The Dirty War of Oaxaca

[Judi Lynn]

Weekend Edition
December 2 / 3, 2006

Amongst Flames of Resistance, Came Death, Torture and a Clandestine Movement
The Dirty War of Oaxaca
By BARUCHA CALAMITY PELLER

~snip~
The past week has resulted in over 171 detained, a number that rises everyday. 142 of those detained during weekend clashes were transported to a high security prison in Nayarit, a state over a hundred miles north of Oaxaca. The majority of these prisoners are out of communication with the outside and are assumed to be suffering torture. Human Rights organizations in Oaxaca and Nayarit say that they are aware of at least 36 cases of torture, and the few families who have been able to speak with their detained relatives say that they are badly beaten and that women are being threatened with rape. There is at least one report of a prisoner being tortured in order to sign a false confession of having participated in the damages to the capital under the pretext that the APPO paid him. Amongst those detained there are many accounts of arbitrary detentions, and prisoners who have nothing to do with the APPO. Human Rights organizations in Oaxaca say that the combined number of women raped by police or disappeared is over 60.

Participants in the Oaxacan social movement only expect the conditions of repression to worsen, especially with the entrance of Felipe Calderon of the PAN (National Action Party) into presidency todayA week and a half ago Calderon stated that upon entering into office he would do away with all social movements, no matter how many dead would have to fall.

During the Saturday night roundup, which resulted in at least 3 people killed and another 25 disappeared in the same twenty four hours, a hotel worker said that he came across a group of PFP officers who boasted to him that they had already killed 13 people, and that the press would never know because the bodies had been disappeared.

A Week of Hunting

The form in which the government is carrying out the operation to do away with the movement makes it apparent that it is not only an operation, but a spectacle of repression meant to cause psychological trauma and a widespread fear to prevent further uprising.
(snip/...)

http://www.counterpunch.org/peller12022006.html

[IntiRaymi]

1. Regular updates on this nasty situation here:

http://narconews.com/

The american journalist killed by the PFP in Oaxaca, Brad Will, was a Narco News correspondent, on assignment there. In fact, this site contains what is probably the best on the ground reporting of the situation in Oaxaca.

[Joanne98]

2. Felipe Calderon went to Harvard. Maybe we should try a new tactic.

Make a list of all the monsters that went to Harvard and then investigate the college.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Didn't know this, but it's not surprising, unfortunately. What a shame

there are still countries in Latin America with leaders who don't identify themselves with their countries' native citizens who comprise the vast majority, who are expected to pay their taxes (from jobs which aren't there!) and live out their lives in complete silence, with no real representation.

Their connections with power, reaching all the way to Washington, D.C., and backed up by the U.S. military have kept them safe while they have always ridden herd on people they find far, far beneath them in every conceivable way.

What a goddamned shame.

[Joanne98]

5. And they all seem to have gone to Harvard for some strange reason.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Omigod, I decided to check your theory, and looked up Vicente Fox!

This was the very first try:

He then studied a Top Management Diploma at the Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
(snip)

http://www.un.int/mexico/biography_fox.htm

Say no more! I know I've read that so very many of South and Central America's presidents were educated here, but this is ridiculous!

[Jcrowley]

10. Good idea

Harvard Business School is a cesspool of the well-heeled criminal class.

K&R

[Vidar]

14. Amen to that.

[formercia]

15. The Ivy League Mafia n/t

[IntiRaymi]

17. Deal, let's do it.

These 'elite' institutions are breeders for some truly nasty people.

[Peace Patriot]

3. And people wonder why the PRD reps barred the door to the National

Assembly, and tried to prevent this fascist monster, Calderon--who has allied himself with Gov. Ruiz's death squads--to be inaugurated president?

Here are some great photos of their heroic effort yesterday. (Scroll to the bottom for the full photo display.)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2840483

In our country, in our Congress, our reps politely discuss a "policy" that has resulted in the slaughter of some 600,000 people. The PRD representatives--Lopez Obrador's party--refused to play that game of "bipartisan civility," with murders, kidnappings, rape, beatings, and secret detentions occurring in their country, in a massive repression of peaceful protest, at the order of an incompetent little corporate shill who, like Bush, has to be gerryrigged into office with fraudulent vote counting.

I can't praise them enough for refusing to be silent, and refusing to be polite, in the face of these outrages. I think we will see restoration of democracy in Mexico sooner than we will see it here. I think our reps may be walking into a rigthwing trap of, "We get to be thugs, but you have to be bipartisan."

[bperci108]

6. The first bubbles of Revolution are breaking the surface down in Mexico.

...and the rich oligarchs in power here are beginning to get nervous.


They should be afraid.

Very afraid.


Viva la revolucion.



:evilgrin:

[Bobbieo]

8. I am afraid and have been afraid since this Oaxaca chaos began

I live on the border.

[bperci108]

12. I don't think you're in any danger.

This seems to be a popular uprising of regular folks sick of being screwed by their "elected" officials. I hope they succeed, at least in spreading awareness of the injustice in their country, if nothing else.

I'd be much more afraid of the so-called "authorities" and the American racists and xenophobes on this side of the border who have appropriated and continue to dishonor the historic name "Minute Men".

But I'm sure the local sentiment is paranoia, hate and fear, if I remember my TX border experiences... :eyes:

[ConservativeDemocrat]

9. I hate to burst the bubble of reality you socialists live in...

But Calderon didn't state that "upon entering into office he would do away with all social movements, no matter how many dead would have to fall".

Calderon expressed support for the vast majority of the Oaxaca protesters who are not violent. But later, in response to three terrorist bombs detonated in Mexico City on Nov 6, pledged to "recover the nation's ability to face illegal conduct and terrorism."
He also stated, clearly talking about violent groups, that confronting them "would be pretentious to offer immediate results, it would be an unpardonable boast to say the solution is simple and within easy reach; it will cost us work, time, economic resources, and it will cost us, unfortunately, human lives." Given the bombings, that should be obvious.

Just a few facts. You may now resume your loathsome cheering and prayers for a full scale civil war to break out in Mexico.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[IntiRaymi]

11. You listen to too many speeches, C.D.

And are quite good at repeating them.

[bperci108]

13. Yes....

...and George W. Bush says we are making progress in Iraq.

;)


Don't forget that one man's Terrorist is another's Patriot.

Otherwise, the Reality Based Community might ask for their Official Membership Card and snazzy blazer badge back. And then where would you be?!?!?



And thanks for your permission to cheer:

"Viva la Revolucion!"

:rofl:

[Judi Lynn]

16. What evidence do you have that the author of the opening post article is lying?

It would be somewhat not worth the effort to weave complete lies into a serious article.
I'll go ahead and imagine the author is basing her article on material she can use to back it up, if challenged.

I always look for a conservative connection when I think of lying, cheating, hallucinating writers.

Whether or not you find some DU'ers "loathesome" is something you're going to have to live with. There's no reason to imagine it's important here.

I've not seen any evidence DU'ers "cheer" and "pray" for "a full scale civil war to break out in Mexico." Making a grotesque, clumsy effort to assign mawkish qualities to people you don't like is childish, showing a deteriorated ability to cope with others.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

18. Reports out of dozens of Mexican newspapers...

I'm sure you think this article writer on CounterPunch must be telling the truth. (My goodness, there's nobody on the left with an ideological axe to grind, or who'd be willing to bend a few words in their favor :eyes:. ) All I can report is what I read out of dozens of Mexican newspapers. La Prensa, El Asesor, El Heraldo de Mexico, La Cronica, etc. It's simple fact, Ms. Lynn. No matter how you spin it.

Personally, I think Ruiz has handled this teachers strike pretty poorly. But in the end, that's all this really is. A nasty teacher's strike, pitting a PRI Governor against a civic employees union. It has nothing to do with Calderon, who isn't even from the same political party. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with the wishes of the most insane PRDistas, who think that if they just break enough laws, disrupt enough ceremonies, they'll be able to install their candidate - internationally recognized as the loser - over the objections of (by the latest polls) 80% of the Mexican people.

You are right about one thing though, Ms. Lynn. It's a waste of time to argue with ignorant fools determined to live in their own little world. I don't do it with Republicans. Why should I do it with the dozens of Socialists that have invaded the D.U.?

So I'll humor you, and say as bperci108 does, "Viva La Revolution". Just remember that people die in revolutions. I wonder if any of you socialist chickenhawks are willing to put your own lives on the line. Or do you just want the Oaxacans to die for your cause?

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[rman]

19. It started as a teachers strike, but became much more,

as you should be well aware.

...
"In the light of this situation, and in the recognition that the state government was repressive and had become effectively powerless in governing, the APPO was created and convened for the first time on June 17, 2006. It declared itself the de facto governing body of Oaxaca. Its body included representatives of Oaxaca’s state regions and municipalities, unions, non-governmental organizations, social organizations, and cooperatives, the largest group being Section 22, the Oaxacan teachers' union. It encouraged all Oaxacans to organize popular assemblies at every level: neighborhoods, street blocks, unions, and towns."
...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APPO

[chill_wind]

20. "invasion" is an interesting and turfish word choice

for a recently disaffected and disgruntled Republican, by the sound of you. But a relative newcomer at the very least.

"You are right about one thing though, Ms. Lynn. It's a waste of time to argue with ignorant fools determined to live in their own little world. I don't do it with Republicans. Why should I do it with the dozens of Socialists that have invaded the D.U.?"

Judi Lynn has been around and an active and respected DU contributor for a very long time. Good luck trying to advance your freshly minted conservative "democrat" credentials and ideology with attacks on DUers like these.

K&R.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

21. Man, are you wrong...

in characterizing me as "a recently disaffected and disgruntled Republican". I'm a Clinton/Albright Democrat, and, by the way, one of the oldest members of the D.U. I signed up when this site was a mere shadow of the size it is today (way before 2001, when they reset the membership date).

My post count is so low because unlike most of the people here, I spend most of my time doing actual Democratic activism: canvassing, phone banking, tabling, all in the effort to convince Independents to become Democratic, and Republicans to become independent (or at least not vote). So it leaves me little time to post here except after election season.

I have no tolerance at all for Socialists and Greens embarrassing real Democrats by posting wild eyed conspiracy theories, thinly veiled anti-American anti-Democratic-Party diatribes, constantly ranting against prominent Democrats because they're civil to Republicans, and otherwise giving the ubiquitous right wing media juicy quotes to use against us. It makes my job harder. And I don't like that.

The D.U. policy tolerating such behavior (on the hard left) is a profound disagreement I've always had with Skinner. We've messaged about it a few years ago, and it's bitten him more than once. But ultimately it's his site, so he gets to make the rules.

All I can say is this. If you want to make the D.U. the left wing mirror image of The Free Republic (i.e. a place where pathetic little extremist whiners go to try and drive moderates away from their own party because they're not "pure" enough), then (when I have the time) I'll call you on it.

And if you don't like it, tough.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[chill_wind]

22. Good for Skinner's priorities and better judgement, then.

Especially if this is your habit and specialty. For nothing in Judi Lynn's post qualifies for your particular characterizations both above or like these.

I have no tolerance at all for Socialists and Greens embarrassing real Democrats by posting wild eyed conspiracy theories, thinly veiled anti-American anti-Democratic-Party diatribes, constantly ranting against prominent Democrats because they're civil to Republicans, and otherwise giving the ubiquitous right wing media juicy quotes to use against us. It makes my job harder. And I don't like that.

The diversity of the party, of political view and participation at DU makes your terribly self-important job here and elswhere harder?

Let me just retort in kind: Tough.

Bold emphasis mine (with conservative parrots like you, who needs Republicans?) and we'll just leave it at that.

[Judi Lynn]

24. Great post. It's hard to grasp what compels someone to go to D.U.

and assign himself the chore of wrestling with the Democrats, insisting his is the official Democratic position and all others are imposters.

He has worked some of us all the way down the list to the "enemies of the state" position. We've been blackballed! What cruellest fate.



It's a thankless job, but one person tells him he's got to do it.



Looks like it's adios, old D.U. So long.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

25. I'm characterizing the general content and quality of many posts

...in the D.U. Not singling out a specific example or poster for derision. That latter behavior is against the D.U. rules.

For the record, I've only seen in her posts an extraordinary commitment to ignore facts that contradict her worldview, as if she can somehow create her own reality simply by willing it. There's a politician that immediately reminds me of, but I won't name him, because the point might be too subtle for you.

As for why I occasionally post here, I already told you. It's to remind you of those inconvenient facts, including the fact that far from speaking for the majority of the Democratic Party, most DUers really speak for an extreme fringe. You can hold and argue your views if you wish, but never forget that the vast majority of Democratic voters disagree with you. Especially when you go around saying Life to the Revolution (also known as WAR) in Central America.

By your behavior, it's clear you don't want actual diversity of opinion. You want an echo chamber, where the views of the substantial majority of the Democratic Party are subtly - and not so subtly (RIP, Mr. Benchley) - censored. This lets you pretend things that are not. Comfortable, perhaps. But counterproductive.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[chill_wind]

23. Beautifully stated! nt

[gorbal]

27. "You socialists..?"

What gives you such a poor view of your fellow man that you think anyone on here would want a civil war in Mexico?

[Jcrowley]

26. Kick

n/t

[gorbal]

28. This is frightening

What is even more frightening is that the Oaxacans have lost their radio station and the worlds attention in only a few days.