UK Black Students mobilise on G8

Speech Given by Kainde Manji at NUS Black Students Conference, Coventry University 22nd May 2005 in support of a motion entitled International Justice and Equality: Make Poverty History

Conference, this weekend we have proven how effective we can be when we work in solidarity with each other. One of my favourite Quotes states: "Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world; in fact it is the only thing that can".

Conference, we are that group of Citizens. Yesterday we touched on the importance of our role not just as a students movement, but one that works in unity with the wider community; Now let us change the world.

We must take a proactive stance in support of our brothers and sisters across the world; many of whom lack the fundamental resources to life. In 1999 and 2000 many of us campaigned to drop the crippling burden of debt that serves to entrench colonial dominance in the so called 'third world'; but we must keep that pressure up. In 2005, this year, the leaders of eight of the richest and most powerful countries in the world come to Scotland, and it must be us who set the agenda for change. For too long our brothers and sisters have struggled in the face of leaders for who out of sight really is out of mind!

Many of our parents and those of us here will have campaigned to end the injustice of apartheid in South Africa, and now Mr Mandela, Madiba is supporting our movement and our Black Students Handbook! We must act to end the illegal occupation of Palestine and Unseat the apartheid government that exists there, for conference, that is what it is - the legal segregation and control of a people is apartheid.

We must also work to tackle the Neo-Colonial agenda purported by our government and by George Bush; A policy that has been typified by the occupation of Afganistan following September 11, and the current occupation of Iraq, not for human rights but for oil.

The Spread of HIV and AIDS in African and India is a major problem for the international Black community and we must speak out against the abuse of this pandemic by pharmaceutical companies who insist upon a monopoly on drug provision only to line their own pockets, whilst our people die in their thousands.

So Conference, let us take this stand, and let us go to Edinburgh on July 2nd and march behind our banner and let us show the G8 that our brothers and sisters throughout the world are not alone and disparate, but united and strong.

Conference Please support this motion.