Students and Staff Demand University of Hertfordshire Cut Ties with Oppression
The Issue
We, the undersigned students, staff, and concerned individuals, call on the University of Hertfordshire to uphold ethical procurement practices by cutting ties with XMA Ltd, which supplies HP desktop and notebook computers 💻. A Freedom of Information Act request by the Hertfordshire Socialist Students Society reveals that the university spends approximately £2,000,000 annually on this contract 💰.
By maintaining ties with HP, a company directly complicit in the Israeli occupation of Palestine 🇮🇱, the university is failing to uphold its ethical commitments. Our tuition fees should not fund a corporation that profits from apartheid, illegal settlements, and human rights abuses.
HP’s Role in Israel’s Oppression of Palestinians
HP plays a critical role in sustaining Israel’s occupation and apartheid system by providing technological infrastructure that facilitates oppression and funding the genocide. This includes:
IT infrastructure for the Israeli military, reinforcing the occupation and enabling the ongoing assault on Palestinian lives 💔.
Data centers for Israeli police 👮♂️, aiding mass surveillance and digital control over Palestinians.
Servers for the Aviv System, a racial profiling database that enforces apartheid policies.
Support for illegal Israeli settlements through the Yesha Database, which helps track Israeli citizens living on stolen Palestinian land.
HP's active involvement in these oppressive systems is well-documented. Continuing to do business with HP is an endorsement of its role in facilitating war crimes, apartheid, and violations of international law ⚖️.
The University’s Ethical Responsibility
The University of Hertfordshire markets itself as an institution committed to social responsibility 🌱 and sustainability. Its Sustainable Purchasing Policy explicitly states: “Purchasing decisions have major socio-economic and environmental implications, both locally and globally 🌐, and so the University of Hertfordshire is committed to delivering a sustainable procurement function which can demonstrate value for money.”
Maintaining a multi-million-pound contract with a company complicit in systemic human rights violations directly contradicts this policy 🚫. If the university genuinely upholds ethical procurement, it must act with integrity and sever its ties with HP.
Our Demands
To ensure the University of Hertfordshire does not continue to support a company profiting from oppression, we demand that it:
Terminate the XMA Ltd contract for HP computers 💻 – Immediately begin the process of ending this contract and seek ethical alternatives.
Provide transparency in supplier selection 🔍 – Justify why HP was chosen and clarify whether ethical alternatives were considered.
Commit to ethical procurement ✅ – Implement policies ensuring that all suppliers align with human rights, sustainability, and fair labor practices.
Include student oversight in procurement decisions 👩🎓👨🎓 – Establish a student-led committee to ensure ethical considerations in future contracts.
Take Action Now
We, the students and staff of the University of Hertfordshire, refuse to let our tuition fees and university resources be used to fund oppression. HP profits from occupation, apartheid, and the systemic oppression of Palestinian people – our university must take a stand ✊.
Sign this petition to demand that our university cut ties with HP, uphold ethical procurement, and stand in solidarity with Palestine 💚.
Contact Details:
University of Hertfordshire Students For Justice in Palestine
Instagram: @uh.sjp
Hertfordshire Socialist Students
Instagram: @socialiststudents.herts
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The Issue
We, the undersigned students, staff, and concerned individuals, call on the University of Hertfordshire to uphold ethical procurement practices by cutting ties with XMA Ltd, which supplies HP desktop and notebook computers 💻. A Freedom of Information Act request by the Hertfordshire Socialist Students Society reveals that the university spends approximately £2,000,000 annually on this contract 💰.
By maintaining ties with HP, a company directly complicit in the Israeli occupation of Palestine 🇮🇱, the university is failing to uphold its ethical commitments. Our tuition fees should not fund a corporation that profits from apartheid, illegal settlements, and human rights abuses.
HP’s Role in Israel’s Oppression of Palestinians
HP plays a critical role in sustaining Israel’s occupation and apartheid system by providing technological infrastructure that facilitates oppression and funding the genocide. This includes:
IT infrastructure for the Israeli military, reinforcing the occupation and enabling the ongoing assault on Palestinian lives 💔.
Data centers for Israeli police 👮♂️, aiding mass surveillance and digital control over Palestinians.
Servers for the Aviv System, a racial profiling database that enforces apartheid policies.
Support for illegal Israeli settlements through the Yesha Database, which helps track Israeli citizens living on stolen Palestinian land.
HP's active involvement in these oppressive systems is well-documented. Continuing to do business with HP is an endorsement of its role in facilitating war crimes, apartheid, and violations of international law ⚖️.
The University’s Ethical Responsibility
The University of Hertfordshire markets itself as an institution committed to social responsibility 🌱 and sustainability. Its Sustainable Purchasing Policy explicitly states: “Purchasing decisions have major socio-economic and environmental implications, both locally and globally 🌐, and so the University of Hertfordshire is committed to delivering a sustainable procurement function which can demonstrate value for money.”
Maintaining a multi-million-pound contract with a company complicit in systemic human rights violations directly contradicts this policy 🚫. If the university genuinely upholds ethical procurement, it must act with integrity and sever its ties with HP.
Our Demands
To ensure the University of Hertfordshire does not continue to support a company profiting from oppression, we demand that it:
Terminate the XMA Ltd contract for HP computers 💻 – Immediately begin the process of ending this contract and seek ethical alternatives.
Provide transparency in supplier selection 🔍 – Justify why HP was chosen and clarify whether ethical alternatives were considered.
Commit to ethical procurement ✅ – Implement policies ensuring that all suppliers align with human rights, sustainability, and fair labor practices.
Include student oversight in procurement decisions 👩🎓👨🎓 – Establish a student-led committee to ensure ethical considerations in future contracts.
Take Action Now
We, the students and staff of the University of Hertfordshire, refuse to let our tuition fees and university resources be used to fund oppression. HP profits from occupation, apartheid, and the systemic oppression of Palestinian people – our university must take a stand ✊.
Sign this petition to demand that our university cut ties with HP, uphold ethical procurement, and stand in solidarity with Palestine 💚.
Contact Details:
University of Hertfordshire Students For Justice in Palestine
Instagram: @uh.sjp
Hertfordshire Socialist Students
Instagram: @socialiststudents.herts
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Petition created on 25 March 2025