From Respect's latest student bulletin...

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Since NUS conference, many groups involved in the student movement have been discussing the ‘FOSIS question’ – why did FOSIS (the Federation of Student Islamic Societies) support right-wing candidates for NUS positions over their allies in the anti-war and anti-racist movements?

If FOSIS had supported the anti-war, antiracist Pav Akhtar (current Black Students’ Officer) for NUS President he would clearly have won, and with their support Respect candidates stood a chance of being elected to full time positions as well.

Imagine how different our national union could have looked with FOSIS standing by their allies. We would have an NUS that defended Muslims, an NUS that allowed the discussion of Palestine. We might actually have an NUS that did its job and attacked the government for taking away our free education and mobilised a student movement that could win. This potential was snatched away by the FOSIS leadership who found it only too easy to forget the progressive alliances that have been created on the campuses. Instead they looked to shallow opportunistic deals in an attempt to get their candidate elected.

Sadly, their strategy allowed a Zionist sympathiser to win the position of President. This is a disaster for all those who want to see NUS move in a progressive direction. Many have claimed that homophobia was an issue in FOSIS’s decision, as Pav was an openly gay candidate. But lots of Muslim delegates approached us at conference and said that, for them, voting for an openly gay candidate was not an issue.

Pav was clearly the best candidate, with a good track record of speaking out on behalf of Muslims facing racism and discrimination. Unfortunately, that point of view was disregarded by the FOSIS leadership. Progressive Muslims in FOSIS need to take stock and change the strategy of their leadership.

Any faith-based organisation such as FOSIS is bound to be plural and include people from a diversity of political backgrounds. The problem comes when democratic debate is squashed. If the strategy of the FOSIS leadership is not challenged, Muslim students are likely to find themselves political pawns in a game to secure positions in the bureaucracy for people claiming to speak on behalf of the whole community.

The anti-war movement has shown that only through unity and mobilising the majority, can we challenge war and Islamophobia. T

he mosques, Islamic societies and organisations that helped to bring 2 million people onto the streets on Feb 15 2003 alongside other faith groups, trade unions and peace groups contributed infinitely more to our struggle for a just and peaceful world than any number of MPs sat in parliament away from those demonstrations.

Respect’s strategy is to create the alliances of the anti-war movement from top to bottom of the student movement, and to take NUS in a progressive direction, at the heart of movements for peace, justice and equality. We invite all Muslims who support Respect and would like to discuss how to organise in the NUS to attend the forthcoming Student Respect conference on Sunday 4 June in central London. For more information, or to register as a delegate, see overleaf for information.