The Journal - Edinburgh Issue 014

WWW.JOURNAL-ONLINE.CO.UK

EDINBURGH’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

ISSUE XIV

WEDNESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2008

AFRICA’S UNFOLDING TRAGEDY » 24

As chaos continues in the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Journal takes an in-depth look at the bloodiest conflict since World War II

Award-winning architecture: Edinburgh’s new informatics forum named best building in Scotland

IN NEWS

Big time Charlie Police net £800,000 cocaine stash in biggest ever drugs bust at Edinburgh Airport

EDINBURGH NEWS » 9

Off the rails

Tram boss quits amid storm of criticism

EDINBURGH NEWS » 9

Not working

As recruitment programmes are frozen and graduates turn to second degrees, The Journal asks if a jobs crunch is on the way

STUDENT NEWS » 12

Breaking the silence

Whatever passions are aroused by the Law of Historic Memory, Spain has turned to look its demons in the eye

Maths Dept: “We can’t handle these numbers”

NEWS FEATURES » 16

SILVIA FOTEVA

» Massive increase in students outstrips funding increase by a factor of three as staff struggle to cope Matthew Moore matthew.moore@journal-online.co.uk FUNDING FOR THE Mathematics department at the University of Edinburgh fails to correlate with the everincreasing enrolment figures that the University currently enjoys according to figures obtained by The Journal.

The mathematics department has seen a rise of 30 per cent in its student enrolment in the past three years.

However, a failure to match this with an increase in resources has left staff struggling to cope with their teaching commitments.

While the increase in student numbers has been welcomed by the university, many have lamented the disappointing increase in funding. Figures obtained

by The Journal show that the department has received only a ten per cent increase in funding this year. The year before saw a funding rise of only 1.5 per cent.

Moreover, one disgruntled staff member from the mathematics department, who wished to remain anonymous, said that in some cases the figures underplayed the actual circumstances in the department: “The picture you present is an average. For instance, in courses I lecture, student numbers have gone up from 200 to 300 to between 700 and 800

in three years, more than the increase you are quoting on average.”

The academic claimed that pressure on staff was becoming “ludicrous” and the pressure from above to accept the circumstances even more so: “Of course, there is nowhere near the ability to give the same level of attention and support.

No one could properly cope with these numbers as the amount of paperwork we have to deal with has probably gone up by a similar amount.”

There has also been a considerable increase in the number of overseas students, with 25 this academic year, who are paying in the region of £10,000 per year. It is unclear where the additional

income from the year’s large intake has been allocated. A high profile figure within the department, however, alleged that the lion’s share of the cash had ended up in the coffers of accommodation services. The Journal has been unable to confirm this claim.

The University of Edinburgh has an annual income of over £400 million.

Tony Axon, of Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) Scotland, said increased funding was necessary: “We welcome the increase in the number of students taking maths and the resulting increase in funding for that department.

Continued on page 2

IN FEATURES

Death Cab for Cutie

Jacqui Kavanagh goes head-to-head with the west coast indie favourites

MUSIC » 26

Iain Gray

Scottish Labour leader responds to first minister’s accusations of playing negative politics over independence

COMMENT » 20

Property

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HOW TO USE THE LISTINGS Meadows

Bedrooms Monthly Rent Location Fountainbridge

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Dean Path, 450, 1, Z, 0870 062 9390

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East Craigs North Bughtlin Brae, 575, 1, G PG O, 0870 062 9478

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Ferry Road Telford Drive, 700, 3, 3D G CG, 0870 062 9522 Boswall Place, 600, 2, G PG O UF, 0870 062 6450

Fettes East Pilton Farm Rigg, 695, 2, G CG P, 0870 062 9558 East Pilton Farm Crescent, 650, 2, 2D G CG P, 0870 062 9446 East Pilton Farm Crescent, 650, 2, 2D G CG P UF, 0870 062 9446

Agent phone number

Buccleuch Street, 750, 2, 2D W CG Z, 0870 062 9434

Fountainbridge, 525, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0870 062 9320 Murdoch Terrace, 495, 1, 1D G CG, 0870 062 9320

Dean Village

Area

Gilmerton

Gorgie Gorgie Road, 650, 2, 2D G CG O, 0870 062 9488 Stewart Terrace, 525, 2, 2D G CG O, 0870 062 9558 Stewart Terrace, 500, 1, 1D E CG O, 0870 062 9592 Westfield Road, 500, 1, G O, 0870 062 7736 Wheatfield Place, 495, 1, 1D G O, 0870 062 9456 Wardlaw Street, 490, 1, 1D E O, 0870 062 8252 Smithfield Street, 485, 1, 1D G CG O, 0870 062 9302 Wardlaw Place, 480, 1, 1D E CG O, 0870 062 9522 Stewart Terrace, 475, 1, CG O, 0870 062 1316 Wheatfield Street, 475, 1, 1D 1B G CG O, 0870 062 6458 Gorgie Road, 400, 1, 1S 1B Z, 0870 062 9446

Granton Granton Road, 625, 2, 2D P, 0870 062 9456

Haymarket Grove Street, 700, 2, 2D G Z UF, 0870 062 9424 Duff Street, 625, 2, 2D G P, 0870 062 9384

Hillside Brunswick Road, 650, 2, G P, 0870 062 9388 Hillside Street, 650, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0870 062 9558 Montrose Terrace, 625, 2, 2D, 0870 062 3700

Inverleith Bowhill Terrace, 725, 2, 2D G CG O, 0870 062 9320 Eildon Terrace, 650, 2, 2D G CG, 0870 062 2414 Royston Terrace, 500, 1, 1D 1B E O, 0870 062 9390

Leith Dalmeny Street, 800, 3, 2D 1B G CG O, 0870 062 9558 Constitution Street, 775, 2, 2D W P, 0870 062 9478 Balfour Street, 750, 2, 2D G O UF, 0870 062 9592 Corbiehill Terrace, 675, 2, 2D, 0870 062 3700 Portland Street, 675, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0870 062 9478 Portland Street, 675, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0870 062 9478

Spey Terrace, 675, 2, 1S 1D, 0870 062 9478 Pilrig Heights, 675, 2, 2D UF, 0870 062 2414 Giles Street, 660, 2, 2D E P, 0870 062 9456 Lindsay Road, 650, 2, 2D G P, 0870 062 9314 Salamander Court, 645, 2, 2D G P, 0870 062 9456 Pilrig Heights, 635, 2, 2D UF, 0870 062 2414 St. Clair Road, 625, 2, 2D G P, 0870 062 9384 Thorntree Street, 625, 2, 1S 1D G CG O, 0870 062 8252 Great Junction Street, 575, 2, 1S 1D G, 0870 062 9456 North Fort Street, 575, 2, 2D G PG O, 0870 062 9460 Elbe Street, 550, 2, 2D G O, 0870 062 9424 Pirrie Street, 525, 1, 1D, 0870 062 3700 Dickson Street, 500, 1, E CG O, 0870 062 1108 Commercial Wharf, 490, 1, 1D W P, 0870 062 9434 Yardheads, 480, 1, 1D E O, 0870 062 9382 Balfour Street, 475, 1, 1D G, 0870 062 9456 Rossie Place, 475, 1, 1D 1B G CG O, 0870 062 9326 Wellington Place, 1200, 4, 4D 1B G PG Z, 0870 062 9478

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Bedrooms: Heating: Garden: Parking: Furniture:

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Longstone Redhall Drive, 650, 3, 3D G O UF, 0870 062 9592

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Musselburgh New Street, 600, 2, 2D W O, 0870 062 9302 High Street, 475, 1, G O, 0870 062 6450

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S Single D Double T Twin B Box G Gas Central W White Meter E Electric PG Private CG Communal Z Zone O On-Street P Private UF Unfurnished Blackwood Crescent, 750, 2, 2D W Z, 0870 062 9434 Ratcliffe Terrace, 675, 2, 2D G CG UF, 0870 062 2414 Buccleuch Terrace, 650, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0870 062 9328 St. Patrick Square, 625, 2, 2D W CG O UF, 0870 062 6458 Duncan Street, 595, 2, 1S 1D G P, 0870 062 9424 St. Leonards Street, 525, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0870 062 9312 Cowan’s Close, 460, 1, 1D W P, 0870 062 9326

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Trinity Craighall Road, 550, 1, 1D G CG O, 0870 062 1108 Dalmeny Road, 525, 1, 1D G CG O, 0870 062 9592 West Ferryfield, 525, 2, 2D G CG P UF, 0870 062 9456

Warriston Calder Crescent, 550, 2, 2D G O, 0870 062 9456

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Academic News 11

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Israeli ambassador draws protest Ron Prosor defends Israeli policy in the occupied territories as Palestian supporters shout abuse at audience

Demian Hobby demian.hobby@journal-online.co.uk OVER 100 PEOPLE rallied outside Edinburgh University in protest about a lecture given by the Israeli ambassador earlier this month.

The protest, organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC), demonstrated against the controversial appearance of Israel’s envoy Ron Proser, amid attacks by Israel claiming seven Palestinian lives.

Mick Napier, chair of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: “The Israeli Ambassador should not have been allowed a platform to justify Israel’s crimes – not in a week when Israel attacked and killed seven Palestinians while claiming it is maintaining a ‘ceasefire’. Not while Israeli bulldozers continue to destroy Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.

“Until such times as Israel ceases to boycott the rights of the Palestinian people, people of conscience have a duty to boycott this shameful Israeli PR exercise.”

Earlier this year, a similar lecture to be given by Prosor was cancelled by the university, after the group threatened

to protest against the ambassador, who they described as “the ambassador of the apartheid state of Israel.”

The SPSC was established in 2000 in reaction to the second uprising against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and has since campaigned against human rights issues in the region.

SPSC spokesperson Asif Dean told The Journal: “Basically this week alone they’ve killed seven Palestinians while they claim to be maintaining a ceasefire.

“They’ve evicted a family that was in a house for 52 years. This house was given to them by the UN and it was taken over by armed settlers backed up by the army and the police… now they’ve blocked medicines, they’ve blocked food and they’re blocking power going into Gaza.”

But Prosor, who was appointed Israel’s ambassador in 2007, has rejected claims of human rights abuses in the region and has slammed Britain for racial prejudice against Israel.

In an article published by The Telegraph in June, Prosor said: “Israel faces an intensified campaign of de-legitimisation, demonisation and double standards.

“Britain has become a hotbed for

radical anti-Israeli views and a haven for disingenuous calls for a ‘onestate solution,’ a euphemistic name for a movement advocating Israel’s destruction.”

Although Israel claims to be “disengaged” from Gaza, an incident last week involving the arrest of Scottish citizen Andrew Muncie, as well as 15 Palestinian fishermen and two other international human rights observers, took place in Palestinian waters.

The prisoners were seen being transferred by the Israeli Navy from three boats to an Israeli warship, which then headed north .

Also, last week, there were further launches of homemade rockets from the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip into Israel.

In once such incident, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) claimed responsibility for the firing of two rockets into the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon.

Scottish Disney executive awarded honourary degree from QMU STUART CAIE

Philip Close philip.close@journal-online.co.uk WHEN ANDREW MOONEY grew up in Whitburn, a mining village in West Lothian, he couldn’t see the point in college. He wanted to go to work and get a head start over his colleagues.

30 years later, the influential Scot has returned to the Lothians as one of the senior figures in the Disney enterprise to collect an honorary degree from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Mooney began his career training as an accountant, taking an apprenticeship with Nike in Leeds. At the age of 27 Mooney switched from accounting

to marketing. By 1994, Andy Mooney was living in the United States as Chief Financial Officer of Nike.

At Nike, Mooney excelled, reorganising the marketing strategies of the company with great success. However, the $3bn Global Apparel division he headed was soon to be dwarfed by his next job.

In December 1999, Andy left Nike and joined The Walt Disney Company.

Mooney, having been headhunted from Nike, was promoted to Chairman of Disney Consumer Products, the merchandising side of the company. Here, he was given power over lines including Disney Toys, Disney Publishing and Disney Store.

He pioneered the Disney Princess

line, a huge success which is now worth a massive $4bn. Retail sales have rocketed from $13bn to $30bn, with the division now reaching over 90 countries.

Andrew Mooney returned to Scotland last week to collect his D.B.A. (Doctor of Business Administration) degree at Queen Margaret’s new campus, on Edinburgh’s eastern fringes, to his mother’s delight: “He was a good scholar, his dad and I wanted him to go to college, but you can’t force anybody.”

Mooney, had words of encouragement for Scotland, describing it as a “hotbed of creative talent”. However, he also warned that there is “a lot more opportunity than Scotland is taking advantage of.”

Join The Journal while you still can www. journalonline. co.uk

12 Student News

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Broughton cleared of terrorism charges as bombing investigation hits a dead end

Graduate ‘jobs crunch’ overstated, say experts

Demian Hobby

Laura Robertson

demian.hobby@journal-online.co.uk

laura.robertson@journal-online.co.uk

As OxfOrd’s cONtrOversiAl testing centre opened this month, an animal rights activist accused of carrying out arson attacks against an animal research laboratory, as it was being constructed, has been acquitted.

Mel Broughton, 48, a leading figure of animal rights group sPeAK, was charged with carrying out two arson attacks with home-made pipe bombs on the Oxford University buildings in November 2006. the construction began in 2003 but was suspended for 16 months after threats from anti-vivisection groups forced the university to seek an injunction against protesters, in order to protect labourers and staff at the site. the opening of the world class testing facility will see thousands of rats, mice, monkeys, ferrets and other species being experimented on as part of research into Hiv, heart disease, leukaemia and other forms of cancer.

Many activists, however, see this development as a serious breach of animal rights.

Michelle thew of the British Union for the Abolition of vivisection said: “like the majority of the British public, i want to live in a world where no one wants or believes it’s necessary to test on animals. “it is therefore depressing that in a collective failure of imagination our leading institutions are choosing to repeat the failed patterns of the past, rather than investing in the future.

“Humanity will pay a high price until our public money goes into modern, humane, reliable, non-animal research to deliver cures for diseases.”

Oxford University staff have begun moving batches of mice into the £18 million facility this month, with more animals to be introduced over the coming months. scientists argue that animal testing is the only way of conducting important research into world-wide diseases such as Hiv. Alastair Buchan, head of medical sciences at the university, said: “Unfortunately there is a tension, and there always will be a tension, between our needs and our patients’ needs, and those who seek to protect animals from any form of harm. “the reality for those of us who look after the sick and sadly the disabled, is that we cannot get away from our need for careful, well monitored and meticulously regulated use of animals for biomedical research.”

Police and prosecuting authorities have expressed their disappointment with the Broughton verdict, and with no other suspects and no substantive leads, the investigation into the bombings has hit a dead end.

A HOst Of experts have suggested that students who graduate in 2009 are likely to experience difficulty finding a graduate job as Britain’s economy enters recession. However, noises from recruiters themselves seem to suggest any such employment crunch may not be as drastic as some have claimed. steve Mclellan, careers Adviser at Napier University—currently ranked number one in scotland for graduate employability by the Higher education statistics Agency—said: “if one looks at the overall UK labour market, unemployment is rising rapidly, and the overall number of jobs in the economy is also falling. “it is inevitable that opportunities aimed specifically at graduates will also decline.”

Mclellan did, however, point out that “many large companies have invested a lot of time in raising their profiles at universities, and most will try to keep recruiting, albeit on a more cautious basis, in order to keep promoting their brand among graduates.

“Nevertheless, competition for these sorts of roles is likely to be fiercer than ever.” sectors such as construction and banking are the worst affected by the recruitment freeze. real World, a graduate recruitment

Activist cleared as Oxford begins animal testing

BANKING CRISIS: Northern Rock is the only UK bank to have suspended its graduate recruitment programme, while HSBC have no plans to change its recruitment rates in 2009 agency, told The Journal: “Banks that are recruiting are taking on less people, and some banks have just stopped completely. “it means the competition is that much more intense.”

Northern rock is the only bank to have, perhaps unsurprisingly, suspended its graduate recruitment programme, however there is evidence elsewhere of graduate schemes being trimmed. rBs, for instance, told The Journal that, as a result of the current climate, it will be taking on fewer graduates in 2009.

However, an HsBc spokesperson told The Journal that recruitment rates wouldn’t change in 2009. “in the retail

» GraduatinG in a recession WitH gOverNMeNt figUres claiming that unemployment has reached an eleven year high of 1.82 million and the respected business group cBi estimating that that figure will rise to nearly three million by 2010, many fourth year students are feeling trepidation as they near graduation. As the global recession beings to bite are final year students right to be worried about their future job prospects? these fears are being fuelled by several large graduate employers’ decisions to close their graduate internship programmes. Most famously the guardian Media group is closing its journalism post graduate programme at the end of this year.

Many students, in the hopes of securing stable and secure work, are turning away from the private sector altogether in response to the diminishing number of opportunities. Applications for the British civil service fast stream and summer internships are expected to rise by over 15 per cent according to the diversity internship programme who administers the course. this will inevitably create greater competition as there are no plans to match this with a rise in the 156 places available for interns. some students are choosing to ignore the world of employment completely. Postgraduate application

figures are expected to rise over the coming year in response to the financial crisis, raising concerns about the quality of applicants. A politics department tutor, who chose not to be named, voiced his concerns: “We don’t want the tremendous standard of our postgraduate students to diminish.

We don’t want a situation where it is only those who can afford to pay who can study or conduct research here.” like most universities in the higher education sector currently, the University of edinburgh depends on postgraduate students, their tutoring fees making up a nearly a third of some department’s funding. shelagh green, the acting director of the edinburgh University careers office, has played down the effect of the recession offering hope to graduating students; “experience from previous recessions suggests there will still be vacancies available for graduates, but competition will be especially fierce and we would encourage students to take advantage of the support available from the careers service to help them compete effectively.” the Umbrella group Universities UK predicts a six per cent decline in student numbers over the next decade, citing potential student fears over debts caused by large top-up fees and living expenses

and commercial banking, our strategy in recruiting graduates is to take into account our expected middle management and senior management vacancies six to eight years after the graduate completes their development programme.

“HsBc graduate intake for 2009 will be similar to 2008 intake of approximately 1400 around the world, 300 of which will be in the UK.” Other big names, including Barclays and lloyds tsB, were not available for comment when contacted by The Journal. But, according to Anne-Marie Martin, director of the careers group, it is inevitable that businesses will keep their cards close to their chests. “there will be a lot of positive statements going out because no one wants to be the first to break rank,” she said. this year, a survey of 242 major recruiters carried out by the Associate for graduate recruitment (Agr) confirmed that the number of graduate jobs being offered by companies had risen by 11.7 per cent compared to the previous year’s figures. carl gilleard, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “the results of the 2008 survey present a mixed picture; they are surprisingly positive in relation to the number of vacancies available with a respectable increase across the sectors and good predicted growth for 2009.

“However, although employers are still hiring, this year’s survey shows the smallest rise in graduate salaries in recent years and in most cases employers will offer no more than a cost of living rise next year.” the same Agr survey predicts that half of employers will recruit the same numbers of graduates in 2009, a third will recruit more and a mere 16 per cent will be reducing their numbers. gilleard continued: “Businesses see graduate recruitment as a longer term investment and so there is a degree of immunity from the stop/go of general recruitment. “in truth, no matter how buoyant the market is, a fair proportion of new graduates take time to secure their first ‘real’ job. this year is no exception.” indeed, in some areas of recruitment, the picture is relatively positive. real World recruitment Agency stated: “companies involved in risk markets, such as lloyd’s register, are expecting to recruit more graduates. And a lot of

the large professional services, such as Pricewaterhousecoopers and ernst & Young, are pretty flat, with graduate recruitment neither up nor down.” in line with this, Napier’s careers service said: “Accountancy firms continue to recruit strongly, while edinburgh-based standard life actually plans to increase its graduate intake this year.

“Areas that are currently still relatively buoyant include engineering and the public sector.” increased competition for positions is likely to result in a growing demand for graduates demonstrating competent practical skills, as well as academic achievements.

Jennifer Potter, a recent graduate from the University of glasgow, said: “the old cliché that says ‘a degree is not enough’ couldn’t be truer. While my degree has helped me get to the interview stage on numerous occasions, i feel that a greater amount of practical experience would have given me the edge i needed to secure the job i want. “i cannot express just how important it is to gain practical skills and experience throughout your university career.” the graduate recruitment Bureau also puts great emphasis on the importance of students creating competitive cvs in order to beat any job freeze which may occur. “engage with employers – make sure you attend careers or recruitment fairs on campus or nearby. do your homework. the more you know about the jobs market the better,” it advises.

“Network, network, network! it is surprising how many people find jobs through contacts they have made.”

Student News 13

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Obama could draw students away from UK flickr.com/ericajoy

Marthe Lamp Sandvik marthe@journal-online.co.uk the electiON OF Barack Obama as Us president could threaten British universities’ intake of foreign students, education experts claim. leading analysts have said that as the negative perceptions of america diminish and Us visa restrictions are relaxed, the Us will see an increase in foreign students at the expense of applications to the UK. “i’m sure that perceptions will change and there will be a much better view of america in other countries,” said dr Bahram Bekhradnia, director of the higher education Policy institute, a UKbased think-tank. “that will have an effect on its ability to recruit, and that will have a knock-on effect on our ability to recruit.” in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 september 2001 and the war in iraq, negative perceptions of the Us and strict visa laws deterred foreign students from studying there. dominic scott, chief executive of the UK council for international student affairs said: “the UK has increased its recruitment quite successfully over the last four or five years, because of increased security measures that made the Us less attractive and far less welcoming.

“UK institutions put more investment into the quality of the international student experience and visa charges were kept relatively low and entry procedures

simple.”

Perception is not the only guide for international students considering where to study, however. dana candek, an italian second-year translation student at heriot-Watt University, told The Journal that cost remains an important factor in chosing study in the UK over the Us. “i came to the UK because i wanted to learn more english, and it’s cheaper than the Us for eU students who might not get a scholarship there,” she said.

“What’s also important is that it’s closer to home.”

Overseas students are considered a lucrative source of income for UK universities, with some charging international applicants up to £10,000 per year. in addition to changing perceptions, the UK has tightened its immigration laws and has made it tougher for overseas students to acquire visas.

Mr Obama’s election also comes as the government unveils plans to implement closer surveillance of international students. last year overseas students in the Us increased by seven per cent from the year before, to 623,805. ten per cent of all Us undergraduates are foreign students.

Figures show that in 2006/7 there were over 350,000 non UK students studying in Britain, with 237,000 from outwith the eU. the UK admits around 45,000 foreign students each year to British universities.

Universities UK chief executive,

diana Warwick has warned that future policy needs to be informed by factors of perception, if not radically altered, if universities in the UK are to compete. “it is naive to suppose that UK universities can operate effectively, take the right strategic decisions and compete with emerging global giants whilst funded at approximately one third of Us levels,” Ms Warwick said.

By the end of this year the government aims to have all current international students’ biometric details on file, in advance of being issued with identity cards.

Us immigration authorities have stepped up their effort to recruit overseas students in recent months by offering all science, engineering and maths students, the option to stay for 29 months after their degree is complete. at the University of edinburgh, overseas students make up around 24 per cent of the student body; they account for 17 per cent at Napier, 12 per cent at QMU, and at heriot-Watt one third of on-campus students come from outside the UK. Foreign students inject £2.5 billion into UK universities, and around £10 billion into the UK economy each year.

Pat Killingley, the British council’s higher education officer believes universities in the UK will have to increase their standards of service.

“British universities, supported by higher education agencies and government departments, must respond with a smarter marketing effort,” Mr Killingley said.

lecturers demand “inflation busting” wage hike

Newcastle university expels fifty bogus international students

Constantine Innemée

Amy Grant

constantine@journal-online.co.uk the UNiversities aNd colleges Union (UcU) has announced that it plans to push ahead with its demand for an eight per cent increase in lecturers’ pay. a UcU spokesperson said that the union: “will press ahead with demands for a rise equivalent to the retail Price index plus five per cent, or an eight per cent increase, whichever is higher.” the Universities and colleges employers association (Ucea) has responded to the demand stating that it considers the level of increase to be “wholly unrealistic and certainly unaffordable, without considering the impact on jobs.” the Ucea feels that the claim does not take into account the current economic climate, or recent pay increases. earlier this year, higher education academics received a pay increase as a result of agreements made one year ago between the unions and the employers.

UcU general secretary, sally hunt said: “Nobody can refute that staff in higher education work extremely hard or that they deserve to be properly rewarded. For too long university employers held down staff pay rises. “recent increases have gone some

way to righting that wrong, but there is still a long way to go. UcU members are determined to defend the value of the pay rises they have won and we will be submitting our claim as normal.

“We found recent inflammatory comments from some universities seeking to hold down the pay of their staff as disappointing. “as the largest union in the sector, we expect our claim to be taken seriously and properly considered by the employers’ body.” the Ucea referred to the recent annual survey of hours and earnings to show that higher education academics’ pay is significantly more than other professionals, even without the eight per cent pay increase from the previous financial year. “as a result of the 2006-09 pay agreement, he staff have enjoyed some of the best pay increases across public services and the private sector: in excess of 30 per cent since 2001,” a Ucea spokesperson said. the UcU plans to submit the claim by the end of 2008, even though some universities have already suggested they would be “lucky to get a zero percent pay rise next year,” according to a UcU press statement. the UcU represents over 120,000 staff at universities across the UK. a representative of UcU scotland said that no industrial action has been planned if the claim gets rejected.

asian international students found to have enrolled using false qualifications

amy.grant@journal-online.co.uk NeWcastle UNiversity has expelled 50 overseas students after discovering they had used fake qualifications to apply. the students—49 from china and one from taiwan—enrolled in september and most were studying business courses. a spokesperson for Newcastle University said: “the vast majority of applications for study at this university are genuine.

“We are however aware that there is an increasing national and international problem of fraudulent applications and this prompted us, as a university, to take action.” suspicions were aroused when the students failed to pass mandatory english tests.

On further inspection, the students were found to have supplied degree certificates and english language qualifications which were either high quality forgeries or altered to show higher marks than they had achieved. the spokesperson continued: “at Newcastle, we have a team of people who are experienced at assessing applications, though we recognise that fraud can be very difficult to identify regardless of the systems in place.”

it appeared that many of the students had used agents in the UK and china to apply to the university; these agents are suspected of having supplied the forgeries. the students were granted individual interviews as well as 14 days to appeal the decision. as a gesture of good will, Newcastle University have decided to waive their right to retain the entirety of the students’ fees, choosing instead to withhold one month’s tuition. the news preceded international students’ Week (17-24 November) and follows the home Office’s announcement on 30 October, announcing the phasing in of new visa requirements. the University of edinburgh alone has 760 students from china and taiwan; however, the china News service

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estimates that nearly 100,000 chinese students are currently studying in the UK, making china the biggest contributor to our international student population.

Border and immigration minister, Phil Woolas said: “international students contribute £2.5 billion to the UK economy in tuition fees alone. “the student tier of the points system means Britain can continue to recruit good students from outside europe.” in september, Ucas announced a four per cent rise in overseas students accepted to colleges and universities in the UK. their figures revealed a rise of 14.7 per cent in chinese applicants, in comparison with a fall of 13.2 per cent from the United states. it is yet to be seen whether tightening of restrictions will result in a loss of revenue for some institutions. critics of existing immigration policy have used the news as evidence that widespread scams are taking place, perpetuating negative opinions of overseas students which may discourage potential applicants as well as creating a more hostile environment for existing legitimate students.

Newcastle University have reported their findings to the home Office and the police, and have warned other universities to be more vigilant in identifying fraudulent applications.

14 Student Politics Feedback “copied & pasted,” claim students Complaints posted on online forum launched by University of Edinburgh vice principals

Staff and students lash out at unrepresentative taskforce Guy Robertson guy.robertson@journal-online.co.uk

Katie Oakes katie.oakes@journal-online.co.uk TUTors aT EdiNbUrgh University are once again in the spotlight after allegations of copy and paste feedback were exposed in an online forum.

The forum, accessible to students at the university via MyEd, is the latest attempt by the vice principals to address poor feedback across the University. one irate student said: “i placed my feedback amongst friends and we were startled to notice that it was almost word for word, with stock phrases seemingly copy and pasted into the written feedback box.” The student went on to point out the “sloppy, bad practice” of his tutors. however, vice principal Professor Jeff haywood pointed out the advantages of such a method: “sometimes, of course, identical comments are sensible – for example ‘this is not the correct format for references, you should do them like this.’” he also commented that it can often be more useful as tutors can take the time to fully address a recurring error and give everyone a copy of the in-depth feedback.

This is not to say that he agreed with blanket feedback per se, and the negative aspects of it are one of the things they are trying to eradicate completely. he said: “stopping poor quality feedback is what we are trying to do”. “inevitably you’ll get a wide range of feedback, some really good stuff, some really abysmal stuff. hopefully you’ll get more of the really good stuff than the really abysmal stuff.”

Evidence from the online forum overwhelmingly indicates that a student’s confidence drops with poor feedback, and leads to the perception that tutors simply don’t care and haven’t read the essay. in addition, it offers little direction for further improvements. one student said: “Knowing that i am ‘good’ at my structure isn’t constructive enough to help me improve so that the next time it would be ‘very good’.” another said: “i received an essay back where i got a 69, and the feedback commented on one thing: i missed an apostrophe. This is simply preposterous”.

The vice principals appear to be aware of such instances and Prof. haywood and his team have set in motion measures to address it via the part of the forum, entitled “Feedback or Feedforward?”, which asks students: “are you looking for more pointers on how to do better next time?”

Prof. haywood also reiterated the need for student initiative. he encourages students to talk openly and candidly with tutors about problems they have with feedback. in response to the second student quoted above, he said: “did you query the mark of 69? if so what was the result? if not, why didn’t you, if you felt it was unjust?”

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

ThE FiNal rEPorT of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce on university funding has met with widespread condemnation from students and staff across scotland.

Following the interim report published this summer, student associations and the University and College union (UCU) of scotland lobbied the government for representation in the Taskforce. There was also concern that the Taskforce would merely redistribute current funding rather than addressing the real need for increased levels of investment in the sector. but with the publication of the taskforce’s final findings, the University and College Union (UCU) of scotland, which represents staff and academics, claims that the taskforce has made a mockery of the interim report’s six-month consultation process. only one minor change has been made: namely that respondents’ comments were noted in and appendix. responding to the final report, UCU scotland president Terry brotherstone said: “The government, despite Fiona hyslop’s personal assurances that the views of staff and students were vital to policy-making, has embarked on a course that excludes the real representatives of the sector and produced a report that reduces our concerns for academic freedom, cultural democracy and collegiality to mere appendices.”

Mr brotherstone pointed out the real need for more investment in the university sector: “What goes on in universities cannot offer government quick fixes, but not to nurture our universities can contribute mightily to medium term national and social decline. They require stable funding and strategic planning. instead we are offered tinkering and re-branding of funding streams but no commitment to invest in the most important sector for scotland’s economic and

social viability.” despite delivering a 2.9 per cent real terms increase in investment for universities across the spending review period, and an additional £70 million since the spending review was published, scotland still falls well short of average per capita investment on higher education in western countries. adam ramsay, president of the Edinburgh University students association (EUsa) told The Journal: “We were promised a visionary report into the future of higher education in scotland. instead we’ve ended up with a pointless waste of time that plays around at the edges. The scottish government robbed higher education of the money it needs. it then spent months writing a report into how to allocate the little funding it has promised.

“This failure to invest is little more than barbaric anti-intellectualism, and is damaging to the future prospects of scotland. it’s time for the parliament to stand up for education.”

Mr ramsay has been fronting a campaign encouraging students to sign and send postcards to local MsPs petitioning for greater investment in higher education. a government spokesperson said that the report offered opportunities which supported the delivery of the government’s priorities as well as those of every university. They said: “We are also creating a tripartite advisory group whose remit will include advising the cabinet secretary on the level of public investment required in learning and teaching, research and knowledge exchange activities to maintain broad overall comparability with the rest of the UK.” The higher education taskforce, set up to consider the future of higher education, consisted of ministers, civil servants, principals and a member of the scottish funding council. The bulk of the higher education sector, the staff and students, were not represented.

FIONA HYSLOP: leader of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce

research to be curbed in favour of teaching Guy Robertson guy.robertson@journal-online.co.uk FolloWiNg daMNiNg CriTiCisM in the National student survey, attempts to improve the teaching experience at Edinburgh University have been announced, with plans to restrict the university’s focus on research.

Vice-Principal Professor Jeff haywood told students at the annual general Meeting of the Edinburgh University student association (EUsa) that the university was taking seriously proposals put forward at the student representatives Council (srC) earlier this semester. These ideas involved the improvement of teaching standards by cutting focus on research.

Professor haywood told The Journal: “The approach is multipart, some of which is clearly to ensure that staff do the teaching they are assigned properly – and to a high standard – and that their research is not used to

excuse low-quality teaching.” he said that it was easier for staff to be rewarded for research-based work than for teaching, adding that the university needed to do more to encourage good consistent teaching over time: “We need to rectify this, for example, by having more about teaching quality on the university website, more funding for teacher development, more concentration on this in promotion and in appraisal, more general support for teachers as a community of professionals in the subject area, and more public praise by line managers for good work done. “in general, we tend to believe that carrots are better than sticks at getting high-quality results rather than simple compliance. sometimes one needs firm managerial action, but, in general, rewarding good behaviour is best.”

EUsa’s new teaching award scheme won support at the srC earlier this semester after it was recognised that the university did not do enough to

reward good teaching.

Following the publication of the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce report last week, concerns have been voiced that the government’s commitment to funding research at universities means that these proposals are at loggerheads with holyrood. others, however, argue that a grassroots approach should be taken and that teaching should be equally as important as research.

The Taskforce report mandates a new horizon fund which will “support specific incentive-based arrangements with individual institutions.” This funding path, which will be taken from the mainstream funds, could restrict investment in universities which do not focus on research and whose priorities are not, therefore, overtly in line with that of the government.

Professor haywood said: “Teaching doesn’t have the same degree of freedom from government funding except where fees apply.”

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Local & National Politics 15

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Academics found on leaked BNP list Academic community guarded over discovery of BNP members among their number Evan Beswick

young BNP “super sup club.” several more members supply university e-mail accounts—those ending in the top level domain .ac.uk—including an individual from John Wheatley college, “Glasgow’s friendliest college,” and one from st John’s College, Oxford.

It not been possible, however, to confirm whether these accounts belong to staff or students.

In addition, a professor from estado Aragua, Venezuela is listed as having renewed his membership.

While members of the police and prison officers are barred from membership of the all-whites party under the race relations amendment act (2000) no other professions face restrictions over party membership.

Thus the employers of the teachers, lawyers, civil servants and academics on the list face prosecution should they take action against far-right employees.

Indeed, in a letter to what he termed his “band of brothers,” mr Griffin divulged that an unnamed firm of “highly experienced employment rights lawyers” have agreed to act, pro bono, on behalf of any party members facing discrimination.

evan.beswick@journal-online.co.uk A smAll NumBer of academics and academic support staff, as well as students and retired professors, have been outed as possible members of the farright British National Party following the leak of a membership list last week.

The list, which dates from late last year and has been confirmed as genuine

by BNP chairman Nick Griffin, was distributed by what the party have termed a “disgruntled former employee” last week. It contains the names of nearly 13,000 individuals, many of whom are active members, and some whom are former members or non-members whose details the party has on file.

Amongst those listed are a researcher based at the university of manchester and an estates manager employed by the university of strathclyde, both of whom appear on the institutions’ respective websites. Alongside the entry for the strathclyde staff member, the document notes that the individual’s children are also paid-up party members under the

Accordingly, universities have been so far wary when discussing those named in the document.

A spokesperson for strathclyde university issued the following guarded statement: “The political beliefs of individual staff members are a personal matter. If, however, such beliefs should impinge on a staff member’s professional activity, the university may have to consider its position.”

Other institutions are equally uneasy over the revelations: a spokesperson at the university of manchester acknowledged that a photograph of the individual appeared as part of the institution’s online material, though pointed out that the PhD researcher in question was not directly funded by the university, and does not tutor students.

The university of manchester-based research group for whom the individual works was unavailable for comment. similarly, a spokesperson for the Open university admitted that the list claims membership of an Ou lecturer, but denied that the person listed was, currently, on the Ou staff. “It is very concerning,” said the spokesperson,

“that the Ou has been associated with this matter without the data being verified.”

The discrepancy points to possible inaccuracies in the BNP document.

Nonetheless, the individual in question does indeed exist: an agenda from this year’s “red White & Blue” BNP festival reveals the member speaking alongside mr Griffin.

Contacted regarding concerns over the occupations of those listed, a spokesperson for the BNP condemned the “persecution of people of people, facilitated by the media, for having the wrong views.”

He said: “say the BNP were in power and we decided to ban all labour party members from teaching in universities.

Would you publish lists of their names and hound them out of their jobs?”

When pressed as to whether or not universities ought to employ individuals who profess membership of a party whose views many students find distasteful, the spokesperson responded: “I was taught by people at university who were left-wing and I found their views abhorrent. They didn’t care.”

euthanasia girl shetland chief calls for reignites debate islands’ independence margo macdonald msP continues fight for legalised mercy killing as she battles fatal illness

sNP welcomes proposals for further autonomy as part of "national conversation"

Adam Carrington

Sarah Clark

Calum HuTCHinson

adam.carrington@journal-online.co.uk A seNIOr Nurse has defended legislation that threatened to prosecute a terminally ill teenager who refused a life saving heart operation.

Doctors attempted to bring Hannah Jones, from Herefordshire, to the High Court in london over her right to die. The case was dismissed after the 13-year-old convinced child protection officers that she had made the right decision for herself and her family.

A nurse, who has been caring for terminally ill patients for over 30 years, has spoken out in defence of the law that could have seen Hannah operated on against her will.

The nurse, who asked not to be named, said: “They were right to take her to court. From a legal perspective she’s underage and the doctors would be held liable [for not operating].

“The law is there to protect both doctors and patients and I don’t think it should be changed because this is an exceptional case.”

The nurse’s comments come as the latest in a series of statements this year over the right-to-die legislation. several countries in europe, most notably switzerland, have legalised euthanasia in recent years. In Britain, adult patients have the right to refuse treatment but cannot seek medical aid to die at a time of their choosing. It is thought that this would cause suffering to both the patient and their families.

msP for the lothians, margo macdonald, has been one of the more vocal scottish campaigners for legal euthanasia to be introduced in the uK. During a BBC documentary recorded in July the msP, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, declared: “I feel strongly that, in the event of losing my dignity or being faced with the prospect of a painful or protracted death, I should have the right to choose to curtail my own, and my family’s, suffering.”

Margo Macdonald: “I should have the right to choose to curtail my own, and my family’s, suffering.”

Despite the politician’s strong words, any change in the law would have to be agreed with the British medical Association (BmA), who regulate the medical profession in Britain.

On the BmA website, a 1,200 word essay explains why they are against the legalisation of euthanasia. However, Dr Tony Calland, chair of the BmA’s medical ethics committee supported Hannah’s decision, indicating that change could be on the horizon.

He said: “Decisions to refuse lifeprolonging treatment are always extremely difficult and emotive. What is paramount is that decisions are made in the best interests of the patient.”

sarah.clark@journal-online.co.uk THe sHeTlAND CHIeF sandy Cluness has called for autonomy from scotland for the North Atlantic archipelago and its 22,000 population, at a time when scottish independence from Westminster is being debated. mr Cluness, the figurehead of the shetland Islands council, who has no political party affiliation, advocates an independent shetland assembly with taxraising powers. The idea has been backed

by Tavish scott, who is the scottish liberal democrat leader and member of scottish Parliament (msP) for shetland. since it formed its minority administration last year, the scottish National Party (sNP) has encouraged the “national conversation” on the nation’s future.

Alex salmond, First minister for scotland, welcomed the approach. He said: “The views of the shetland Islands Council are an excellent example of the national conversation in action – all such ideas can be proposed, and we can reach a view on the best way forward.

“Of course, shetland is in the enviable position of being able to teach the rest of scotland a lesson about the benefits of having an oil fund.”

The east shetland Basin is one of the largest sedimentary basins in europe.

The extracted oil is sent to sullom Voe, the leading oil export harbour in the uK, producing approximately 25 million tons of processed crude per year.

Furthermore, scientists have recently

claimed that up to five billion barrels of oil could be found in unexplored volcanic rocks to the west of shetland. The Faroese Islands, shetland’s closest neighbour, have prospered since receiving independence from Denmark in 1948. The Faroese authorities have already entered into talks with the shetland council about exploiting the potential oilfields.

In the past, oil revenue has been an important element in the independence movement in the shetland Islands.

By intervening earlier this month, mr Cluness has added weight to previous proposals for autonomy, stating that a discussion of shetland’s future was sensible at a time when scottish independence is being deliberated. mr Cluness said: “We are on the periphery and have all the higher costs that come with that and not many of the advantages.

“What these islands need are viable, profitable economies and one way you can create that is through the ability to vary rates of taxes.

“In the 21st century there must be some way that the government could look

at a different status for shetland.” mr Cluness believes that the shetland council has been hindered by government centralisation and has called for a wide range of services including transport, policing, coastal protection, in-shore fisheries, further education and the arts to be administered from the capital lerwick, rather than from edinburgh. mr Cluness continued: “There are plenty of examples of semi-autonomous islands across europe and most of them actually do much better than we do.

“In future we will be looking to discuss shetland’s constitutional future with the scottish government with a view to securing the best possible deal.”

Although he is a local msP, mr scott supports mr Cluness but has rejected the idea of burning bridges with scotland and withdrawing from the european union.

He said: “I am in favour of greater powers for shetland, but they need to sit within a coherent structure for the whole of scotland. I’m more than happy to work with the council on their ideas, but obviously they are for the longer term.”

16 News Feature

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

News Feature 17

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Breaking the silence, rewriting history Laura robertson

For some, it is justice; for others, a whitewash of history - but whatever passions are aroused by the Law of Historic Memory, one thing is certain: Spain has turned to look its demons in the eye

Laura Robertson laura.robertson@journal-online.co.uk

20

NoveMber Marked the 33rd anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco.

It also marks a year since the Spanish Parliament approved the Law of Historic Memory, condemning the actions of the Spanish dictator and attempting to redress the ambiguity of his place in history. The passage of time has done little to ease the debate over both the man, and the law written to damn him. on 31 october 2007 Spanish prime minister José Luis rodríguez Zapatero brought the Law of Historic Memory to a vote in parliament. Zapatero, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party and the grandson of a murdered republican, succeeded in procuring formal condemnation of the actions of Franco.

Since Spain began its transition to democracy in 1975, the actions carried out under Franco’s dictatorship have been banished to the past and shrouded in silence. The historian antony beevor comments: “after Franco died, all the world admired Spain’s move to constitutional monarchy and democracy. but the process required what became known as el pacto de olvido, the pact of forgetting.

“No generals or torturers stood trial. No truth commissions chronicled Spain’s past. The regime died in its bed along with its founder.”

The bill of law aims to “acknowledge and increase the rights of those who suffered under Franco’s regime and establish measures to help those who suffered persecution or violence during the Civil War or the subsequent dictatorship.”

More specifically, the law aims to eradicate symbols pertaining to Franco, to provide financial support to those who suffered under the regime and to exhume the bodies of those murdered by Franco’s Nationalist forces in order that they might finally be laid to rest.

In 1936, Franco headed a coup d’etat in which he overthrew the democratically elected left-wing Popular Front to seize control of Spain. In defence of “traditional Spanish values” and his nationalist ideals of centralism, Franco ruled the church and state with brutal efficiency, silencing dissent with violence. although the number is widely disputed, it is estimated that anywhere up to 200,000 republicans were executed by Franco’s forces following his rise to power. While leftists suffered most under Franco, atheists, gypsies, homosexuals and the intelligentsia also claim high death tolls under the Fascist regime.

Yet despite the carnage, from street names to metro signs, Franco’s presence can still be seen throughout Spain and the descendents of the murdered are forcibly reminded, at every turn, of the horrors of the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship.

“There are no streets in Germany bearing the name of Goebbels,” stated the leader of a left-wing Spanish political party, Izquierda Unida, in a recent television debate on the law.

His comment served to succinctly point out the incongruity of a democratic country which still bears visible signs of Franco’s dictatorship, almost 35 years after its transition to democracy.

However, the vice president of the opposition Partido Popular asserted: “Zapatero wants to divide and cause conflict amongst Spaniards.”

César vidal, a noted writer and one of the voices of the Spanish right, has also said: “I believe that fundamentally it is politically opportunism.” vidal accuses the prime minister of using the Law to link today’s centreright parties, such as the PP, with the fascist ideology of Franco’s dictatorship in a bid to “demonise and marginalise” them.

Zapatero, however, maintains that it is essential that Spanish society remembers its dark past “in order that it might not commit the same errors again.” He said: “The intention is not to rekindle old arguments, but rather to heal the wounds.”

The PP has suggested that the Law contravenes “the conciliatory nature of the transition” to democracy.

Juan antonio barrios, deputy to Zapatero, clarified that the law did not make distinctions between victims of either side and questioned, with irony, why the PP had “so many problems” in legally condemning Franco’s regime. Some of Franco’s ministers, such as Manuel Fraga, are still working in politics and are now influential members of the PP. The Forum for Memory, a federation for the preservation of historic memory, believes that Zapatero’s Law does not go far enough, claiming: “The fight against impunity includes the identification of the guilty.”

It seems that Spanish citizens, too, are divided over their opinion of the law. a recent survey by the Spanish centre of sociological investigations showed that 54.1 per cent of Spaniards agreed with the initiative whilst 43.3 per cent believed that it makes no sense to redress events which are already history.

Indeed, the famous Spanish historian, José varela ortega, stands opposed to the idea that “historic memory” can even exist.

“Historic memory is a ridiculous and

“dozens of churches across Spain bear memorials to some of the 10,000 Catholics estimated to have been killed, when leftists tried to wipe out what they saw as Catholic resistance”

metaphysical concept because history does not have a memory. only individuals have memories.” ortega has accused Zapatero of attempting to rewrite Spanish history. emilio Silva, the founder of the association for the recuperation of Historic Memory commented: “We are not trying to open old wounds. We want to heal wounds that Spain has still not dealt with. If the transition has done its job properly, we as an organisation would not exist.

“I recognise that a transition is basically a negotiation, and that perhaps a price had to be paid in order to move from a dictatorship to a democracy.”

Silva, however, considers the absolute silence surrounding the darker elements of Spain’s history to be an “excessive” price to pay.

The most recent controversy surrounds the decision to overturn Judge baltasar Garzón’s ruling to allow the

opening of 19 of the 2,000 mass graves located throughout Spain – the final resting place of thousands of republicans murdered during the dictatorship.

Spanish prosecutors claim that Garzón, a judge in Spain’s National Court, does not have the jurisdiction to pursue an investigation into crimes committed by Franco, citing a 1977 amnesty for atrocities committed during and after the conflict. based on an appeal made by the head prosecutor, Javier Zaragoza, the National Courts ordered Garzón’s exhumation warrant to be suspended. Now it will be up to local courts to investigate the 19 mass graves chosen by Garzón.

The most talked about proposed exhumation is that of Federico García Lorca, the Spanish poet and playwright, executed in 1936 by Nationalist forces in an attempt to eradicate high-profile supporters of the Popular Front. Lorca’s family has recently dropped their long-

Above: valley of the Fallen, beneath the floor of which lies the remains of 40,000, mostly Republicans beLow: Francisco Franco and Dwight D. eisenhower in Madrid in 1959.

standing objection to the excavation of his grave. However, for the time being, Lorca’s exhumation will not go ahead, as his grave is one of those on the list compiled by Garzón for investigation.

Spain’s former Prime Minister, José María aznar, has openly voiced his opposition to the exhumations, stating: “It is not a government’s job to open graves.” despite the disagreements, the PP voted in favour of some aspects of the law, such as providing financial support for victims, of either side, who had suffered persecution under Franco’s regime.

They also agreed on the decision to ban Franco supporters from carrying out commemorative services and political rallies for the dictator in the valley of the Fallen, the mausoleum where Franco is buried, built by imprisoned republicans, many of whom met their death under harsh work conditions.

The PP remain, however, unimpressed by Zapatero’s blanket decision to remove all signs, symbols and statues pertaining to Franco and his regime, citing possible damage to art and historical artifacts. The prime minister has responded by confirming that due consideration would be given to items of significant historical importance. The last remaining statue of Franco was removed from Santander in May of this year. opponents have accused Zapatero of “denying Spain its history.” dozens of churches across Spain bear memorials to some of the 10,000 Catholics estimated to have been killed, when leftists tried to wipe out what they saw as Catholic resistance.

Under the new law, churches risk losing state subsidies if they fail to remove the plaques which list the names of Franco supporters beneath the phrase “Fallen for God and Spain.”

The move contrasts with the attitude of the vatican, which last year beatified 498 Catholic “martyrs” of the Spanish Civil War. In response to accusations that there are more pressing matters facing the Spanish government than enforcing the Law of Historic Memory, the leader of the Izquierda Unida said: “The quality of a democracy is not only based on social rights, or on the democratic participation of its citizens. a true democracy must also honour its grandparents. above all, those grandparents who fought to achieve that very democracy.”

In the year since the law was passed, the debate has never left the pages of Spanish newspapers. In trying to fulfill the law’s objectives, officials have met objections at every turn.

Many believed that the law was well overdue, and that after 33 years of democracy, Spain should be able to look back on its past, however confused and divisive it may be, in an open and sensitive manner. others continue to believe that the law cannot be beneficial to a society which, on the surface at least, appears to have put the past behind it. opinion in Spain remains very much divided over whether or not the Law of Historic Memory will truly heal the wounds of Spain’s violent past. It is a certainty, however, that the “pact of forgetting” pledged after the transition has finally been broken.

» Britiain’s heritage brITaIN’S HISTorY THaNkFULLY does not feature the same open wounds as are found in Spain; however, passions can still be aroused by the past. Historical accuracy and authenticity have taken on a nationalist flavour in Scotland since the implementation of devolution. Several objects of historical value have been, or continue to be fought over between edinburgh and London, and in some cases between regions within Scotland.

The most high profile tug-of-war over national heritage in britain took place over the Stone of Scone – popularly referred to as the Stone of destiny. The origins of the relic are unclear: unconfirmed theories hold that it was once the coronation stone of the dal riada people of Ireland, who brough it with them when they settled in Strathclyde; or that it was the altar used by St Columba on travels spreading Christianity in Scotland.

Looted by king edward I in 1296 and taken to London, it was installed beneath a chair to symbolise Scotland’s subjugation to england. In 1950 it was stolen from the Westminster abbey by a group of students and returned to Scotland; however, when it was left with monks at arbroath abbey, police intervened and it was removed back to Westminster. It was only in 1996 that the Conservative government definitively returned the stone to Scotland.

More recently—in an echo of the debate over Gabriel García Lorca’s grave—the final resting place of Mary, Queen of Scots has been contested by SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who has demanded its return to her childhood home at Falkirk. Mary Stuart was executed in 1587 at the Palace of Westminster on the orders of her sister, Queen elizabeth I, following her alleged involvement in plots to assassinate the monarch. “She was an iconic historical Scots figure and ultimately the victim of english plotting,” said Ms Grahame, whose campaign is supported by the Catholic Church in Scotland. a replica of Queen Mary’s tomb can be found in the Museum of Scotland in edinburgh. debates over the location of artefacts aren’t limited to cross-border disputes. The Lewis Chessmen, a collection of 92 twelfth century walrus ivory and bone carvings discovered in 1831 on Uig in the Western Isles, are split between the british Museum in London and the Museum of Scotland. Several local councillors, MSPs and MPs from the Western Isles have requested the return of a majority of the pieces to Scotland, preferably to their place of origin. Margaret Hodge, Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport has responded to the requests stating: “It’s a lot of nonsense, isn’t it?”

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Comment 19

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Comment Discussion&Debate

Roma in Europe:

Racism alive and well Last week’s publication of a British National Party membership list showed that far-right politics have seduced Britons from nearly every background. As top UN advisor Gay McDougall explains, the increasingly aggressive treatment of one of Europe’s oldest ethnic minorities is a powerful demonstration of the dangers of racist rhetoric

Gay McDougall

UN Advisor

comment@journal-online.co.uk

T

HE IMAGES EARLIER this month of far right supporters armed with stones and petrol bombs besieging a Roma community in the town of Litvinov in the Czech Republic are a powerful reminder that violent racism is not a distant memory in the European Union.

If anything, anti-Roma sentiment and violence appears to be on the rise. Stopping these abuses, I believe, demands a radical shift on the part of government at the national and local levels.

It would be wrong to single out the Czech Republic. Incidents of violence are taking place with greater frequency throughout Europe and the situation of Roma in numerous countries is desperate. In Hungary, there have been violent attacks against Roma which have left several dead. In Italy and in Greece, mass evictions have taken place and anti-Roma hostility is rife. Italy’s policy of finger-printing Roma was considered by many as tantamount to branding all Roma as criminals – as if the unfortunate popular stereotype needed reinforcing by a government policy.

In my capacity as UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues I have seen first hand the situations of Roma in countries including Hungary, France and Greece. The poverty is appalling and surprising in modern Europe. Discrimination is pervasive and exclusion is almost absolute.

The thin line of Czech police in Litvinov provided protection for that community from a near pogrom – but only for now. That was only a band-aid; a short-term solution to the violent symptoms of a much deeper societal infection. The policies and practices of European States have been, at best, grossly inadequate to resolve intolerable conditions of poverty, marginalization and exclusion experienced by Roma.

I have visited Roma settlements that lack even the most basic amenities which we take for granted, such as running water, electricity and toilets. I have met many Roma men and women who can’t get jobs because the doors of employers are slammed in their

faces, due to their nationality. Normal, energetic Roma youngsters have told me that they want to learn and build a future, but are assigned to segregated schools or schools for the mentally disabled, simply because they are Roma.

At an early age they are robbed of any hope for a better future.

I have also consulted with government officials with responsibility for Roma affairs who have never visited a Roma settlement, and consequently do not really understand the problems or the lives of the Roma. This is all too often reflected in short-sighted or misguided policies that are destined to fail, and do. I have heard so many government officials respond to the failure of their policies by blaming it on the Roma.

Traditional Roma lifestyles and culture are indeed different from traditional European cultures. That does not divest them of human rights. Equally, as with many profoundly disadvantaged cultures, there are problems

within Roma communities that must be addressed. But, with ominous echoes of the past, Roma difference is being used to justify hatred and a label of criminality is applied to all Roma by those who use it to condone violence against them.

As the global economy spirals downward toward disaster, the sense of personal financial insecurity that will rise in its place may lead many to strike out in unfocused anger and resentment. Roma won’t be the only scapegoats. Immigrant communities will also face unjustified blame and attacks. We’ve seen it before in every region of the world; when unemployment rises, so do racist sentiments against whatever community is the most vulnerable. That quickly turns to violence against those whom the police often do not protect even at the best of times. Indeed, we often see politicians exploiting racial hatred in order to hold on to power, and local government officials either turning a blind eye to abuse

or, worse, participating in the violence.

We must be particularly vigilant to make sure that this financial crisis does not lead to increased racist violence. Governments must strongly condemn acts of violence, but they must also do more than that. Where a hard core of extremism exists in society, willing to perpetrate violence, the full force of the criminal justice system must be brought to bear in protection of targeted populations. It must also penetrate to the heart of the vicious criminality of the far right and neo-Nazi movements.

Policies such as the finger-printing of Roma, abuse by police and racist statements by senior public officials contribute to a climate in which societal discrimination and racism are sustained and deepened. Negative stereotypes fuel the prejudice, which is then taken by extremists onto the streets of Litvinov and elsewhere.

Governments must be committed to finding ways to create safe

environments for all. This must involve carefully monitoring and strengthening their own anti-racism activities, through leadership, public education and swiftly denouncing hate speech.

International law and national policies must be strongly enforced, including at the level of local government, where the message of anti-racism is simply not getting through. National governments have responsibility for strong policies and for taking whatever steps are necessary to force renegade local authorities to comply.

Enforce the law. Prosecute the far-right thug, but also prosecute the company that won’t employ a Roma.

In the public sector and the private sector, and if necessary at the school gate, enforce the law and send the message through the law that racism against anyone is unacceptable.

Gay McDougall is the United Nations independent expert on minority issues

2 News

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Microsoft moves into Waverleygate » ONLiNE

Get more stories online on The Journal’s new website » www.journal-online.co.uk

Maths Dept: “We can’t Haymarket hotel development on hold government orders review of £200 million development handle these numbers” Scottish proposal despite council backing for the project Continued from page 1 However, when such big increases occur, the university should ensure that it is adequately resourced.”

The university of Edinburgh, like all universities in Scotland, receives a block grant, from the Scottish Funding Council, which is evidence based and looks at the volume of teaching and the cost of that teaching for all the institutions.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Funding Council said: “Our main grants contribute towards the direct and indirect costs of providing learning and teaching for students. We do not determine how universities allocate funding internally –this is a matter for them to decide in light of their own particular circumstances and priorities.”

Robin McAlpie of universities Scotland expressed concerns about the level of funding across the board: “Funding is

extremely tight for everyone. in Scotland the funding we get is below the average of other countries and well below the funding of our closest competitors.” universities Scotland representss 21 higher education institutions in Scotland. in a submission to the Education Committee, it noted that although funding had increased at the same rate of the national budget, it warned that Scotland’s education system would start to suffer if funding was not increased further: “At a time when other countries are significantly increasing their investment in higher education, Scotland is making only very modest increases in funding which are potentially leaving the sector in a slightly worse real-term position next year compared with this year.”

The university of Edinburgh were approached regarding the funding

Francesco Cirillo francesco.cirillo@journal-online.co.uk SCOTTiSH PLANNiNG MiNiSTER Stewart Steveson has ordered a public enquiry into the £200 million development project at Haymarket junction.

The decision from the Scottish government is likely to cause significant delay to the scheduled plans for the programme, which forsees the building of a 192-bedroom five-star hotel, a neighbouring three-star Travelodge with 245 bedrooms and 342 square feet of retail space for offices, shops, cafes and restaurants.

According to a statement, the Scottish government has chosen to intervene because of public financial interest in the land.

A government spokesperson said:

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“in view of the nature of this proposal and its possible implications, Scottish ministers have decided that the matter should be considered at a public local inquiry.”

The future of the programme, which will regenerate the current car park area at the busy city centre junction, has divided the political community.

Whilst some welcome the proposal to redevelop Edinburgh’s city centre as a chance to boost the local economy, others have described the plans as incoherent, saying that the proposed high class hotel would destroy architectural harmony in the area.

Despite criticism of the project, the plans were granted planning permission by the city council, and approval was given by the Scottish Executive in 2006.

John Nesbitt, managing director of Tiger Development, the irish firm which bought the site for around £41 million in December 2006, expressed frustration at the delay.

He recently told The Edinburgh Evening News: “We are naturally disappointed that we will now have to face a further delay in the starting of a project which won planning approval and secured much public support at a local level.”

However, Mr Nesbitt maintained that the latest setback would not dissuade the firm from pursuing its interests in the area.

“We remain, however, 100 per cent committed to developing the site and still look forward to the opportunity of leading one of Edinburgh’s most exciting regeneration projects,” he said.

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20 Comment

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Scottish Independence:

The bigger picture The SNP's accusations of Labour scaremongering are an attempt to distract from their own poor record

Iain Gray

Scottish Labour

comment@journal-online.co.uk

W

HEN ALEX SALMOND tried to invoke the spirit of Barack Obama in the last issue of The Journal, he missed the key point of what was the new president’s appeal to the American people. It was the politics of thoughtfulness. Gone were the glib soundbites of the Bush era, the personal attacks and propaganda. Here was a calm, intelligent candidate who had a clear understanding about complex issues. Obama invited the American people to sit back and rationally evaluate his programme.

He believed they were capable of it.

Meanwhile, Alex Salmond and the SNP are stuck with the old politics.

It was their big mistake at the recent Glenrothes by-election where they simply tried to hijack Obama’s campaign slogan, “Yes we can,” and thought that would be enough. They misunderstood what Obama was about and it did not resonate with the voters. The Glenrothes electorate wanted to discuss cuts in

services, their worries about SNP plans for a Local Income Tax and the banking crisis. It was politics at all levels – Fife council, Holyrood and Westminster.

Breaking away from the rest of the UK to follow a separatist route in pursuit of some nebulous arc of prosperity was the least of their concerns. Likewise I don’t believe Alex Salmond’s trite comments about Labour “scaremongering” connect with students at Edinburgh’s universities. Rather it reveals a defensiveness and discomfort under scrutiny.

Soundbite politics only take you so far, and Alex Salmond has been found wanting. Instead of bringing forward capital projects to stimulate the Scottish economy during the banking crisis, he chooses to attack Gordon Brown, which only makes Salmond look petty and out of his depth. As the prime minister says, serious times call for serious people, and the Labour government’s decisiveness in bailing out the Scottish banking sector with £37 billion has been acclaimed not just in Britain, but internationally.

Meanwhile what have the SNP done? Virtually nothing. They continue with their grievance politics whereby anything that goes wrong is London’s fault. Anything that’s good, such as

projects commissioned by the previous Labour-Liberal administration, must be down to them. Yet the SNP government has not built one new school since they took office; under Labour almost 300 new schools were built or substantially refurbished.

Alex Salmond does not want to confront issues that really matter to students in Edinburgh, such as the SNP’s broken promise to dump student debt. He has failed to address the needs of Edinburgh’s student teachers, with indications suggesting that only a quarter of last year’s graduates have found full time teaching posts here in Edinburgh. With the SNP/Liberal Democrat council’s school closure programme and failure to reduce class sizes, the situation is only going to get worse for this year’s graduands.

These are all things that Salmond and his ministers could do something about – but yet again they’ve been found wanting. Salmond should recognise that Edinburgh University is a great melting pot. Over 4,000 students are from outside the European Union. Indeed only a third of the students are Scottish and benefit from the abolition of the graduate endowment, whereas other British students miss out. Yet the breadth

Somalian piracy:

and scale of entitlement to student bursaries are much higher down south, thanks to Labour investment in Higher Education.

When I visited the Edinburgh University Students’ Association a couple of months ago to discuss my opposition to the SNP plans for an under-21 alcohol ban, I appreciated that these are issues that concern students, along with the cost of living at Edinburgh. What the SNP fail to grasp is that narrow-minded nationalism and “chip on the shoulder” politics are out of sync with the times.

Scots have a strong national identity.

We are justly proud of our distinct educational and legal system. At the same time most of us appreciate the success of the union between the countries that make up the UK, and realise how it benefits all of us. Labour has always made a positive case for Scotland as a partner in the union and will continue to do so.

But it should also be remembered that it was Labour who introduced devolution, and restored the Scottish parliament after 300 years. Poll after poll, as well as general elections, continually show that the majority of Scots support devolution but want to remain a part of the UK. An old Labour motto is “unity is

Chaos on the high seas Daniel Kenealy daniel.kenealy@journal-online.co.uk

I

N THE 21ST century, the word “piracy” evokes cheap, illegal DVDs of Hollywood blockbusters, not robbery on the high seas.

But old-fashioned “Jolly Roger” style piracy is back. Off the eastern coast of Africa, this menace is apparent on a daily basis, as demonstrated by the seizure of the 330-metre Sirius Star on 16 November, with its cargo of oil worth nearly $100m. Given the threat posed by piracy to trade and prosperity it was perhaps surprising that it took 83 acknowledged attacks—33 successful enough to command a ransom—to create the political will necessary to launch a campaign against the pirates.

The pressure to tackle piracy off Somalia’s coast is growing by the day.

The threat to commercial shipping in the region is now greater than it has been for decades. On November 20, the United Nations Security Council unanimously imposed fresh sanctions on Somalia. These sanctions come on the back of a commitment by the European Union to launch a naval operation in the Gulf of Aden led by Britain.

International action is certainly welcome and the EU mission is significant as the first naval operation conducted under the auspices of the EU’s security and defence policy

(ESDP). Although the financial costs of the operation—estimated at €8.3 million per year—are relatively small, the effect on the EU’s self-image could be significant. The French defence minister, Herve Morin, sees the operation as “proof that a Europe of defence is starting to take shape.”

There is a desperate need to protect vessels of the UN World Food Programme that deliver food aid to displaced people in Somalia. Furthermore, the broader threat to international trade is clear. Roughly ten per cent of world trade and 11 per cent of world petroleum flows through these waters. A tough response is needed given that the pirates are well-armed, and bankrolled handsomely by Somalis in Dubai and elsewhere. Their motivation seems to be the ransoms that companies are willing to pay to secure the release of their seized ships, cargoes, and crew. Thus far around 500 crew members have been taken hostage and an estimated $30 million paid in ransom. But a naval mission can do more than tackle a sea-based symptom of a land-based problem.

There are some positive signs. At last week’s Security Council meeting, the most senior diplomat of the African Union called for UN peacekeepers to be sent to Somalia. NATO military chiefs meeting in Brussels last week, indicated that a coordinated worldwide response is required and put forward a plethora of proposals. Russia has suggested land operations against

Somali pirate bases. But the prospect of a well-equipped international force being deployed inside Somalia still seems a distant one. With the UN unable to produce half of its promised force for Darfur, despite a detailed plan for one, Somalia stands little chance of getting any blue helmets.

But it desperately needs them.

Somalia has lacked a government, in effect, since 1991 and the state is currently governed by the fourteenth interim administration in 17 years.

This is not the way that politics are supposed to be organized within states. International relations scholars often differentiate domestic politics from international politics by their structures. In domestic systems, there are governmental institutions that establish law and order. The international system is characterized as anarchic because there is no higher authority to protect states from external aggression. But this dichotomy is not always appropriate. States are sometimes weak and unable to provide even the most basic security to their populations. In this environment, domestic politics begin to resemble international politics and piracy is just one of many possible outcomes.

For six months during 2006, the Islamic Courts Union controlled most of southern and central Somalia. They brought something resembling order for the first time since the early 1990s and piracy all but disappeared. It began to flourish again after Ethiopian

strength,” and most of the British people believe this – especially in hard times. One such man is my colleague George Foulkes, the Lothian Labour MSP at Holyrood who is campaigning to be the next rector of Edinburgh University. I’ve kidded on George he would have a lot to live up to following in the footsteps not only of Gordon Brown but also Tam Dalyell. But one thing I can guarantee students is that, if elected, George will bring an international outlook to the job as well as campaigning on basic issues for students.

He supports plans to refurbish the Pleasance Theatre, backs the Unite union’s Fair Tips campaign to ensure no student with a part time job will have tips included as part of their wage, and will ensure the quality of course and exam feedback improves.

Meanwhile, George Foulkes and Labour at Holyrood will leave the soundbites about “scaremongering” to the SNP. There are real issues to be tackled that students and the rest of the population are worried about, and breaking away from Britain is not one of them.

Iain Gray is the leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

As pirates off the Somalian coast cause havoc in international trade, perhaps now rich nations will decide it's time to act

troops—with the implicit backing of the United States—invaded and ousted the Islamists. The international community should draw the obvious lesson from this.

Hopefully, in the months ahead, the UN will find a way to work closely with the African Union and the EU to bring some semblance of domestic order to Somalia. If the moral duty to assist displaced Somalis is not compelling enough, then perhaps western governments will now realize that

an unsettled Somalia can cause a lot of trouble—on land and at sea—and act out of good, old-fashioned self interest. Without some form of action, Somalia is destined to remain a bloody kaleidoscope of competing clans, a launching pad for piracy, and the world’s most utterly failed state.

Daniel Kenealy is Sir Bernard Crick Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Edinburgh.

Comment 21

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

obama and science:

Blowing away the smoke Matthew Hartfield

matthew.hartfield@journal-online.co.uk

Tom HunT

B

higher education:

Put students first British universities need to listen to their students if they're to stay ahead of the game

,,

Paul Ramsden

paul.ramsden@journal-online.co.uk

W

heN I WAS asked by universities secretary John Denham to look at how the student experience will change over the next ten to 15 years, I was hampered by the lack of a crystal ball. higher education is rooted in the societies and economies in which it operates. In the course of my own career studying and working in higher education I have seen huge changes that have followed from and led to political, economic and social change. there are now far more universities and colleges in the United Kingdom, offering a much wider range of courses to a larger and more diverse student population. New styles of communication outside higher education have led to expectations of 24-hour, seven days a week availability of support. Parts of the media now talk about students as “customers” – although this is not yet something I often hear students say about themselves. there have been some headline-grabbing topics among the issues examined in the nine reports commissioned by

Denham from leading academic authorities. the question of who pays for higher education, and in what proportions, has proved controversial both north and south of the border. I do not have the answers on this, but have made the point that linking fee contributions to modules rather than whole programmes would bring the flexibility that is needed between part-time and full-time study. the press has also picked up comments about the future of degree classification. A working group chaired by the vice chancellor of Leicester University, Professor Bob Burgess, has recommended introducing the higher education Achievement report, to supplement the traditional degree classification. the idea behind this is to give students and employers a better description of what students have achieved beyond a stark one-off degree class, such as a first or a 2:1. It is fully in keeping with the fact that both student experiences and future expectations are broader than the areas covered by the academic curriculum.

In making my report to the secretary of state I wanted to make the point that the student experience should be at the heart of higher education. I am interested in student involvement in quality

processes. In Scotland the Student Participation in Quality Scotland initiative is one valuable model for doing this.

As my report argues, student experience should be viewed as a “joint venture” between students and providers of higher education. this venture should start before students get to university or college. More work is needed to prepare students better for higher education, through a programme of support for universities and colleges to enhance their understanding of their prospective students’ expectations. We also need to make it easier for students to adapt to higher education once they are there – through better induction that promotes interaction between staff and students as well as academic preparation. the aim is to give students the knowledge they need to take ownership of quality enhancement with staff and engage with them in dialogue about improving assessment, curriculum and teaching.

It also means rethinking how we do things. traditionally universities and academics have set up teaching and assessment programmes, and then looked at what students have learned.

By turning this on its head we would focus primarily on students’ experiences

,,

of the designs, and subsequently on the designs themselves. If we do this we emphasise the role of universities and academics in helping students to engage with the material they are learning, and how to adjust their engagement so that we derive the outcomes students, academics and employers seek. the idea of joint responsibility of students and higher education institutions forms the basis of a future student experience that will ensure a successful future for our universities and colleges in an increasingly competitive international environment. readers of The Journal will know better than I do what their own motivations were for signing up to spend time as students in edinburgh. Many of today’s students will play an important part in shaping the way higher education changes over the coming decades.

I am confident that higher education can transform the lives of students for the better. It is up to all of us—students included— to make the changes we need to make sure that this continues to be the case for the generations of students to follow.

Paul Ramsden is the chief executive of the Higher Education Academy

Get More CoMMeNt & PoSt yoUr reSPoNSe oN the JoUrNAL’S WeBSIte WWW.JoUrNAL-oNLINe.Co.UK

efore the US presidential election, 76 American Nobel laureates penned a letter supporting Barack obama – 29 more than supported John Kerry in 2004. the reasons for this show of support become clear in light of obama’s consistent show of respect for the scientific process, going as far as to reply to questions put forward

by Nature. (Incidentally, John McCain was also asked to reply, but declined to do so.) hence scientists were the first to celebrate his victory.

In order to justify this support though, what does Barack obama have to do? the first action he could take would be to open up stem-cell research. earlier this year the British parliament successfully passed the human fertilisation and embryology Bill, paving the way for increased stem-cell research in the UK. the outstanding benefits of stem-cells were demonstrated last week when Claudia Castillo’s windpipe, damaged by tB, was successfully replaced using one partly grown from her own stemcells. Because it was based on her cells, her body did not reject it and thus she does not need to take drugs to suppress her immune system.

Stem-cell research currently requires the destruction of a human embryo, and, as such, has faced opposition from the Vatican, which has led three rebel Labour MPs to vote against the hfe bill. It has also led George Bush to constantly block funding into it; his myopia has undoubtedly caused untold damaged to such research. obama has heavily hinted that he will remove this block; unsurprisingly, the Vatican has already raised objections. In another welcome change, obama has also suggested that his administration will act quickly to curb US gaseous emissions. Climate change denialism, previously the domain of internet conspiracy theorists, was actively embraced by George Bush, who displayed a willful ignorance of established theory by announcing: “No one can say with any certainty what constitutes a dangerous level of warming, and therefore what level must be avoided.”

Granted, John McCain was a candidate who took the threat of global warming seriously. how honest could he be, however, when he refused to set a target for carbon emissions and rolled out the old policy of not committing to any plans unless India and China are involved as well? obama is expected to announce a target of an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases and is planning to send personal delegates to major conferences. It is imperative that obama stands up to expectation in this regard.

In order for obama really to make the impact that his supporters hope he will, he must continue to be informed by scientific evidence. If he does, then this can truly be a momentous presidency.

Matthew Hartfield is a PhD student in Biology at the University of Edinburgh

22 Editorial

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Letters letters@journal-online.co.uk Edinburgh’s studEnt nEwspapEr | issuE XiV

BNP furore:

Walking a tightrope ADDRESSINg AN AUDIENCE of American white supremacists in 2005, British National Party (BNP) leader Nick griffin declared that he and his far-right colleagues were just “one crisis away from power.” As Britain moves into recession amid international financial turmoil, then, it seems likely that griffin has been watching the situation with eager interest.

Yet last week saw the BNP embroiled in a crisis of its own, with the online publication of a year-old list of its entire membership, complete with addresses and phone numbers. Some were relieved by the relative brevity of the list – BNP membership numbers apparently remain small, at less than 13,000. But the leak shattered the popular stereotype of BNP supporters as hailing exclusively from an uneducated social underclass: teachers, priests, doctors and academics were all among those listed.

BNP membership is forbidden among employees of the police and prison services, and those found on the leaked list could face dismissal. This

may well set a precedent for the teaching profession to come under scrutiny, with a number of school and university workers listed on the BNP document. If prisoners and criminal suspects are not to be entrusted to the care of BNP members, critics will argue, why should foreign and ethnic minority students run the risk of discrimination?

Not all BNP supporters are racist, of course, and it’s likely that many are far from convinced by griffin’s absurd dream of a racially “pure” Britain. But the BNP has extensive experience of playing on the population’s fears and insecurities – a tendency exemplified by the distribution, shortly after the 7/7 bombings, of leaflets showing a devastated London bus alongside the slogan: “Maybe now it’s time to start listening to the BNP.” This disgracefully exploitative approach to politics has borne fruit.

This year saw the BNP win its first seat in the London Assembly, while it claimed to have seen more than 100 of its members elected to positions in local

government. Amid a climate of increasing economic uncertainty, voters who fear for their jobs are ever more susceptible to BNP claims that excessive immigration, unchecked by an out-oftouch government, is to blame.

This is nonsense: no serious discussion of the subject would deny that immigration has provided an important boost to the British economy. But gordon Brown did little to encourage sensible debate on the subject with his mantra of “British jobs for British workers.” While such apparent pandering to the far right is to be discouraged, it is vital that mainstream politicians reclaim the territory of immigration from the extremists. The appointment of tough-talking immigration minister Phil Woolas, and the proposed introduction of an Australian-style “points” system—provided this is administered fairly—both look like positive steps in this direction. But taking the wind out of the BNP’s sails, without veering towards their dangerous xenophobia, will prove a delicate operation indeed.

NUS reform:

DEAR SIR, We wanted to draw your attention to the provocative conduct of the police during the successful protest on Tuesday November 11th in response to the Israeli ambassador's talk at Edinburgh University.

Up to a 100 people joined the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign behind a banner reading "End Israeli war crimes." Many of those attending were university students and a good number were Asian and Middle Eastern.

Throughout the action a police team was demonstratively photographing participants. At the same time it would appear they were trying to collect information on those who had come out to peacefully and legally demonstrate. This included photographing a table promoting books published by Pathfinder Press—including titles on the Palestinian struggle, the Cuban revolution and other topics—and the Militant, a weekly socialist newspaper. When one of those staffing this table refused to give his name to the police he was told it was needed as the paper may be inflammatory. Despite objections and a refusal to aid them they continued in this case to take photos.

These actions by the police may be low level, right now, but are designed to intimidate people from joining such protests as well as gather information on those who do. With no evidence of anything illegal they act towards those demonstrating as though they are under suspicion. The provocative photographing by the police of demonstrators and political campaigners was also a feature of the November 2007

anti-Trident march in Edinburgh.

In reality what the police are doing is a form of harassment and an attempt to limit freedom of expression and other political rights.

Peter Clifford, Communist League Björn Tirsén, Young Socialists DEAR SIR, Re. '9/11: More than meets the eye' (published on www.journal-online.co.uk, 9 Nov) It might have escaped many that the US government has a duty under international human rights law to adequately investigate massive violations to the right to life, or in other words, mass killings, such as 9/11. This duty is one of the derivatives of the right to life.

States are obligated to protect this right against encroachment, including the obligation to search for and prosecute offenders. The US government miserably failed this duty.

For this reason, it is now up to the UN Human Rights body to take up the issue and demand an international investigation of the events of 9/11 – something similar to the investigation of the killing of the Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri. If such an investigation (of the murder of one politician) is warranted, it is obvious that an investigation of 9/11 is both urgent, necessary and of crucial importance for the international community.

Elias Davidsson, Alfter, Germany (via www.journal-online.co.uk)

Crossword #6 - US Electoral Map

No other way IN A LETTER to The Guardian, last year’s NUS president told members of her desire to “ensure the NUS is representative of the students studying in 2008 – not 1968.” For too long, the NUS had been balancing on a precarious financial tightrope. The message: instigate radical reform or face collapse.

The NUS of 1968 was a body of idealists. At a watershed in the history of higher education, radicalist campaigns led by a small group of students representing a relatively homogeneous national student body could bring about the major modernising reforms all were seeking.

Today, seven million men and women study in further and higher education in the UK, facing the complex daily challenges of seeking to maintain course standards and to ensure that they are prepared for the changing world of graduate employment.

Far from seeking to represent such concerns to higher bodies, NUS

conferences of late have tended to obsess over issues of international politics, areas over which they have no mandate, jurisdiction or influence. Over the years, days of precious conference time have been wasted discussing Israel and Palestine, a situation that many delegates have become increasingly frustrated with.

With little financial expertise in the organisation and little impetus to use conference time to discuss these issues, the NUS—ears closed to the advice of professional outsiders—is now facing ruin. Thankfully, pressure from 36 individual students’ union members— not least a bellicose Imperial College Union—has this week brought about an extraordinary conference that has gone as far as ever before to creating a modern and effective NUS for students of today.

A “small but vocal group of Socialist Worker supporters” has previously been identified by the NUS executive as the

major barrier to reform. Changes such as increasing mature, post-graduate and part-time student representation have been seen as an apparent challenge to their hegemony and desire to discuss the wider issues affecting our world.

Moreover, plans to create a streamlined, committee-based approach to policy making—with the inclusion of advice from external experts in finance and the law—have drawn accusations of removing power from conference.

However, the seeking of qualified advice and the move towards an efficient—if a little less compelling—conference must be seen as progress. The 36 unions who have united to propose such policies must be praised for their actions.

With the further extraordinary conference required to fully ratify reforms due to be called in January, it is hoped that any further procrastination on this matter can be avoided and the annual conference of 2009 will not represent a wasted opportunity.

The Wednesday Poem:

List 2008 by Aaron Chandler

ACROSS

DOWN

6

Imaginary account (7)

7

US state, voted Republican (5)

8

Persian king (4)

1 2 3

9

Framework for mattress and linen (8)

11 US state, voted Democrat (12) 13 US state, voted Republican (4,8)

life drove past me today. i had pulled over at a farmers’ market or a roadside stand, smelling roses and such or eating bratwurst. i can’t remember exactly.

but i saw him roll by. he waved as he flew past. i didn’t realize it was him at first until i saw the populated back seat; then i recognized him.

didn’t know how to react when they saw me standing there with a dying rose and a half-eaten pork sandwich in my hand.

16 Fishing device – Learnt it

he was chaufferring a carload of people i used to know. they were smiling and laughing, but

The Wednesday Poem is provided by Read This Magazine www.readthismagazine.co.uk

19 US state, voted Democrat (7)

(anag.) (5,3) 17 Sworn declaration (4) 18 US state, voted Democrat (5)

4 5 10 12 14 15 17

Chess piece (6) US state, voted Republican (4) Chemical reaction producing heat (10) Hold back (8) US state, voted Democrat (6) Sending another as representative (10) Substance required for growth (8) Aural secretion (6) Turn up (6) US state, voted Democrat (4)

GET lAST iSSuE’S SOluTiONS ONliNE AT WWW.JOuRNAl-ONliNE.CO.uk

Profile 23

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

The gitmo redemption Former guantanamo Bay chaplain James Yee was staggered by the abuse he encountered during his time in Cuba. But the situation looks set to change, he tells Nazry Bahrawi

Nazry Bahrawi profile@journal-online.co.uk

T

Tom HunT

o Tread amoNg the “worst” of us can bring out the worst in us. or so learnt James Yusuf Yee when he saw a cell door at guantanamo Bay detention centre suddenly creak open some 20 yards away during one of his daily rounds at a prison block as resident muslim chaplain. drilled to think that these were hardcore terrorists who would slit his throat at any given chance, Yee froze in his tracks.

Then, an unexpected thing happened. a head peered out, and a fleeting moment later, a limping man came out shouting: “Yusuf! go get the guard. He forgot to lock my cell.

If he doesn’t come and lock my cell, that guard is going to get himself in a world of trouble.” The detainee limped back in. The negligent guard locked the door. What should have been a life threatening situation was concluded uneventfully in mere moments.

This powerful episode was among several to have left Yee questioning not just his assumptions about the enemy, but also the morality of the american operation at guantanamo. “To me, these guys were all terrorists. That guy could have attacked me and slit my throat,” says the 40-year-old third generation american Chinese muslim convert in a sarcastic sneer. “But that was not what happened.”

His hitherto set views of the good and bad guys became even more challenged in another incident. Yee recounts how a different detainee who, after walking out of a cell that was again accidentally unlocked, tried to trap unsuspecting guards conducting a search in an adjacent cell. But he was quickly overpowered. after he was cuffed, a guard kept beating that detainee’s head with a metal military radio unit until his colleagues had to pull him off the person. That detainee had to be taken to an infirmary for treatment.

Talking of his experiences during the ten months between 2002 and 2003 when he was at gitmo, Yee’s narratives are captivating. But such brazen accounts of life inside gitmo could never have reached the public’s ears just five years back. In 2002, when “gitmo” was first used to hold muslim detainees, it was sold to the world as a place where prisoners were treated humanely, says Yee. Visitors would be shown to an empty cell whose floors had been mopped and waxed to the point that it shone. Within reach of the bed are a sink and an in-ground toilet so answering Nature’s call is hardly a chore. This was the almost picturesque view of “Hotel guantanamo.”

But the reality is far from this, says Yee. at Camp delta where he

was stationed, detainees were only allowed a 15-minute recreation time—time which also included a shower—every four to five days. But he was most unnerved by accounts of religious abuses. Yee recounts that he learnt muslim prisoners were forced to prostrate themselves in the centre of a pentagram drawn on the floor as they would in prayer. The interrogator would then scream at them: “Satan is your god now.” even more horrifying, guantanamo Bay was not just home to adult detainees – there were also juveniles aged between 15 and 18 years, as well as minors between 12 and 14 years. But while the latter group was housed in a specific camp called Camp Iguana—an apartmentlike facility with guards—and were even accorded education, they were not free from being interrogated. “Their being there was wrong. Being subjected to interrogation by military psychologists is also very wrong,” Yee laments.

Yee himself suffered a similar traumatic experience. although he had earned official praise for his work in gitmo, Yee was arrested in 2003 for allegedly possessing classified documents. Levelled with charges of capital offences such as aiding the enemy, Yee spent 76 days in solitary confinement at a US Naval Brig in South Carolina. But these charges were later dropped in march 2004 on the pretext that releasing evidence would put US national security at risk. So he found himself reinstated, but decided to leave the US military with an honourable discharge a month later, preferring instead to conduct talks about his gitmo experience.

Some four years—and four suicides—later, the number of detainees at gitmo has come down to about 250 from 650 when he was chaplain there. In his first interview since being elected, US presidentelect obama revealed that there are a dozen juvenile detainees still being held at gitmo.

But Yee is working hard to campaign for its closure. So, after being elected a democrat delegate for the state of Washington, he cast a nominating ballot in favour of then democrat nominee, Barack obama, over Hillary Clinton. “obama was the only candidate who was saying: ‘I am going to close guantanamo,’” says Yee. “He was himself also a constitutional law expert who taught the subject.”

The way things are going, Yee believes he may not be disappointed. obama has already directed his attorneys to work out how such a closure might be possible. But to put added pressure, Yee still plans to join a group of human rights advocates who are holding a 100day nightly vigil come 20 January next year when obama takes office.

Just to make sure.

24 Feature

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

The unfolding tragedy

as rebel leader laurent Nkunda continues to wreak devastation in the democratic republic of Congo, the world should do more than just watch Thomas Turner tom.turner@journal-online.co.uk

G

eNeral laureNt NkuNda staged a rally on Saturday in the town of rutshuru, not far from his reported birthplace in eastern Congo.

“We’ve not come here to fight you. do not be afraid of me,” Nkunda told around 3,000 local people, mainly men, sheltering from the tropical sun under a sea of umbrellas at a football ground in the captured town. “If you want to be ruled by strangers, refuse us. If you want to be ruled by your children, accept us,” he told the crowd from behind a table decorated with pink plastic flowers.

Nkunda’s men had advanced to the outskirts of Goma, capital of North kivu province, at the end of October. He declared a unilateral cease-fire, which he then proceeded to break, moving north to capture rutshuru.

Once again, the eastern democratic republic of Congo is in the grip of war. as in previous years, the conflict has local, national and international dimensions.

Once again, the main victims of the fighting are civilians, in particular women, children and the elderly. Once again, all or most contending forces are recruiting child soldiers. and once again, all the parties to the conflict seem to be misrepresenting their motivations and actions. according to many journalistic accounts, the latest round of fighting pits the forces led by “rebel” tutsi General Nkunda against the army of the democratic republic of Congo (FardC) and allied militias. Nkunda is said to be defending his community, the Congolese tutsi, who are excluded from power in the Congolese government and army. this claim generally goes unchallenged.

What journalists do not mention is that the tutsi of North kivu province comprise a few hundred thousand people, out of a total Congolese population of perhaps 60 million. Since they constitute a tiny minority, their rightful share of power in national institutions would be correspondingly small. twice before, in 1996 and 1998, tutsi of North kivu and of South kivu, backed by the armed forces of neighbouring rwanda, uganda and Burundi, attempted to seize power on the national level. Nkunda-led forces committed massive human rights abuses in 2002 and 2004. tutsi behavior, on those occasions, reinforced anti-tutsi sentiments on the part of other Congolese. these days, Nkunda presents himself as president of the CNdP (National Congress for the defence of the People) and advocates a broader program. the CNdP has criticised the kinshasa government’s agreement with China to grant mineral rights in exchange for a large loan. It has gone so far as to advocate the overthrow of the current government, headed by Joseph kabila. the CNd’s motives seem confused; if Nkunda really was interested in defending the tutsi of North kivu, might it not be preferable to cultivate good relations with neighbouring communities in the province, rather than taking up arms to fight them?

Some knowledgeable observers suggest that Nkunda does not really aim at defence of the tutsi community as a whole, but rather at protecting the interests of tutsi businessmen in Goma.

Nkunda has denied involvement with the extraction and marketing of minerals, claiming that the area he controls is agricultural – but the CNdP’s expressed concern over the Chinese minerals deal gives the game away. In North kivu various mines are controlled by the CNdP, the Fdlr, one or another Mai Mai militia, or by units of the national army. these armed groups must defend their own mines from rival predators, and sometimes attempt to wrest control of a mine from these rivals. Since the various groups are largely composed of members of a single ethnic community, these struggles are “ethnic” or “tribal” in a sense, but describing them in this manner conceals the central role of the greed for mineral wealth.

Many Congolese consider Nkunda an agent of the rwandan state. While he was probably born in North kivu, he once was an officer in the rwandan army and it is unclear whether he ever resigned his commission. Having joined the rwandan Patriotic Front (rPF), which was struggling to overthrow the Hutu extremist regime in kigali, Nkunda was one of a large number of Congolese tutsi who returned with the rPF. there have been persistent reports that his men include active members of the rwandan defence forces. President Paul kagame of rwanda denies involvement in the current fighting – but there can be little doubt that rwanda continues to back Nkunda.

Nkunda has exposed the weakness of the central Congolese government headed by Joseph kabila, who now has little choice but to negotiate with Nkunda or at least to pretend to do so. Yet it is difficult to see how kabila or maintain even a share of power if he appeared to compromise with the man his government has indicted as a war criminal. as for Nkunda, his ambitions seem to exceed his capabilities. Has he forgotten that tutsi fighters and politicians reached kinshasa in 1996 and 1998 only with the help of the armies of rwanda and uganda?

In the meantime, the united Nations Security Council has approved an additional force of 3,100 men, to augment MONuC and hopefully to strengthen its backbone. Nkunda has denounced this decision. the uN has suggested it might take two months before the additional force would arrive on the ground. this would be far too slow to save the lives of the many thousands of people who have fled their homes to escape from the violence.

Perhaps the european union could send men sooner, to ensure that food and other humanitarian assistance reach these people before it is too late.

Thomas Turner is a professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, and is the country specialist on DR Congo for Amnesty International USA

the conflict in dr Congo

17,000

uN peacekeepers in dr Congo

2.3m

area of dr Congo in km2, roughly the same size as western europe

5.4m

deaths since 1998 as a result of fighting

45,000

fatalities per month due to violence, disease and malnutrition

$15

annual per-capita health care spend, the world's lowest

Feature 25

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

of the Congo

PhoTos: Julian Harneis

A look at the Congo's history is vital to an understanding of the present situation – and to any hope for future peace Jeanne Haskin jeanne.haskin@journal-online.co.uk

T

his is NoT the first time in the Congo’s history that fighting amongst splinter groups has forced millions to flee in search of safety. such factionalism first occurred when the Congo declared itself independent of Belgium in 1960. Emerging from the chains of colonialism, which had brought slavery, death, and despair to many millions of Congolese, the Congo was then led to independence by two outstanding leaders, Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba and President Joseph Kasavubu. hopes of a peaceful start to independence were dashed when Moise Tshombe, another political contender, seized control of the diamond-rich province of Katanga and declared himself a secessionist, with the military backing of Belgium. These divisions led to the presence of the first UN force, whose goal was to expel the Belgians, pacify the factions, and unite them in a federal system.

This took place in an era when the infiltration of communism was greatly feared by the West, such that Lumumba’s request for help from the Us was redirected to the United Nations. But against the wishes of the UN, which desired a position of neutrality, Lumumba continued to press for a forceful resolution to the problem of secession, and this eventually led him to embrace soviet assistance. Although the intervention of the soviets was small in scale and ambition, it did lead to the targeting of Lumumba for assassination under Kasavubu’s administration. in and around this time, the leadership of Kasavubu was overthrown twice by Colonel Mobutu sese

seko, with the second coup leading to the establishment of a military dictatorship. This lasted for three full decades, during which Mobutu himself pillaged the country and committed atrocities against the population.

Mobutu was still in power in 1994 when Rwanda erupted in violence of genocidal proportions, and, indeed, he welcomed the hutu offenders when they ultimately fled Rwanda and, in the process, incited violence against the native Congolese Tutsis.

By the time that Laurent Kabila succeeded in overthrowing Mobutu in 1997, the people of the Congo had made sustained but unfruitful efforts to push Mobutu toward democratic reforms via channels of peaceful dissent. once the West no longer needed Congo as a bastion against potential communist infiltration, Mobutu was allowed to fall from power, fleeing the country and dying in exile in Morocco. soon after Kabila came to power, there followed the second UN intervention in the history of the Congo, as UN mediators tried to move the parties toward peace with the negotiation and signing of the historic Lusaka Accord. But while the Accord was still in progress, Kabila was assassinated and succeeded as president by his son Joseph.

President Joseph Kabila immediately committed himself to genuine democratic reform to achieve an overarching framework for the implementation of peace. The Congo adopted a new constitution in 2005 and held presidential elections in 2006, which confirmed Joseph Kabila as the president of the country.

The problem today is not that the leadership does not desire peace, nor that it is unwilling to bend to the popular will of the people.

The issue that remains is that the Democratic Republic of Congo was

“Mobutu was still in power in 1994 when Rwanda erupted in violence of genocidal proportions, and, indeed, he welcomed the hutu offenders when they ultimately fled Rwanda”

nearly bankrupted by the pillaging of Mobutu, who allowed the rape of the country’s natural resources during the entire time that he was in office. once Mobutu further allowed the introduction of ethnic strife by inviting the hutu genocidaires to take up residence in Zaire after the slaughter in Rwanda, thus placing them in opposition to the native Congolese Tutsis, the stage was set for those divisions which still persist today, particularly after Laurent Kabila turned against his allies.

These things in tandem, the making and breaking of allies combined with the abysmal poverty of the people, have persisted to make it extremely difficult for the government to impose peace from above. The government cannot offer any genuine economic incentive for the persistently fighting factions to give up their arms and disband, nor can it quell the strife that has arisen from so much death and destruction. As long as the fighting continues with concomitant levels of rape, looting, and pillage, it will be unable to persuade fighters that giving up the battle would be to their economic advantage, nor can it stop the vengeance cycle.

There is hope that American president-elect Barack obama, who sponsored a bill in the senate in December 2005 that appropriated $52 million each year for bilateral aid to the Congo, will endeavour to end the war in the Congo – just as he has promised to do in iraq. obama stands out as one of the first to commit to the region, and it is true that the notion of “national security” has now expanded to include the prevention of egregious human rights violations. But when we contrast President obama’s

commitment to the influence of China, we can see that some countries are less concerned with ending human rights violations than they are with managing economic affairs to the mutual benefit of their countries.

China has become the Congo’s third largest trading partner, offering to construct infrastructure in exchange for national resources, but its traditional non-involvement and hands-off approach to internal affairs suggest that it will do nothing to promote a resolution to the fighting.

Although China’s stance is not at odds with the UN charter, which holds that internal affairs are a private matter for each individual country, it is this sort of thinking which has allowed it to do business with extraordinarily repressive African regimes and even aid them in maintaining their hold on power so that violence continues. in the absence of a new interpretation of the charter, it will be difficult for world leaders to argue that intervention in internal affairs can be initiated and sustained in the interest of promoting peace.

But intervention is what is needed in this day and age, when threats to international peace and stability stem more from the potential for national implosion than from the expansion of a conflict across national borders.

For the Congo, the time to debate these issues is certainly already here.

World leaders of today must use all of their powers of persuasion to ensure that the biggest conflagration since World War ii will finally have an ending.

Jeanne M Haskin is the author of The Tragic State of Congo: From Decolonization to Dictatorship (Algora, 2005)

26 Arts & Entertainment interview

Death Cab for Cutie their oC days safely behind them, Jacqui Kavanagh discovers why Death Cab for Cutie are happy to take things slowly

Despite kNoWiNg the words to nearly all of their songs, i realise as i head over to their Corn exchange dressing room, that i’d be hard pressed to pick most of Death Cab for Cutie’s members out of an identity parade. Yet as bassist Nicholas harmer explains, this anonymity is all part of the Death Cab plan. “Well, that has always been a backbone of what we have done. i mean that was a central philosophy for my favourite bands growing up like pavement, Modest Mouse and Fugazi – that you are the same person on stage as you are off stage. to be called a rockstar is an insult, absolutely and 100 per cent. i will read interviews every once in a while with musicians who refer to themselves as rockstars who say: “ever since i was a kid i wanted to be a rockstar. And i’m just thinking, you’re a douche, why would you ever want to say that? Who wants to be a sleazy, scummy…” he trails off but the sentiment is clear. sitting on the couch, heavily bearded and shorter than i had imagined, harmer has certainly done a fine job of avoiding the rockstar image. he presents himself as a down-to-earth individual who happens to make a living playing Billboard chart-topping music. But if Death Cab are so keen to avoid the main stage, rockstar image, there are a few things that need explaining. First of all, how does a multi-million selling band keep its indie roots after a move to major label Atlantic?

“When we started we were really proud to be with a true independent label in seattle,” says harmer. “You have control over your music, and the whole band experience has zero corporate influence. We have learned pretty quickly it gets very tricky to keep your

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

business wholly independent.” it’s hard to see how Death Cab can consider themselves “independent,” i suggest, after appearing on questionable teen drama the oC. “Listen, there is a reason we are still a band and that’s not still a show. the show itself was crap, we were never going to stand by the quality of that programme. But the one thing i will stand by every time is that, at the time, television shows weren’t taking any risks with discovering new bands. that show went out on a limb for a lot

of new indie bands that would never, ever have otherwise gotten played to such a huge audience.” so reserved is Death Cab’s rockstar status, claims harmer, that even their stalkers are down-to-earth.

“You always hear that bands on the road have all these opportunities for sex, but the kind of music we make doesn’t really go in for posturing and all that stuff. so we get the chicks that are convinced they are going to get married to one of us. We haven’t had any boiling of bunnies in pots yet.” he

theatre

Music

Don’t Switch It Off

The Black Keys



Burning hot blues with electrified sexuality

Dark, topical, sensitive student theatre

BeDLAM theAtre 12–13 NoveMBer Anna Fenton

anna.fenton@journal-online.co.uk



the CYNiC Might expect a play supported by the edinburgh University english Literature Department to exhibit high levels of solipsism and pretension. instead, this bold piece of new writing is surely one of the most professional, sensitive, and entertaining plays to grace the Bedlam stage in some time. oscillating between a confined kitchen setting and a fantasy island, Don’t Switch It Off muses upon the grand issues of relationships, death, loss and grief. Fred gordon’s weighty script deals with some of the larger complexities of life with skill, keeping them tangible and relevant to today’s troubled political climate; for example the soldiers trapped on the mysterious desert island have previously been serving on the front line in Afghanistan. the narrative—Lost-like in its convolutions—keeps the audience guessing throughout: where is this island, how did the soldiers get there – and who is this strange philips character who talks to himself?

the divided set is skilfully worked; the cramped, tense kitchen making an excellent contrast to the tropical sandpit, whilst the ‘death box’ in the centre is suitably unnerving. there are impressive and affective performances all round, particularly evident in the troubled relationship between Laura (olivia okell), and hugh (ed sheridan), whose uneasy chemistry well dramatises the couple’s problems. the dark comic relief in the form of Briggs (stephen graham) is also noteworthy; his farcical authority, profuse obscenities and frustrated suicide attempts induce much laughter. the only part of the production that is less than skilfully executed is the ending. As the audience had already grasped the symbolic position of the desert island, Laura’s final soliloquy seems a little clumsy and unnecessary, especially in contrast to the otherwise delicately crafted, intuitive script. overall, however, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable, perceptive performance, impressively realised by all involved.

QUeeN’s hALL 16 NoveMBer Jacqui Kavanagh

jacqui.kavanagh@journal-online.co.uk

pauses wistfully. “Although this type of thing is much less likely to happen to the bass player in the band…” especially if the band in question is Death Cab for Cutie.

After the show, i can see where harmer finds the confidence to dismantle the rockstar image. All the arrogance and self-assurance that Death Cab will ever need is safely stored in the heavy bass lines and sinister lyrics of their epic sounding, self-indulgent and weighty new album, Narrow Stairs.

ANY oNe Who claims they don’t immediately think of sex listening to the the Black keys is lying. i don’t smoke and i needed a cigarette after the show. the Black keys in the Queen’s hall was like the one night stand you don’t regret. this music has the epic detonation that could fill an arena but it is the gritty sensuality and frenetic out and out rock and roll that makes it feel built for packed and smoky bar rooms with sweaty walls. the almost floor level stage of the Queen’s hall did the trick nicely; the place was trembling under the first dirty Americana riffs of ‘Your touch’ which poured the pulsing crowd over the pitiful stage barrier. From the utter minimalism of the stage—a drum kit and electric telecaster w/ DiMarzio—it is overwhelming to comprehend how two men can make so much noise. there were genuine glimpses of real audience/performer connection – a subtle suggestion that this crowd may have been slightly more raucous than those further south in the bigger venues. the energy this crowd were exuding was being channelled right into the keys’ intensity. performances like this are few and far between; it has the balls of heavy rock and the swaggering depth of the deepest blues. When Auerbach suggests maybe we should ‘slow it down to give the guys at the front a break’ what transpired were songs that seemed positively pornographic in their controlled and commanding power. Urgent and seductive, howling but sensual, the duo took us through a cover of Captain Beefheart’s ‘i’m glad’ to the phenomenal ‘girl is on my Mind’. the set moved fluidly back to ripping riffs and angry drums with ‘psychotic girl’ and ‘strange times’. the delivery of burning hot blues with electrified sexuality was executed with unbelievable synchronicity. this achingly authentic performance made a welcome change from the usual indie fayre; the Black key’s produced a showcase of gritty music to sweat to, to press up against people and swing your dirty, sweaty hair to.

Arts & Entertainment 27

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

music

Mr Scruff  the liqUiD room 20 NovemBer Alexandra Randall

alexandra.randall@journal-online.co.uk

With love from manchester, mr.

Scruff rolls into edinburgh to hit us with his somewhat cringeworthy “potato style.”

When Scruff performs, he not only DJs but does an all-out takeover of the club that stops just short of refurbishment. in order to recreate the atmosphere and variety of his ‘Keep it Unreal’ night at the manchester music Box, out come the cartoon video projections, the plethora of merchandise, and more records than you could shake a cup of tea at. educated by local 1980s Northern soul and dance stations, Scruff (Andy Carthy) continued adding to his knowledge of hip-hop, house, and

soul by spending all his Kwik Save shop wages on funk, reggae, jazz and world music. What has resulted is a massive record collection, a number of manchester residences, and an eventual introduction into the Ninja tune fold via deck battles with DJ food. throughout his set, monsieur S stays true to his conception of what good DJ sets should be – musically and technically flawless. the night begins with a somewhat dull progression and a mellow crowd, lulled into a contented rhythm by what could have been a lounge mix for a city bar. Slowly, we were taken into deeper hip-hop and soul territory,

Gerhard Richter

which shifted seamlessly back and forth between afro-beat and sculpted, heavy melodic baselines. the night gained intensity as Scruff started to incorporate some singles from his new album, Ninja tuna (fish references are a given in any of his albums) and brought back a few old Scruff favourites.

Across all genres and eras, the set introduced us to esoteric records each chosen at precisely the right moment. And if timing is everything, mr.Scruff deserves credit playing for six hours without letting the show drop once; the musical layers perfectly stitched, the energy masterfully preserved.

National Gallery Complex The Mound, Edinburgh 8 Nov 2008 to 4 Jan 2009

For tickets and information visit www.nationalgalleries.org £6/£4 Under 22s free Media partner: The Scotsman

One of the most important artists of our time

Gerhard Richter, Kerze, 1982 © Gerhard Richter Photo: Frieder Burda Collection, Baden-Baden

National Galleries of Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland (No. SC003728)

music Edinburgh University Chamber Orchestra

 reiD CoNCert hAll 16 NovemBer Evan Beswick

evan@journal-online.co.uk

there’S pleNty to be gained by hiring a soloist from outside the ensemble ranks – the gravitas and experience of a professional leader ought to pull any amateur concerto at least some way towards concert-hall levels of musical proficiency. But, then again, it’s also a path beset with pitfalls – particularly where rehearsal time with the soloist is limited. that’s the case here: because, in truth eUCo’s Beethoven needs no professional to lend maturity to what is an extremely accomplished ensemble performance.

Astutely navigating the concerto’s late classical developments and harmonic explorations, under David Watkin’s baton the chamber orchestra are sensitive not just to the delicacy required in a concerto, but also to the combative exchanges Beethoven brings to the form, heralded by the work’s opening timpani strokes. the fact that soloist peter hanson hasn’t memorised the part isn’t problematic in itself: reputedly, franz Clement begrudgingly sightread the piece at the premiere. But one can’t help but feel that hanson is unprepared for some of the work’s more demanding passages. Sure, he squeezes all of the right notes in, but the arpeggios which carry Beethoven’s harmonic invention gasp towards the end of each bar, rather than providing shape and structure to the long phrases. it’s a shame: the serene second movement shows how deliciously lyrical hanson can be given a little space. the second half, Brahms’s fourth symphony, is a smart piece of programming – Brahms four is dense with allusions to Beethoven. And the symphony is almost everything it ought to be. the first movement’s lush textures are beautifully defined and contrasted; the classicalinspired fireworks of the third are a great deal of fun; the accumulating layers of the fourth are tumultuous rather than anarchistic.

But this symphony is heavily weighted towards the second movement, wherein Brahms deals with the lion’s share of gravity. indeed, in some ways the textural games played in the first movement serve as a prologue to the complex but precise thematic developments in the second; the merriment to be had in the scherzo cleverly gives Brahms more leeway in the second to demand absolute concentration for players and orchestra.

So, the second fixates upon a four-note pattern, thrashing it against a series of textural, tonal and structural devices— some extravagant and alluring, others brash and aggressive—but from which the theme always escapes, usually in the horns, unscathed and triumphant.

But Watkins’ tempi here feel just a little slow. rather than striding through Brahms’s meticulous trials, the theme limps out thick with musical baggage. it’s a reading which turns the performance on its head: the movement becomes more about the restrictive musical structures than the transcendent power of its central theme. But, then again, eUCo’s is a performance with enough substance to be wrestled into a particular outcome – however much this reviewer might moan about any particular reading.

28 Arts & Entertainment

on the horizon ArT

FrIghTened raBBIT

Charles avery: The Islanders

Scottish indie collective fresh from tour with Death Cab for Cutie and gearing up for another with biffy Clyro. Head along for new single ‘I Feel better’ and stay for foot-stomping ‘old old Fashioned’.

Modern Art Gallery, 29 Nov - 15 Feb an exhibition of drawings, paintings, sculpture and text for the introduction of The Islanders, a work-in-progress project describing a vision of an imaginary island.

FIlmsTrIps Filmhouse Cafe, 5 Nov - 5 Dec, free Multi-media exhibition by third and fourth-year students of drawing and painting at edinburgh College of art; works on paper responding to various different films.

sTanley BrInks, Ish marquez, WIThered hand Henry’s Cellar Bar, 28 November, £4 Intimate late-night antifolk performance.

Stanley brinks (the persona of berlinbased songwriter andre Herman Dune from folkrock band Herman Dune) and Ish Marquez, key player on the NyC underground music community are joined by David beauchamp, drummer from the Jeffrey Lewis band.

Folklore

ThEATrE

Music

Y’All Is Fantasy Island 

oTTer pIe Traverse Theatre 26-29 November, £13/£5 tongue-in-cheek re-interpretation of Grassic Gibbon’s seminal Scottish novel Sunset Song. a darkly humorous exploration of the pursuit of Scottishness and happiness in the 21st century from acclaimed young Glasgow theatre company Fish & Game.

Local boys need to find some self-belief

The oresTeIa Adam House 27-29 November theatre Paradok returns triumphant from its first foray into the Fringe with its biggest and boldest production to date, aeschylus’ epic trilogy The Oresteia, with all three dark tales combined and updated. a story that has thrilled audiences from ancient Greece to the modern day.

SNeaky Pete’S

The Bongo Club, 6 December

Bedlam Freshers’ sloTs

Fundraising night for reNeW, a charity empowering women to leave prostitution in the Phillipines, with local indie folk groups like I Said yes, Stars of Sunday League and Jo Mango

Bedlam Theatre 26 November

14 NoveMber

three short plays directed, produced, stage managed and teched entirely by the freshers of 2008.

Jennifer Johnson

jennifer.johnson@journal-online.co.uk

Alec Bruce

MusIc

The Liquid Room, 9 December, £9

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

aLreaDy tHree aLbuMS deep, it’s a wonder that y’all is Fantasy Island haven’t yet escaped the Cowgate for bigger and better things. the band shuffle on stage while singer adam Stafford busies himself with channelling his distinctive brand of adrenalin and enthusiasm. there is a significant level of variety in their set, perhaps too much. Many of the songs take nudges from such a huge line up of genres that the overall effect becomes slightly dizzying and unfocused.

‘With Handclaps’ was always going to be the stand out climax. but in truth, much of the enthusiasm seems to stem from relief at being able to recognize a concrete moment in the set.

theatre

art

An Ideal husband

Gerhard richter





Wilde’s biting wit proves as provacative as ever

Stunning exhibition from perhaps the greatest living painter

kING’S tHeatre 10-15 NoveMber Anna Fenton

anna.fenton@journal-online.co.uk

INto LoNDoN’S HIGH society comes a mysterious woman, taking the name of Mrs Chevely (kate o’Mara). a selfprofessed dealer in politics, her sole aim is to promote her self-interests through theft and blackmail of the noble Sir robert Chiltern (Paul aves).

Sir Chiltern is eager to save both his public and private reputation and preserve the love of his idealistic wife.

Luckily, Mrs Chevely has not counted upon the intelligence and skill of his best friend, “the idlest man in London”, Lord Goring (robert Duncan)…

An Ideal Husband combines oscar Wilde’s characteristic sharp wit with a probing insight into image, love and society. Here, the pace is thoughtfully slow and the acting understated, with characters taking time to deploy their witty lines in-between moments of drama and tension. attention is easily devoted to the stage and characters, opulently bedecked in victoriana – a style that allows Wilde’s intentions to be unobscured.

the dragon-like matriarchs typical of Wilde’s plays command the most attention; o’Mara and Fenella Fielding (playing Lady Markby) dominate the stage with grand costumes and delightfully deadpan deliveries, with only the simultaneous subtlety and extravagance of Lord Goring competing for the audiences affections. the more sensitive issues of the play are handled well by the Chilterns, who display a whole range of emotions as they continually conflict and resolve. both come across strongly and favourably as characters with clear goals, frustratingly hindered and forced into agonising compromises; their feelings for each other are conveyed elegantly.

With the pace sedate and the setting traditional, An Ideal Husband revisits a lost era of theatre. However, refusing to be limited by the conventions of the past, this production emerges as provocative and engaging as any contemporary piece.

QueeN’S HaLL 16 NoveMber Michael Grotell

michael.grotell@journal-online.co.uk

unlike so much else out there in the dense jungle of Scottish indie rock, this is a band producing live music with texture, a certain roughness and weight that sets them apart. but while Stafford ably fills the frontman role, the rest of the band lack the charisma and presence that can drag an indie band out of obscurity.

If they are planning on pinching the dance floor from under the feet of their contemporaries, Fantasy Island are going to have to step up on the personality front. While there is something to be said for a modest band, right now it’s all just a little too nice. these guys should have more belief in the quality of the music they’re producing, and show it.

GazING oN a Gerhard richter canvas, one feels like a child gazing from the window on that first aeroplane flight – a feeling derived both from the sublime sight itself, and the curious circumstances upon which it is predicated. If it is overwhelming to view one of richter’s recent oversized abstract paintings, it is an absolute sensory overload to be in a room surrounded by them. even with so much action, each is a unified image, radiating to such an extent that the viewer is led to ask if this is paint. the artist has developed his exceptional ability for composition and style over his career, now in its fifth decade, by experimenting and absorbing new techniques, with the dialogue between his abstract and formal work serving to inform and advance. a recent large-scale painting, based on a photograph of the ripples in milk caused by a specific frequency, validates the vital reality richter’s works take on to themselves; no matter how abstract or manipulated the image, the viewer believes that somewhere, on some scale, it is happening. richter is a singular artist and arguably the greatest living painter, a status won through the breadth and unwavering quality of his works.

His output has declined as he dedicates more time to the oversight of exhibitions, including this one. the works on display come exclusively from private collections, including richter’s own, and some may never be seen again. this is the first retrospective of his works in britain in over fifteen years, and the first ever in Scotland. richter’s works fetch enormous prices in the art market; if there isn’t a saleable Damien Hirst outliving its shock value in the sitting room, get to the National Gallery complex immediately.

Eating & Drinking 29

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Outmanoeuvring the supermarket forces It’s worth stepping away from convenience to check out Edinburgh’s independent retailers Jack Serle jack.serle@journal-online.co.uk

J

AMIE AND VALENTINE are at it. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is at it all alone in Dorset. Delia has been at it for years. Seasonable, locally produced, quality food is very much in fashion right now. The backlash against the supermarkets is on.

Edinburgh has more than its fair share of these warehouses of convenience. Dotted amongst the pubs of Old Town and the boutiques of New Town, however, a few independent warriors fight against the giants.

Pedestrians on Roseneath Street, Marchmont’s shopping epicentre, can be seen dodging the sumptuous array of both exotic and locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables that spill out from independent greengrocer Fresh Fruit Connection. Inside, the shop is bright and colourful with bountiful shelves groaning under the weight of variety.

Under-ripe tomatoes and plastic bags of flaccid salad leaves are not to be found here.

Impeccably placed next door is Eddie’s Seafood Market, famous across Edinburgh as much for the quality of the fish as the occasional presence of a whole dead shark on the floor of the shop. The dubious ethics of such practice aside, this wholesaler and retailer has supplied the restaurants and residents of Edinburgh with the finest, freshest fish the East and West coasts of Scotland can provide. A shellfish and crustacean specialist, muscles and sea urchins nestle in the ice next to delicious crabs and giant tiger prawns. For the most part, Eddie’s sells fish landed in that morning by Scottish fisherman, with a few foreign exotics for good measure. The on-site smoke house produces a delicious, light and sweet salmon, a far cry from the slimy and chewy fish found vac-packed in a typical supermarket fridge.

Over on Broughton Street, three generations of the Crombie family have

been selling the finest cuts of meat for half a century, and the name has become synonymous with one thing: sausages.

With over forty types available, almost all having won some sort of award, the choice can be a little daunting. The range starts with the traditional butcher’s porker, encompasses regional and international speciality sausages and ends with the gourmet, specialist bangers. The fantastically named Lucifer’s Matchsticks are as fiery as they sound and the Toulouse is deliciously herby and course.

Prices vary from around £3.30 for five to around £4.20 for eight. Pricier than the supermarkets, no doubt – but the care and attention to correct preparation make for a bargain package.

A few doors up Broughton Street is the discreet front of Artisan Roast, which opened in August 2007 with the simple aim of improving the coffee drunk across Europe – starting with Edinburgh.

Co-owner Michael Wilson describes the “holy trinity of coffee” with the bright eye of a true believer, a zealot. He starts by buying the best green coffee beans there are, paying top money for the top quality he desires. The roasting process happens in-store, on the café floor, optimum roasting determined by his and his employees’ keen sense of smell. The final product, sold in bean form to over 20 of Edinburgh’s cafes and restaurants or in a cup in the Artisan Roast café, is possibly the finest you will find anywhere in the UK and is a testament to the passion, dedication and almost alarming adoration Michael and his staff have for coffee. Artisan coffee may strain the budget more than Starbucks, but for the true “caf-fiend”, once tasted, no other will suffice.

These four are just examples of the massive choice of superb independent retailers in Edinburgh. Shopping regularly from places such as these is a challenge for the busy individual – but try supplementing your usual shop with this quality, and pretty soon any reliance on the simple and convenient supermarkets will be broken.

News 3

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Financial backers get onboard with high-speed rail plan

Remy Pascal

scotland to london rail link comes one step closer as support is forthcoming from train operators Kevin Guyan kevin.guyan@journal.co.uk ProPosals for a high-speed rail link between scotland and England have been tabled at a meeting between members of the scottish Parliament (MsPs), local authorities, business groups and transport bodies.

MsPs have been advised as to the economic benefits of a rail link between london, Glasgow and Edinburgh – cutting the journey time from over 4 hours 30 minutes to around 2 hours 15 minutes.

Proponents claim that a high-speed rail link would bring economic benefits of more than £7 billion to the scottish economy. With construction costs of the line predicted at around £31 billion, it is believed the UK would enjoy a financial boost of over £60 billion.

In addition, a number of new jobs would be created by the project. The link, it is claimed, would also ensure that scotland remains a competitive international base, with Edinburgh and Glasgow connected by high-speed links to the European mainland.

In an address to the scottish Parliament transport committee, ron Hewitt, chief executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, explained the need for the rail link: “This is one of the ones you would say is a bit of a no-brainer.

I lived in france and saw the contribution the TGV makes to life in france.

It’s enormous, and I don’t mean just the social and cultural life, but also from a business point of view. That’s what we want and we’ve been denied it up to now.”

Gary Clark, head of policy and public affairs with the scottish Chamber of Commerce, supported Mr Hewitt’s optimism, seeing the project as being “a key step forward for the future”.

Mr Clark added: “at the moment we have a rail industry, a rail network which is at or near capacity, and unless we do something to improve that capacity, we will end up with a railway system designed”.

The plan has the support of the scottish National Party (sNP) government, with alex salmond agreeing to fund the scottish section of the project. The sNP hope that a high-speed rail link would tempt more European tourists north of the border, with ease of travel between Paris, london and scotland. The proposal would also help the scottish government meet their target of a 50 per

cent rise in tourism by 2015.

Conservative leader David Cameron has also backed the idea, stating that he will consider the plan if his party gain power at the next general election.

The environmental benefits of the scheme have also been raised with owen Kelly, chief executive of scottish financial Enterprise, who said that if journey times from Glasgow or Edinburgh to london could be cut to under three hours, people “would be mad to fly and nobody would do that. If we’re serious about competing internationally this is the kind of thing we’re going to have to do.”

The rail link, however, has not been endorsed by everyone. a report compiled for Transport scotland, an organisation consisting of environmental and transport bodies, challenges the need for the project and claims that there is in fact potential for climate damage.

The report highlights the possible rise in pollution tied to an increase in journeys across the country. The project’s potential to cut domestic flights is also challenged: high ticket prices, which would be needed to cover the high costs of the project, are predicted to prove an obstacle to any environmental benefits.

30 Sport

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Edinburgh’s football men see off Glasgow at Peffermill

Sport Results FooTBall

WoMEn’S HoCkEy

Scottish Conference Men’s 1a Zong Wang

Football

university of Edinburgh 5 Glasgow university 2

Scottish Conference Women’s 1a P W d L F a df Pt

P W d L F a df Pt

Stirling 1 Edinburgh 1 Glasgow 1 Heriot-Watt 1 Rob. Gord. 1

6 5 5 5 5

5 4 2 1 0

0 1 1 0 0

1 0 2 4 5

19 16 6 10 1

8 11 15 5 11 13 11 -5 7 12 -2 3 16 -15 0

Edinburgh 1 Glasgow 1 Strathclyde 1 Edinburgh 2 Glasgow Cal1

5 5 4 5 5

4 2 1 1 1

1 2 1 1 1

0 1 2 3 3

26 2 24 13

9 12 -3 8 5 9 -4 4 5 14 -9 4 6 14 -8 4

Tom Bristow RESulTS

tom.bristow@journal-online.co.uk EdiNburGh movEd a step closer to securing the prestigious Queens Park Shield for the first time in five seasons with an empathetic victory over rivals Glasgow.

Scott Fusco opened the scoring with a powerful free-kick from the edge of the area, as Edinburgh took control of the game.

The ever-impressive Jamie redman extended the home side’s lead with a break from central midfield in the 40th minute. Finding himself with only the keeper to beat, he remained composed and after his first attempt rebounded back off the post, slotted home into the empty net. despite Edinburgh’s attacking prowess, Glasgow were not lacking in a threatening presence up-front. however, the alert mark Tait rushed off his line to scupper the Glaswegian efforts as the first half drew to a close. hopes of a Glasgow fight-back were ignited shortly after the re-start, when a corner, swung in from the right-hand side, was blown by the near gale-force winds into Tait’s net leaving the Edinburgh defence helpless. The visitors’ spirits were revived, but the gap in quality and commitment between the two sides became evident as the match progressed. Two minutes later Edinburgh extended the scoreline to 3-1 courtesy of a corner which caused confusion in

19/11/08 Edinburgh 1 heriot-Watt 1

university of Edinburgh 19 university of St. andrew’s 11 John Geddie john.geddie@journal-online.co.uk EdiNburGh uNivErSiTyWErE buoyed on by their recent vein of form to record a 19-11 win over SuSa league strugglers St andrews.

The result comes on the back of three consecutive successes that have lifted the club from the drop zone in National one and put them back into contention for the Scottish universities League.

Early losses in the SuSa league to dundee and aberdeen were reminiscent of the lack of cohesion and direction the club demonstrated last season.

Furthermore, in National one, the university had failed to adopt the expansive style of rugby needed to compete at the top. however, the overarching problem over the past 15 months has been simply a failure to finish.

Luckily, November has provided somewhat of a turnaround for the capital side. after a decisive 34-16 home victory over aberdeen a fortnight ago, the club went on to gain important away points against Preston Lodge and dalziel in the National Leagues, before narrowly overcoming old rivals St andrews, a match which

19/11/08 Glasgow 1 Glasgow Cal 1

5 – 2 Glasgow 1 3 - 4 Stirling 1

FixTuRES robert Gordon 1 vs

the Glasgow defence. redman was on hand to fire home with a strong, low shot to the keeper’s right hand side, netting his second of the game. as the two sides continued to battle it out, the wind was visibly becoming an influential factor in the game, and the results of long balls, goal-kicks and corners were out of the players’ hands.

Consequently, Edinburgh avoided the temptation to play long balls to their imposing front men, Peder beck-Friis and Leon hughes, and played some impressive one touch football around their opponents. in the 54 minute this tactic proved fruitful, when beck-Friis found hughes on the right-hand side of the penalty area, before the striker wrapped up a fine move with a the game’s most impressive finish.

Glasgow pulled one back in 58th minute when Edinburgh’s defence could only partially clear a free-kick and a shot which took a rebound in the ensuing melee to ripple the back of Tait’s net.

Edinburgh’s response was immediate and saw beck-Friis combine well with hughes only to be fouled in the area when a goal looked imminent, leaving the referee with little choice but to signal a penalty. Fusco converted admirably, sending the keeper the wrong way and wrapping up the game for Edinburgh with half an hour still remaining.

The last 30 minutes produced little in the way of attractive football, with both sides assured of an Edinburgh victory. Substitute striker Cameron mckinnon came on after a long term injury to produce some eye-catching moves as Edinburgh appeared content to play out the game with neat passing but few threatening spells in attack.

Edinburgh’s impressive victory will see them take to the pitch in their next game, a top-of-the table clash against league-leaders Stirling, with confidence as they continue to fight for the number one spot in the Scottish Conference men’s 1a division.

displayed a new found sense of belief in the players, as well as the clinical nature of their finishing.

The opening exchanges were certainly marred by the blustery conditions, neither side really able to dominate possession with faltering line-outs at both ends.

The home side were able to put together the best move of the first half, demonstrating their willingness to get the ball to the wide areas. after a turnover, the ball was moved slickly through numerous pairs of hands allowing left wing rick Wright to scuttle down the touchline for the score. Fly half ian mcGhee’s long range conversion sailed over to give his side a seven-point lead.

St andrews responded by successfully converting two penalties and Edinburgh were left ruing their indiscipline at the breakdown.

Edinburgh rung the changes at half -time and quickly pushed further in front.

The surging runs of centre James Pang kept the St andrews midfield on their toes and his break early in the secondhalf resulted in a try for debutant scrum half John-Paul Stitchbury, beforemcGhee stepped up to add the extras from under the sticks. however, as the home side were beginning to gain the upper hand in possession and territory, St andrews capitalised on a series of unforced errors in the Edinburgh 22, resulting in a try for the visitors.

The try brought St andrews within

three points at 14-11, however, Edinburgh soon put the tie out of reach as the ever-present Pang found himself on the end of a well-worked overlap, putting a further five points on the scoreboard for the hosts. mcGhee couldn’t find his mark with the kick and the score match 19-11.

Edinburgh coach dale Lyon summed up the performance of his side, saying: “There are still many areas we can improve upon but we won the game simply through an overall belief in our abilities as individuals and in the team.”

1st Xv Captain Jamie doubleday added: ‘much of the success has to be accredited to the coaching staff we now have in place. dale has the experience of numerous seasons at the university and has been involved with a number of successful teams in the past. “in addition, new backs coach Luis arola has really been a revelation in developing the expansive nature of rugby we strive towards. Every player in the team knows the benefits of hard training and i am glad our efforts are starting to show.” in past seasons the term ‘Fortress Peffermill’, used to describe the university home ground, has always been tinged with a certain sense of irony. however, with the university clearly riding on a wave of recent triumphs, the players seem set on making the Fortress live up to is title, presenting a far more daunting prospect for visiting sides.

vs

Strathclyde 1

P W d L F a df Pt

3 2 2 2 3

1 1 1 1 0

2 1 0 0 1

0 0 1 1 2

4 3 5 4 3

2 2 6 4 5

2 1 -1 0 -2

5 4 3 3 1

RESulTS 12/11/08 Edinburgh 3 Edinburgh 2

vs

Edinburgh 1

vs vs

Glasgow Cal 1 Edinburgh 2

3/11/08

Stirling 1

Scottish Conference Men’s 2a Edinburgh 2 Strathclyde 1 aberdeen 1 Dundee 1 Edinburgh 3

Edinburgh 1 Edinburgh 2

26/11/08

heriot-Watt 1

3/12/08 Edinburgh 1

0-9 1-1

FixTuRES

26/11/08

university continue to ride wave of success with victory over St andrews Rugby

RESulTS

Edinburgh 1 Strathclyde 1

Scottish Conference Women’s 2a P W d L F a df Pt

aberdeen 1 Dundee 1 Heriot-Watt1 abertay 1 Rob Gordon 1

2 2 3 2 2 1 3 1 2 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 1 1 2 2

8 9 7 4 2

4 5 6 10 6

5-1

abertay 1

vs

dundee 1

4 5 1 -6 -4

6 6 3 3 0

RESulTS 1 – 2 dundee 1 0 - 0 Strathclyde 1

12/11/08 heriot-Watt 1

FixTuRES FixTuRES 3/12/08 dundee 1

vs

Edinburgh 2

3/12/08 heriot-Watt 1

MEn’S HoCkEy

RuGBy

Scottish Conference Men’s 1a P W d L F

Edinburgh 1 Heriot-Watt 1 Stirling1 aberdeen 1 Glasgow 1

6 7 7 6 6

5 4 3 2 1

0 0 1 0 1

1 3 3 4 4

a

Pt

22 13 9 19 18 1 24 21 3 16 25 -9 17 21 -4

15 12 10 6 4

Scottish Conference Men’s 1a aberdeen 1

5 4 0 1

Edinburgh 1 5 3 0 2

128

85 43 12

109 103

6

9

Stirling 1 5 3 0 2 152 79 73 9 Dundee 1 4 1 0 3 55 119 -64 3 St andews 1 3 0 0 3 25 83 -58 0

RESulTS RESulTS 12/11/08 heriot-Watt 19/11/08 Edinburgh 1 aberdeen 1

12/11/08 Edinburgh 1 19/11/08 Edinburgh 1

3-2

Stirling 1

7-4 2-4

Stirling 1 heriot-Watt 1

3/12/08 Edinburgh 1 vs

Edinburgh 1

vs vs

heriot-Watt 1 Glasgow 1

P W d L F a df Pt

2 2 2 2 2

2 2 1 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 1 2 2

7 7 6 2 1

1 2 4 5 11

6 5 2 -3 -10

6 6 3 0 0

RESulTS 12/11/08 Edinburgh 2

4-0

Stirling 1

2 3 2 3 2

2 2 2 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 1 0 3 2

30 19 66 41 60 15 34 87 26 54

11 6 25 6 45 6 -53 0 -28 0

RESulTS 12/11/08 heriot-Watt 1 19/11/08 St andrews 2

FixTuRES

Edinburgh 2

26/11/08 heriot-Watt 1 3/12/08 heriot-Watt 1

3/12/08 vs

Glasgow 1 Rob Gordon1 St andrews 2 Strathclyde 1 Heriot-Watt1

dundee 1

FixTuRES Strathclyde 1

vs

Scottish Conference Men’s 2a

Scottish Conference Men’s 2a Strathclyde 1 Edinburgh 2 Dundee 1 St andrews 1 abertay 1

19-11 St andrews 1

FixTuRES

FixTuRES 26/11/08 aberdeen 1 3/12/08 aberdeen 1 Edinburgh 1

36-19 aberdeen 1

16-30 rob Gordon 1 24-10 heriot-Watt 1

vs

Glasgow 1

vs

Strathclyde 1

Sport 31

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

SPORT

SHORTS SNIPPETS OF SPORTS NEWS AND EVENTS FROM THE LAST FORTNIGHT

Rugby: A modern-day colonial uprising Southern nations lead the pack as modern rugby continues to evolve

Graham Mackay

Deputy Editor

graham@journal-online.co.uk

T

HE 2003 RUGBY World Cup was really quite misleading.

With a single kick of the ball, Johnny Wilkinson was able to convince the world that a revolution had begun; for the first time in its history, the tournament had been won by a northern hemisphere side. Five years and one World Cup later, regular service has clearly been restored.

At a time when rugby finds itself in a transitional period following the advent of Experimental Law Variations (ELV), one may have been forgiven for thinking that the new changes might see the affirmed hierarchy shaken up a bit. However, if there is anything that this year’s Autumn tests have shown us, it’s that nations from the Southern hemisphere sides are quite simply better at playing the game.

This notion was summed up over the weekend when last year’s World Cup finalists came head-to-head at Twickenham. South Africa all but annihilated

England 42-6 in their own back yard.

Add to this the fact that the Tri-Nations sides are looking likely to finish their European tours undefeated, and the results speak for themselves.

As for the likes of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, encounters with their southern counterparts have produced outcomes which many a player and supporter will be eager to forget.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes the southern hemispheres sides outclass their northern opposition in virtually every aspect of modern rugby, but one would assume that coaching and preparations had a lot to do with it. Current Six Nations grand slam winners, Wales, have only beaten a southern hemisphere side on two occasions since professionalism in 1996.

Interestingly, these victories came in 1999 Against South Africa, when current All Blacks head coach, Graham Henry, was at the helm, and against the Wallabies in 2006, when former Australian assistant manager, Scott Johnson, held a senior coaching position.

But is this enough to support the theory that the coaching staff behind the southern rugby power-houses can claim to be the decisive factor separating rugby’s founding fathers from

their opposite numbers in the colonies? Coaches from southern nations are clearly in demand, with former Springbok manager, Nick Mallet, now in charge of the Italy set up, while New Zealand’s Warren Gatland enters his second year as head coach of Wales – though it has to be said that neither of these sides looks to be on much of a winning streak at the moment.

Perhaps then, southern hemisphere rugby’s dominance stems from its multi-cultural background. Clearly the SANZAR nations have an advantage: where the home nations have forged sides out of a collection of hearty public-school patriots, the southern nations have incorporated Zulus, Maoris, and Pacific Islanders into their set-ups; additions which have incorporated new dimensions of speed, power and aggression into the teams of rugby-loving colonialists.

But beyond all this lies a far more salient issue that underlines the division between north and south. The truth is that rugby is an evolving sport, and that clear-cut rules are very much still in the making. Actually, that’s quite a flattering way of putting it; essentially, the state of the international game is a bit of a balls-up as far as

rules, regulations and referee interpretations are concerned.

The advent of Experimental Law Variations this season has been testimony to the crossroads that the modern game finds itself at, yet the laws were not even implemented at the same time.

ELVs were underway in the southern hemisphere a full six months before they were put into practice in the north, and the result saw two entirely different sets of rules between the Super 14 and the Six nations and Heineken Cup. Moreover, the European nations were at a clear disadvantage going into the Autumn tests, having had not nearly as much time to adapt to the new rules as the southern teams. On the other hand, the sides from the southern hemisphere may well find themselves on the back foot should the new rules not be incorporated into the 2011 World Cup – by which time the nature of their game will have changed entirely.

Perhaps once the fiasco of rugby’s shape and regulations has been finally addressed, competition between the northern and southern hemispheres may become a little more fierce. Until then, however, it looks as though we can safely assume that the south will rise again. And again. And again.

Outstanding display of resilience sees Edinburgh crush Stirling Hockey

University of Edinburgh 7 University of Stirling 4 Graham Mackay graham.mackay@journal-online.co.uk

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY MEN’S 1st XI hockey side twice came back from a two-goal deficit to secure victory against Stirling in a goal-fest that ended 7-4 to the hosts.

Despite a worrying start to the match for Edinburgh the attacking triumvirate of Callum Duke, Richard McCorkell and Dan Sims pulled the home side level, and soon took the match beyond the visitors’ reach.

The home side’s defence came under early pressure when a shot from the Stirling attack forced a decent save from goalkeeper David Forrester in the first minute of the match. Edinburgh then had Stirling on the back foot four minutes later, but Paddy Thompson’s effort from a tight angle was driven wide of the mark.

With Stirling looking threatening

in front of goal, the deadlock was broken on six minutes when the referee awarded a short corner which was comfortably converted, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.

After a brief spell of end-to-end play in which both keepers were called upon to produce saves, Stirling doubled their lead, courtesy of a second short corner.

Clearly spurred on by the opposition’s two-goal advantage, Edinburgh were rewarded for some pressing play in the 21st minute, when Fraser Hirst fired home from a short corner, taking the score to 2-1. After chances from both sides, Edinburgh’s attacking flair reached fever pitch in the 28th minute when Sims’ well-executed run into the D forced a short corner. Stirling defended frantically from Edinburgh’s set piece and in the process committed a foot offence that saw the referee blow his whistle and point to the penalty spot.

The penalty flick was successfully converted by Sims.

With half time approaching, the home side would have expected to enter the break on equal terms with their opposition, but the performance of Stirling striker Callum Milne was to tell a

different story. A moment of mayhem in defence saw Edinburgh concede a penalty which was easily converted by Milne in the 33rd minute, and two minutes later a Stirling short corner produced an outstanding finish from the striker, who drag flicked high and into the back of the net on the stroke of half-time, taking the score to 4-2 to the visitors.

However, the University’s comeback began in the 40th minute when McCorkell made a break down the right flank and fired the ball toward the Stirling goalmouth. The Stirling keeper was unable to deal with the reverse sweep from Paul Herron who scored from close range to reduce the deficit to a single goal.

Minutes later, Duke notched in his second of the match, via a short corner to bring his side on level terms with the visitors.

With the score at 4 goals apiece, the match was either side’s for the taking, and Stirling looked certain to put themselves ahead when two strikers beat the Edinburgh defence to come two-on-one with Forrester. But the shot was fired miserably wide, allowing Edinburgh to breathe again.

Shouts from Edinburgh coach

Graham Stapleton instructing his side to “slow down and keep the ball” seemed to pay off mid-way through the second half. The 64th minute saw the Edinburgh strike force muscle its way into the Stirling D, a move which resulted in a well-placed goal by McCokell to put the Perfermill club in the driving seat for the first time.

What followed three minutes later was a lesson in attacking prowess as McCorkell turned provider, making an explosive run down the right wing before cutting in towards the Stirling danger area and whipping in a fine cross to Sims, who launched himself at the ball, scoring a diving effort at full stretch to put the hosts 6-4 ahead.

The match was wrapped up with a second strike from Duke, who took the Edinburgh tally to seven when he buried the final goal of the night from a wellorchestrated short corner.

After the match, Sims told The Journal: “We hadn’t played a competitive match of hockey in two weeks and knew it would be a rusty start. However, when we finally blew away the cobwebs in the second half we were very keen to show our dominance.”

HATTON BACK TO HIS BEST IN LAS VEGAS Ricky Hatton returned to his winning ways at the MGM grand as he cruised to victory over Paulie Malignaggi, whom he described as being “like a bar of soap”.

Critics of the ‘The Hitman’ suggested that he was past his prime following his defeat last year to Floyd Mayweather Jr, but Hatton has proved that his thirst for victory and ability to perform is as strong now as it has ever been.

Following his most recent victory, an epic battle with arch-rival Oscar De la Hoya is now rumoured to be on the cards should Hatton succeed in overcoming Manny Pacquiao on 6 December.

Hatton’s belts were carried into the ring by fellow Mancunians and parttime brawlers Liam and Noel Gallagher, who are said to be releasing a single entitled “Hi Ho Ricky Hatton” in time for Christmas.

SCOTLAND BRUSH OFF CANADA AT PITTODRIE Scotland coach, Frank Hadden, was delighted with his side’s 41-0 thrashing of rugby union minnows Canada, claiming it was an opportunity for a number of players to “vent some of the frustration of the past two weeks.”

Following defeats to New Zealand and South Africa, Scotland’s first taste of victory in the Autumn test series was nothing less than emphatic. Two tries from Nikki Walker in addition to those of Ben Cairns, John Barclay, Alasdair Strokosch and Rory Lamont proved that Scotland are capable of fast-paced, positive rugby, and the result is clearly one the Hadden hopes to build on.

“I think we’ve made some progress in these November Tests. It would have been easier for people to understand that we had made progress had we beaten South Africa but I certainly feel a lot happier in certain areas of the game.”

Canada coach, Kieran Crowley, admitted: “Scotland certainly kept the pressure on us all day and deserved their win.”

SCOTTISH YOUNGSTERS WARNED “NOT TO CARRY HEAVY GOALS” A recent query about insurance cover has resulted in the Scottish Youth FA issuing instructions to all its member clubs not to allow children to carry weighty goalposts which may result in injury.

A document sent out from Hampden Park stated: “All football goals whether fixed or portable should be procured, installed, maintained, stored and inspected in accordance with British Standard 8461:2005. Goals must also conform to BS EN 748:2004.

“Goals should only be moved by adults who have been trained in the use of proper lifting techniques. A minimum of four adults is required to lift and move a full-size goal. Children/juveniles should not be allowed to move goals.”

32 Sport

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Sport

Edinburgh Men's 1st XI hockey returns to national one Men’s Hockey

university of Edinburgh 5 stepps hc 1 Graham Mackay graham.mackay@journal-online.co.uk EdiNburgh uNivErsity sEcurEd promotion to scotland’s top-flight hockey league on saturday with a memorable win over glaswegian rivals stepps hc at Peffermill. the outcome of the game was virtually decided in the opening five minutes, when goals from in-form front men dan sims and richard Mccorkell netted in quick succession to get the university off to a flying start.

Mccorkell bagged the opener in the second minute when he received the ball on the right-hand side before sweeping it into the back of the net from close range to give the home side the lead. three minutes later, sims took the score to 2-0 when he was fed the ball from midfield, taking it to the left side of the d before burying a diving reversestick shot into the bottom right corner, to the delight of the home supporters.

Edinburgh were also effective at the back, and back-to-back saves from david Forrester in the 15th minute maintained the university’s two-goal cushion. An impressive return to form from central defender, duncan birse, kept the opposition attack to a minimum, and allowed Edinburgh to build play from deep in their own half.

A third goal for the home side looked imminent in the 20th minute, when Paddy thompson’s strong strike forced a stop from the stepps ‘keeper and Mccorkell fired a shot over the bar from the rebound. six minutes later, Mccorkell again came close but was denied by the upright as his shot rebounded over the left post.

Edinburgh then has the chance to go three up when they were awarded a penalty flick, but the ball was sent high from sims as the visitors breathed yet another sigh of relief. however, the Peffermill side went further ahead just two minutes later when Mccorkell received a quality high ball from the midfield and smashed a shot which was bravely saved by the opposition ‘keeper. however, the stepps number one was not so fortunate when the ensuing short corner was sent into the back of the net by the goal-hungry Edinburgh forward. the away side came close again on the stroke of half time when Edinburgh lost the ball in midfield, but a goal-bound shot was saved in style by defender Neil

Fulton, keeping the score at 3-0. the Peffermill club ended the first half on the offensive, and stepps were forced to defend in numbers as the university continued to pressurise the back line. the home side went 4-0 ahead when an outstanding solo effort from sims put the match well beyond the visitors’ reach. having effortlessly taken the ball round the stranded stepps goalkeeper with a 360 degree turn, the Edinburgh striker scored an absolute belter with a reverse undercut smashed high into the back of the net to resounding applause from the stands. the second half saw some decent spells of possession form the visiting side, but sloppiness in front of goal prevented them from getting off the mark.

Just three minutes after the restart, Kylan Pathmanathan’s shot was saved by the stepps ‘keeper, but the ever-present Mccorkell was on hand to convert from the rebound, securing a hat-trick and taking the score to 5-0. stepps looked certain to snatch a conciliation goal in the 43rd minute when the referee awarded a penalty flick against Edinburgh for a foul in the visitors’ d. however, he flick was fired high and over the bar, leaving the five-goal deficit in tact. things only got worse for the glaswegians two minutes later when a steps forward somehow managed to scuff a simple tap-in from inches out, pulling what should have been the easiest of shots horribly wide. the visitors were finally rewarded for their efforts when a decent effort from the edge of the d secured a consolation goal just before the hour mark.

Edinburgh appeared content to conpass the ball around the midfield whilst holding out for the final whistle, and particular credit must be given to Paul herron, whose through-balls were instrumental to the home side’s success throughout the match. herron was almost rewarded for his hard work with a goal in the dying minutes, but his impressive strike was met by a fine save from the opposition ‘keeper. the match ended 5-1 to Edinburgh, and the university players’ excitement was evident at full-time whilst the crowd applauded a valiant effort from the winning side. 1st Xi captain, steven sampson, told The Journal: “it is absolutely heroic to have achieved promotion. the fact that we have only lost one of our last 11 games and are undefeated in the last five games of the season has summed up the success of our season and we are looking forward to playing hockey in national one next year.”

Edinburgh were left with plenty of space up front as Stepps failed to pressurise the university attack

Fighting spirit sees hearts come from behind to beat Falkirk Football hearts 2 Falkirk 1

Lewis Mallen lewis.mallen@journal-online.co.uk hEArts tightENEd thEir grip on third place in the sPL with a 2-1 win over Falkirk at tynecastle. the spirited display was the fourth consecutive league victory for the home side following wins over inverness, hamilton and st Mirren. goals from bruno Aguiar and Andrew driver saw the Jambos take all three points after falling behind to an early goal from steve Lovell. hearts lined up with a conservative 4-5-1 formation against the 4-4-2 adopted by the bairns. both teams started the match playing fast-paced, end-to-end football, presenting both sides with attacking opportunities.

An enterprising start by hearts saw Lee Wallace create scoring chances for christian Nade and Eggert Jonsson. the commitment and passion with which the home side played saw them win a number of 50-50 balls, securing the majority of possession and territorial advantage. the pace of Lovell combined with

the strength and power of Michael higdon proved a formidable strike partnership and a constant threat to the hearts defence. in the 16th minute and against the run of play, Lovell coolly slotted past the out-rushing Janos balogh to give Falkirk the lead. higdon claimed the assist as he provided a perfectly weighted through-ball which unlocked the flat-footed defence. the visitors’ goal celebrations had barely finished when man of the match, bruno Aguiar, equalised for the home side. Aguiar lifted his free-kick from the edge of the box over the wall, curling it into the top corner and leaving Falkirk keeper scott Flinders helpless.

As the half wore on, Falkirk settled well and began to play a fluid passing game which allowed them to exert sustained pressure on the Jambos’ back line. the best chance for the visitors came in the form of a chris Mitchell free-kick, which narrowly went wide of the post to balogh’s relief. the second half began in controversial fashion with hearts’ protests for a Falkirk handball in their own box waved away by referee Eddie smith. driver had done well to work himself into space on the left wing and sent a powerful cross into the box where it blatantly hit the arm of Lee bullen. driver continued to trouble the

opposition with some surging runs, creating chances for christos Karipidis and christian Nade. his hard work finally paid off when his spectacular solo effort saw hearts take the lead. driver skipped past darren barr and rounded Flinders to fire home what must be a contender for goal of the season. bairns captain barr had looked uncomfortable all afternoon and his error forced Falkirk boss John hughes into making a change. defender Patrick cregg was withdrawn to allow graham barrett to join Lovell and higdon up front. despite Falkirk’s increased firepower, it was hearts who continued to dominate with david Obua, Nade and Aguiar all getting shots in for the home side. in the closing stages, Falkirk squandered several chances; higdon had a glancing header cleared off the line then headed wide in front of an open goal. the visitors were left to rue missed opportunities with the final whistle signalling their first league defeat in seven games. hearts manager csaba Laszlo confirmed he was pleased with his side’s performance however reiterated that there was still work to be done. “the positive was the second half, but the first half was a catastrophe. i must compliment the players who realise that winning three games is nothing, we must win them all.”

4 News

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

‘Smart pill’ to digitally medicate Device under development will automatically deliver treatment to chronic illness sufferers Sarah Clark sarah.clark@journal-online.co.uk ON SUNDAY 16 November, Dutch electronics giant Philips announced its new intelligent technology “iPill” at the opening of the annual American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS).

The “iPill”, once swallowed, is designed to release the correct amount of medicine according to individual bodily requirements. The new capsule endoscopy computer software will be trialled in five different locations worldwide, including testing for the first time in Britain by the South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust (STFT).

Researchers claim that the pill technology will assist drug development and enable new therapies for life-threatening and debilitating digestive tract disorders, such as colon and colitis cancer and Crohn’s disease.

Leading pharmaceutical drug delivery expert, Dr Karsten Cremer of Pharma Concepts GmbH, Switzerland, said: “The combination of navigational feedback, electronically controlled drug delivery and monitoring of the intestinal tract promises to make ‘iPill’ technology a valuable research tool for drug development.”

Dr Cremer added: “In particular, I recognize the potential of this technology to improve drug candidate profiling and

selection, which could ultimately accelerate the development of new drugs.”

Seven years after the first camera pill was approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 2001, this new technology will, for the first time, allow for an effective drug delivery system with precise pH monitoring to determine location.

The “iPill” contains a microprocessor, battery, wireless radio, pump and a drug reservoir to release medication in a specific area in the body. This allows the dose to be sent directly to the diseased area, thus reducing side effects.

The high definition images of the patient’s insides are transmitted to a receiver worn around their waist, which, it is hoped, will help specialists identify early detections of a range of illnesses.

STFT is the only site in the UK trialing the new capsule endoscopy computer software, which can examine the colon in a non-invasive manner.

Carolyn Davison, Nurse Consultant for Gastroenterology at STFT said: “Here in South Tyneside we’re very proud to be involved with a technique that is bringing tangible benefits to our patients.

Many people from outside South Tyneside, including Scotland are coming to us under the NHS ‘Choice’ agenda.”

The NHS choice project allows patients to choose which hospital they receive treatment in. From April 2008, patients who are registered with an

English GP have the right to a choice of any NHS funded provider, after being referred to a hospital consultant.

Ms Davison added: “Capsule endoscopy has transformed the exploration of the small bowel, an area that was previously very hard to examine thoroughly.

“This has benefited hundreds of our patients and, although it’s only at the trial stage, we hope that colon capsule endoscopy will have equally positive results.”

UK Coal turns green “War in Iraq ends,” claims spoof CONWAY LIAO

FLICKR.COM/DRACO2008

Elise Carter elsie.carter@journal-online.co.uk

Wind farms are to be built on disused collieries

Kristijonas Kancleris kristijonas.kancleris@journal-online.co.uk UK COAL HAS revealed plans to build new wind farms on the sites of former collieries.

The initiative has been welcomed by the UK Coal shareholders and, as a result the company’s share value has increased by ten per cent.

UK Coal, although it still operates six active surface mines, has decided to go green in a joint venture with Peel Energy.

The partnership plans to build 54 turbines on 14 old coalmine sites. It is hoped that this will generate 133 Megawatts (MW), providing enough energy to supply 75,000 households with electric power.

John Lloyd, the chief executive of UK Coal, has expressed his belief that there is a significant opportunity to build wind farms on parts of their land portfolio, in alliance with Peel Energy, which is the UK’s most active wind power developing

company.

Similarly, Steven Underwood, director of Peel Energy, showed optimism over the current agreement with UK Coal, calling it: “an important step forward for Peel Energy,significantly expanding its onshore pipeline and gaining access to some of the UK’s best wind farm locations.”

Peel Energy has in excess of 450 MW units of power, and is involved in the largest onshore wind farm project in England, at Scout Moor in Lancashire, where 26 turbines have been sited.

In comparison, Clyde wind farm in Scotland, which is currently under construction, will become the biggest onshore scheme to tame wind in Europe, comprising 152 turbines making up to 548 MW of electric power.

The European Union has a target to generate 20 per cent of all its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Recent years have seen an increased effort to exploit renewable energy sources in an attempt to achieve this goal.

A FAKE EDITION of The New York Times was distributed free to unsuspecting commuters in New York and other major US cities, under a slightly altered version of newspaper’s motto – “all the news we hope to print,” revised from “all the news that’s fit to print.”

1.2 million copies of the 14 page special edition, announcing an end to the Iraq war, were handed out by thousands of volunteers on Wednesday 12 November, a week after the US presidential election.

The copy, dated July 4 2009, was almost indistinguishable from the real New York Times and initially many readers, believing it to be genuine, were surprised by the “news” reported in the publication.

Steven Lambert, one of the organizers behind the project, said: “We wanted to experience what it would look like, and feel like, to read headlines we really want to read.

“It’s about what’s possible, if we think big and act collectively.”

Responsibility for the spoof has been claimed by the Yes Men, a liberal activist group well known for their politically motivated pranks.

A website that mimicked the legitimate Times website also accompanied the parody.

The project had taken about six months to bring to fruition and was funded by small online donations.

Real New York Times reporters are alleged to have participated in the spoof, helping it to appear as authentic as possible.

Headlines in the spurious edition included “Nationalized oil to fund climate Control efforts,” “Court indicts Bush on high treason charge” and”All public universities to be free.”

Reactions to the hoax were generally positive, with most readers hoping that some of the articles could one day

become a reality.

One reader of the edition said: “It will be nice when it comes true and a very clever idea.

“A lot of times when you put an idea out in the open it has a chance to come true.”

With expectations high following the presidential election results, the prank highlights the pressure Barack Obama is under to fulfill his promise of “change.”

News 5

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Reform or ruin as NUS approves new constitution Stark choices for delegates at NUS conference as president issues dire warning: "our financial model is screwed"

Megan Taylor megan.taylor@journal-online.co.uk The NaTioNal UNioN of Students (NUS) is a step closer to adopting a new constitution following a vote at the extraordinary conference requested by over 25 separate universities and colleges. after over six hours of heated debate, elected delegates from student unions across the nation voted in favour of the proposed reform of the union with a convincing 614 votes to 142. Representatives included those from edinburgh, heriot-Watt and Napier universities.

This result means that the new constitution can be carried forward to the annual conference in april 2009. alternatively if 25 or more college and university unions request it, a second extraordinary Conference will be held in the near future. at this second conference, the motion will again have to win two thirds of the vote for the new constitution to be ratified.

The NUS has struggled financially over the past few years and confidence in the body has been rocked. one of the biggest contributors towards the Union’s upkeep, imperial College london, has threatened to withdraw from the institution if the situation does not improve, not yet having paid its 2008-09 affiliation fee.

Former University of edinburgh NUS delegate, Josh Macalister told The Journal: “The NUS has had problems focusing on issues of direct relevance to students at conference. it is hoped that the updated constitution will allow this year’s meeting to be more

targeted.”

Continuing, he said: “Financial management has been a long running problem at the NUS and now most people are agreed that more expert, independent advice must be sought to maintain financial stability.”

NUS president, Wes Streeting, warned the conference at the beginning of proceedings: “Given our precarious financial position, all it takes is for a few big Unions to leave and our financial model is screwed and our national union is in decline.”

Tensions ran high between student representatives, as voting proceeded on possible amendments to the main motion of the new constitution. out of the 15 proposed amendments, six were passed. These include new measures to streamline policy making, seek the advice of professional bodies on issues of fiscal planning and reduce the number of debates on issues of international politics.

Fallen amendments tended to contain more controversial and radical changes. For instance, the ban was not lifted on far right political groups, such as BNP, to campaign and meet on university campuses. This topic, however, created extended debate. The conference concluded that the risk of harm coming to students was greater than the risk of silencing these groups.

There were fears, however, that history could repeat itself. last year, the motion for another version of a constitution was passed at a similar conference but, by the smallest of margins and with great controversy, failed to win support at the second conference. only 20 votes were needed and calls

TowaRdS a New coNSTiTUTioN

University of PortsmoUth stUdents' Union

36 member unions of the NUS called an extraordinary conference to discuss NUS reform.

800 representatives met at Wolverhampton Civic hall on 18 November to discuss the measures.

RefoRMs increased representation: guaranteed representation for mature students, part-time students, and postgraduate students and increasing representation for international students. Council seats will be reserved for representatives of further education colleges.

Last year’s conference failed to reach agreement on reforms for a recount were dismissed since during the access break the doors had been left unlocked, breaking a fundamental rule of conference. opinions have changed and the revised constitution for 2008 onwards has been warmly welcomed by most. one student from leeds Metropolitan Student Union summed up the general state of affairs in a heartfelt speech.

She voted against the new constitution last year but was now in support of a revision. She now felt that the NUS was in desperate need of these changes.

Mr Streeting, showing reluctance to start celebrating prematurely, admitted

there was still a long way to go and, as was proved last year, anything could happen. he addressed the conference and warned: “The job is not finished... there’s still a lot left to do.

“The leadership is now in your hands... you have two clear choices...

The opposition is running out of arguments and NUS is running out of time...

We have come too far now to fall at the final hurdle.” despite having the furthest distance to travel, Scotland had the highest number of Unions represented per region compared with the other Uk nations.

The introduction of a Trustee Board, compromised of full-time elected officers of NUS, students and professional financial and legal expert, to focus on scrutinising the finance and administration of the organisation.

Creation of Zone committees— higher education, further education, welfare, union development and society and citizenship—to provide scrutiny, advice and direction for NUS Vice-Presidents and run conferences where formative policy discussions would be held to avoid such basic decisions having to be taken at annual conferences.

The vote on the amended reforms passed with 614 delegates in favour and 142 against

GeT iT oN The WeB GeT UP-To-The-MiNUTe NeWS UPdaTeS oNliNe FRoM The JoURNal’S aWaRd-WiNNiNG NeW WeBSiTe WWW.JoURNal-oNliNe.Co.Uk

6 News

The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Child abuse on the rise in Scotland

FLICKR.COM/MYRRIEN

Robyn Keystone robyn.keystone@journal-online.co.uk THE NUMBER OF children suffering from neglect and physical and emotional abuse has steadily increased in Scotland over the last eight years, new research shows.

On Tuesday 11 November 2008, new figures from the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration’s (SCRA) annual report revealed that, in some regions of Scotland, one in every ten children is placed in protective care as a result of neglect, violence, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Netta Mciver, the principal chief executive of SCRA, said: “By focusing on the more difficult cases, we are getting a better picture of the problems. But it’s a disturbing picture.”

Compulsory supervision orders, the most acute action taken within child abuse cases, have substantially increased over the last year, increasing from 12,644 in 2005-2006 to 13,219 in 2007.

Last year 5,000 children had to be removed from their homes and placed in the care of child service agencies.

Though fewer children are being referred to the SCRA, more extreme cases of child abuse and neglect are being discovered, making it necessary for protective services to intervene.

Glasgow appears to be the area most affected by this steep increase in abuse cases with 9.6 per cent of the total referral rate reported within Glasgow.

This number is staggeringly large in comparison to the 1.2 per cent of children reported in Perth and Kinross.

The Scottish government guidance define child abuse as when: “children

may be in need of protection where their basic needs are not being met in a manner which is appropriate to their individual needs and stage of development and the child is, or will be, at risk through avoidable acts of commission or omission on the part of those holding parental responsibilities.”

The increase in Scotland’s child abuse rates has followed a trend which appears to begin in 2000. Between 2000 and 2001, a total of 28,057 care and protection cases were brought before the Scottish courts.

The figure was an increase of 54 per cent from 1998, and represented a 1700 per cent rise from the 1,576 cases that were handled when the Community Services Act was first introduced in 1972.

In addition, statistics released in April 2008 revealed that 61 children in the Edinburgh area had to be placed on the child protection register because they were being emotionally abused within their households. In comparison to the 2005-2006 statistics, the rate of emotional child abuse has nearly doubled within the city.

There does seem to be some hope that child abuse cases will decline in the future. This assumption is based on continued and more thorough intervention by child protection agencies and Scotland’s council leaders.

In response to the report released in April, councillor Andrew Burns, the spokesman for Labour children and families claimed: “It is fair to say that reporting mechanisms are now much better used and better understood”.

Mr Burns added: “I don’t take the view that the overall figure is too high.

I think it’s better that these issues are being dealt with rather than hidden.”

The Russell Institute: built as a child welfare centre in 1927 and continues to serve this purpose today

Lockerbie bomber denied bail News Shorts wear them Demian Hobby

SPIDER DRAWING NOT LEG-AL TENDER

demian.hobby@journal.co.uk THE LIBYAN MAN imprisoned for the Lockerbie bombing has been refused bail, despite having incurable and fatal cancer.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, 56, was convicted in 2001 for the hijacking and bombing of Pan Am flight 103 which killed 270 people in 1988. He appealed for bail earlier this year after his supporters claimed he had only months to live.

But Scotland’s highest judge Lord Hamilton denied the appeal, stating that his condition was not in its life threatening stages, and that his life could be prolonged by palliative hormone treatment.

Mr Megrahi said: “I am very distressed that the court has refused to grant me bail and denied me the chance to spend my remaining time with my family.

“I wish to reiterate that I had nothing whatsoever to do with the Lockerbie bombing and that the fight for justice will continue, regardless of whether I am alive to witness my name being cleared.”

Mr Megrahi’s conviction has been marred by controversy since a ruling last year by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) suggested that the key witness in the case, Tony Gauci, was unreliable.

Other evidence collated by the SCCRC found a secret foreign agency file that cast doubt on previous evidence about

Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi: convicted of 270 counts of murder the timer used in the bombing.

It is also claimed that Maltese shop owner Mr Gauci was paid a $2 million witness reward by the US, casting further doubts on his evidence.

On Thursday 4 September, the Arab League Ministerial Council, of which 22 Arab states are members, called for the release of Megrahi and stated that a refusal to do so would constitute a “miscarriage of justice”.

Lord Hamilton’s refusal to grant Megrahi bail this month following two appeals and the SCCRC report, makes it unlikely that any further appeals will be successful.

However an interim liberation, the Scottish equivalent of bail, may be

possible, despite the “grave nature” of the crime if Megrahi’s condition worsens dramatically.

Megrahi’s advocate, Maggie Scott QC said there were “compelling” factors that may validate his release.

Lockerbie campaigners Professor Robert Black, a legal expert on the Lockerbie case and Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter was killed in the bombing, said they were disappointed that Megrahi had been refused interim liberation.

Dr Swire said: “It seems tragic that Scottish justice has missed a golden opportunity to display mercy in a situation where it has been unable to complete the appeal process within a reasonable time frame.”

A man has attempted to pay a bill from a utility company chasing payment with a drawing of a spider – a piece of art which he valued to the exact amount of the bill, £233,95.

Oddly enough, this form of payment was rejected by the company – and not only because the spider only had seven legs.

One such e-mail from the would-be artist reads: “Hello. I realise with hindsight that it is possible you rejected the drawing of a spider due to this obvious limb ommission but did not point it out in an effort to avoid hurting my feelings. As such, I am sending you a revised drawing with the correct number of legs as full payment for any amount outstanding. I trust this will bring the matter to a conclusion. Regards, David.”

The full conversation, as well as the artwork in question, can be viewed at http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article. aspx?id=665847.

Allegedly, the drawing was later sold on Ebay for 15,000 euro.

STARTING WITH THE MAN IN THE UMMA

In a move sure to surprise even his most understanding fans, troubled pop singer Michael Jackson has converted to Islam.

Mr Jackson, who is now 50 years old, swore allegiance to the Koran at a friend’s house in Los Angeles, officiated by an Imman summoned from a nearby Mosque.

The Imman was called to perform the Shahada – the declaration of belief in Allah and Mohammed`s prophecy. Despite recently losing ownership of the Neverland ranch, the singer celebrated the occasion by changing his name to Mikaeel.

HE’S HOFF ROUND THE WORLD

Former Baywatch star and modern-day all-round artist David Hasselhoff has created his own map of the world. But, rather than usual variety, featuring most prominently the countries of the world, this globe only has pictures of David himself. The intention, apparently, is to show the impact he feels he’s had on the world.

Hasselhoff insists that the work is ironic, though he did modestly note: “Yes, I played a role in the fall of the Berlin Wall and on American culture.” In other words, don’t hassle the Hoff.

CRÈCHE OUT IN THE BROTHEL

The wife of a convicted Glasgow brothel keeper, wants to turn the couple’s previous sex sauna into a nursery. The budding child-carer has claimed that the shackles, and mirrored ceilings in the house would be decorative. She will now need to pass through a vigorous application procedure with the Care Commission who looks after the interests of vulnerable individuals, such as children.

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New stem cell research advances cancer treatments Cameron Robinson cameron.robinson@journal-online.co.uk

Safer clubs: the Unight initiative will help to reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour and violent attacks David Cheskin/PA Wire

SNP breaks student debt promise Alastair Sloan & Sarah Clarke newsdesk@journal-online.co.uk STUDENTS IN SCOTLAND have expressed dismay after the SNP shelved plans to scrap student debt.

Nationalist finance minister John Swinney announced last Wednesday that the government would not deliver its manifesto promise to eliminate the debt accrued by students.

The news was delivered at Holyrood as part of the SNP’s first budget since the party came to power in the elections last May. The conference saw the government drop a number of key election promises which had comprised their manifesto for the Scottish Parliamentary Election.

While funding for free prescription charges, a tax cut for smaller businesses and NHS waiting list guarantees were approved, the SNP’s pledge to cancel student debt was relinquished.

The SNP had previously promised

Scottish students that the £1.9 billion package of debt held by the Student Loans Company Scotland would be cancelled.

Student leaders in Scotland expressed deep concern for this turnaround in government policy that will see the £1.9 billion debt remain unaffected. They claimed that the SNP’s failure to deliver the promised financial support will have a damaging impact on Scottish students.

James Alexander, President of the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland said: “Promises of more support for students, which formed a central part of the SNP’s election campaign, have not been met.

“The SNP’s costed manifesto promised £236 million to cover graduate debt payments, to transfer student loans to grants, and to abolish the graduate endowment.”

He continued: “Large proportions of students from Scotland experience high

levels of debt and endure extreme hardship. They need the endorsement of the Scottish government to assist in resolving these difficulties.”

Edinburgh’s student unions have been working with NUS Scotland on the Final Demand campaign, designed to put pressure on the government to improve student support, drop student debt, cut course costs and improve access to further and higher education.

But in a speech to the Scottish Executive, John Swinney said: “I know there is insufficient parliamentary support for student debt servicing for loans to grants and we must therefore prioritise funding on policies that we can deliver and which will be supported by Parliament.

“I am therefore not allocating funding for student debt servicing in the period of the Budget.

“However, despite the constraints we face, we will deliver funding for a phased transition from student loans to grants,

starting with part-time students.”

Despite the short-term reduction in funding for the sector, the SNP emphasised that Scotland’s higher education institutions remain a priority for the party.

Fiona Hyslop, Education and Lifelong Learning Secretary, outlined the SNP’s long-term plans for higher education funding. In a statement last week, she said: “Scotland’s universities and colleges are central to that sustainable economic growth.

“We will invest £5.24 billion in total in Scotland’s further and higher education, with an extra £100 million capital funding package in 2007/08.

“We will deliver support for students of £1.55 billion over three years with £119 million to end the graduate endowment fee and a phased transition from student loans to grants starting with part-time students.”

Continued on page 2

THE DISCOVERY OF a cancerous stem cell by scientists from the University of Edinburgh could change the way in which certain cancers are treated.

Researchers from the New Cancer Centre at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the university, working in collaboration with others at the University of Wisconsin have discovered a rogue type of stem cell involved in bone cancer.

The team, headed by Professor David Argyle, successfully isolated stem cells from osteosarcoma in dogs; the canine equivalent of a type of human bone cancer most common in children.

Referring to osteosarcoma, Professor Argyle commented: “This aggressive disease is the most common primary bone tumour in children, leading to more than 80 per cent of patients having to undergo surgery which can include limb amputations or reconstructive limb sparing operations.”

The research, published in The Veterinary Journal, adds weight to a novel hypothesis concerning the structure and workings of cancer, dubbed Cancer Stem Cell theory.

The classical view of cancer is a lump of genetically flawed cells that replicate indefinitely. However the premise behind Cancer Stem Cell theory is that the vast majority of tumour growth can be attributed to a small population of flawed cancerous stem cells. The majority of their progeny become regular tumour cells, while a small population of the cancer stem cells are maintained and continue to drive the growth of the tumour.

This has major implications for the treatment of cancers like osteosarcoma as stem cells are particularly resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the standard treatment methods employed.

As a result standard treatment may kill off the bulk of the tumour, but fail to destroy the small population responsible for the growth of the cancer.

Professor Argyle and his team concluded that there is now “a need to identify therapeutic targets specific for this Cancer Stem Cell population in order to effect longer remissions, or even cures.”

happy Keeping the US

Also in The Journal this week...

The SNP had previously promised dent debt was relinquished. approved, the SNP’s pledge to cancel stuand NHS waiting list guarantees were charges, a tax cut for smaller businesses While funding for free prescription the Scottish Parliamentary Election. which had comprised their manifesto for drop a number of key election promises May. The conference saw the government party came to power in the elections last as part of the SNP’s first budget since the The news was delivered at Holyrood debt accrued by students. its manifesto promise to eliminate the that the government would not deliver Swinney announced last Wednesday Nationalist finance minister John plans to scrap student debt. pressed dismay after the SNP shelved STUDENTS IN SCOTLAND have ex-

students from Scotland experience high He continued: “Large proportions of dowment.” grants, and to abolish the graduate enpayments, to transfer student loans to ised £236 million to cover graduate debt “The SNP’s costed manifesto prombeen met. the SNP’s election campaign, have not students, which formed a central part of land said: “Promises of more support for National Union of Students (NUS) ScotJames Alexander, President of the Scottish students. support will have a damaging impact on failure to deliver the promised financial fected. They claimed that the SNP’s see the £1.9 billion debt remain unafaround in government policy that will pressed deep concern for this turnStudent leaders in Scotland excelled.

Loans Company Scotland would be canpackage of debt held by the Student Scottish students that the £1.9 billion

transition from student loans to grants, face, we will deliver funding for a phased “However, despite the constraints we riod of the Budget. ing for student debt servicing in the pe“I am therefore not allocating fundment. and which will be supported by Parliafunding on policies that we can deliver grants and we must therefore prioritise for student debt servicing for loans to is insufficient parliamentary support utive, John Swinney said: “I know there But in a speech to the Scottish Execther and higher education. course costs and improve access to furstudent support, drop student debt, cut pressure on the government to improve Final Demand campaign, designed to put been working with NUS Scotland on the Edinburgh’s student unions have ing these difficulties.”

Scottish government to assist in resolvship. They need the endorsement of the levels of debt and endure extreme hard-

Continued on page 2 part-time students.” student loans to grants starting with ment fee and a phased transition from £119 million to end the graduate endowof £1.55 billion over three years with “We will deliver support for students funding package in 2007/08. tion, with an extra £100 million capital in Scotland’s further and higher educa“We will invest £5.24 billion in total economic growth. colleges are central to that sustainable she said: “Scotland’s universities and tion funding. In a statement last week, SNP’s long-term plans for higher educalong Learning Secretary, outlined the Fiona Hyslop, Education and Lifeparty. institutions remain a priority for the sised that Scotland’s higher education funding for the sector, the SNP emphaDespite the short-term reduction in starting with part-time students.”

page 24

SPORT TROPS

page 16

facing the world issues and challenges the modern international reform if it is to tackle creation, the UN needs that, 62 years after its George Grant argues

42 egap

3 egap

brewing...

There’s trouble

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SWEN

“shock-jock” families most outspoken right-wing owned by one of America’s sell a new energy drink Barr, has signed a deal to drink manufacturer, AG Scotland’s largest soft

George Grant argues that, 62 years after its creation, the UN needs reform if it is to tackle the modern international issues and challenges facing the world

SERUTAEF

Scotland’s largest soft drink manufacturer, AG Barr, has signed a deal to sell a new energy drink owned by one of America’s most outspoken right-wing “shock-jock” families

Keeping the US happy

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There’s trouble brewing...

NEWS

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effect longer remissions, or even cures.”

Cancer Stem Cell population in order to tify therapeutic targets specific for this cluded that there is now “a need to idenProfessor Argyle and his team confor the growth of the cancer. stroy the small population responsible off the bulk of the tumour, but fail to deAs a result standard treatment may kill standard treatment methods employed. to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the as stem cells are particularly resistant treatment of cancers like osteosarcoma This has major implications for the tumour. and continue to drive the growth of the of the cancer stem cells are maintained tumour cells, while a small population jority of their progeny become regular flawed cancerous stem cells. The mabe attributed to a small population of the vast majority of tumour growth can behind Cancer Stem Cell theory is that licate indefinitely. However the premise lump of genetically flawed cells that repThe classical view of cancer is a Stem Cell theory. and workings of cancer, dubbed Cancer hypothesis concerning the structure erinary Journal, adds weight to a novel The research, published in The Vettive limb sparing operations.” clude limb amputations or reconstrucing to undergo surgery which can inmore than 80 per cent of patients havry bone tumour in children, leading to sive disease is the most common primasor Argyle commented: “This aggresReferring to osteosarcoma, Profescancer most common in children. nine equivalent of a type of human bone cells from osteosarcoma in dogs; the cavid Argyle, successfully isolated stem The team, headed by Professor Dain bone cancer. ered a rogue type of stem cell involved University of Wisconsin have discoving in collaboration with others at the erinary Studies at the university, workCentre at the Royal (Dick) School of VetResearchers from the New Cancer which certain cancers are treated. of Edinburgh could change the way in cell by scientists from the University THE DISCOVERY OF a cancerous stem

REACH OVER 70,000 STUDENTS EVERY FORTNIGHT newsdesk@journal-online.co.uk

SNP breaks student debt promise Alastair Sloan & Sarah Clarke

Safer clubs: the Unight initiative will help to reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour and violent attacks David Cheskin/PA Wire

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Cameron Robinson

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The Journal Wednesday 26 November 2008

Tram boss resigns

Silvia Foteva

“No truth” in rumours that Willie Gallagher left due to mounting criticism over his handling of tram works Lidija Liegis lidija.liegis@journal-online.co.uk The resiGNaTioN of Transport initiative edinburgh’s (Tie) executive chairman, Willie Gallagher, has prompted rumours that mounting pressure and criticism of his handling of the city tram project has led to the transport boss calling it a day. on 13 November, Tie announced that Mr Gallagher will be stepping down at the end of November. having joined in June 2006, Gallagher reorganised the company which manages the city’s tram construction, and oversaw the acquisition of contracts for the £512 million project, due to be finished in 2011. an announcement stated that Gallagher’s surprise resignation was “due to personal and family reasons.” however, the heavily-publicised problems with the tram infrastructure, in particular delays caused in the city centre as roads were closed to accommodate road works, have led some to blame Mr Gallagher’s decision on growing

pressure from the media and public over the tram network.

David Mackay, chairman of Tie, is now expected to take over Gallagher’s portfolio.

The disruption caused by the closure of the busy haymarket junction at the beginning of october prompted an emergency meeting at the council to try to resolve some of the problems caused by the numerous diversions around the city. a new peer group was formed, consisting of representatives from the police, Lothian buses and Tie. The group’s aim is to implement plans to avoid similar delays, with road closures on the Mound/Princes st junction expected to continue until the end of November.

Critics have gone as far as to draw comparisons between the tram project and the building of the scottish Parliament, which opened three years late and cost ten times the initial budget. however, Gordon robertson of Tie insists that there is no truth in the comparison, nor any evidence to support it, and that the scottish Parliament was

an exception to the rule.

Tie have also reaffirmed that the tram project is keeping within the £512 million budget and the building of the infrastructure is on schedule.

Jenny Dawe, Leader of City of edinburgh Council said: “i am certain that David [Mackay] will ensure there is minimum disruption in the management of Tie as we enter a new and challenging phase of the trams project.

“Under his stewardship i am sure we will continue as planned towards our goal of a world-class public transport system for edinburgh.”

Mr Mackay has offered his support for outgoing chief Mr Gallagher, saying:

“We are very fortunate that Willie has established a high calibre team who work to stringent standards and many of whom have been engaged on other tram schemes and major construction projects.” further support for Mr Gallagher came from a Tie spokesperson who added: “the Council would have him back in a shot.”

There will be further reports to the council on interim management arrangements and the appointment of a permanent replacement for Mr Gallgher. in the past week there has also been speculation over the project as a whole

regarding whether the tramline extension from roseburn to Granton will be built at all.

City councillor Jenny Dawe told The Evening News: “There is no point in speculating on rumour or innuendo.

“No decision regarding [project stage] 1B needs to be taken until well into 2009. “a working group is currently exploring the capital costs and funding options for delivering line 1B. “The tram project continues to progress as planned. our ambition remains to have a fully integrated transport system operational in edinburgh in 2011.”

£800k cocaine stash Tron revamp faces £1.1 million seized at city airport funding shortage Police efforts praised as operation nets largest ever cocaine find in edinburgh

Council admits that plans may have to be scaled back in face of financial problems Silvia Foteva

Francesco Cirillo francesco.cirillo@journal-online.co.uk eDiNBUrGh PoLiCe have hailed an operation at edinburgh airport which resulted in the seizure of 16 kilograms of internationally trafficked cocaine, with an estimated street value of £800,000.

The find on 11 November is the largest single recovery of cocaine the Lothian and Borders Police have made, and came following a search from hM revenue and Customs.

Two Mexican nationals, a 40 yearold male and a 37 year-old female, have been charged with international trafficking of illegal drugs.

Bill skelly, temporary chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police praised the operation, saying: “This is the largest recovery of cocaine that the force has made to date, and is an excellent example of the partnership working between Lothian and Borders Police and hM revenue and Customs. “safeguarding our communities against the scourge of drugs is a priority for Lothian and Borders Police,

and our intelligence-led approach has resulted in a rise in the number of class-a seizures in recent years. “rest assured that we will continue to build upon this success, and we would ask members of the public to play by providing us with information on any drug-dealing activity they suspect is taking place in local communities.” however, there remain a number of unanswered questions yet to be resolved by the police in charge of the operation. it is not clear if the cocaine was intended simply for the market in edinburgh or was part of a wider importation network for the rest of the country. it is also unclear whether or not the two suspects are connected to one of several high-profile Mexican cartels of international trafficking, such as those operating out of Tijuana or Juarez, or if they were working alone.

Drugs seizures in edinburgh are on the increase; experts agree that with such a large quantity being seized from an international source, there is a growing threat of an increase in the capital’s drug market.

Nick Eardley nick.eardley@journal-online.co.uk CoUNCiL Chiefs have confirmed that the project to redevelop the royal Mile’s Tron Kirk are facing financial problems, and that plans may have to be scaled back if new revenue is not found soon.

The development, announced in 2004, was originally set to cost just over £1 million, but costs have grown over this period and the estimated price of the project has doubled. Plans for the Category a listed building had included a restaurant-café, an exhibition highlighting the history of the building as well as performance and art spaces.

Jim inch, the council’s director of corporate services, confirmed that sources of funding were being sought, but admitted that a rethink of the development may be necessary. he said: “Possible funding sources being investigated include a premium of up to £350,000 from an in-going tenant. This is dependent on the results of the marketing process. Taken with [scottish executive funding] of £650,000, this leaves a funding shortfall of £1.1

million. “a historic scotland grant application was rejected. other funding sources being considered include scottish enterprise edinburgh and Lothian, edinburgh World heritage Trust and heritage lottery funding.

“No other external avenue for funding has been identified, and the council has not prioritised the project to a level that would qualify for internal funding.”

The plans for the redevelopment have come in for criticism. in 2006, it was revealed that over 300 letters were written opposing the council’s plans to modernise the site. Criticism centered on the decision to incorporate a restaurant and the threat this could pose to the site’s popular tourist information centre.

This criticism was echoed last week

by Bill Cowan, spokesperson for the old Town association. he told the Evening News: “The high street doesn’t need another tea room. We want the church used for something sensible, and we’re keen to see the building repaired. This has gone on too long.”

Despite such disapproval, the plans were eventually approved early last year.