Defend Muslim students against “McCarthyism”

Posted on November 2, 2006
Filed Under Sofie's Blog

In mid-October, the press got hold of a leaked document from the
Department for Education and Skills which proposes that university staff spy on Muslim and even “Asian-looking” students - and inform special branch of anyone they suspect is involved in Islamic “extremism”.

Both NUS president Gemma Tumelty and UCU joint general secretary Paul Mackney have rightly denounced this as smelling strongly of “McCarthyism”.

The document itself acknowledges: “Special branch are aware that many HEIs [higher education institutions] will have a number of concerns about working closely with special branch. Some common concerns are that institutions will be seen to be collaborating with the ’secret police’”.

But it replies: “Special branch are not the ’secret police’ and are accountable.”

From the miners’ strike to its role in Northern Ireland, it is evident how secretive and unaccountable special branch is. In any case, secret or not, it is a political police force, designed to stifle and limit democracy. We should oppose university management spying on students because of their politics. This is doubly important when those under the lens are from a community oppressed by racism and government harrassment.

What is being discussed is not the legitimate goal of tracking terrorists, but the targeting of students because of their religious background.

It is important that the student left is very clear on this. We do not have to go soft on the reactionary politics of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies leadership and other Islamist organisations to defend these groups against state surveillance. Student unions and UCU branches should welcome the comments by Gemma Tumelty and Paul Mackney and make it clear to university authorities that attempts to put the DfES document into effect will meet with resistance. We must stand firmly with student Islamic societies against attempts to spy on them.