Mega-boycott called off
To resounding applause, the Student Parliament’s protest against twelve of the world’s occupating countries was voided at this weekend’s parliamentary planning session.
På norsk- The majority agreed that this case wasn’t particularly solid, Student Parliament (SP) leader Lina Johanne Strand (representing the left-wing student party Venstrealliansen) says.
A resolution passed at the SP meeting in April called for the boycott of several nations defined as occupying countries, and Strand is pleased that this resolution now has been voided. The resolution, which was passed primarily with votes from the centre-right Moderat Gruppe (MG) and the leftist Venstrealliansen (however, Strand voted against it), was intended as an MG parody of a Social Democrat proposal calling for an academic boycott of Israel.
- In my opinion, the resolution wasn’t an impetus for action, nor was it a good political background document to work from, Strand says.
According to the resolution, SP was to boycott goods and services from Israel, the United States, China, Morocco, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Iraq, the UK, Pakistan, India and Indonesia.
- It was a complex case to relate to, both for the organization and for student politicians, Strand says.
At the SP planning session, SP did pass a statement of intent to get involved in student related international politics. From now on, SP will focus on the situation of students in war-torn countries, human rights violations and undemocratic regimes, points which were officially added to the SP agenda.
- This leaves us with a better basis for further policy in cases where the SP chooses to get involved, Strand says.
- So what will be the official SP policy on Israel from now on?
- We haven’t passed a motion on Israel since 2004, but will have to see what happens at the next SP meeting. We have a good starting point in the new agenda, and I expect to see motions on for instance Israel’s position in the Middle East.
Former MG representative Øystein Sundelin, who was the originator of the «mega-boycott», feels that the resolution’s voiding is positive.
- I’m pleased that the SP doesn’t denounce the US occupation of Iraq nor the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This means the parliament accepts that terrorist organisations are struck down, in addition to avoiding issuing one-sided condemnations.
