Join us in
“The Rally to Crush Repression On Hosei University Students!”
Appeal of three organizations of Hosei for July 24 Rally
July 10 2008
Brothers and sisters!
Bring all of your anger to the July 24 Rally! Let’s fight back a series
of outrageous repression on students: arrests of 85 students; indictment
of 19 out of them; numerous cases of expulsion and suspension from the
university. Let’s organize a powerful rally to crush the violent crackdown
on students. Now is the time to launch a counter-offensive!
On May 29, accumulated indignation of Hosei university students reached
a climax. A furious demonstration took place on the campus to protest
against the repressive system and measures of the university administration.
Demonstrators, including those students who gathered from other universities
all over Japan to support Hosei students in their struggle, shouted, “Withdraw
disciplinary measures!” “Crush G8 Summit!” Their protest was directed
against prohibition of putting up political billboards, distributing flyers
and making outdoor speech on campus; mass arrest of dissident students;
disciplinary measures; disbanding of independent students clubs; recurrent
use of violence by the “jersey-gangsters” (university-hired campus guards);
surveillance cameras posted on more than 60 spots on campus --- in a word,
“prison university”
At the request of the university administration, which was totally scared
of the powerful explosion of students’ anger, one hundred and dozens of
police rushed into the Hosei campus. They were met, however, with vehement
resistance of unflinching demonstrators. 39 students were arrested on
campus (including the arrest of the previous day). They all carried out
a struggle to keep complete silence for 23 days’ detention and resolutely
refused to surrender to police intimidation. 16 comrades out of arrested
39 students were unjustly indicted. The state power has focused their
vicious attack full of hatred upon indicted 16 students, who are courageously
confronting police repression in detention with their deep conviction
in the cause of the May 29 struggle.
Thus the May 29 Hosei struggle has marked a historical horizon in the
Japanese student movement.
In two years since the memorable mass arrest of 29 students on March
14 2006, when students protested the university administration for violently
taking away their notice board, the number of arrested students on Hosei
Univesity campus amounts to 85. Their struggle is directed against the
attempt of the university administration to control and suppress every
kind of students’ independent activities.
To exhibit furious protest against the recent arrest of 38 students,
the chair of Hosei University Association of Cultural Clubs went into
hunger strike that continued for 170 hours. The university administration
summoned the parents of the arrested students in a mean effort of driving
a wedge in family. The Hosei students have been fighting back against
the brutal repression by means of severe disciplinary measures and several
attempts of disrupting the movement. Their principle is to forge a genuine
unity of fighting students with no one left in isolation. The major cause
of the fighting Hosei students is to crush the policy of the Hosei university
administration to force students to be slaves of capital and destroy unity
of students with the aim of transforming Hosei University into an instrument
of neo-liberalism. In defiance of the intimidation by means of punishment,
Hosei students are fighting arm in arm in unity.
We’d like to call earnestly on all students and young people to join
us in the July 24 rally. Now is the time young people and students rise
up for a struggle. Young workers have already begun fighting with labor
unions as their own weapon of struggle. Anger is mounting everywhere in
the Japanese society as is indicated by the tremendous sale of the novel
“Crab-Canning Ship” (slave labor history in pre-war Japan) amounting to
1.3 million copies. A large number of young workers have found their way
for hopeful future in waging strike in unity. We can assure you that the
struggle of Hosei students paved an exemplary way for victory through
their uncompromising confrontation against the university administration
as an incarnation of capital. Their struggle stands at the forefront of
class struggle in Japan.
Let’s fight like Hosei students without fear of being arrested and punished!
Let’s gather your power, power of students, workers and masses, for the
victory of the struggle of Hosei students!
July 24 shall be a starting point of building up a new phase of Hosei
struggle.
Two waves of signature campaign to support the fighting Hosei students
have been successful in gathering 1400 signatures. It shows developing
indignation of people against the crackdown on Hosei students, represented
by the arrests of 38 students.
Let’s expand the wave of anger and surround the Hosei university administration!
We once again call for the success of the July 24 rally with the mass
participation of students and workers with Hosei students, lawyers and
family members of the arrested students at the head.
Let’s build up solidarity to break down the prison wall to be with the
indicted 17 students and fight for their early release. Join us in the
July 24 national rally!
The rally it to be held:
★On July 24, starting at 18:30
★At Nakano Zero Small Hall (8minutes on foot from South Exit of JR-Nakano
Station)
★Under the auspice of Hosei University Students’ Association to accuse
March 14 (2006) crackdown, Hosei University Association of Cultural Clubs,
Defense Committee of Hosei students arrested in May 28-29 crackdown
★Hosei students, lawyers and family members of the arrested students
will speak.
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