Students at Cambridge University are to hold a mass demonstration on Saturday 10th February in protest at the continuing investment of many colleges in major arms companies. The demonstration, organised by Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) and Cambridge Students Against the Arms Trade (CSAAT), is expected to attract at least 200 students.
After a march through Cambridge town centre, students will rally on the lawn of Senate House, the symbolic heart of the university. The demonstration will call for the adoption of ethical investment policies excluding arms companies, as well as the establishment of Socially Responsible Investment Committees at both a college and university level to signify an ongoing commitment to ethical investment and student consultation.
Surveys under the Freedom of Information Act have shown several Cambridge colleges to hold substantial investments in major arms companies, including Trinity, St John’s, Trinity Hall, Magdalene and Jesus. A student-led petition against this state of affairs has so far gathered over 1,000 signatures. Pembroke College recently announced the sale of its shares in arms companies following student pressure.
Cambridge Students Against the Arms Trade is a peaceful campaigning group set up in October 2005 to oppose the investment of Cambridge colleges in major arms companies. Its opposition to the arms trade stems not from pacifist grounds but from concerns over endemic corruption and lack of regulation, allowing the indiscriminate sale of weapons, including illegal torture equipment, to oppressive regimes, human rights abusers and conflict zones. For more information see
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/csaat
The demonstration will assemble outside the Guildhall, Market Square, at 1.00pm, for a march through Cambridge town centre, taking in St John’s and Trinity Colleges to arrive at Senate House Lawn for a rally at approximately 1.30pm, to include student and national speakers.
According to a CAAT survey of October 2005, Cambridge colleges combined held over 1.6 million shares in major British arms companies. New figures for October 2006 show Trinity Hall College to be the second biggest arms investor of any higher education institution in the UK, with £1,252,000 directly invested in arms companies (see http://www.caat.org.uk/campaigns/cleaninvestment/unis2006/cambridge.php).
Photo Opportunity: Saturday 10th February, 1.00pm. Crews Welcome
Contact: Christine Berry, Event Co-ordinator |
cb467@cam.ac.uk
Mark Ferguson, CUSU President | president@cusu.cam.ac.uk
Surveys under the Freedom of Information Act have shown several Cambridge colleges to hold substantial investments in major arms companies, including Trinity, St John’s, Trinity Hall, Magdalene and Jesus. A student-led petition against this state of affairs has so far gathered over 1,000 signatures. Pembroke College recently announced the sale of its shares in arms companies following student pressure.
Cambridge Students Against the Arms Trade is a peaceful campaigning group set up in October 2005 to oppose the investment of Cambridge colleges in major arms companies. Its opposition to the arms trade stems not from pacifist grounds but from concerns over endemic corruption and lack of regulation, allowing the indiscriminate sale of weapons, including illegal torture equipment, to oppressive regimes, human rights abusers and conflict zones. For more information see
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/csaat The demonstration will assemble outside the Guildhall, Market Square, at 1.00pm, for a march through Cambridge town centre, taking in St John’s and Trinity Colleges to arrive at Senate House Lawn for a rally at approximately 1.30pm, to include student and national speakers.
According to a CAAT survey of October 2005, Cambridge colleges combined held over 1.6 million shares in major British arms companies. New figures for October 2006 show Trinity Hall College to be the second biggest arms investor of any higher education institution in the UK, with £1,252,000 directly invested in arms companies (see
http://www.caat.org.uk/campaigns/cleaninvestment/unis2006/cambridge.php). Photo Opportunity: Saturday 10th February, 1.00pm. Crews Welcome
Contact: Christine Berry, Event Co-ordinator |
cb467@cam.ac.uk Mark Ferguson, CUSU President |
president@cusu.cam.ac.uk
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