Union Policy UP1419 End UCLU’s Contract with G4S Proposer: Taif Alkhudary Passed: Union Council, 27 January 2015 Lapses: 26 January 2017 This Union notes 1. UCL Union currently possesses a contract with G4S 2. G4S has been involved in numerous human rights abuses and unethical practices in Palestine, USA, South Africa, the UK, and elsewhere: a. G4S provides services and equipment to Israeli prisons, checkpoints, and the West bank wall. These services and equipment help form part of the route of Israel’s wall, which was deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004.1 b. In 2007, G4S signed a contract with the Israeli Prison Authority to run and provide security for Israeli prisons where Palestinian political prisoners, including children a young as 14 can be held without trial and subjected to torture.2 c. G4S provides systems for the Ketziot and Megiddo prisons, which hold Palestinian political prisoners from occupied Palestinian territory inside Israel.3 Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the transfer of prisoners from occupied territory into territory of the occupier.4 d. The company’s security staff played a role in the unlawful killing of Jimmy Mubegna, an Angolan migrant who died on a deportation run by G4S in 2010.5 e. In 2014 G4S won a £70 million contract to service Guantanamo Bay, which currently houses 127 inmates not charged with any offense.6 A complaint lodged with police by the human-rights group Reprieve alleges that G4S may be liable for prosecution in Britain under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2020 if it has profited from human-rights abuses at the prison, such as enabling and participating in the use of force-feeding techniques.7 3. In December 2012 a UCLU referendum passed with 74.5% of the votes- 1998 students- that condemned the inhumane situation in Gaza and asked the Union to take concrete steps to ensure that UCL and UCLU are not complicit in any way with the occupation of Palestine – through partnering with arms manufacturers, buying settlement products etc.8 1 www.icj---cij.org/docket/files/131/1677.pdf 2 http://www.bdsmovement.net/activecamps/g4s 3 http://waronwant.org/campaigns/justice---for---palestine/end---g4s---complicity---in---israels---prisons 4 Ibid 5 http://www.theguardian.com/uk-- news/2014/dec/16/jimmy-- mubenga-- security-- guards-- trial-- death 6 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive---activists---report---g4s---to---police---over--itsillegal---work---at- --guantanamo---bay---9971328.html 7 Ibid 8 http://uclu.org/referendum/referendum-- 2012-- situation-- in-- gaza This Union believes 1. That UCL is a global university with students with interest in what goes on in the world. 2. That it is our moral and ethical duty to speak out for human rights and justice and not stand by silently. 3. That we have a part to play ending ongoing violations of Palestinian human and civil rights through campaigning and activism. 4. That all democratic bodies within the Union should have the ability to campaign for human rights and justice. This Union resolves 1. That UCLU Council should take concrete steps to ensure that UCL and UCLU are not complicit in any way with the occupation of Palestine – through partnering with arms manufacturers, buying settlement products etc. 2. That UCLU will not renew its contract with G4S when the current one lapses in July 2015 This Union mandates 1. The Union Council, UCLU Forums and the Full Time Officers to enact the Resolves in accordance with this motion. 2. The Ethics, Environment and Operations Officer to end UCLU’s contract with G4S when the current contract lapses in July 2015 and to replace it with an ethical alternative.