metalero
11th March 2006, 23:15
The past march 8th, during a student protest against the signature of the TLC (free trade agreement) carried around the National University, Oscar Leonardo Rooms, student of linguistics at the Distrital University who was 20 years old was severely injured; Oscar died today, after having undergone cardio-respiratory attack and cerebral death, product of the impact of a tear gas grenade that, according to witnesses, was shot against his face in short distance by agents of the anti-riot police squad (ESMAD).
Yet the media reports this as "isolated" events, results of "violent clash" between group of "agitators" and the Police squad who was called in to set order.
Background of systematic murder of University students
On september 22, 2005, students at the University of Valle in the city of Cali, Colombia held a peaceful protest on their campus to draw attention to the fact that the authorities had cut-off the drinking water supply to the nearby poor neighbourhood of Villa Gorgona. In the late afternoon Colombian riot police moved into the campus in tanks and fired tear gas at the students in an attempt to break up the protest. The police subsequently opened fire on the students with live rounds and at approximately 7pm shot and killed 21-year-old chemistry student and student union activist Jhony Silva Aranjuren. Psychology student German Perdomo was also shot and is currently in intensive care.
On 15 September 2005 the Colombian Army attacked a student protest at the University of Tolima indiscriminately shooting at the students. Eight students were taken away by the military and have not yet been released - their whereabouts are unclear.
On 9 September 2005 Colombian riot police entered the University of Francisco de Paula Santander in the city of Cucuta. The police fired tear gas and violently beat various students including a secondary school student who was visiting the university. During this incident the riot police also attacked the 11-year-old son of a worker in the university cafeteria. The child was stripped naked by the police and then brutally beaten whilst other officers filmed and photographed the incident.
On 7 September 2005 the homes of various University of Tolima students were raided by the Colombian police at 4am. Two of those targeted, Diana Moreno and German Acosta, were taken away by the police and, though they have not been charged with any crime, they remain in detention.
On 17 August 2005 members of the Colombian Navy kidnapped a leader of the student union at the University of Cartagena. Edgar de Jesus Avendano Perez was forced into a car that subsequently passed unhindered through various police checkpoints before reaching the outskirts of the city of Cartagena where he was tortured and threatened with execution.
On 27 July 2005 police officers in the city of Riohacha murdered student leader Jahir Estrada Mendoza of the University of Riohacha. The police, who have not been investigated or punished in any way, then dressed his corpse in military fatigues and attempted to present him as a guerrilla killed in combat.
On 1 May 2005 riot police beat to death 15-year-old Nicolas Neira during the May Day march in the Colombian capital Bogotá.
Why Students are speaking out?
-The Colombian government is slashing spending on education in favour of
increasing funding for the armed forces. Virtually no university places are now available to poorer students and the few remaining public universities are being starved of resources and sold off to the private sector.
-Colombia is rich in natural resources such as oil, coal and emeralds and yet the vast majority of the population live in abject poverty. The Uribe government is perpetuating this situation by implementing free market economic policies, including the privatisation of universities, which benefit the elite and foreign multinationals but condemn the poor to misery.
-President Uribe is allowing the United States to intervene in Colombia under the
premise of the ‘War on Terror'. This is increasing the violence against students and other government opponents rather than reducing it. There is ample evidence that the ‘War onTerror' is a smoke-screen for the US to achieve their own economic and strategic objectives.
Colombia is one of the most dangerous places in the world to voice a political opinion. Colombian Universities are not a place to openly express and discuss
views and ideas. Students who speak out against the government regularly become targets of Colombia's rightwing paramilitary death squads and their allies in the Colombian armed forces. Victims are intimidated, arrested, tortured and sometimes even assassinated.
And it is not just students that are targeted; Academic staff too are murdered if they express opinions against the government - especially staff that are members of trade unions.
www.anncol.org/es/site/doc.php?id=1842
www.justiceforcolombia.org
http://www.nodo50.org/patrialibre/fotos/represion3.jpg
Police using students as human shields.
Yet the media reports this as "isolated" events, results of "violent clash" between group of "agitators" and the Police squad who was called in to set order.
Background of systematic murder of University students
On september 22, 2005, students at the University of Valle in the city of Cali, Colombia held a peaceful protest on their campus to draw attention to the fact that the authorities had cut-off the drinking water supply to the nearby poor neighbourhood of Villa Gorgona. In the late afternoon Colombian riot police moved into the campus in tanks and fired tear gas at the students in an attempt to break up the protest. The police subsequently opened fire on the students with live rounds and at approximately 7pm shot and killed 21-year-old chemistry student and student union activist Jhony Silva Aranjuren. Psychology student German Perdomo was also shot and is currently in intensive care.
On 15 September 2005 the Colombian Army attacked a student protest at the University of Tolima indiscriminately shooting at the students. Eight students were taken away by the military and have not yet been released - their whereabouts are unclear.
On 9 September 2005 Colombian riot police entered the University of Francisco de Paula Santander in the city of Cucuta. The police fired tear gas and violently beat various students including a secondary school student who was visiting the university. During this incident the riot police also attacked the 11-year-old son of a worker in the university cafeteria. The child was stripped naked by the police and then brutally beaten whilst other officers filmed and photographed the incident.
On 7 September 2005 the homes of various University of Tolima students were raided by the Colombian police at 4am. Two of those targeted, Diana Moreno and German Acosta, were taken away by the police and, though they have not been charged with any crime, they remain in detention.
On 17 August 2005 members of the Colombian Navy kidnapped a leader of the student union at the University of Cartagena. Edgar de Jesus Avendano Perez was forced into a car that subsequently passed unhindered through various police checkpoints before reaching the outskirts of the city of Cartagena where he was tortured and threatened with execution.
On 27 July 2005 police officers in the city of Riohacha murdered student leader Jahir Estrada Mendoza of the University of Riohacha. The police, who have not been investigated or punished in any way, then dressed his corpse in military fatigues and attempted to present him as a guerrilla killed in combat.
On 1 May 2005 riot police beat to death 15-year-old Nicolas Neira during the May Day march in the Colombian capital Bogotá.
Why Students are speaking out?
-The Colombian government is slashing spending on education in favour of
increasing funding for the armed forces. Virtually no university places are now available to poorer students and the few remaining public universities are being starved of resources and sold off to the private sector.
-Colombia is rich in natural resources such as oil, coal and emeralds and yet the vast majority of the population live in abject poverty. The Uribe government is perpetuating this situation by implementing free market economic policies, including the privatisation of universities, which benefit the elite and foreign multinationals but condemn the poor to misery.
-President Uribe is allowing the United States to intervene in Colombia under the
premise of the ‘War on Terror'. This is increasing the violence against students and other government opponents rather than reducing it. There is ample evidence that the ‘War onTerror' is a smoke-screen for the US to achieve their own economic and strategic objectives.
Colombia is one of the most dangerous places in the world to voice a political opinion. Colombian Universities are not a place to openly express and discuss
views and ideas. Students who speak out against the government regularly become targets of Colombia's rightwing paramilitary death squads and their allies in the Colombian armed forces. Victims are intimidated, arrested, tortured and sometimes even assassinated.
And it is not just students that are targeted; Academic staff too are murdered if they express opinions against the government - especially staff that are members of trade unions.
www.anncol.org/es/site/doc.php?id=1842
www.justiceforcolombia.org
http://www.nodo50.org/patrialibre/fotos/represion3.jpg
Police using students as human shields.