Document #1128489
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
The following information was provided by a
representative of the Student Federation of the University of Playa
Ancha (La Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de
Playa Ancha De Ciencias de la Educación) in a 27 March 1997
interview with the DIRB.
According to the representative, the
University of Playa Ancha is an educational institution
specializing primarily in teaching programmes (ibid.). Activities
of the student federation include lobbying public officials for
increases of loans to students in need and better financing of
student programmes (ibid.). The federation also organizes cultural
activities, awareness campaigns and demonstrations against the
underfunding of universities (ibid.). For example, students
protested in 1996 against government reforms to the education
system in Chile (ibid.).
On 27 May 1992, members of the student
federation and students at large participated in an occupation of
the university campus which lasted for 27 days. (ibid). Another
campus occupation took place on 20 June 1995 and lasted until the
beginning of July 1995 (ibid.). Both events were attempts to
pressure government officials in providing more adequate loans to
students in need (ibid.). The source stated that some first year
students did not receive loans and therefore, were unable to pursue
their studies (ibid.).
While some students were arrested and
detained during both the 1992 and 1995 occupations, all students
were released soon after their arrests (ibid.). Many students
reported that they were physically mistreated by police while in
custody (ibid.).
A student federation election took place in
November 1995 after an April 1995 election failed to generate
enough student participation to validate the election results
(ibid.). As a result, the student federation was unable to exercise
its role during the period between April and November 1995 (ibid.).
Names of federation executive members could not be obtained by the
DIRB.
According to a 20 June 1992 IPS report,
students occupied university campuses throughout Chile to protest
against financial reforms to post-secondary education in June 1992.
The source also states that University of Playa Ancha students
ended their campus occupation on 19 June 1992 but does not specify
when the occupation began (ibid.). The students ended their
occupation after being warned that they would be arrested and
removed by force (ibid.). Please consult the attached document for
more information.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of
additional sources consulted in researching this Information
Request.
Reference
Inter Press Service (IPS). 20 June 1992.
Gustavo Gonzalez. "Chile: Tension Mounts as Municipal Polls Draw
Near." (NEXIS)
Universidad de Playa Ancha De Ciencias
de Educación, Valparaíso, Chile. 27 March 1997.
Telephone interview with representative.
Attachment
Inter Press Service (IPS). 20 June 1992.
Gustavo Gonzalez. "Chile: Tension Mounts as Municipal Polls Draw
Near." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Amnesty International Report.
1992-1996.
Andean Newsletter [Lima].
1992.
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices. 1992-1996.
DIRB Country File: Chile. 1992.
DIRB Indexed Media Review
(IMR). 1996-1997.
Human Rights Watch World
Report. 1995-1997.
Keesing's Record of World
Events [Cambridge]. 1992.
Latinamerica Press [Lima].
1992-1997.
Latin America Weekly Report
[London]. 1992.
On-line search of news articles. (NEXIS
and Internet)