This urgent request has come from Mariluz Arriaga, the Mexican coordinator of the Tri-National Coalition in Defense of Public Education.
As a prof at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) she has been out in support of the thousands of striking students for the past eight months.
Although free public education (including post-secondary) is guaranteed under the Mexican constitution, the UNAM authorities are attempting to impose tuition fees -- something that has never existed in Mexico before and which would deny many impoverished students access to post-secondary education.
The fax numbers for the President and the chief of Mexico City's government are listed, as well as one for SEMPO, the labour institute that is helping coordinate the international campaign.
It is a super-busy time of year but if you can find the time please do keep those cards and letters coming. We know every letter counts, if not to sway the government at least to lift the spirits of these young people in jail.
Muchas gracias for your expressions of solidarity, Sincerely,
Larry Kuehn
Coordinator, BCTF International Programs,
Nancy Knickerbocker,
BCTF media relations officer
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