KAFILA – 10 years of a common journey

We, the undersigned students, staff and faculty members at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Hague, support the right of students and teachers everywhere to a learning environment that is critical, engaging and respectful. In light of recent events and the slander campaign against the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), we are disheartened and embarrassed that this is not the vision of the current Government of India, that they would rather create spaces of fear and control, by labelling all those that criticise their policies as anti-national and unpatriotic.

We do not support any one idea of India or one form of nationalism over another but look to University spaces to create an environment where ideas may be exchanged freely, inviting engagement in the form of both criticism and support, uninhibited by the threat of arbitrary censorship or state-sponsored violence.

Not so long ago, students from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) were declared anti-Hindu, anti-Indian or Naxals and their protests were labeled as ‘conspiracies’, when they expressed their disagreement over a ruling party member, GajendraChauhan being appointed as their Chairman. We recently witnessed the labelling of students as anti-national when they held protests after the suicide of student activist RohithVemula, who highlighted the institutionalised discrimination against Dalits at Hyderabad Central University. And when voices were raised to discuss the issue of capital punishment, the case of Afzal Guru and the right to self determination – all legitimate issues for democratic debate and discussion- they were charged with ‘sedition’, itself an anachronistic concept which has no place in a secure and modern democracy, and JNU was accused of being a nest of anti-national activities.

We therefore collectively condemn all authoritative actions taken against various educational institutions by the present Government of India. We also condemn the perception and treatment of student activists as criminals by some media personnel, certain representatives of political parties and the state machinery.

We particularly condemn student leader, Kanhaiya Kumar’s arrest at JNU and the subsequent siege of the JNU campus by the Delhi Police, aided by some members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). We also strongly condemn the related attacks on JNU students and faculty outside of campus, as well as on journalists, by lawyers and representatives of the ruling party.

We join the global community in expressing our solidarity with the staff and students of JNU. We #‎StandWithJNU.

1. Dr.MansoobMurshed, Professor
2. Dr.ArjunBedi, Professor
3. N. Wagner, Assistant Professor
4. Dr.KarimKniou, Senior Lecturer
5. Sandy Hamerlina, Staff
6. Dr. Andrew Fischer, Assistant Professor
7. Dr. Amrita Chhachhi, Senior Lecturer
8. Dr, Des Gasper, Full Professor
9. Dr. Helen Hintjens, Senior Lecturer
10. Dr.DubravkaŽarkov, Associate Professor
11. LoesKeijsers, Lecturer (Retired)
12. Dr.Thanh-Dam Truong, Associate Professor (Retired)
13. Dr MahmoodMesskoub, Senior Lecturer
14. JoãoGuimarães, Senior Lecturer (Retired)
15. Dr. Wendy Harcourt, Associate Professor
16. Dr. Howard Nicholas, Senior Lecturer
17. Prof.Dr. M.R. Doornbos, Professor (Emeritus)
18. Dr.Rolph van der Hoeven, Professor (Emeritus)
19. Dr. Jeff Handmaker, Senior lecturer
20. Dr. Kristen Cheney, Senior Lecturer
21. Constance Dupis, Alumna
22. Andrea Floridi, PHD Researcher
23. TsegayeMoreda, PHD Researcher
24. SalemaJramel, PHD Researcher
25. Juan David Parra, PHD Researcher
26. Daniela Andade, PHD Researcher
27. DyahAyuKartika, M.A. Student, Indonesia
28. Cristina García, M.A. Student, Colombia
29. Diego Vicente Arrea, M.A. Student, Costa Rica
30. Maria Westin, M.A. Student, Sweden
31. Oliver Rix, M.A. Student, UK
32. Diana Ardila, M.A. Student, Colombia
33. Akiko Sato, M.A. Student, Japan
34. ChourdakisYannis, M.A. Student, Greece
35. Mohammad Ibrahim Khalad, M.A. Student, Bangladesh
36. AkshayKadam, M.A. Student, India
37. Aye Lei, M.A. Student, Myanmar
38. Sukyeong Lee, M.A. Student, South Korea
39. SzuHui Huang, M.A. Student, Taiwan
40. YasminWakimotoScheufler, M.A. Student, Brazil
41. Mihwa Wi, M.A. Student, South Korea
42. MehretabMedhanie, M.A. Student, Eritrea
43. Byron Jiménez Ponce, M.A. Student, Ecuador
44. Priya Mohan, M.A. Student, India
45. Ana Sofia Castillo Chavez, M.A. Student, México
46. Belen Giaquinta, M.A. Student, Argentina
47. MaksudaKhanam, M.A. Student, Bangladesh
48. Sarah Marie Wulbrecht, M.A. Student, USA
49. Priscila Shizuko Kinoshita Arie, M.A. Student, Brazil
50. Tessa Talitha, M.A. Student, Indonesia
51. Nana Takeuchi, M.A. Student, Japan
52. CamiloEncisoZurita, M.A. Student, Colombia
53. Maria Camila Franco Franco, M.A. Student, Colombia
54. Momoka Ishida, M.A. Student, Japan
55. Joseph Edward Alegado, M.A. Student, Philippines
56. Emily Boyce, M.A. Student, UK
57. Laura Hall, M.A. Student, USA
58. OleksandraPravednyk, M.A. Student, Ukraine
59. Sheriff Tabba, M.A. Student, Canada
60. Anthony Medina, M.A. Student, Peru
61. Gabriela Maldonado, M.A. Student, Guatemala
62. AzucenaGollz, M.A. Student, Mexico
63. Nawang C. Sherpa, M.A. Student, Nepal
64. ViniePuspaningrum, M.A. Student, Indonesia
65. Aneesh Correa, M.A. Student, India
66. Jack Mullan, M.A. Student, Ireland
67. AishwaryaPothula, M.A. Student, India
68. Ade Siti, M.A. Student, Indonesia
69. Pamela Soberanis, M.A. Student, Mexico
70. IsidoraOvalle, M.A. Student, Chile
71. Mitch Sayoc, M.A. Student, Philippines
72. SiddharthDhote, M.A. Student, India
73. PallaviKarnatak, M.A. Student, India
74. Diana Baldenebro, M.A. Student, Mexico
75. Luz Chimal, M.A. Student, Mexico
76. IpsitaUppal, M.A. Student, India
77. WorrinMuivah, M.A. Student, India
78. Shikha Sethia, M.A. Student, India
79. Amod Shah, M.A. Student, India
80. Davo Davy, M.A. Student, Nigeria
81. Thais Martins Domingues, M.A. Student, Brazil
82. HojatFazly, M.A. Student, Afghanistan
83. Guang Yang, M.A. Student, China
84. Margarita Mecheva, M.A. Student, Russia
85. Susana Macias, M.A. Student, Mexico
86. Isabella Hayward, M.A. Student, Sweden
87. Patricia VellosoCavallari, M.A. Student, Brazil
88. Taylor Brown, M.A. Student, USA
89. Christian Bilfinger, M.A. Student, Brazil
90. Rachel Penner, M.A. Student, USA
91. SalimaAhmadou, M.A. Student, Tunisia
92. Seyoum A. Mamo, M.A. Student, Ethiopia
93. Belén Moro, M.A. Student, Mexico-Argentina
94. SuchismitaGoswami, M.A. Student, India
95. BetelehemFikreBeyene, M.A. Student, Ethiopia