The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), has stated that it will urge its affiliates to leave the National Union of Students (NUS) until the organisation supports its president, Shaima Dallali, and tackles institutional Islamophobia and racism.
FOSIS, a national umbrella organisation aimed at supporting and representing Islamic societies at colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland, issued a statement yesterday expressing its support for Dallali, who has "faced multiple Islamophobic and racist attacks since being overwhelmingly elected at the National Conference."
The remark came as NUS president Shaima Dallali was suspended for claimed anti-Semitism, the first time a president has been suspended in the union's 100-year history. The suspension comes after the first phase of an investigation examining claims against her was completed.
According to reports, NUS board members were warned that her suspension should not be interpreted as a punitive or disciplinary move.
FOSIS said: “The NUS, as a representative body of students across the educational sphere, needs to uphold the democratic mandate given to Shaima Dallali and not undermine her position. It also needs to address institutional Islamophobia and racism within the organisation to send a message to Muslim students that it cares about their protection and rights. If NUS falls short of this, we have no choice but to protect Muslim students by advising our members in lobbying their Students’ Unions to disaffiliate from NUS."
FOSIS has urged the NUS to take the following actions:
- To work with FOSIS to conduct an investigation into institutional Islamophobia within NUS.
- To work with FOSIS to bring an external body to conduct an investigation into NUS’s handling of its duty of care toward Shaima Dallali.
