"By paraphrasing and softening the students’ language, you are whitewashing Israel’s war crimes and downplaying the students' demands. Your sentence should rather read, 'students for Justice in Palestine called on the U of M to boycott Israeli institutions, disclose its investments and divest from any organizations complicit in the genocide against Palestinian people...'."
June 16, 2024
To:
Malak Abbas, Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press
Paul Samyn, Editor, Winnipeg Free Press
Dear Ms. Abbas and Mr. Samyn,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express concerns about the article titled “Pro-Palestinian camp vacates U of M after legal threat”, published on July 15, 2024.
I find this sentence particularly problematic: "Students for Justice in Palestine called on the U of M to boycott Israeli institutions, disclose its investments and divest from any organizations complicit in discrimination against Palestinian people …”. I take issue with your use of the term "discrimination” and failure to directly quote the demands of the students.
The encampment by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is not merely a protest against "any organizations complicit in discrimination against Palestinian people…," but a desperate outcry against the University of Manitoba's complicity in the genocide Israel is inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza.
- Palestinians in Gaza are witnessing entire families being decimated and children killed by airstrikes, gunshots, and tanks, or dying from lack of medicine, starvation, dehydration, or famine.
- Palestinians in Gaza are forcibly displaced to areas deemed safe by Israel, only to be bombed.
- Israel is targeting and destroying buildings it should not, including UNRWA buildings, churches, mosques, hospitals, universities, and schools.
- The health system is collapsing, leaving Palestinians without adequate treatment.
- Many are living in makeshift tents, struggling to survive with minimal aid, as famine becomes a daily reality.
- Palestinians pay nearly $10,000 USD per person to flee to Egypt, where conditions are barely survivable.
- As early as January, the UN Humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, called Gaza “unhabitable.”
By paraphrasing and softening the students’ language, you are whitewashing Israel’s war crimes and downplaying the students' demands. Your sentence should rather read, “students for Justice in Palestine called on the U of M to boycott Israeli institutions, disclose its investments and divest from any organizations complicit in the genocide against Palestinian people...”
Furthermore, you already included a quote from a student (Canjura), making it evident that the students' voices were accessible. In this light, it would have been more respectful and accurate to directly quote their full list of demands, which you can find here. This would ensure that the students’ demands are conveyed without dilution or misrepresentation.
I trust you will take my recommendations into consideration now and on future reporting on pro-Palestine encampments in the name of reporting with accuracy and fairness.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Lynn Naji
Junior Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East