Alberta Reappraising AIDS Society
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David Crowe, President Phone: +1-403-289-6609 Fax: +1-403-289-6658 Email: David.Crowe@aras.ab.ca Kathleen Newell, Treasurer		Box 61037, Kensington Postal Outlet Calgary, Alberta T2N 4S6 Canada			Office Phone: +1-403-220-0129 Email: aras@aras.ab.ca Web: aras.ab.ca
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The Johan Beaurain Struggle
for Academic Freedom

Johan Beaurain studied as a Master’s degree student at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. Johan’s research proposal (pdf) was to study whether learning and applying a particular holistic self-healing modality like Ayurveda, could make a difference in learners’ own health and well being. The learning sessions would focus particularly on the possible effects of Ayurveda consciousness with regard to what in allopathic medicine is called “HIV/AIDS”. He has been unable to get approval to proceed with his thesis because of his views on HIV and AIDS. At the time Johan said:

“I strongly believe that, on the one hand a free and open debate in search of the truth, and on the other hand freedom to choose one’s field and topic of academic research, are fundamental democratic, as well as academic rights in my country, South Africa. I have been denied both by the University of the Western Cape.”

The Alberta Reappraising AIDS Society is pleased to preserve a record of this important correspondence.

Questioning the AIDS Policy at UWC: Correspondence where Johan questions the AIDS policy at UWC. He requested that the Executive of UWC provide him with the scientific research supporting their AIDS policy. They failed to provide this.

UWC then Sabotaged Johan’s Research: A link to the complete documentary record of correspondence on this matter in which the executive of UWC steadfastly refused ethical clearance to continue his research but failed to provide him with the reasons why they regard his research as unethical.

Johan then Complained to the Office of the Public Protector: He asked this office to investigate because UWC has denied him his right to choose his field and topic of academic research as well as his right to a free and open debate in search of the truth.

Response received from the Public Protector. But the Public Protector refused to investigate, claiming that the matter falls outside the jurisdiction of the Office.

Parliamentary questions to the Minister of Education: In January 2006 Johan requested Mr. James Ngculu MP to ask three questions to the Minister of Education during a sitting of the National Assembly.

Letter to Parliamentarians: After four months Johan was still awaiting a response. He then wrote to some of the other Parliamentarians in South Africa and delivered hard copies of his letter to the Postal Agency of the Parliament of South Africa

Letter to the General Secretary of COSATU: Johan also wrote to the Congress of South African Trade Unions. COSATU’s policies are supportive of the implementation of the invalid “HIV/AIDS hypothesis”. Similar letters were also send out to prominent worker leaders in South Africa.

Cosatu in Capitalism at its Deadliest: In August 2006 Johan sent out hundreds of emails to prominent worker leaders in South Africa.

Response received from the office of Mr James Ngculu MP. On 7 September 2006 Johan received a response from the office of Mr. James Ngculu MP – the parliamentarian that he had requested in January 2006 to ask some questions of the Minister of Education during a sitting of the National Assembly.

Johan summarizes his struggle so far by stating:

“I have reason to suspect that when the organs of UWC argue that my research is unethical, it is to justify their continued support for the implementation of the invalid HIV/AIDS hypothesis without having to show any scientific proof, and without engaging in an open debate. So, rather than assisting me in an unbiased search for the truth, they are actually suppressing the truth. This can hardly be in the interest of their students, nor in the interest of the rest of the population of South Africa. And it goes squarely against both the core principles of the concept of Science, and the pronounced aims and principles of the UWC. And the Parliamentarians of South Africa are clearly not in a big hurry to correct the abuses of their favourite academics. ”

The Johan Beaurain Struggle for Academic Freedom

The Johan Beaurain Struggle
for Academic Freedom