STORY about Education posted on December 5, 2010 by mzoghi
UBC's AMS Executive Committee Accused of Defamation
Boat to Gaza organizers demand a public statement from the AMS committee and president for their statements
Letter from the organizers of the Canadian Boat to Gaza
Following UBC's AMS Council meeting on December 1, in which the Social Justice Centre's indirect donation to the the Canadian Boat to Gaza was discussed and voted on at great length [1], the AMS Executive Committee passed a separate motion [2] resolving that "the VP Finance investigate any links to terrorism connected to the transfer, inviting submissions from the SJC, the SPHR, and the Israeli Awareness Club and also pursuing an independent investigation." Moreover, the AMS President, Bijan Ahmadian, went on the record to say that AMS "might call CSIS [Canadian Security Intelligence Service] or someone, and see what their impression is" [3].
Following these events, the organizers of the Canadian Boat to Gaza issued a letter to the AMS Executive Committee demanding a public statement "clearly retracting the accusations and implications that the CBG [Canadian Boat to Gaza] is or may be linked to and/or financing terrorism" and that they "cease the 'investigation' referred to in the AMS motion of December 2." [4]
[1] "UBC student society backs aid for Gaza" by Murray Bush, Vancouver Media Coop, Dec 2, 2010.
[2] http://www.ams.ubc.ca/2010/12/ams-council-passes-motion-on-donation-for-...
[3] "UBC student government checking Gaza donation for terror ties," National Post, Dec 2, 2010.
[4] Cf. The accompanying letter obtained by the VMC.
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