Police force against student protestors condemned

The excessive use of force in protests against constitutional reforms, which left some 100  citizens in custody was  condemned at a Wednesday press conference convened by students  and faculty from different universities and members of youth organizations

They consider that the police showed “indiscriminate and violent” action when they arrested hundreds of Panamanians, mostly young people, thereby repressing the right to demonstrate peacefully and warned that the protests will continue

They publicly expressed their disagreement with the constitutional reform package and condemned the anti-democratic way in which the  National Assembly has carried out the process.

“We do not share the hurried and non- inclusive way in which the project was approved,” they said, adding that lawmakers’ personal interests have been put above the interests of the country.

“Any change to the norm of greater hierarchy of the country cannot be product of discussion to a beating drum”, they said.

In their  opinion the content of the constitutional reforms is “insufficient” and “fails to capture a country model that reflects the yearnings of youth of the 21st century.”

The youth also announced that they will continue to demonstrate peacefully against constitutional reforms., Lawyers and student movement representatives rejected the use of force and the method of repression that was used with the students during five  days of demonstrations.

Former deputy and current dean of the law faculty of the Santa María la Antigua Catholic University (USMA), Ana Matilde Gómez, said that what happens before a Justice of the Peace, will make a mark in the collective thinking of Panamanian students who were mistreated.

They were insulted, pepper gas, strength was used and all that was unnecessary because many of the young people had their hands were raised or on the floor, ”said Gomez.

Lawyer Mónica Sánchez said that what is sought is to unreasonably extend the hearing process to keep in uncertainty the people linked to some type of legal case.

USMA, student José Luis Paniza, called for stopping the current process of discussing constitutional reforms and establishing a methodology in which the groups that have been demonstrating are heard.