by Robert Turner and Suzi Darrington, Look Left Editorial Committee TT24
Welcome to our Look Left Weekly Digest! Each week, two members of the Look Left Editorial Committee will work together on short introductions to three key topical issues from the news of the last week – one local, one national, and one global. Read on for this week’s stories: a new encampment is set up outside the Radcliffe Camera, an outbreak of cryptosporidium parasite has happened due to South West water contamination, and Russia launches a new offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.
Local: New Encampment is set up outside the Radcliffe Camera
It has been two weeks since their first encampment was set up overnight, but with no response from the university so far, Oxford Action for Palestine have escalated by setting up a second encampment outside the Radcliffe Camera History Faculty library, declaring its intentions to remain there until the university enters negotiations with them. Over 500 students showed up to the rally marking the opening of the second encampment. This follows the group’s Die-In protest during a graduation ceremony on the 18th of May, where students lay in front of the entrances to the Bodleian Library and Sheldonian Theatre in academic dress soaked in fake blood. The protest was met with hostility, including from members of university staff, one of which was videoed kicking and closing the gates on protestors.
Although there has been backlash, student support for the encampments holds strong, with over 2370 students having signed an open letter backing Oxford Action for Palestine’s demands to the university already, and a growing list of JCRs and MCRs explicitly declaring their support for it.
Whilst the Radcliffe Camera is still accessible via the Glink, the university has decided to close the main entrances. Events continue at both the Radcliffe Camera encampment and the Pitt Rivers encampment, with vigils happening daily.
National: Outbreak of Cryptosporidium Parasite due to South West Water Contamination
In the early hours of Wednesday 15th May, small traces of the cryptosporidium parasite were found in water provided by South West Water in parts of Devon. Cryptosporidium is a parasite responsible for the illness of cryptosporidiosis, with symptoms including nausea, fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting. Though not usually fatal, infection is vastly unpleasant and can be dangerous for immunocompromised individuals. Following the detection, South West Water urged customers in Brixham and the surrounding area to boil their water before use, though there are reports by The Mirror that numerous locals showed symptoms before detection and South West Water initially said locals could continue to drink the water when first questioned over the phone. By the 16th of May, 22 confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis were reported by Public Health, with over 100 people in the area reporting symptoms. The number of confirmed cases grew to 46 the following day, as the Hillhead reservoir responsible for providing water for around 40,000 residents continues. South West Water chief customer officer, Laura Flowerdew, apologised for the disruption, with the company raising their initial offer of financial compensation by £100 from £15 to £115. For many on the political left, the blame for outbreaks like these is on privatisation. Instead of the investment into this vital utility promised in the 1980s, UK water has been neglected as 70% of shareholders in privatised UK water companies are outside of the UK and thus extract profits out of the country.
Global: Russia launches a new offensive in Kharkiv Oblast
On Friday 10th May, Russia launched its first major offensive operation in Kharkiv Oblast since their retreat from the region in September 2022. In so doing, Russian forces have made their largest territorial gains in the last year and a half in the region, occupying the city of Vovchansk situated 5km from the Russian border. Since the offensive began, Kyiv has reported that the situation is under control and the advance has been partially halted, though Russian sources claim more extensive losses for Ukraine. The situation has escalated in the past few days, with reports of at least 1 dead in Vovchansk and 11 dead in Kharkiv in Russian strikes.The nature of this offensive remains ambiguous, with Putin’s aims remaining an area of speculation. During his visit to China on Friday 17th May, Putin rejected any intent to capture Kharkiv. He instead stated a motivation of both revenge for Ukrainian strikes into undisputed Russian territory, like Belgorod Oblast, and the creation of a ‘buffer zone’ to prevent any future Ukrainian attacks. There remains anxiety amongst some Western commentators, however, that Putin was in fact hoping for a larger breakthrough. Regardless of intent, this recent offensive represents both a challenge to Ukraine’s long-term self-defence and the necessity of sustained Western aid.
Oxford Labour Club 