All throughout the world it is known by everyone the intense struggles of the Chilean students, youth and people developed now and over the last months against the administration of President Piñera, particularly against the intention of privatizing education.

From WFDY we salute and express our solidarity towards the youth and people of Chile, particularly in this moment in which the government - the most reactionary since Pinochet - is making use of violent forms of repression against the pacific and legitimate actions of struggle, protest and presentation of a viable and fair alternative.

We are sure that the mass struggle and the unity of the are essential conditions for the transformation of the country and from our side we will do everything in our power so that, with our international support, we can contribute to the fulfillment of the goals of all the struggles that are taking place, for a Chile, a Latin America and world of peace, solidarity and revolutionary social transformation!

Furthermore, we salute especially the very important role played by our member organization (the Communist Youth of Chile - JJCC) in the process and wish all the best for the reinforcement of the struggle and of the organization upon the occasion of its 79th anniversary.

Today, November 17, is once again celebrated the International Students’ Day.

This day, whose origin is deeply connected with the brave struggle of the Czech students’ movement against the nazi-fascist oppression and occupation over the country, is more than ever up to date.

The world we live in, dominated by the imperialist forces, excludes millions of young people from access to any form of education, whilst spends huge amount of resources to continue the imperialist wars, occupations and destruction.

Furthermore, for those can have access to some sort of education, the contents and the possibilities of accessing wide and deep knowledge is daily more and more narrowed by elitization policies followed by the imperialist allied Governments, privatizing and/or increasing the costs of access to education - particularly in the highest levels, but not only - implementing the guidelines of the market for education, as proposed by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization, structures that represent the interest of the big economic groups.

The access to education, in a free, quality and universal way, is a priority for our world and for mankind, as this is the only way to ensure free and democratic development, breaking the chains that imperialism wants to impose to the youth and peoples of the world, producing generations of people unaware of their history and rights, unwilling and incapable to struggle for the overthrown of the same system that oppresses and exploits them.

On this day, for its historical meaning and for its outstanding relevance in the current world, WFDY reaffirms its solidarity and full support to the students’ movement. The historical bounds between WFDY and the international students’ movement and all the struggles that throughout the world are developed by students have from WFDY the maximum attention and support.

WFDY calls upon its member and friendly organizations to continue their struggle for public, free and quality education for all as part of the wider struggle against imperialism.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth is deeply concerned about the detention and suppression going on in Sri Lanka against the student leaders of Universities.
It is noteworthy that the leaders of Inter University Student Union elected from university students of Sri Lanka has been arrested and put twice into detention for 44 days in last three months. In both time he was taken into custody while he was leading peaceful students’ protests against privatization and lack of institutional facilities. Along with Premaratne Mr. Gihan Seneviratne, president of the Visual Art Faculty Students Union of the Visual and Performing Arts University was also arrested in charge of defaming Mahendra Rajapakse as a triumphant monarch after defeating LTTE in last May. Further 14 undergraduate students had been arrested on September 17 with the fake charge of damaging property of a medical college. In addition to that, 13 student leaders of Peradeniya University (the largest university in Sri Lanka) were also imprisoned. Nearly 25 student leaders from different universities have been suspended. The situation is becoming more worsened day by day.
This series suppression against peaceful student movement & decent opinion is sole violation of human right and democratic norms in the country.
The World Federation of Democratic Youth demands to Rajapakse Government to release all the student leaders unconditionally and address their genuine demands related with educational infrastructure and facilities.
We urge all youth and student organizations affiliated with WFDY to support the cause led by our member organizations- the Socialist Student Union and Socialist Youth Union in this very time of student movement.
The WFDY HQ warns against Rajapakse Government to carry more solidarity campaigns in solidarity with Sri-Lankan student if such blatant suppression is not stopped now.