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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | November 2006 
Classes Resume at University in Oaxaca
 Rebeca Romero - Associated Press
| | Indigenous Trique women of Oaxaca take part in a march against the Governor of Oaxaca Ulises Ruiz in Mexico City November 10, 2006. (Reuters/Tomas Bravo) |
Classes resumed briefly Monday at the university used as a headquarters by leftist protesters, but lessons were suspended again amid security concerns in the southern Mexican city wracked by six months of unrest.
The protesters set up their headquarters at Oaxaca's Autonomous Benito Juarez University early this month after police drove them from the city's main plaza, which they had occupied for months in a bid to force Oaxaca's state governor to resign.
Some students complained Monday as classes resumed that they were intimidated by masked protesters who shouted "traitors." The leftist protesters also say they fear for their safety after almost daily shootings at them by pro-government armed groups driving by the university in cars and trucks.
Amid the insecurity, university spokesman Carlos Pazaran said there would be no further classes until safe conditions were guaranteed.
At least nine people have died since August in the unrest, which has rattled the outgoing administration of President Vicente Fox.
Earlier this month, 30 people were injured during clashes between federal police and protesters after the officers tried to remove barricades on a street near the university.
Rector Francisco Martinez and Mexican Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal promised Monday to guarantee the safety of the school's 36,000 students, although Martinez made clear federal police would not be allowed on campus. Federal police are not allowed to enter under a law designed to protect academic freedom.
The protests in Oaxaca began in May with a strike by teachers looking for better pay and turned into a campaign for the resignation of Gov. Ulises Ruiz after police under his command violently broke up a demonstration.
Leftists, Indian groups and students have joined in, as protesters accuse Ruiz of rigging the 2004 election to win office and sending groups of armed thugs to kill and intimidate his opponents. |
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