti-Semite and espouses violence. Professor Esack has in all his written work and speeches displayed a remarkable principled commitment to justice and the struggle against all forms of racism – including anti-Semitism, sexism, economic exploitation and homophobia. His commitment to the struggle of justice for the Palestinian people is but an extension of a life-long commitment to justice. He has consistently opposed anti-Semitism in all its manifestations and has been a beacon for religious pluralism and non-violence.

As academics, social activists, politicians and other members of civil society we may or may not share all of Professor Esack’s views on everything. This is the nature of our work. We, however, protest against any attempt to silence this principled voice for justice. We urgently request that Professor Esack be allowed to speak at his scheduled events taking place in France.”

Click here for the petition and full list of signatories.

Despite the ban, French organisers are pushing ahead with the various Israeli Apartheid Week events featuring Professor Farid Esack. The events are as follows:

- Thursday 26 March: Conference in Paris at18h30 (Centre Mendès France - Sorbonne Paris 1 - 90, rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris - Metro Olympiades line 14)
- Sunday 29 March: Conference in Lille 15h00 : Maison des étudiants (MDE) de Lille 1- Avenue Carl Gauss, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq
- Monday 30 March: Conference in Bordeaux at 17h30 : IEP/Science Po - Amphi C (Tram B - Montaigne Montesquieu)
- Tuesday 31 March: Conference in Toulouse at 12h30 : University Mirail -Jean-Jaurès
- Wednesday 1st April: Conference in Montpellier at 18h00 : University Paul Valery

The UJ PSF calls on the South African Embassy in France and the South African Ministry of Higher Education to immediately intervene and engage with counterparts in France to ensure that Professor Farid Esack be allowed to speak.

UJPSF MEDIA RELEASE BY MARIAM LOONAT, CHAIRPERSON OF UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG PALESTINE SOLIDARITY FORUM
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ujpsf
TWITTER: @UJ_PSF
EMAIL: [email protected]

FOR INTERVIEWS:
Professor Farid Esack: +27 (0) 834599989
Mariam Loonat (UJ PSF): +27 (0) 611639147
Karim (France): +33663391488