Respuesta de Klauz Von Klitzing (premio nobel 1985) respecto al movimiento estudiantil chileno.

Klaus von Klitzing (28 June 1943 in Schroda) is a German physicist known for discovery of the integer quantum Hall Effect, for which he was awarded the 1985 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Dear students (especially physics students) in Chile,
as a Nobel Prize Winner I am requested to condemn many things in our world which are in conflict with human rights or the general goals of the United Nations (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Development_Goals). I write many letters in support of human rights and I  fully support the goals of the UN which also point out the importance of education (goal 2) :
By 2015, all children can complete a full course of primary schooling, girls and boys.  Enrollment in primary education, completion of primary education and literacy of 15-24 year olds, female and male.

From the internet (education in Chile) I got the information:

"The Chilean state provides an extensive system of education vouchers  that covers almost 90% of primary and secondary students. This extensive voucher system is based on a direct payment to the schools based on daily attendance; in practical terms, if the students moves to a different school, their attendance payments move too."

If this is true, Chile is in a much better shape than many other countries even if you are not happy with the school voucher system. This doesn't mean that you have not the right to fight for a better educational system.

It is too simple to fight for "Everybody for free education" (La lucha es de la sociedad entera todas por la education gratuita) since everyone has to invest in his education. I fully agree that everyone should have access to education but from the far distance it is impossible for me to judge the situation in Chile especially because the origin of the protests originate from the proposed HidroAysén electricity project. As a physicist I know that electricity is not just coming from the wall-outlet and each big project for power generation is in conflict with the protection of nature so that compromises are necessary.

I fully support all democratic activities and demonstrations and wish you success in the development of a better future.

With best regards,
Klaus v. Klitzing