Students in Nicaragua fight it out with the Government over University autonomy
Students in Nicaragua, acting under the umbrella of the Nicaraguan National Union of Students (UNEN), have been upbeat in their struggle to defend university autonomy and against governments attempts to undercut budgetary allocations to universities. In an international communique dated July 7, 1997 UNEN recounted several government attempts since 1992 to withdraw a constitutional allocation of 6% of the national budget to "the Nicaraguan National Autonomous University (UNAN)." Consequently, "it provoked a state of permanent mobilistion in the universities" resulting in clashes with the police where two protesters were killed on December 13, 1995, sixty students severely injured and another one hundred and sixteen arrested. Subsequently popular pressure and mass struggle championed by the students eventually restored the 6% allocation when in April 96 the National Assembly forced the government to transfer it to the university. | However, events have again changed for the worse when the present government "vetoed the budget for the university". It began to reinterpret the meaning of the 6%. A fresh wave of protests was the response of the university communities together with the students and again the police have set in with organised brutalities. According to UNEN the Nicaraguan population has been supportive of the students, joining the mass rallies. The Executive Secretariat of the IUS equally shares the concerns and we encourage other student unions to demonstrate solidarity through the following e-mail address: laredobrera@socappeal.easynet.co.uk You may also send your solidarity messages to: UNEN |
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