Petition submitted by over 30 Wits University Academics and Organizations

Friday, 07 August 2009

PETITION LETTER SUBMITTED TO THE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF WITS UNIVERSITY

Dear Professor Loyiso Nongxa,

Staff, students and organisations of the Wits community are distressed at the scheduled presence of Lieutenant-Colonel David Benjamin on the University of Witwatersrand campus. Benjamin is due to participate in the Limmud conference to be held at Wits Medical School this weekend.

Benjamin was the prime legal advisor to the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and served in the Military Advocates Corps, which provides legal advice to the Israeli Army, and which approved all of the military details regarding Israel’s December 2008 attack on Gaza. This included the use of white phosphorus as a chemical weapon, which is illegal under international law.

It is for this reason that a number of applicants in South Africa, including former Wits Law professor, John Dugard (former United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights), former Intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils, and Law professor Max du Plessis, have included Benjamin's name in a dossier - that was lodged with the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions on Monday, 3 August 2009 - which alleges war crimes against a number of Israeli political and military figures. That someone of the stature of Professor Dugard calls for the arrest of a person - on charges of war crimes – is certainly relevant to Wits University when such a person will be speaking at a Wits venue. Furthermore, the possibility of Benjamin being arrested on our campus can be extremely embarrassing for Wits.

As members of the Wits community, committed to the realisation of Wits as ‘A World-Class African University’ we strongly urge Wits to disallow Benjamin from speaking on our premises and further call for Wits to formally dissociate itself from him. Hosting Benjamin, an alleged war criminal, would severely tarnish the image of our institution. In addition, we consider the presence of Benjamin inimical to the values of the university and justice.

We look forward to your response.

Petition letter supported by over 30 Wits University Academics and Organizations