In the early hours of Sunday, February 6th, thousands of federal policeofficers broke up the meeting of the General Strike Committee (CGH) ofthe National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and arrested morethan 600 of its members.
The students at UNAM, about 275,000 of them, had been on strike for nine months.
Their main demand was the continuation of free access to university andthey were opposed to the introduction of tuition fees of about $140,which is an exhorbitant amount of money in Mexico.
The week before police had already arrested another 250 students at thePreparatoria 3 school in clashes between strikers and government-hiredfascist thugs ("porros") and 80 more at a separate conflict in a RuralTeachers School in Hidalgo.
On Wednesday, February 9th, 500,000 people marched all over Mexico todemand the release of the students and to protest against repression. Asa result of popular pressure, some of the nearly 1,000 arrested studentshave now been released (some on bail), but around 280 remain in jail. Theconditions of the imprisoned students are very harsh. Many have beenbeaten up and the government is using common criminals to beat up jailedstudents.
We have received an appeal for solidarity messages and financial supportto cover legal costs from the Students Committee to Defend StateEducation (CEDEP).
Messages of protest can be sent to:
Gobierno de Mexico:
S.E. Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Presidente de la Republica,
Palacio Nacional, C.P. 06065, Mexico, D.F., Mexico
Fax (+ 52 5) 515 57 29 o/or 516 57 62
C. Lic. Francisco Labastida Ochoa, Secretario de Gobernacion,
Secretaria de Gobernacion, Bucareli 99, 2do piso, Col. Juarez,
Mexico, D.F., Mexico, Fax (+ 52 5) 546 53 50 o/or 547 03 21
segob@rtn.net.mx
with copies to the newspaper La Jornada
jornada@condor.dgsca.unam.mx
and to Comite Estudiantil en Defensa de la Educacion Publica
cedep@iname.com
Info on the movement can be found here:
http://www.newyouth.com/archives/campaigns/mexico/UNAM.asp
http://www.newyouth.com/archives/latinamerica/mexico/unam/mexico_movement_continues_02142000.html
http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/update.html
We are also appealing for financial support of any kind in order to help coverthe legal expenses which will be incurred due to the trumped up charges broughtagainst the students. Mexico is a very poor country and any amount of money willhelp tremendously. This money can be raised publicly from the youth and labormovement as it will be passed on to the CEDEP (Students Committee to DefendState Education), and spent by CEDEP for legal defense expenses. Approach yourlocal student organizations and trade unions with an appeal! This is a concreteway in which we in the US and Canada can make a difference.
Cheques should be made payable to Socialist Appeal and sent to:
PO Box 2626, London N1 7SQ
(please write on the back "for Mexican Students Legal Defence Fund")
Or:
CEDEP c/o Wellred Books (make payable to Wellred)
PO Box 1331
Fargo, ND 58107-1331
(please write on the back "for Mexican Students Legal Defense Fund")
Please distribute this information as widely as possible. The fight forfree, universal, quality education in Mexico and globally is a fight which weall need to get involved in!