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25. 11. 09. - 13:00

Jean Ziegler backs student protests

By Thomas Hochwarter

Well-known globalisation critic Jean Ziegler drew a full house to a Vienna University auditorium last night (Tues) to tell students he was backing their protests.

Vienna University’s Audimax auditorium was packed as the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food delivered a speech in which he linked organisations running the global financial world with dissatisfaction of students all over Europe.

The 75-year-old Swiss – set to hold a reading of his new book "La haine de l'Occident" (Hate For the West) at the Volkstheater tonight – received rousing applause when he pointed out that current European students’ demonstrations had begun in Vienna.

Student groups have occupied auditoriums and classrooms at universities across Austria for weeks demanding better standards in education, abolition of access limits and protesting against oversubscribed courses.

But the number of students involved in the occupation has dropped drastically since protests – which also included street marches –started last month.

Asked whether the occupation of the Audimax auditorium would continue throughout the Christmas period, a student told broadcaster ORF: "I cannot think of anything more beautiful than celebrating Christmas at the Audimax."

- - -

Jean Ziegler’s book "La haine de l'Occident" (Hate For the West) is out now.

Its German edition, "Der Hass auf den Westen", has been published by C. Bertelsmann (www.randomhouse.de/cbertelsmann; ISBN: 978-3570011324).

Austrian Times

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