Madison students fled the campus area as a small band of rebels attempting to overthrow the Associated Students of Madison neared Memorial Union on Thursday. By early morning, sporadic gunfire and shelling on the outskirts of campus could be heard. Reports of rebel movements had them heading down Langdon Street, toward the hallowed seat of campus government, with little resistance from government forces.
During the March 29 ASM Student Council elections, local media reported that the computer systems, having been overwhelmed by large voter turnout (numbering perhaps in the several dozens of voters), had malfunctioned. Opposition leaders said they believed something more sinister was afoot. The opposition party called itself Student Government,\ and international monitors accused the heavily-entrenched ASM of fraud and voter intimidation. Hundreds of students took to the streets to demand new and fair elections. During the protests, paramilitary police fired tear gas and assaulted demonstrators leaving 14 dead and 75 injured.
""These so-called elections were a sham,"" said ""Student Government"" leader Steve Schwerbel. ""We call on the government to cede control of the campus to the rebel forces so that we may establish a democratic regime in Madison.""
Following the news of the election malfunction last Thusday, a small group of students, led by Schwerbel, collectively called for the current government's ouster. ASM rejected these calls, arguing that all was done to ensure the elections were free and fair. International election monitors were quick to side with the opposition.
""Having watched dozens of elections over the last couple of decades, I have never seen such a brazen abuse of power by a sitting government,"" said The Carter Center founder and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter. ""I call on ASM to come to terms with the opposition and schedule new elections without such tampering.""
Without a settlement between the current government and opposition, it seems certain the rebel forces moving through campus will easily overrun the rest of ASM's defenses leaving only the seat of the government, to be taken. As the rebel army moved slowly through campus a steady trickle of students out of downtown preceded them. United Nations officials warned of a coming humanitarian crisis for Madison's suburbs if the fighting continued unabated.
""The communities surrounding Madison cannot be expected to handle the flow of refugees from this terrible struggle,"" said UN Humanitarian Agency chief Francis DeGaulle. ""A solution must be found immediately if hundreds, if not thousands, of lives are to be spared.""
Despite the grim news coming from the campus front, ASM leaders maintain they will not give up their hold on the student government.
""These elections were held in a fair manner and any statements otherwise are falsehoods perpetuated by the vermin-like opposition,"" said ASM Chairman Eric Varney. ""We do not tremble at the sight of rebels at our doorstep. They will be crushed.""
State Department officials, while concerned about the destabilizing situation in Madison, have not released any travel warnings to the region nor has the Pentagon discussed any military options if the conflict escalates further.
""It is the position of the United States government to stay out of this dispute for now,"" said White House spokesperson Scott McClellan. ""And what? We're talking like 100 votes cast for something? Geez... calm down, people. We've stolen bigger elections here.""
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