Carmen L¢pez & Viviana Ram¡rez, Melbourne
Dr Robert Austin, course coordinator of Spanish and lecturer in the School of International and Community Studies at RMIT was unjustly sacked on April 24.
Management's actions seem to be motivated by an article in the Herald Sun complaining about the lecturer's rescheduling of a class to allow students to attend a rally against "voluntary student unionism" last August.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) had called for the postponement of classes for one day to allow students to attend nationwide protests against the government measure designed to abolish student unions. This became the source of right-wing columnist Andrew Bolt's attack on Austin after he had postponed classes in line with the union's call.
Last December, the secretary of the NTEU (Victoria) sought evidence for Austin's dismissal. Failing that, the NTEU demanded Austin's restitution. RMIT refused and has still not provided any reason for the sacking. We denounce RMIT's intransigence and its refusal to reverse the unjustified dismissal of Austin. This case has already been denounced before the International Labour Organisation and the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Austin's dismissal is reminiscent of the sort of repression faced by many in Latin America for the simple act of exercising their right to freedom of expression. Military coups in Latin America in the 20th century invariably produced witch hunts in universities. The careers of liberal or left writers, journalists, artists and intellectuals were suspended or destroyed in a frenzy of political purification generally based on fabricated or untested evidence.
Supporters of Austin formed the Defend Our Universities committee in 2005 to support his reinstatement. For more information, visit <http://www.defendrobert.blogspot.com/>.
[Carmen L¢pez is Salvadorean and Viviana Ram¡rez is Chilean. Austin has worked in Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela, has produced seven books and contributed to many publications on the social and cultural history of Latin America.]
From Green Left Weekly, May 10, 2006.
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