' June 7, 1993 ' f ; ° by Steve Stewart (BC CASA) fT Guatemala City - Twostudents have been killed, several wounded, and dozens detained during three weeks _ of protestsin thestreets of Guatemala _ City. The disturbances began when high school students were attacked by thugs during a demonstration on May Ist and culniinafed Tuesday, May 25 withassumptionofdictatorial | powers by President Elias Serrano. According to student leaders, the thugs, civilians paid by | governmentauthorities, beatstudents + who were protesting peacefully against new government decrees requiring students to wear uniforms _ and carry special identity cards. The protest escalated as more high schools joined the demonstrations and on May 5, 40 students were arrested and the Central Institute (a downtown high school) wassurrounded by morethan ' 100 anti-riot police. The following day the Silvia Jaurez, president of one of Guatemala’s teachers unions announced that teachers had received threats from the authorities. Shortly afterward the governmentconfirmed the accusation by ordering the arrest of 2members of the national teachers’ associations’ -executive council. According to the Minister of Education, the teachers had » committed the crime of “instigating the students to violence”. The teachers’ asked for the protection of the nation’s Human Rights - Ombudsman who condemned the arrest warrants. On May 11 the students took their protest to Guatemala’s Congress. The demonstration was attacked by the Congress’ security forces. The troops used tear gas on the students and then fired directly into the crowd. Five students were wounded and dozens more were arrested. Two days later Abner Hernandez Orellana, an 18 year old high school student died of multiple bullet wounds. On the same day security forces occupied and shut down three downtown highschools. On May 14th, thousands of university and high school students joined the funeral procession for Abner Orellana, demanding an end to theattacks onstudents. Meanwhile President Elias Serrano declared that theleadersof the highschool students were members of the URNG (NationalGuatemalan Revolutionary Unity) guerrilla movement, and his government held them responsible for the death of the student. By last week students in other parts of the country demonstrated their support for their colleagues in the Capitol by occupyingschoolsand education ministry facilities. Other citizens, angered by a 500% increase in electricity rates, began to join the protests. In an effort to quell the growing dissent, Serrano ordered tanks, troops and riot police dog squads to patrol the streets of the capitol. Arrests ofstudentscontinued. On Friday, May 21, Guatemala City ground to a halt as workers walked off the job in a general strike. Thousands of students and workers marched through the streets to denounce the Serrano government. On Sunday, Mario Jose Colindres, a director of the Economics Student Associationatthe University of San Carlos was killed when he was shotin the head shortly after participating in a theatre presentation critical of the government.Colindres had travelled with medical students to a small villagein the province of Santa Rosa. After the medical students provided medicineand free medical treatment, Colindres and other members of the Economics Students’ theatre troop entertained the villagers with skits presenting the student's perspective on the country’s crisis. As the students left the village, their bus was stopped by two armed menina blue and white pick up. The men fired into the bus hitting Colindres in the head. According toa communique from the Association of University Students of Guatemala, thebulletthatkilled thestudentleader was military issue. They accusedeath squads linked to the armed forces of carrying out the murder. On Tuesday May 25, President Serrano shocked the nation by the Other Press Guatemalan Gov't Abuses ‘Human Rights Again Government suspends constitution after sending troops and tanks against Guatemalan students suspending the constitution and dissolving congressand theSupreme Court. He announced that he would rule by decree for the next 60 days. Shortly after Serrano’s announcement, troops surrounded thehomesand offices of the President of the National Congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and the country’s Human Rights Ombudsman. All were placed under house arrest. By Tuesday afternoon, tanksand soldiershadbeen posted outsidemost union and student offices. The three national newspapers have been shut down and all T.V. and radio broadcasts have been placed under military censorship. Troops occupied the electrical workers union offices and military patrols enforced a strict curfew throughout the city. Acclaimed Nobel Peace prize winner and opposition leader Rigoberta Menchu is in the country to attend a conference on Human Rights in Central America. The conference has been suspended and Menchu has taken refuge in the Argentinean embassy. Facing pressure from various foreign embassies, including the Canadian, Serrano has promised that she will not be harmed. International condemnation has been swift, the day after Serrano’s “auto-coup” Canada’s External Affairs Minister Barbara McDougall expressed Canada’s opposition tothe coup. Meanwhile, the United States and Germany, twooftheGuatemalan government's strongest backers, announced the suspension of $132 million dollars in aid programs to Guatemala. Canadian Students wishing to support students in Guatemala can write to President Serrano Elias requesting that imprisoned students be released and that his government respect the human rights of students and others in Guatemala. Send FAXes to: Ingeniero Jorge Serrano Elias, President de la Republica 011 5022 537 472 For more information contact the BC/Central America Student Alliance at 733-3367. dongle collage’s antenemene student nawepaper- since 1976 June 7, 1993 Staff This Ish Yup. The world always comes crashing down around your ears when it's summer, you're not drunk, and there's not enough copy. It seems that this time Niki King-Jocks had no time or toast to deal with the most but our leader, Angela Chiotakos the breeder was heading to Lollapalooza with guru Tony Sousa. But Nate King ate a swing and then tried to sing but Tim Crumley then numbly said please man, don't sing anything. Nadine Handley was wrong, her grand verbal sprong was naught tomatchthecream cheese of Elaine Leong. He didn't like Cam Neely, said spritely Sean Veley, but sadly the Bruins were doing quite badly. Grumbles and groans leaked from poorToni Jones. when the newspaper turned into elephant's bones. You might like to rhyme, if you have enough time, but don't o'erstay your welcome — you'll end up in lime. And if you look downonmy hole in the ground, if you think I rhyme badly, I won't make a sound. forum on What's your view? Sue Rodriquez brings the topic of euthanasia to the forefront. As citizens who may at one time be directly or indirectly influenced by this case, we have a chance to stand up and be heard. This forum will present views from both sides: Allister Brown - UBC Biomedical Ethics Dept. Cheryl Eckstein - Compassionate Healthcare Roy Slater - self-advocate against euthanasia Dr. Scott Wallace - BC Medical Association Join us and be heard! 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