Stellenbosch University betrays academic principles
29 November 2018
For Stellenbosch University to cancel sessions with Israeli and Palestinian Speakers on the topic ‘Recognition, Reparation, Reconciliation: The Light and Shadow of Historical Trauma’ seems highly ironic and contrary to good academic standards and attempts at reconciliation.
When it was learned that Israeli academics, as well as Palestinian academic and peace activist Prof Mohammed Dajani, were scheduled to speak on the programme, the organisers were subjected to mounting pressure, including threats to disrupt the event, from BDS-aligned boycott factions. Instead of taking a firm stand against this bullying tactic, the organisers of the conference caved in by unilaterally cancelling the sessions at which the Israeli academics Prof Mohammed Dajani had been scheduled to speak. There is no truth whatsoever in the claim that these speakers voluntarily agreed not to participate. It has since been confirmed that the decision to exclude them was taken without their knowledge, and that they were only informed about it after the fact.
The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) is further outraged over the reason given for why the session with Professor Mohammed Dajani was cancelled. According to Prof Pumla Goboda-Madikizela, coordinator of the conference, it was because when Prof Dajani visited South Africa earlier this year, his visit was reported in these terms: ‘Dajani is visiting South Africa this week as part of his mission of moderation – during Israel Apartheid Week when feelings against Israel are running high – as a guest of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies”.
This clearly implied that the mere fact of Prof Dajani having been brought out by the 117 year old democratically representative body of the Jewish community was considered by the conference organisers to be a sufficient reason to remove his name from the original speaking programme.