As a show of solidarity with the Chilean students in struggle, a handful of people (18-20) gathered today outside the Chilean Consulate in St Kilda Road, Melbourne. We delivered a letter to the Consulate, signed by various groups and individuals from across Australia, outlining our support for the students’ demands and concerns about the repressive actions of the Chilean State.
With some confusion about the location of the Consulate and other persons running late, there were few people present when the letter was delivered (as we had up until 11:40am to deliver the letter); however, these numbers were bolstered by the presence of 10 Australian Federal Police officers who didn’t allow for photographs of the gathering to be taking and also only allowed two of us, accompanied by four AFP officers, to go to the 13th floor where the consulate is located.
This action is but one in a number of solidarity rallies and actions taking place across Australia in solidarity with the Chilean students. Last weekend a rally in solidarity with the Chilean students currently on hunger strike took place in Brisbane. Tomorrow, Saturday 20th August, at midday, a rally will occur outside Melbourne’s GPO, and at 11am in Brisbane supporting students on hunger strike. The following day in Sydney there is the Solidarity Gathering in Support of the Chilean Students, Sydney Opera House, 2-3pm.
And because the Consul-General (maybe scared?) wasn’t there and instead, we gave the letter to the Secretary (with their commitment to send it to Chile), we will continue asking for signatures until we receive an answer from Chile, so please distribute the letter to all you friends and networks. We also hope this action can occur within the context of further mobilisations within Australia to develop a stronger campaign in solidarity with the Chilean students in struggle, we will be working towards this goal.
Thanks to everyone.
The people united will never be defeated...
The letter reads:
To: Chilean Government 19 August, 2011
Mr. Sebastian Piñera
President of Chile
Palacio de la Moneda
Santiago - Chile
c/- Diego Velasco von Pilgrimm
Minister Counselor, Consul General of Chile in Melbourne, Australia
Level 13, 390 St. Kilda Road,
Melbourne, VIC 3004.
Dear Mr. Piñera,
With the ongoing mass mobilisations of students, and their supporters, across Chile, we write to you to add our voices to those of our Chilean brothers and sisters in their struggle for free, quality education for all, at all levels; justice; and real democracy; amongst other demands.
We feel that quality education is a basic human right, not a luxury consumer good. As such, the Chilean State’s ongoing process of liquidation and commodification of public education (as embodied by the merger, closure and endemic underfunding of municipal schools in poor neighbourhoods, the high level of student indebtedness, and the increasing precarity of employment for teachers, amongst others) is reprehensible, and that students have mobilised in opposition to this process is both reasonable and of a necessity to ensure the fulfilment of this right.
Finally, we remain concerned for the health and safety of the number of students maintaining a hunger strike, and for those partaking in demonstrations and occupations; we find it unacceptable that harm has, and may continue to, come to those mobilised for the basic right to free, quality education.
For an education for the people, not profit!
Yours Sincerely,
Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET)
Movement for Peace and Justice - Brisbane
Memoria Viva – Sydney
Colombia Demand Justice Campaign
Chilean Popular & Indigenous Solidarity Network
Mt Nancy Town No mining No Forestry Campaign Friends of the Earth Melbourne
Mujeres Latinoamericanas, Community Radio 3CR
Chile Solidarity – Canberra
Solidaridad para América Latina - Tasmania
Human Rights Initiative - Tasmania
University Students Association
Latin American Solidarity Society - Latrobe University, Victoria
Australia-Honduras Solidarity Coalition
(names of individuals withheld)
