Pressure the Mexican Government to Release 73 Students Arrested During a Solidarity Demonstration with WTO Protests in Seattle!
--- Forwarded Message from owner-chiapas95@eco.utexas.edu (Chiapas95) ---
URGENT! URGENT!
International campaign to liberate the 98 students of the National
Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), who were arrested December 11, 1999.
The students at the UNAM have been on strike for eight months,
demanding respect for free access to post-secondary education and in
opposition to the imposition of the neo-liberal model of privatization in
the universities.
The government's response to their movement has been to refuse dialogue, to
attempt to discredit, divide, wear down and repress the students. Only
recently have talks opened up between the authorities and the students'
strike committee, and only since Dr. Barnes, Rector of the University,
resigned due to his inability to resolve the conflict.
On Saturday, December 11, the students staged a march and rally in front of
the U.S. Embassy protesting the repression in Seattle during the meeting of
the World Trade Organization and in opposition to the policies imposed by
transnational corporations and the governments that support them. During
the rally, students were beaten by the policy, persecuted and 98 students
were taken prisoner, both men and women, 19 of whom were underage.
In violation of their rights, the students were kept incommunicado. Those
who are underage were told they would be set free after 24 hours, but they
were kept in prison for three days. The remaining 73 students who are over
the age of majority were transferred to the Reclusorio Norte, one of the
jails in the City of Mexico. They are accused of rioting, property damage
and "aggressions."
Judge 45 of the Mexico City penal court said they could be let go on bail,
but then fixed the sum at 2,803,200 pesos, approximately 285,000 dollars!
The Mexico City government is responsible for provoking the violence that
took place in front of the U.S. Embassy. The students said there were
provocateurs, and yet they were assaulted and taken prisoner by the same
City government that claims to be democratic.
Due to the gravity of the situation and the possibility that these arrests
will prolong the conflict at the National University and prove to be a
strategic blow against the struggle to defend public education, we are
urgently appealing to you to send letters demanding that the government let
these student strike leaders go free, without any charges or penal
processes pending.
We're urging you to make this as extensive a solidarity campaign as
possible, working with other unions and social/political organizations, or
others with which you have relations on the international level.
Letters demanding freedom for the 73 detained students (25 women and 58
men) should be directed to:
Sra. Rosario Robles Berlanga.
Jefa de Gobierno del Distrito Federal.
Fax: 011 (525) 521-0722
E-mail: Rosario@jefaturadf.gob.mx
Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon
Presidente de Mexico
Palacio Nacional
Fax: 011 (525) 277-2376
So we can help make the campaign known to the media in Mexico, please send
an additional copy of your faxes to SEMPO, a labour studies institute, at:
011 (525) 207-8019
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