Mexican Police Raid Ends Nine-Month Strike by University Students

by Hank Williams

In the early morning hours of February 6, more than 2,000 Mexican federal police officers stormed the campus of Mexico's National University, thus ending a nine-month strike by students protesting against steep tuition hikes. A brief warning of "Comrades, they're coming in!" was the only warning the strikers had of the impending raid. Over 650 strikers were arrested and taken to detention centers by police armed with riot gear and clubs, but no guns. Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo was apparently responsible for this, and was most likely keen to avoid a repeat of 1968, when the Mexican army and police fired upon student protestors in Mexico City, killing more than 200 students in cold blood.

Zedillo's concern for the students is only skin deep, however, as he and university officials were willing to impose a tuition hike to $160 per year, up from the current two cents. This is significant in a country where the minimum wage is about $3 per day, half the population lives in poverty, and the National University (UNAM) is virtually the only way for many Mexicans to earn a college degree.

Student demands changed over the course of the occupation from simply protesting the tuition raises to include demands for greater involvement in decisions affecting the school and the resignation of the school's president. The proposed tuition increase was defeated and the university's president resigned last October.

Strikers, encouraged by their success, decided to continue the strike, although support from the 250,000 student body was starting to slip.

Support was still high amongst the general public, however. "The authorities violated the autonomy of the university, and I'm here to protest a government that always chooses violence as a way to end conflict with its own people,'' said Teresa Yanez, a parent who has daughters attending the college.

More coverage in an upcoming issue. Story compiled from AP, and other news reports.