PRESS RELEASE In commemoration of November 17 International Students Day and NANS ZONE-D November 21st Global day of Action “Dedicated to Jan Opletal of Czechlosvakia, Hector Pieterson of South Africa, Kunle Adepeju of Nigeria and to all Struggle Martyrs around the globe” About November 17 International Students’ Day (Jan Opletal) Today, 17th of November, 2013 is the International Students Day, an international observance of student activism. Today commemorates the anniversary of the 1939 Nazi storming of the University of Prague after demonstrations against the killing of Jan Opletal and the occupation of Czechoslovakia, and the execution of nine student leaders, over 1200 students sent to concentration camps, and the closing of all Czech universities and colleges. Today was first marked in 1941 in London by the International Students Council (which had many refugee members) in accord with the Allies, and the tradition has been kept up by the successor International Union of Students (IUS), which has been pressing with National Unions of Students in Europe and other groups to make the day an official United Nations observance. Also, the Athens Polytechnic uprising against the Greek military junta of 1973 came to a climax on November 17, with a violent crackdown and a tank crushing the gates of the university. The Day of the Greek Students is today among the official student holidays in Greece. The 1989 Prague demonstrations for International Students Day helped spark the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day is today marked among both the official holidays in the Czech Republic (since 2000, thanks to the efforts of the Czech Student Chamber of the Council of Higher Education Institutions) and the holidays in Slovakia. BACKGROUND During late 1939 the Nazi occupants of the Czechoslovakia (at that time it was called the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia), in Prague, suppressed a demonstration held by students of the Medical Faculty of the Charles University. The demonstration was held to commemorate the creation of an independent Czechoslovak Republic. This demonstration resulted in Jan Opletals death. 15th November is the date when he was meant to be transported from Prague back to his home in Moravia. His funeral procession consisted of thousands of students, who turned this event to yet another anti – Nazi demonstration. This however resulted in drastic measures being taken by the Nazis. All Czech higher education institutions were closed down; more than 1200 students were taken and sent to concentration camps; and the most hideous crime of all: nine students / professors were executed without trial on the 17th of November. Due to this the date of 17th November has been chosen to be the International Students Day. The following is the full list of the nine students / professors executed on the 17/11/1939 in Prague – Ruzyne: 1. Josef Matoušek 2. Jaroslav Klíma 3. Jan Weinert 4. Josef Adamec 5. Jan Černý 6. Marek Frauwirt 7. Bedřich Koukala 8. Václav Šafránek 9. František Skorkovský ANOTHER BLOODY 17th OF NOVEMBER EVENT - GREECE In November 1973 students of the Athens Polytechnic went on strike. They were protesting against the Regime of Colonels that was in power at the time. Their struggle began on the 14th of November. After barricading themselves and constructing a radio station from the equipment that they found in the laboratories they started broadcasting to the entire city of Athens. Their broadcasts were pro – democratic, against the junta that was in power. They were soon joined by thousands of their compatriots. However they did not achieve their objectives. In the early hours of 17th November an AMX 30 tank crashed through the blocked gate of the Polytechnic. What followed after was captured on a film by a hidden Dutch journalist: passing of a tank through the main entrance of the polytechnic as well as the transmission of a student, coming from the radio, pleading the attackers not to fight the protesters. According to the contested official investigation, no students were killed at the Polytechnic, however several were injured severely, and their injuries left a permanent mark on them. The records of the trials held after the fall of the junta do document the civilian deaths. It is possible that the official numbers are inaccurate. But this issue has not been brought to a conclusion, yet. THE VELVET REVOLUTION - PRAGUE In 1989 independent student leaders together with the Socialist Union of Youth (SSM/SZM) organised a mass demonstration to commemorate the International Students Day. This 50th Anniversary event gave students an opportunity to voice their displeasures with the communist party of Czechoslovakia. What began as a peaceful commemorative event turned into a violent one, by the nightfall, with many participants being brutally beaten by riot police, red barrettes and other members of the law enforcement agencies. There were about 15 000 people taking part in this demonstration. The only person to be left lying down where the beatings took place was an alleged body of a student who in actual fact was an undercover agent. The rumour of a fellow student who passed away due to the police brutality triggered events that most probably the secret police were not envisaging. That same night, students together with actors from theatres agreed to go on strike. The following events that took place brought about the downfall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. As it can be seen, students have always been on the forefront of the movement of change. Always when the country was in crisis students took the opportunity to demonstrate their opinions, even the one that went against the current regimes values and beliefs. Unfortunately these actions took place only when there was crisis, or unbearable suppression of human rights. What about today? Students need to have their voices and opinions heard! They have an obligation if not towards themselves, towards the others who will follow them, to teach them what the previous generations have left us. About June 16 African Students’ Day (Hector Pieterson) Soweto uprising The Soweto Uprising, also known as 16 June, is a series of protests led by high school students in South Africa that began on the morning of 16 June 1976. Students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools. An estimated 20,000 students took part in the protests. The number of people who died is usually given as 176, with estimates of up to 700. 16 June is now a public holiday, Students Day, in South Africa, in remembrance of the events of 1976. Causes of the protests Black high school students in Soweto protested against the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974, which forced all black schools to use Afrikaans and English in a 50–50 mix as languages of instruction. The Regional Director of Bantu Education (Northern Transvaal Region), J.G. Erasmus, told Circuit Inspectors and Principals of Schools that from 1 January 1975, Afrikaans had to be used for mathematics, arithmetic, and social studies from standard five (7th grade), according to the Afrikaans Medium Decree; English would be the medium of instruction for general science and practical subjects (homecraft, needlework, woodwork, metalwork, art, agricultural science). Indigenous languages would only be used for religion instruction, music, and physical culture. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the system began to weaken. Influenced by many events such as the death throes of colonialism in Africa, the rise of Black Power in the USA and a growing worldwide antagonism towards Apartheid, Africans began to fight back. The uprising On the morning of 16 June 1976, between 10,000 and 20,000 black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against having to learn through Afrikaans in school. Many students who later participated in the protest arrived at school that morning without prior knowledge of the protest, yet agreed to become involved. The protest was planned by the Soweto Students Representative Councils (SSRC) Action Committee, with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement. Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasised good discipline and peaceful action. Tsietsi Mashinini led students from Morris Isaacson High School to join up with others who walked from Naledi High School. The students began the march only to find out that police had barricaded the road along their intended route. The leader of the action committee asked the crowd not to provoke the police and the march continued on another route, eventually ending up near Orlando High School. The crowd of between 3,000 and 10,000 students made their way towards the area of the school. Students sang and waved placards with slogans such as, Down with Afrikaans, Viva Azania and If we must do Afrikaans, Vorster must do Zulu. A 2006 BBC/SABC documentary corroborated the testimony of Colonel Kleingeld, the police officer who fired the first shot, with eyewitness accounts from both sides. In Kleingelds account, some of the children started throwing stones as soon as they spotted the police patrol, while others continued to march peacefully. Colonel Kleingeld drew his handgun and fired a shot, causing panic and chaos. Students started screaming and running and more gunshots were fired. The police loosed their dogs on the children, who responded by stoning the dogs to death. The police then began to shoot directly at the children. One of the first students to be shot dead was 13-year-old Hector Pieterson. He was shot at Orlando West High School and became the symbol of the Soweto uprising. The police attacks on the demonstrators continued and 23 people, including two white people, died on the first day in Soweto. Among them was Dr Melville Edelstein, who had devoted his life to social welfare among blacks. He was stoned to death by the mob and left with a sign around his neck proclaiming Beware Afrikaaners. Why February 1st will be made National Students’ Day In Nigeria?, (Kunle Adepeju) February 1, 1971 will forever remain fresh in the memories of Nigerian students. It was the day the supreme price was paid for unity, welfare and liberation of Nigerian Students by Adekunle Ademuyiwa Adepeju, the first student martyr gunned down by the Nigerian Police. In acknowledgement of the incident’s importance in history, The Nigerian Students under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) ZONE-D(SOUTH-WEST),the most revolutionary and the most ideological Zone of NANS, have resolved to turn February 1st to National Students Day in Nigeria, meanwhile, we enjoin NANS NATIONAL to adopt this and Federal Government to turn February 1st to Public Holiday like that of June 16 in South-Africa and November 17 in Czech . Kunle Adepeju died in the struggle for better welfare services and liberation of students. His death was a shock to many, which was why over 50,000 students witnessed his burial ceremony. Chief (Dr.) Gbolade Osinowo, who was Adepeju’s roommate, chaired the memorial lecture. He described Adekunle as a thoroughbred gentleman and a man of noble character, amiable, kind, hardworking, intelligent and God-fearing. He said at 23, Adekunle had exhibited characteristics of leadership and his death highlighted the problems faced by Nigerian students in tertiary institutions. “What Adekunle fought for is like paradise in the minds of students today.” The Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. A.R.A Alada, who represented the Vice Chancellor, said Adekunle represents many things to different people. He described his remembrance as a call for freedom against oppression, victimisation and injustice of students. Alada added that in recognition of what Adekunle fought for, the Students’ Union Building (SUB) was named after him. NANS ZONE-D Tribute to Prof. Festus Iyayi Festus Iyayi: A revolutionary icon and erudite scholar The name Festus Iyayi symbolises struggle for academic freedom, democratisation of our educational system, national development and socialism. He was the President of the Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU, in the 1980s. In 1987, under his leadership, the Ibrahim Babangida administration banned ASUU, terminated the employment of Prof. Iyayi from University of Benin, and subsequently arrested, detained and tortured him. It is to the credit of Prof. Iyayi and ASUU leadership that the Union survived those repressive measures and is operating based on its founding principles. Most organisations, even when they survive, are hardly able to make any claims to values. No doubt, the 1980s was a defining period for popular organisations in Nigeria. It was a period where the Federal Government, under the military, virtually declared a war against freedom to organise and, to that extent, declared leaders of organisations as subversives. Organisations, such as ASUU, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, faced direct attacks from the military between 1984 and 1999. During this period, these organisations were banned several times and their leaders persecuted, victimised, arrested and detained without trial for months. Laws were promulgated by the government to justify its actions. These laws, in some cases, came with ouster clauses that disqualified our courts from entertaining cases bordering on the enforcement of the fundamental rights of victims - most of whom were leaders of these organisations. Without any questions, the capacity of organisations to survive those dark periods was challenged and leaders, such as the late Mahmud Tukur, Iyayi, Attahiru Jega, Hassan Sumonu, Ali Ciroma, Wahab Goodluck, Dapo Fatogun, late Chris Abashi, Lanre Arogundade, Hilkiya Bubajoda, Emma Ezeazu and many others, were illustrious in their contributions. ASUU provided the intellectual foundation for the radical orientation of these organisations to resist and outlive military rule. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS (NANS) ZONE-D (SOUTH-WEST) Nigerian Workers, Youth, Artisans and Students… Join the November 21st Global Day Of Mass Action in Commemoration of November 17th International Students’ Day For Proper Funding of Education and Resolution of Crises in the Sector AS WE DEMAND 1. Turning February 1st, in honour of Kunle Adepeju, to National Students’ Day in Nigeria 2. Proper Funding of Compulsory, Free and Quality Education at all levels- from primary to tertiary level. 3. Reversal of Fees in LASU, OOU, EKSU, TASUED, etc.! No to Fees Increment! 4. Honouring Agreements signed with all the staff unions i.e. ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, NASU, NUT, …e.t.c 5. Restoration of all Proscribed Students’ Unions i.e. OAU; UNILAG; EKSU; EACOED, Oyo; MOCPED, Lagos; TASCE, Ogun; COE, Ikere-Ekiti; ACE, Ondo;… and others across the country. 6. Reinstatement of all Politically Victimized Student Leaders. 7. Rejection of any form of Harassment, Intimidation or Humiliation of Nigerian Students by Government, school Management or Staff. 8. Democratic Running og Institutions to include Elected Representatives of Staff (Academic and Non-academic), Elected Representatives of Students and Parents. 9. Conversion of Higher National Diploma (HND) to Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) 10. Amendment of TETFUND Act to include all Monotechnics across the country in the scheme 11. Proper Payment of SIWESS Allowances for all Universities, Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and Colleges of Education Vocational and Technical Students 12. Payment of Teaching Practice Allowances for Students Studying Education course. 13. No to Police Attacks and Killing of Students! 14. Outright Rejection of Suswam Committee, instead we demand a Democratic Composition of Elected Stakeholders- that is, Students, Staff Unions (Academic and Non-academic) and parents 15. Removal of Prof. Wale Omole as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso Meeting Point: NLC SECRETARIAT, YABA, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA. Time: 7:00 GMT Date: NOVEMBER 21, 2013 Signed: Adeyemo Monsuru Tunde, (Socrates) Coordinator, Nans Zone-D South-West
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 23:22:57 +0000
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