One month ago university students in Colombia launched a mass, indefinite national strike to stop the proposed reform of Law 30. This ‘reform’ would have deepened the role of private finance and given bankers effective control over educational decisions at nominally public sector universities.
The student movement has returned with a force not seen since the 1970s. The strike culminated in mass protests involving some 550,000 students last Thursday 10 November. On Friday the Colombian government backed down and withdrew the proposed law, for now. This is a momentous victory for students and staff working together, and a huge step forward in the global struggle against privatisation and austerity.
The Colombian Solidarity Campaign held a picket of the LSE when President Santos spoke at lunchtime on Tuesday 22 November.
http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/events/26-upcoming-events/558-new-driver-but-same-direction-heading-for-a-train-crash
RESOURCES IN ENGLISH
The Chile contagion has spread. Secondary school students interviewed on Telesur:
Mobilization for a better education continues in Colombia
www.youtube.com
Today, colombian students are protesting against the reform of education proposed by the government …
Press reports in English:
Student Protesters Demand Quality – and Equality
By Helda Martínez http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105811
Students to protest despite offer to withdraw education reform bill
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/20339-students-to-protest-despite-santos-offer.html
Colombian students clog capital to protest education reforms
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/10/2496558/colombian-students-clog-capital.html
Colombian students to lift strike, but under conditions
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/20414-colombian-students-to-lift-strike-but-under-conditions.html
EXCELLENT FILM IN SPANISH
Video del documental de Hollman Morris (Contravia) sobre la reforma a la Ley 30.
CONTRAVÍA- ¿Por qué marcharon los estudiantes?
CLIPS
TV propaganda war
Reforma a la ley 30 de educación. Según Pierre Bourdieu
Las bellezas de la marcha estudiantil del 7 de Abril
Disturbios Universidad Distrital RCN.wmv
Repression
ESMAD celebran golpeando estudiantes
Represión a toda marcha 2 – 1 de Mayo 2011
lo que no sale en noticias de los disturbios de la UD
NB ESMAD are the anti-mutiny police.
Students are fighting to keep police off the university campus
BRUTALIDAD ESMAD UNIVERSIDAD DISTRITAL ( macarena )
TROPEL UNIVERSIDAD DISTRITAL, 12 DE MAYO 2011
Courtesy of the Colombia Solidarity Campaign
