(un)Occupy protester and UNM alumnus Sebastian Pais stopped eating Oct. 25 in an effort to convince UNM President David Schmidly to speak to protesters about what they call a violation of First Amendment rights. He said he doesn’t plan to eat until Schmidly comes to Yale Park to meet with protesters.
Daily Lobo: Why are you on hunger strike?
Sebastian Pais: The relationship between us and the University got to a point where it was beyond whether we had a kitchen or music here. It got to a point where it was beyond the little details, and they were restricting our freedom to assemble and our freedom of speech.
That cannot be allowed at any level; anywhere in our country… Every single public official must have our First Amendment as their priority.
Their duty is to serve us. I believe public officials should feel that they are in servitude and below the people, and I think this movement is trying to make that point. So far it is the belief of many across the United States that public officials have been serving the corporations, not us.
I felt that when the University decided to stop renewing our permit, that was attack on us being able to assemble and speak. This is a public university. I am an alumnus, a former ASUNM senator and I pay taxes.
DL: What has to happen for you stop your hunger strike?
SP: A temporary permit was granted today that goes until Friday, but there are three more points on our proposal to UNM that we want granted. We want them to respect any working groups sitting on this park like anyone else could be doing to work on what we are working on. That’s what we are asking. Until today, nobody had the right to be on this park. That is outrageous. We want UNM to grant the right for anybody to come enjoy this beautiful park and that includes us.
DL: So even though the administration granted protesters a temporary permit, your hunger strike has not stopped?
SP: No. UNM has granted and not granted these things behind closed doors. They have met with our mediators and our mediators have come to us and said one thing, but later that night we were kicked out with riot police and dogs. We need administrators to come in front of the cameras and the TV and the rest of the community and say “we can agree to this.”
DL: Are you willing to die for this cause?
SP: I am willing do whatever it takes for people to get their rights back. Yes.
DL: What have you been eating?
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SP: Broth, tea, water and a little bit of Gatorade. Liquids.
DL: How are you feeling?
SP: I’m good. After the hearing the news that UNM is willing to compromise with the temporary permit, I am happy. I am not too tired. I have experienced some pain, but I’m alright still.
DL: You have doctors monitoring your health. What have they told you?
SP: They say I can probably go on like this for a few more days. After a few days, I may need people to start working on my behalf and be my spokespeople, but that is something I assumed when I decided to start this hunger strike.
DL: Do you have a message for Schmidly?
SP: That he should not fear coming to meet a group of his community within his institution. If he feels so insecure coming here, he is probably dealing with some other issues that are a lot worse that meeting with us. My message is that he comes and meets us and I would love to share food with him soon.
