Th e student newspaper of Imperial College London Issue 1,395 felix Friday 8 February 2008 felixonline.co.uk Inside VITALI LAZURENKO VITALI Music returns Page 26 Nightlife returns with competitions Page 27 Arts Fest Page 20 Bordering RTS Fest on a crisis Political Philosophy Society’s Israel/Palestine Conflict Study causes international controversy. See pages 3, and 12 to 13 Pages 29 to 33 2 felix Friday 8 February 2008 News News Editor – Andrew Somerville, News Goblin – Matty Hoban [email protected] GSA election results: zero IC Canoe Club in minibus to two postgraduate heroes? crash with Mercedes-Benz GSA Chair and Treasurers successfully elected but nominees running for Secretary positions withdrew from election Tom Roberts Editor-in-Chief On Wednesday, the Union announced the results of the most recent Graduate Students Association (GSA) election. Kilian Frensch became the new GSA Chair and Yinka Bisiriyu is the latest GSA Treasurer. However the GSA Sec- retary post remains unfilled after both candidates withdrew midway through the election. The GSA represents postgraduates at Imperial including PhD and Masters students, by voicing their concerns and needs to the Union, the College and nationally. However, the associa- tion has been non-existant since No- vember when the previous Chair, Jon Matthews, resigned in dramatic fash- ion after Union Council rejected two of his reports deeming his work over the summer break unsatisfactory. His resignation left the GSA committee without any members. Postgraduate representation suffered further still last term without a permanent Postgradu- ate Co-ordinator staff member present within the Union. Mr Frensch was the sole nominee in the race for GSA Chair beating RON The new GSA Chair, Kilian Frensch and his ‘Roger Moore’ eyebrow (re-open nominations) 111 votes to 19. The contest for Treasurer was very closely contested, however, with four for postgraduate students. In it, he says manent Union Postgraduate Co-ordi- votes separating Ms Bisiriyu and her he wants to “gain ‘student status’ for nator the GSA appears to be getting closest rival. writing-up students” in order to waive back on track. The Union President, Turnout has increased slightly since council tax and to allow them to use Stephen Brown, told Felix that now the last election, going from 111 to 130 College’s facilities, since PhD students the GSA has a core team from which votes in the GSA Chair election com- in their fourth year lose swipe card ac- it can build on, it will be left to its own pared to the last election. 211 votes cess. He also states that he will cam- devices and to find itself a Secretary to were cast in the Treasurer election paign to “allow research students to complete the GSA trinity. At midnight, on their way back from a recent weekend trip to the but with over 4,500 postgraduates at keep income from scholarships that ex- If Mr Frensch achieves everything Lake District, the minibus driven by IC Canoe Club was struck in Imperial College the overall turnout ceed standard paying rate” and to “re- he set out to do, he will be one of the the rear by a Mercedes-Benz. A female passenger in the Mercedes- remains very poor with less than 5% of gain pay taken from Mathematics PhD greatest student representatives ever. Benz was taken to hospital as a result of the accident, however the electorate voting. students when they were underpaid.” Even if he brings only his first promise no one else was injured. The Union’s legion of minibuses will be Hopefully, if Mr Frensch’s ambitious Unlike his predecessor, Mr Frensch to fruition he will have resuscitated the depleted for at least two months due to the extent of the damage; manifesto is anything to go by, the will have a Treasurer for support and GSA, which has been flat-lining for a the chassis could be written-off due to the incident. GSA will bring some tangible change with the recent appointment of a per- while. Defibrillate away Kilian! Felix, Beit Quad, Prince Consort Road, London felix 1,395 SW7 2BB. Tel: 020 7594 8072. Fax: 020 7594 8065. Printed by The Harmsworth Printing Ltd, 17 Brest Road, Derriford, Plymouth. Registered newspaper Friday 8/2/08 ISSN 1040-0711. Copyright © Felix 2007. Felix was brought to you by: Editor-in-Chief Business Editor Music Editors LOLCATS Tom Roberts Afonso Campos Peter Sinclair Susan Yu Deputy & News Editor Politics Editors Andrew Somerville Li-Teck Lau Technology Editor Kadhim Shubber James Finnerty News Editor OF TEH WEEK Matty Hoban Arts Editors Travel Editors Rosie Grayburn Nadine Richards Layout Editors Caz Knight Ahranyan Arnold Jemil Salami David Paw Sally Longstaff Emily Wilson Fashion Editor Sarah Skeete Copy Editors Nightlife Editor Louise Etheridge Greg Mead Sports Editor Tom Culley Jovan Nedić Anthony Maina Film Editor Gilead Amit Alex Casey Photography Jesse Garman Sally Longstaff Games Editors Vitali Lazurenko Science Editor Azfarul Islam Dave Murray Ed Henley Sebastian Nordgren Friday 8 February 2008 felix 3 [email protected] News Accusations and conflict over forum High profile panel attracts international debate: Political Philosophy Society caught in no man’s land Andrew Somerville of conflicts from around the world, policy), Dr Azzam Tamimi (direc- Following this discovery, Prof New- disappointed at the treatment of Dr Deputy & News Editor inviting high-profile speakers on each tor of the Institute of Islamic Political man contacted the event organiser Tamimi, also levelling accusations of side to put forward their perspective Thought in London and Hamas sup- Ammar Waraich and said that he could pro-Israeli bias and Islamophobia at Controversy in the international press on the conflict. porter) and chaired by Greg Artus. not share a platform with a man “on ei- the distressed pair. surrounding an Imperial event has led The furore raised the tensions at the On Friday, footage was brought to ther side of the political debate” who The PPS issued a statement at the to accusations of bias in the event or- debate to such a level that mass protest the attention of Prof Newman by a “promotes the use of violence,” and event (see below) explaining the soci- ganisers, suppression of free speech, was feared, security was heightened, journalist showing Dr Tamimi on the withdrew from the debate. ety’s position. The majority of the de- and “bowing to Israeli pressure,” after and several members of the audience BBC’s Hardtalk programme, and on an Dr Tamimi’s comments were previ- bate ran smoothly and was attended Dr Azzam Tamimi, one of the speakers vocalised their offence, one member of Iranian TV station. In these videos Dr ously unknown to the PPS event organ- by almost 150 people. However, this originally invited to participate, was the PPS was even angry enough to also Tamimi appeared to voice his support isers and, wishing to avoid controversy, statement did not quell some of the asked not to attend after it was alleged voice support of suicide bombing. and admiration of suicide bombers: they then arranged a second speaker, ill-feeling in the audience, especially as that he supports suicide bombing. The original speakers invited to the stating that martyrdom was “glorious Ghada Karmi, to replace Dr Tamimi, the event itself was on such a divisive The row centres around the first ‘Israel/Palestine’ forum were Robin and honourable,” and in response to and invited Prof Newman to rejoin the issue. One member of the audience event in ICU Political Philosophy So- Kealy (former UK Consul-General a question on suicide bombing: “You panel, which he accepted. called for an apology from the society ciety’s (PPS) inaugural ‘Conflict Case in Jerusalem), Prof David Newman see sacrificing myself for Palestine is a The Jerusalem Post, a widely read over the treatment of Dr Tamimi, and Study Week’ on the topic ‘Israel/Pales- (professor of political geography at noble cause. It is the straight way to Israeli newspaper, subsequently pub- accused the event of paralleling the tine.’ The week is designed to examine Ben-Gurion University and prominent pleasing my God and I would do it if I lished a story stating that Prof New- “Israeli-dictated” situation in Palestine, the core themes and events of a series speaker advocating progressive Israeli had the opportunity.” man had withdrawn from the debate, even going on to say during the discus- an article which was widely dissemi- sion of terrorist activity that: “...I also nated in various press publications. support suicide bombing, in that case.” Meanwhile the event organisers Am- The organisers will be relieved that mar Waraich and Farid Froghi were the event marginally managed to avoid subject to a barrage of angry emails, descending from conflict study into an messages and phone calls from people outright conflict in itself. ICU Political Philosophy Society: Official statement by Ammar Waraich Regarding the launch event in our ‘Conflict Case Study Week’ enti- tled ‘Israel/Palestine’, the panel was not as it was originally advertised and Dr Azzam Tamimi was replaced by Ghada Karmi. This change in speakers took place to carry on with the event as we originally intended it to be, where representatives from all countries would be present, which would not have been possible with the original panel due to some irresolvable differences. The sad fact is that some inaccurate and hasty reporting from the Jerusalem Post made the situation worse in what we feel was an at- tempt to malign the reputation of our society, our university, and all speakers involved. We would like to protest such poor journalism and will do what it takes to clear our name.