University asks AG to clarify books ban
[ UniNews Vol. 15, No. 18
2 - 16 October 2006 ] By Christina Buckridge
The University of Melbourne has written to the Commonwealth Attorney General asking for clarification of the position regarding two books held in the University Library which have been banned by the Classification Review Board.
The two books – Defence of the Muslim Lands and Join the Caravan by a Palestinian Islamist, the late Abdallah Azzam – were bought by the Library in 2005 for a course on jihad taught by an eminent University historian, Associate Professor Richard Pennell, the Al-Tajir Lecturer in Middle Eastern history.
The books were ‘refused classification’ by the Classification Review Board in July 2006. The University has also asked for clarification on a third book by the same author, The Lofty Mountain, which apparently deals with similar material. Although this book has not been classified, it is unclear whether it has been considered for classification at any stage.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Peter McPhee says the ‘refused classification’ status of the books means that the University has “no choice but to withdraw them from access because that is the law”.
However, in a letter to Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis has asked for an assurance that limited access for research and educational purposes is acceptable and would not place the University, its staff or students at risk of prosecution.
Professor Davis pointed out that removing these materials from the University libraries “… will limit the on-going legitimate research and educational experience of staff and students at the University of Melbourne”.
In an opinion article in the Herald Sun, Associate Professor Pennell said “… it is hard to understand why [Azzam] is so out of synch with the long history of jihad without reading what he says”.
Associate Professor Pennell went on to say that the banning of the books is wrong in two ways. “It will not stop jihadist terrorism but it will prevent outsiders from trying to understand it.”
Professor McPhee says having to remove the books from public access contravenes a fundamental principle of academia that students and academics need to be able to access research materials.
“It is extremely regrettable that the University is prevented by law from providing that service despite the books being safely held in the University’s Special Collections area.”
Books held in Special Collections cannot be taken out of a secure area and can only be read in the Special Collections reading room.
This week, after the University’s Vice-Principal (Information) Ms Linda O’Brien raised this matter at a meeting of the Council of Australian University Librarians, the Council issued a statement saying that universities exist to educate the leaders of the future and to research important matters for society – “It is the job of Australia’s university and other libraries to make available the information which enables that research. If they are constrained from doing so, we are all at risk.”
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