Elderly Guatemalans on hunger strike over pensions

[struggle4progress]

06 June 2006

GUATEMALA CITY: Dozens of impoverished old people set up camp in front of Guatemala's Constitutional Court today and started a hunger strike to protest the government's failure to pay pensions.

Elderly Guatemalans, angry at President Oscar Berger's opposition to a bill that would grant them a small pension, accuse the government of skirting its social responsibilities.

"This is the first time in history that the grandparents of this nation have decided to go on hunger strike. We are staying here indefinitely until we get a response," said Hector Montenegro, 70, who represents the protesters.

"We would rather die here than on our knees, waiting to starve to death in our houses," he said, standing in front of the protesters, where old women with ruffled aprons and few teeth sat on mattresses, holding signs and blowing whistles ...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3691718a12,00.html