STUDENTS END HUNGER STRIKE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001279

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
DEAPARTMENT PASS TO DRL (SMOODY)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
SUBJECT: STUDENTS END HUNGER STRIKE

REF: CARACAS 01269

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBIN D. MEYER
REASON 1.4 (D)


1. (SBU) Summary: The 7 day student-led hunger strike,
initially launched on September 24 as a protest against the
arrest of student activist Julio Rivas, ended late the
evening of September 30. The students called off the protest
and claimed victory, stating that their demands had been
fully met: Rivas had been released (reftel) and the Secretary
General of the Organization of American States (OAS),Jose
Miguel Insulza, reportedly expressed concern for the students
and suggested they meet with OAS officials in Washington.
Student groups called for a march in Caracas on October 3 to
protest the continued detention of political prisoners. End
Summary.

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INSULZA'S (LUKE WARM) INVITATION
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2. (SBU) In comments to the press from Washington
immediately before the end of the hunger strike, OAS
Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza told journalists that
he was concerned about the hunger-strikers: "How can I not be
concerned about having 160 young people in front of OAS
headquarters, in Caracas?" He noted that the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) had asked to come to
Venezuela several times but that the GBRV had not agreed to
issue an invitation. "That's the reality." He also said
that "unfortunately the IACHR cannot go to a country without
having an invitation or authorization." (Note: The last
visit by the IACHR to Venezuela was in May 2002. End Note.)
The Commission has repeatedly requested, both verbally and in
writing, the consent of the Government of Venezuela for a
visit without success. Insulza also said that "it wouldn't
be wrong for the students to present their demands and
petitions to the IACHR headquarters or transmit them in
another way... Let them (the students) come. Let the student
delegation come to Washington to speak with the IACHR, or be
interviewed by its personnel or the rapporteur for the
country. I am sure that they would be received."

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STUDENTS DECLARE VICTORY; END HUNGER STRIKE
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3. (SBU) Student spokesperson Rebeca Rojas announced at
9PM, September 30, that in light of the public comments by
Secretary General Insulza, the demonstrators had fully
achieved their objectives and were ending their week long
hunger strike. Rojas characterized Insulza's comments as an
invitation for a student delegation to meet with IACHR
officials in Washington. Rojas called for students to march
in Caracas on October 3 to demand that the government permit
a site visit by the IACHR and to protest the continued
detention of political prisoners. Rojas told supporters,
"This fight does not end today. This is for the Venezuelan
people, not a fight of colors, but it is about feeling
Venezuelan and being born in this country."


4. (C) On October 1, Ligia Bolivar, the Director of the
Human Rights Center of the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello,
told post that the Center was helping to prepare the student
delegation for the visit to the IACHR and asked for expedited
visa processing for some of the students without visas. She
said she wanted the students to meet with Washington Office
on Latin America (WOLA),Human Rights Watch, and the Center
for Justice and International Law while in Washington.


5. (C) Comment: The student led hunger strike gave the
opposition and student movement a minor symbolic win.
However, Insulza notably stopped short of demanding the GBRV
let the IACHR in the country. In essence, given the unlikely
prospect that the GBRV would release additional prisoners,
the students wisely declared victory and moved on to efforts
to engage the OAS. End Comment.


DUDDY