MSA West Condemns UCI's Decision to Consider Recommendation to Suspend the Muslim Student Union
Taher Herzallah
MSA West Condemns UCI's Decision to Consider Recommendation to Suspend the Muslim Student Union
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Los Angeles, United States, 06/15/2010) – Muslim Students Association West (MSA West) condemns the University of California, Irvine’s (UCI) recommendation to suspend the Muslim Student Union (MSU) at UCI. This recommendation punishes the entire Muslim student body at UCI based on the actions of a few Muslim students, some of whom were affiliated with the MSU. Eleven students from various UC campuses were arrested at UCI on February 8th while protesting inhumane Israeli policies against Palestinians at a speech given by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren. UCI's disciplinary recommendation, which has been prompted and supported by external Zionist organizations, jeopardizes Muslim students’ constitutional rights of speech, religion and association and creates a chilling precedent for all students and student organizations around the country, irrespective of religious or political leanings. There is no evidence that UCI has historically suspended any student organization for the actions of a few of its members or for peacefully protesting.
SEE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoGgCnsffNY (11 Students Arrested for Disrupting Israeli Ambassador)
UCI’s Senior Executive Director of Student Housing recommended the revocation of the student group's charter for one year and probation for another year following allegations that the MSU violated sections of University policy. Allegations arose after seven UCI students and three UCR students spoke out against Ambassador Oren, the official United States’ representative of Israel, the Israeli military’s media relation’s officer during the Gaza assault in January 2009 when Israel killed over 1,400 Palestinians and injured over 5,300, and a former officer in the Israeli Defense Force.
According to the MSU, those students who protested Oren acted in their individual capacities. The recommendation to suspend the MSU is draconian and aims to silence all critique against the state of Israel at a time when Israel has applied deadly force against peace and humanitarian activists in international waters aboard humanitarian boats headed to Gaza.
SEE: http://msu-uci.com/ (UCI MSU Appeals Recommendation to Suspend MSU)
MSA West also expresses concern over the undue influence and misinformation released by external Zionist organizations. The Jewish Federation of Orange County obtained the University’s initial recommendation through a public record act request and inaccurately leaked that information to the media, claiming UCI has already banned the Muslim Student Union. Yet according to University policy, the Office of Student Conduct cannot make a unilateral informal determination to suspend organizations on campus. The MSU has recently submitted its appeal from the University’s disciplinary recommendation.
External Zionist organizations have long sought to silence and dismantle the MSU at UCI and have employed pressure and financial threats against UCI and the UC Regents.
SEE: http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41422/jewish-leaders-want-u.c.-irvine-to-react-powerfully/ (Jewish Leaders want U.C. Irvine to React Powerfully)
The MSU at UCI is the only organization that represents Muslim interests at UCI and includes over 100 active student members and approximately 250 registered student members. Its activities range from spiritual/religious to social to political. MSA West encourages the University to drop the charges and sanctions against the MSU on appeal. MSA West encourages all students to maintain their activism for the human rights of the Palestinian people in spite of UCI’s chilling recommendation. MSA West encourages all Muslim students to continue practicing their religion freely, unhindered and unafraid, on campus.
MSA West is an grassroots organization comprised of Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) representing campuses across the west coast, and is a council of MSA National.
We are a cohesive coalition of Muslim Students united for the sake of Allah (swt) who aim to embody the concepts of unity, strength, and activism. MSA West strives to establish Islam as the forefront of all movements by speaking the Truth, increasing awareness, dissolving stereotypes, resisting oppression, and strengthening the bond between Muslims worldwide - starting with our own campuses.
CONTACT: msa...@gmail.com
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msawest.net | Unite.
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Taher Herzallah