Public Statement

A statement from the 19th Secretariat of Columbia Model United Nations in New York on campus events.

Columbia Model United Nations in New York (CMUNNY) strongly condemns the actions of the Columbia and Barnard administrations in response to the student demonstrations protesting the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. On April 18, 108 students were arrested after setting up an encampment on campus calling for the University to divest both academically and financially from Israeli institutions in light of the enormous degree of destruction and human suffering, as well as the rising death toll in Gaza. The administration’s decision to invite NYPD to campus and the arrests of over 100 students that followed are not only in violation of the students’ right to free expression and peaceful protest, but create unsafe and hostile environments for students choosing to exercise these rights. The subsequent suspensions have put the students at risk of housing and food insecurity. 

As a Model United Nations conference, we are committed to the rights of free expression, and fostering civil discourse in the field of international relations, including raising awareness of unconscionable violations of human rights and international law in Palestine. Anybody has a right to condemn the actions of a government, particularly regarding ongoing aggression toward civilian population centers. Thus, we condemn all actions that inhibit the students’ ability to engage in such discourse and stand in solidarity with all students who have been arrested and placed under interim suspension. We call upon the Columbia and Barnard administrations to lift all suspensions and grant future amnesty to all students who engage in peaceful demonstrations. 

Amidst the heightened tensions, deplorable instances of hate and violent rhetoric have been unjustly tolerated. They have put our community at an unfair risk, and are antithetical to any attempt for free and open discourse. We condemn antisemitism, islamophobia, and any otherwise prejudicial or discriminatory statements or behavior in the strongest terms and believe they have no space on our campus. 

We have and will always stand for freedom of expression on campus and create spaces for free discourse.

Sincerely,

The Secretariat of CMUNNY XIX

April, 2024