OAXACA: Human Rights Update

[Wiley50]

translated paragraph by paragraph at end of each one

UCIZONI Communiqué: "esta situación generó un clima de miedo"

Profesores que impartian clases frente a sus alumnos fueron detenidos, ello ha ocurrido en diferentes lugares principalmente de la región Valles Centrales.

December 4th, 2006 - Estimados Compañeros y compañeras: Dear Friends

Dada la preocupación que han mostrado muchos de ustedes en los últimos días por los graves hechos que están sucediendo en Oaxaca, les informamos la situación actual que vivimos. Given the worry that many of you have shown in the last days for the serious deeds happening in Oaxaca, h ere's what we are living with.

Por medio de este conducto les comunicamos que la semana que acabamos de concluir ha sido terrible en Oaxaca; the past week after Nov 25 has been terrible a partir del 25 de Noviembre, se desato una oleada impresionante de detenciones y secuestros de personas que forman parte del movimiento ciudadano there has been a huge wave of detentions and kidnappings of those who belong to the movement; decenas de casas fueron allanadas sin orden judicial tens of houses have been invaded without judicial orders; más de 150 detenidos fueron trasladados a
cárceles de mediana seguridad en Tamaulipas y Nayarit, es decir muy lejos de Oaxaca.more than 150 of the arrested have been moved to medium security prisons in Tamaulipas and Nayarit, that is to say, far from Oaxaca

Profesores que impartian clases frente a sus alumnos fueron detenidos, ello ha ocurrido en diferentes lugares principalmente de la región Valles Centrales. Teachers giving classes were detained in front of their students, that happened in different places principally in the region of the Valles Centrales

Hasta ahora hay una relación de 522 personas detenidas durante los últimos 6 meses, de ellas más de 300 han sido ya liberadas. To the present there are said to be 522 persons detained during the past six months , of them, more than 300 have now been freed. Sin embargo en estos últimos días también fueron detenidas más personas sin relación con este movimiento pacífico o que realizaban tareas de periodismo o de observación de Derechos Humanos. Nevertheless in these last days more persons related to this non-violent movement, or who do news reporting or human rights observations, also were detained. Tlacaelel Cilia de Grupo de Derechos Humanos Yaxkin y el periodista indígena y colaborador de UCIZONI Juan de Dios Gómez se encuentran presos. Tlacaelel Cilia of Grupo de Derechos Humanos Yaxkin and the indigenous reporter and collaborator of UCIZONI Juan de Dios Gómez are held prisoners.

Una constante han sido las torturas y maltratos fisicos sufridos por TODOS los detenidos; los primeros reportes desde Nayarit nos dejaban por saldo que 48 compañeras habían sufrido abusos sexuales. One constant has been torture and physical maltreatment suffered by ALL the detained . The first reports from Nayarit let us know that 48 women have suffered sexual abuses.

Hay más de 120 personas desaparecidas y tenemos informes que se han detectado entierros clandestinos en el Panteón de Santa Lucía y de que hay entre 40 y 50 cadaveres sin identificar en la morgue. There are more than 120 disappeared and we have information that clandestine burials took place in the Cemetery of Santa Lucia and that there are between 40 and 50 unidentified bodies in the morgue. Los grupos oaxaqueños de Derechos Humanos estamos imposibilitados de actuar, ya que gran parte de sus integrantes están escondidos y sus oficinas cerradas ante la posibilidad de ser atacadas por grupos de pistoleros. The Oaxaca groups of Human Rights are almost unable to act since the greater part of their members are in hiding and their offices are closed due to the possibility of being attacked by groups of shooters . .Han sido baleadas una iglesia que era refugio de ciudadanos, una oficina social fue quemada y también fue atacado un sacerdote.There has been shooting in a church which was a citizen sanctuary, a social office was burned, and also a prreiest was attacked.

En esta semana además fueron liberados los asesinos del periodista norteamericano Bradley Roland Will, quienes son miembros del grupo paramilitar de Ulises Ruiz. Furthermore, this week the assassins of the Northamerican reporter Bradley Roland Will were released (from prison)

Los responsables de estos hechos de barbarie y de violación sistemática de los derechos humanos han sido elementos de la Policía Federal Preventiva (policía militar) y bandas de sicarios del Gobernador Ulises Ruiz (policias de civil, golpeadores y miembros del PRI). Those responsible for these acts of barbarity and systematic violation of human rights have been elements of the PFP (Policía Federal Preventiva, military police)

Toda esta situación generó un clima de miedo y temor entre amplios sectores de la población; sin embargo el pasado viernes 1 de Diciembre, se llevaron a cabo 7 movilizaciones pacíficas, donde miles de personas decidieron salir de nuevo a las calles en estos momentos para demandar la liberación de los presos y la presentación con vida de los desaparecidos. The entire situation has generated a climate of fear and trembling among wide sectors of the population. Nevertheless, this past Friday the 1st of December, seven pacific mobilizations were carried out, where thousands of people decided to go out again to the streets at this very time, to demand the freeing of the prisoners and the return alive of the disappeared.

Hemos recibido un gran apoyo de ciudadanos y grupos de todo México y de más de 35 países. Los organismos nacionales e internacionales como el Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas por los Derechos Humanos, Amnesty International, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos están trabajando a tope y en estos momentos ya empieza a funcionar la defensa
legal y se nos estan gestionando medidas cautelares a más de 300 dirigentes sociales de Oaxaca. We have received a lot of assistance from citizens and groups in all Mexico and in more than 35 nations. The national and international organizations such as The High Commission for Human Rights of the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights are working flat out and in these moments legal defenses are already beginning to work and precautionary measures are being taken for more than three hundred social organization directors in Oaxaca.

Les informamos que seguimos trabajando intensamente, pero que nuestra situación por los hechos que relatamos es sumamente difícil. Los días 2 y 3 de Diciembre nos hemos reunido más de 250 autoridades comunitarias, delegados y dirigentes de grupos hermanos de UCIZONI para ratificar nuestra voluntad de seguir adelante con la lucha pacífica; We are informing them that we are working intensely, but that our situation due to the facts we have related is extraordinarily difficult. The 2nd and 3rd days of December we brought together more than 250 community authorities, delegates and directors of brother groups of UCIZONI to ratify our willingness to go forward with the non-violent struggle; manifestamos
nuestro acuerdo para proteger a los compañeros y las familias afectadas por el conflicto y decidimos planificar una nueva etapa de trabajo. we are showing our agreement to protect compañeros and the families affected by the conflict, and we decided to plan a new stage of the work. Hemos decidido también convocar a una nueva megamarcha para el próximo 10 de Diciembre, Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos. We have also decided to convoke a new mega-march for the next 10th of December, International Day of Human Rights.

Sabemos bien que en el fondo de este conflicto, se encuentra la resistencia de un grupo de individuos que ha gobernado en Oaxaca los últimos 77 años; que han generado violencia, pobreza y sufrimiento para millones de personas. We well know that at the bottom of this conflict, one finds the resistance of a group of individuals who have governed in Oaxaca for the past 77 years, who have generated violence, poverty and suffering for millions of persons. Que la lucha en Oaxaca no sólo es por derrocar a un gobernante violento y despota; sabemos bien que es necesario establecer en Oaxaca nuevas condiciones de vida donde hombres y mujeres podamos vivir en condiciones de paz con justicia y dignidad. That the struggle in Oaxaca is not only to bring down a violent and despotic government; we well know that it is necessary to establish in Oaxaca new conditions for life, where we men and women can live in conditions of peace with justice and dignity.

Por lo anterior les agradecemos las muestras de solidaridad que nos han brindado; sin el apoyo de ustedes no podríamos enfrentar el gran reto que nos ha tocado vivir. Sabemos que vienen tiempos aún más difíciles, pero hemos sabido en todos estos meses que no estamos solos. For all the aforesaid, we appreciate the show of solidarity with which you have saluted us; without your aid we could not face the great challenge which has overtaken our lives. We know that even more difficult times are coming, but we have known in all these months that we are not alone.

Reciban un fuerte abrazo de sus compañeras y compañeros de UCIZONI Receive a warm embrace from your compañeros and compañeras of UCIZONI

Atentamente Sincerely

Carlos Beas Torres
Coordinador de Programas Programs Coordinator
Unión de Comunidades Indígenas de la Zona Norte del Istmo (UCIZONI) Union of Indigenous Communities of the North Isthmus Zone (UCIZONI).

ALSO



----- Original Message ----- From: "CPTnet editor, Webster, NY" <CPTnet.editor.guest.875867@...>



To: <menno.org.cpt.news@...>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 5:46 PM
Subject: OAXACA, MX URGENT ACTION: Ask Mexican authorities to respect human rights of, end violence against civil society organizations

CPTnet
2 December 2006

OAXACA, MX URGENT ACTION: Ask Mexican authorities to respect human rights of, end violence against civil society organizations

In response to an urgent request from the Lutheran Center in Mexico, CPT sent a small team to the state of Oaxaca on Saturday, 2 December 2006. A team of tåwo CPT reservists will provide emergency accompaniment during the coming week for CACTUS (Centro de Apoyo Comunitario Trabajando Unidos), a civil society organization that works with alternative education projects, women's rights, farmers and indigenous people in the Sierra mountains of Oaxaca. As described below, armed actors have targeted CACTUS and its activists are under ongoing threat. The team may also work with other groups
as needed.

Peace and Human Rights groups in Mexico are calling on international supporters to pressure Mexican authorities directly urging them to stop the violence and respect human rights. CPT invites you to support to respond to the urgent action sent to CPT by the Lutheran Centre in Oaxaca on behalf of these threatened organizations. Excerpts below, from the Oaxaca Solidarity network, give background on the situation in Oaxaca and details on recent events. Note that Oaxaca is both the name of the state and its capital city.

"In May this year, Oaxaca's state-wide teachers' union initiated a strike and non-violent occupation of the city center , demanding better pay and work conditions, as well as improvements to the state's educational infrastructure. At dawn on June 14, state governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (popularly referred to as URO) sent in state police to break up the ongoing, peaceful teachers' protest. The brutal police action, which included the firing of tear gas from helicopters onto the crowd, sparked widespread indignation and outrage in many Oaxacans. The repressive tactics backfired resoundingly, and teachers had retaken the city center by nightfall, pushing back the police-mostly through the forces of their numbers and determination.

The teachers were jointed by other civil society groups and the People's Popular Assembly of Oaxaca (APPO) was formed. They continued their occupation of the city of Oaxaca throughout the summer and into the fall. Their central demand was the resignation of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz who they claim was elected fraudulently in 2004.

"On October 30 this year some 4000 Federal Preventative Police (PFP) entered Oaxaca with full riot gear, shields, clubs, tear-gas launchers and gas masks. They were backed up by a fleet of more than thirty armored vehicles-equipped with high-pressure water canons, bulldozer blades, and video cameras-and military and police helicopters...

..The arrival of the PFP has effectively turned Oaxaca into a police state. In the city, and throughout the state, there has been-continues to be-widespread repression and the attendant violations of basic human rights."

On 8 November, the Oaxacan Human Rights Network (Red Oaxaqueño de Derechos Humanos) issued a report detailing the seriously deteriorating human rights situation since the arrival of the PFP. Since 27 October, 103 people have been arbitrarily detained. Most have been sent to military prisons, in violation of Mexican Constitution. At least thirty-eight people remain imprisoned.

Also since 27 October, six people have been killed, most by gunmen in civilian clothing linked to the state government. There are thirty-eight documented cases of wounded civilians, including journalists, but those are only the documented cases. Many of the wounded do not seek medical care because they fear reprisals, and many observers say the toll of wounded is in the hundreds.

The following account from this past weekend is from CACTUS:

"Following the Saturday march various buses and vehicles from Huajuapan de Leon, Oaxaca that had been convened through the organization known as "Cactus" were stopped on their way out of the city of Oaxaca by gunmen in civilian clothing allied with the governor. Cactus is an organization that addresses women's issues, human rights, youth, solidarity economics and indigenous communities so that it is well recognized in this zone for its work. One bus was set on fire so that the passengers had to flee and seek refuge in safe homes for the night. On Sunday as they regrouped to organize a departure via Nochixtlan all those who had traveled by bus disappeared. From 7:00 am until that night there was a search that
finally resulted in the finding of 23 who had been incarcerated. Originally they were held at a high security prison in the state of Oaxaca but were later transferred to the prison of San Jose del Rincon in the distant state of Nayarit with no notification given to the families. As of now there is still no knowledge of the location of the rest of the passengers from the bus. They remain"disappeared"."

CACTUS is calling for the following changes:

"1. An immediate end of acts of intimidation and repression by the federal and state police and government authorities 2. A guarantee by the Mexican government for the respect of the human rights of all Oaxaqueños most especially those who have been arrested. 3. An immediate end to the arbitrary detention in the streets of citizens. 4. An immediate end to the illegal entry of homes and the imprisonment of women with their infants and
children, youth, elderly. 5. Cease the torture and abuse of prisoners. 6. Safe return of those who have been "disappeared." 7. Access of detainees to
legal representation, family members and medical attention to those who are injured in order to ensure their well being and protection of their human rights. 8. Immediate withdrawal of the arrest warrants for those who are social activists that includes the leadership of Cactus. 9. Immediate withdrawal of Mexican military from the state of Oaxaca. 10. Respect the human rights and integrity of the leadership and members of Cactus along
with their family members to ensure their safety and well being."

We invite you to contact the following Mexican officials:

Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa Presidente Constitucional de México Tel. [phone] Fax. [phone]
felipe.calderon.hinojosa@...

Lic. Ulises Ruiz Ortiz Gobernador del Estado de Oaxaca Fax [phone]
gobernador@...

Dr. Jose Luis Soberanes Presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos Fax [phone] correo@...

For a copy of the full Urgent Action from the Lutheran Centre in Mexico city, including more background and details of the march on Saturday in Oaxaca, email Tim Nafziger at guest.165357@...

[Cleita]

1. K&R

Thanks for the report.

[Wiley50]

2. Testimony of a Detained Oaxaqueño

Testimony of a detained Oaxaqueño

November 9th, 2006 street protest camp in Santo Domingo ( burned down twice by paramilitaries last time and final on the nigth of the 25th ), Oaxaca City

Can you tell me about your detention?

On November 2nd, the PFP (Federal Police) carried out an operative to do away with the barricade Cinco Señores, protecting the University. That day, I was running an errand for my father. The disturbances were visible from afar. When I finished the errand, I came closer to the barricade to see what was happening.

Suddenly, then, the PFP came and, without a word, without an arrest warrant, and without witnesses, they detained me very violently. Immediately, they started to beat me - to hit my face, my ribs, my legs, they twisted my arms.

The detention was very very violent. Then they took me in the vehicle where they kept me the whole time face down and hands back. All the time they were threatening us. With me were four other people. They put us all in the same position, face down, hands back, beating us, humiliating us, insulting us. That was during the detention. As they transferred us, we received the same treatment, but it was very long.

Where did they take you?

They kept me in the waggon for two hours, face down, with no communication, without being able to speak, without being able to explain that I was just walking by. Then they transferred me to a cargo truck. There, they had fifteen people. They put me on top of them. It was very violent. ´Get on or you ´re going to be worse of.´ They threatened to kill us, to take us someplace where they would shoot us in the head one by one.

Again it was two hours of beatings. After that, they put us on a helicopter. The people who were on the helicopter were very large and muscular men. They threw us around. They treated us like we were trash. On the helicopter they took us to the prison of Tlacolula.

There the situation was different. In the prison, they didn´t beat us. But they didn´t allow us to communicate with anyone initially. The next day they did let us call our families. Because you know they are the ones who suffer the most, without knowing what happened to us.

I was imprisoned for one week, without being able to explain or defend myself, to prove my innocence. Most of the people detained are innocent. One shares with them and sees that they´re people who don´t steal, don´t smoke, don´t take drugs, that don´t commit any crime.Where many of those in the prison detained as a result of the political conflict?

We were sixteen. There were two minors, who were 14 years old. By law, they are not supposed to be in that prison. That´s a crime that the government commits. But since they use the law as they please, they didn't care that these were children.

When you were in the helicopter, what happened?

It was very violent, as the rest of the time. They made a human pile out of us.

Where there threats?

Yes, the ´camouflaged´, as we call them, those who were ´watching´ us, would say, "Look, son of a bitch, behave or I´ll throw you off the helicopter." At that moment, one imagines anything, the worst, that they´ll throw you into the mountain. We hear that that´s what they do to many of the disappeared. And we feared that would happen to us, especially because the door of the helicopter was open the whole time. Even though they had us face down, we knew the door was open. So there´s the fear that at any moment they could throw you off.

A teacher told me about one compañera who was detained at the beginning of the conflict. She was witness to how another compañero resisted the ´camouflaged´ and since they couldn't control him, they threw him off the helicopter. That person is one of the ´disappeared´ because his body has not been found. But there is her testimony.

These are the things we hear , and we believe them because this entire operation is so violent and there are so many threats.

Can you tell me about your release?

My release was sudden. Supposedly I had to go through a judicial process. I was released yesterday, after a week of being detained. They didn´t say to pay a fine, nothing, they just told me I was released.

I don´t know exactly why they let me go, but I think it was because of the negotiations of the APPO (Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca).

The stay in the prison was normal. They didn´t torture us.

What would you like to say to those who listen to you from other parts of the world?

Pay attention to this conflict. This unrest is due to the people being fed up with a government that has repressed us, that has stolen from us, that doesn´t offer any opportunities for development, human nor economic, that doesn´t help us live. Everything here is difficult for us. It is difficult to get food, to get a job, to get housing, to get health care. And that´s what the people are demanding.

When the Governor heard the demands, instead of creating a dialogue, or to address these problems, he responded by sending the police in to repress. When the teachers asked for better salaries and scholarships for the students, what he did was send the police. He has always responded with violence, and people have just defended themselves.

That´s why I want the world to pay attention to this and realize that our struggle is a just one, that the struggle of the people is not violent. No one has arms, at most, they have a stone or a stick. But we try to defend ourselves because they have sent us assassins to shoot at us, without caring who they kill, a child, and elderly, a woman. They don´t respect us.

Everybody here is hardworking. We are people who are struggling for justice. And I want the world to know that, and to see that this is a repressive government, an assassin government, and a violent government. As of today, there are at least seventy disappeared. We don´t know if they´re dead. And those who are alive, where are they?

Many people have died, including the brave journalist Brad Will, who was killed while filming how we were repressed, how the government sends assassins to kill us. They are dressed as civilians in order to cover up. But there is evidence of the repression.

Many may not speak up out of fear, but those of us who are here will remain until justice is done and the government ends up where it should be, in jail.

Testimony of a detained Oaxaqueño
Code - 06.12.2006 03:50
http://indymedia.nl/nl/2006/12/41122.shtml

addition:

luna - 06.12.2006 05:06

email recieved yesterday


from friends... do something... we have our comunications cut to the exterior and the television has ruled its veredict again against us. here the hunt is well fucked there is talk of another 10 deaths but we have no evidence as they are taking away the bodies... the indygenous forum is being patrolled every 2 minutes by parapolicemen ( you know those vans without stickers nor registration plates and bulls in black with long weapons and no police logos or anything like that )... the international and national outcry has to step up its tone.

even for those in human rights there is no access to hospitals nevermind to prisons, it is not possible to check the lists of arrests and deaths, the detention of delegates from the other is now a sure thing, but also it is a fact that many already turned back homes as they where scared.... we had a session of 30 out of 250 yesterday but noone can leave the catholic house because they are waiting for us outside.

at dawn they went in the five regions round about and we dont know the exact total but we guess that ( because there where conditions for it to happen ) the must have been a shoot out.... we are up to our necks and have no news of what is happening round the corner.

brother favio sosa was arrested with his legal safegard in the bag so that the little paper ended up having an extra purpose. wipping

there are many expression of the state of emergency ... the only guarantee now is to go into negociation quick and that depends on the external preassure growing because here we have no room for manouvering... the siege is almosy total... yesterday night after all day triyng to negociate with the government's subsecretary, it blew up.. howefully we can get back to it today

=====

+ YES: they are threathening foreign reporters with paramilitary visits. Nothing happened, but the threaths worked: Most have left Oaxaca. So now there are almost no observers left and the ones still there, don't dare to do their work properly.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Nothing will inhibit reporters, I'd imagine, like knowing they are getting

slaughtered. I'm sure that's the point:silencing them.

What a bitter shame.

It means far, far more people will suffer far longer because no one outside the people doing the hard work can be bothered to get involved.

[Wiley50]

6. The two Video Journalists who got picked up by police

Sunday night sure got the first flight out on Monday.

The cops let them go after 4 hours but kept their cell phones.
They went back to the hotel.
A little later the front desk called and said that there
were guys in the lobby who said they were cops who wanted them
to come back to the police station with them to get their phones.
Luckily for them, they didn't bite.
They told the desk clerk to tell the guys that they would send
their lawyer back to the cop shop for their phones.
So the alleged police left IN UNMARKED VANS WITHOUT LICENSE TAGS!!

It was the paramilitaries coming to DISAPPEAR THEM!

I'd have flown out on first plane too.

[enfield collector]

8. fixing the problems described here will do more to stop

illegal immigration than any fence will do. the people are coming here because their own country is a fucked up mess rulled by a succession of corrupt regimes.

[robertpaulsen]

3. K & R!

:kick:

[Wiley50]

5. .

[josewelder]

7. Flavio Sosa

In my opinion Flavio is a hired agitator. I saw him on the news yesterday or the day before and he was asked, "What are the goals/demands of the APPO". He hesitated for a short while and then stated "That’s a good question(chuckling), oh to further democracy in Oaxaca, uh we do not have a written platform".
Flavio is very much tied into the PRD and what this whole thing makes me think is that the people of Oaxaca are being used as pawns in the shameless chess game of Lopez Obrador and the PRD. These poor people have been not only pushed into harms way but coaxed into harms way by people such as Flavio Sosa to strengthen the political force of AMLO, not the political force of the people, only the political force of AMLO.

I believe that Mexico needs a good shift to the left in regards to social equality. However they need leaders that will lead them in a positive and planned out path(Marcos for example). They need leaders that actually are out to help the people and not just increase their own power base. Encouraging burning cars allowing his followers to spray paint buildings and deface what was once a beautiful place is not peaceful nor constructive. Nor is it logical to take a City hostage, and call for negotiations, when the leaders have not even mapped out the rights they are fighting/protesting to obtain.

Oaxaca, like many areas in Mexico, needs better social programs, better educational opportunities, and more social equality. I agree with the APPO that Ruiz should have left office, and if he had any real concern for his constituents he would have resigned. But the mistreatment of the people of Oaxaca also lies with these Pseudo leaders who encouraged them to protest in a non-peaceful manner(I do not consider destruction of property to be peaceful), for their gains and not those of the people.

I wrote this quickly and have to go. I will try to debate this later if anyone is intereted.

[Wiley50]

10. Hi Jose

Although my friends and I have always questioned how Flavio Sosa (I'll discuss this more in reply to this post)
came to become a so-called leader of APPO, we are certain that APPO itself has no ties to the PRD and has never endorsed the PRD and is not being used as a tool of the PRD. We began in July to document and study this phenomenom of the APPO and
have these records (including all declarations and press releases )and discussions accumulated on our site. If you would like
to explore what APPO came from, how it has developed and how it is currently constituted, you might enjoy looking though our
messages and files. We are located at the following web address:

groups.yahoo.com/groups/oaxacastudyactiongroup

As far as a platform, on Nov8-11 a state convention of APPO was held and out of these meetings APPO changed from a provisionary assembly (APPO) into a formal state congress (CEAPPO). The constitution, platform and declarations that
came out of these meetings are at the following link in PDF format, in spanish:

http://chiapas.mediosindependientes.org/local/webcast/uploads/acuerdosap.pdf

and summarized in this article:

Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 19:43:55 -0800 (PST)
From:
Subject: Constituye la APPO su Consejo Estatal
To:

Noticias

Martes 14 de noviembre de 2006. Núm. 10727

Constituye la APPO su Consejo Estatal

PEDRO MATIAS/OCTAVIO VELEZ

El Congreso Constitutivo de la Asamblea Popular de los
Pueblos de Oaxaca determinó convertir "la revuelta
popular en una revolución pacífica, democrática y
humanista", retomando la experiencia de los pueblos
indígenas, particularmente su espíritu comunalista,
afirmó uno de los dirigentes visibles de la APPO,
Flavio Sosa Villavicencio.

Otros dos ejes a seguir es consolidar la organización
de la APPO desde las comunidades en la perspectiva de
la construcción del poder popular estatal, y ser parte
de una red internacional que luche contra el
neoliberalismo.

Después de tres días de deliberaciones, se acordó
integrar un nuevo órgano de dirección que se denominó
el Consejo Estatal de la Asamblea Popular de los
Pueblos de Oaxaca (CEAPPO) que estará conformado por
260 representantes a todas las regiones, de los cuales
40 fueron asignados al magisterio democrático.

En este Consejo Estatal se incluyeron a los sectores
de comerciantes, estudiantil, transportistas, mujeres,
sindicatos, organizaciones no gubernamentales y de las
organizaciones políticas y sociales, donde no hay
jerarquías, es decir, todos tienen las mismas
obligaciones y derechos.

A los integrantes de la APPO que estuvieron en la
cárcel o están siendo perseguidos también se les dio
espacios honoríficos.

Mientras que a los integrantes de la APPO que
estuvieron en la cárcel o están siendo perseguidos el
Congreso Constitutivo de la Asamblea Popular de los
Pueblos de Oaxaca también les dio espacios honoríficos
para darles protección y para que continúen al frente
de las actividades que el movimiento requiere.

De igual forma, se recalcó que la salida de Ulises
Ruiz Ortiz no es renunciable ni negociable y que no
habrá diálogo hasta que se liberen a los presos, se
presenten con vida a los desaparecidos, cese el
hostigamiento a los líderes, sigan interfiriendo la
señal de Radio Universidad y se retire a la Policía
Federal Preventiva.

Esto significa que la lucha continúa y que el plan de
acción a seguir a partir del próximo 15 de noviembre,
en el marco del segundo informe del gobierno de Ulises
Ruiz, es reactivar las barricadas, los bloqueos
carreteros y la toma de palacios municipales, así como
de las delegaciones de gobierno.

Aunque falta nombrar a los integrantes de la Comisión
Política, Flavio Sosa explicó que el movimiento
popular de Oaxaca fue una revuelta o una irrupción de
la gente por una demanda que es legítima; sin embargo,
ha llegado el momento de transformarla en cambios
profundos de la relación sociedad-gobierno y del
sistema económico que vive el estado, y eso pasa por
renovar también el andamiaje jurídico.

Luego, durante la marcha que se realizó este mediodía,
el presidente de la Mesa de Debates en el Congreso,
Zenén Bravo Castellanos, reconoció que de la
insurrección pacífica que los políticos no quieren
entender se ha pasado a la radicalización del pueblo
ante la falta de atención del pueblo.

[Wiley50]

12. As far as Flavio and Violence and Destruction of property

Flavio Sosa, I think, was mostly a creation of the police and the press.
His beard,huge belly and general rough biker-like appearance was used to
smear and make people have a bad impression of APPO. Although he was a
loud voice in APPO, after the congress in which he was appointed to no actual position,
his influence within APPO became much diminished.

As far as the human rights violations described in the OP of this thread,
I think most everyone knows that these (as well as the murders,disappearances and burned buildings
were done by PRIista paramilitaries under the control of Ulises Ruiz and backed up by the
presence and actions of the PFP.

I admit, that the demonstrators (some actual APPO, some not) did burn many vehicles
but these were done in defense so as to put up burning barricades to the advance of
the PFP and paramilitaries. APPO itself seems to have done everything in their power to
hold peaceful non-violent demonstrations, however, in actuality these demonstrations included others
besides actual APPO members as well as infiltrated instigators hired to cause trouble.
The demonstrators were also provoked by PFP and paramilitaries on rooftops using slingshots
with marbles and ball bearings. And, of course, when the tear gas began, all bets for a peaceful
demonstration were off.

Because of the slim margin in the vote of record in the July elections, Calderon's PAN Party
has had to form a coalition with the PRI in order to stand up to the PRD. I think it was obvious
that in Calderon's first address as president he repeated three times that he would crush all
social movements and that people would have to die in the process. Also telling
was Fox handing the sash into the hands of the military at midnight instead of handing it to the leader
of the congress as is customary. These things, as well as the importance he put into gathering the leadership
of the army and navy as one of his first acts, tells all that he plans to exercise an authoritarian government
of the hard right.

I, myself, do not believe that the july elections were honest. But it does not matter what I think, as I
am not a citizen of Mexico. I also believe that the US elections of 2000 and 2004 were not honest, and this is my business.
I do believe that if these elections had been honest George Bush would never have been our president or
taken our country so far to the hard right, taken away so many of our rights in the name of security or
invaded Iraq with the hundreds of thousands of unnecessary and senseless deaths that have happened.


Thew poor of Mexico have too few opportunities and rights as it has been and it is a shame that they should
be subjected to more hard line, hard right, neoliberal policies.

Jose, Can you really say that NAFTA has been a good thing for Mexico, especially the farmers?

[toddaa]

13. Not speaking for Jose

...but I don't think anyone wanting to move further left and towards Marcos' position wants anything to do with NAFTA.

[Wiley50]

15. Speaking of The Zapatistas and Subcommandante Marcos

Zapatistas call for Oaxaca solidarity events on December 22

please forward and repost this EZLN call to action

Zapatistas call for Oaxaca solidarity events on December 22
http://elenemigocomun.net/627

Comunicado en español
http://elenemigocomun.net/627#espanol

Corporate Criminals in Oaxaca - Updated
http://elenemigocomun.net/626

35th day of the occupation of Oaxaca by federal forces
http://elenemigocomun.net/623

--------------

Communiqué of the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee - General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
Mexico.

December 2 of 2006

To the people of Mexico:
To the people of the world:

Brothers and Sisters:

The attack that our brothers, the people of Oaxaca suffered and suffer cannot be ignored by those who fight for freedom, justice and democracy in all corners of the planet.

This is why, the EZLN calls on all honest people, in Mexico and the world, to initiate, starting now, continual actions of solidarity and support to the Oaxacan people, with the following demands:

For the living reappearance of the disappeared, for the freedom of the detained, for the exit of Ulises Ruiz and the federal forces from Oaxaca, for the punishment of those guilty of torture, rape and murder.

We call to those in this international campaign to tell, in all forms and in all places possible, what has occurred and what is occurring in Oaxaca, everyone in their way, time and place.

We call for these actions to come together in a worldwide mobilization for Oaxaca on December 22, 2006.

The people of Oaxaca are not alone. We have to say so and demonstrate it, to them and to everyone.
Democracy!
Freedom!
Justice!

By the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee - General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
Mexico.

Insurgent Subcommander Marcos.
Mexico, December of 2006

———————————————————

COMUNICADO DEL COMITÉ CLANDESTINO REVOLUCIONARIO INDÍGENA-COMANDANCIA GENERAL DEL EJÉRCITO ZAPATISTA DE LIBERACIÓN NACIONAL.
MÉXICO.

2 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2006.

AL PUEBLO DE MÉXICO:
A LOS PUEBLOS DEL MUNDO:

HERMANAS Y HERMANOS:

EL ATAQUE QUE SUFRIÓ Y SUFRE NUESTRO HERMANO PUEBLO DE OAXACA NO PUEDE SER IGNORADO POR QUIENES LUCHAMOS POR LIBERTAD, JUSTICIA Y DEMOCRACIA EN TODOS LOS RINCONES DEL PLANETA.

POR ESO, EL EZLN LLAMA A TODA PERSONA HONESTA, EN MÉXICO Y EN EL MUNDO, PARA QUE SE INICIEN, DESDE YA, ACCIONES CONTINUAS DE SOLIDARIDAD Y APOYO AL PUEBLO OAXAQUEÑO, CON LAS SIGUIENTES DEMANDAS:

POR LA PRESENTACIÓN CON VIDA DE LOS DESAPARECIDOS, POR LA LIBERACIÓN DE LAS DETENIDAS Y DETENIDOS, POR LA SALIDA DE ULISES RUIZ Y LAS FUERZAS FEDERALES DE OAXACA, POR EL CASTIGO A LOS CULPABLES DE LAS TORTURAS, VIOLACIONES Y ASESINATOS. EN SUMA: POR LIBERTAD, DEMOCRACIA Y JUSTICIA PARA EL PUEBLO DE OAXACA.

LLAMAMOS A QUE EN ESTA CAMPAÑA INTERNACIONAL SE DIGA, DE TODAS LAS FORMAS Y EN TODOS LOS LUGARES POSIBLES, LO QUE OCURRIÓ Y OCURRE EN OAXACA, CADA QUIEN EN SU MODO, TIEMPO Y LUGAR.

LLAMAMOS A QUE ESTAS ACCIONES CONFLUYAN EN UNA MOVILIZACIÓN MUNDIAL POR OAXACA EL DÍA 22 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2006.

EL PUEBLO OAXAQUEÑO NO ESTÁ SOLO. HAY QUE DECIRLO Y DEMOSTRARLO, A ÉL Y A TODOS.
¡Democracia!
¡Libertad!
¡Justicia!

Por el Comité Clandestino Revolucionario Indígena- Comandancia General del Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional.
México.

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos.
México, December del 2006.

source: http://indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/03/18334847.php

-------------

Oaxaca solidarity:

El Enemigo Común (film and news)
http://elenemigocomun.net

email 'announcement' list
http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/oaxaca

events and actions
http://elenemigocomun.net/category/solidarity

Donate for medical supplies and media equipment
http://elenemigocomun.net/donate



--
"No sage or savior has ever endorsed greed and gluttony as a path toward social justice or personal fulfillment. These sane and enlightened people come to us from all cultures and all eras, sometimes knowing of each other but more often not. Socrates and Jesus, Lao Tzu and Tolstoi, Gandhi and Martin Buber -- no one can find in their lives and words a jot of support for a political and economic regime that encourages the acquisition of wealth far beyond what is needed for the necessaries -- or even the restorative pleasures -- of life while consigning the masses to live and work in squalor."
-Stephen J. Fortunato, Associate Justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court.

"Music is prophecy, its style and economic organization are ahead of the rest of society. It makes audible the new world that will gradually become visible."
-Jacques Attali in his seminal text "Noise"

[josewelder]

16. Flavio

This article you linked to seems to give more credence to what I expressed earlier. The first paragraph where it states, "uno de los dirigentes visibles de la APPO,
Flavio Sosa Villavicencio(one of the visible leaders of the APPO Flavio Sosa Villa..).
Why is he referred to as one of the leaders? Because he was sent in to hijack and take control of the teachers strike, to feed false hope and to agitate the people of Oaxaca, and put them in harms way, so that they could later be used for other purposes. He has no right to speak for this movement, nor does he have the brains, as he has demonstrated. I think it is wrong to say that the press singled him out on the bidding of the right, because he is fat and ugly. He was sent to take over what was a normal teachers strike, and to be singled out, so that he could control the press releases of the APPO. The teachers strike every year in Mexico City and other areas of the country. I have been stuck in them more than once.(On a side note I personally feel that teachers should be paid more than congressmen because they are more important, in my eyes). I think one of the power cards that Ester Gordillo held was the teachers Unioin. Flavio was sent out under orders of the PRD or AMLO(whom I think has hijacked a good party) to control the APPO so that it would explode or implode exactly when it was convenient for AMLO. He is mentioned a second time in the same article saying basically nothing. And the article states that getting rid of Ruiz is their only goal. This was a situation exaggerated by political entities of the PRD.
In my mind the left and the right are bad, and the ones that pay the price are all of us stupid idealist stuck in the middle.
I wish I had more time to write more but I have family things to do.

One more thing to the guy Orgasm or whatever your name was, Mexico is advancing and the last thing we need is a revolution. But if we do have one I hope you will come down here to share in the bloodshed, idiot.

[toddaa]

17. Jose, don't keep saying you need to post more and then don't

Because I really don't know what to think about anything you've written. It's clear you don't trust the PRD, which I can understand, but what limited information we get here in the US hasn't really named Flavio as the leader of the APPO. Wiley's about the only one translating Indymedia articles coming out of Chiapas, but that's really DU's only link to what's going on Oaxaca. Sadly, if Brad Will's murder wasn't part of this story, I doubt anybody would give up here would give a shit what's happening in Mexico. All I know (which is pretty much worthless) is that the Marcos and the ELZN has thrown their support towards the APPO and that's something they did not do for the PRD.

I wish I could understand where you're coming from, my friend, but right now I have serious doubts about your two posts on this thread. You are in Mexico (that's what your profile says), I'm not. I'm as far away and ignorant of Mexican politics as you can get, but I suspect what's going on in Oaxaca is going to blow up the entire Western Hemisphere in the coming months, but nobody in the US gives a damn about it. So far, you are the only Mexican who has posted about this on DU and as much as I love Wiley50's posts, we need some other voices closer to the action. Get your family taken care of and then post more stuff!

You are right that Mexico does not need yet another revolution, but I'm afraid the multinational neoliberal scum backing Ruiz want nothing less.

[josewelder]

20. Try to understand

I have only once said that I do not have time to post because I have only posted a few times on this site. Unfortunately as confirmed by the links or copies of links from Wiley you are shown that Flavio is a leader of the APPO. My point is he should not be shown as a leader of the APPO. He is an impostor. And any link showing him as a leader or spokesman for the APPO demonstrates my point that the APPO was hijacked by the AMLO factions of the PRD.

I partially agree with you that the Brad Will murder is one of the only reasons that people in the USA even look at this situation. However, there are people, like Wiley that actually express real concern and desire to understand the situation. If I thought that these people were less than genuine in their postings I would not bother to respond.

If you really want the basics to where I am coming from read what I have posted a little better. Change is coming slowly in Mexico, but it is coming. The idea that what is happening in Oaxaca is going to blow up the hemisphere seems very exaggerated to me.

It really does not matter what Ruiz wants. He will be gone soon and the electorate will decide who takes his place. This is one of the reasons why we do not need a bloody revolution yet, the electoral process is just being given its first chance.

To avoid confusion: I am not Mexican, I am American (USA). I have lived here for ten years and worked her for twenty, and passed a few other years of my life in other countries. My Wife is Mexican and my Kids are what ever they want to be.

I do have much more to say but I also have other things that take priority over posting here. I will try to formulate a response to m views on NAFTA. They are very mixed.

[Wiley50]

19. I respect what you say, Jose

I just wish you could find time to look at the other link I posted
It is the document of APPO after the convention.
It's much more important than the newspaper article you read.

Also
The only reason the teachers strike became more than it has ever been before
(I know they always have happened every year, teachers get small raise, go back to work)

What was different this time? It wasn't Flavio, That slob is not that powerful.

It was because Ruiz sent in Police to break up the strike.
With teargas and dogs and helicopters, Back in June
It was just the normal strike until that happened.
Ruiz doing that pissed off a lot more people than just teachers.
Many came to stand beside the teachers after that happened.

That's when they started saying Ruiz should step aside

We agree on that
Ruiz should have stepped aside
The people don't want him

[Vidar]

18. K&R. Thank you, Wiley50.

[0rganism]

9. the uprising has been suppressed by the usual methods

I hope this didn't come as a huge surprise to anyone. Nothing short of a total revolution will turn things around in Mexico now, the government is thoroughly corrupt.

[nam78_two]

11. K&R/nt

[toddaa]

14. K&R

n/t

[Wiley50]

21. Two Articles: 11/26 & 12/8

If you read the last paragraph of the APPO declaration, the APPO wants people to act in solidarity.
This does not mean free-lance tourists. The APPO clearly thinks
that international solidarity is useful. This usually refers to human rights organizations

and press. More on the ground, for example in the case of people threatened
with bodily harm, there are systems for accompaniment. One does not undertake those roles
without organizational backing.

I have always considered innocent tourists walking around with cameras

useful as deterrent witnesses. They should not be participating,
nor should they be ignorant of what is going on. This is how intelligent residents
behave.
--------------------------------------


The second article simply reiterates that Ulises has decided to jail EVERYBODY,
teachers and APPO alike, for participating in the movement. The article lists a
whole group of names, including teacher leader, Rueda Pacheco, as well as

the women who took over channel 9.

My opinion is that Ulises wants to do a clean sweep right away on the correct
supposition that the movement is by no means dead.




THIS IS AN OLDER PIECE (NOV 26) I AM RE-POSTING. The current article of events is below.

La asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca después de la agresión que nuestro pueblo ha sufrido en las ultimas horas, en el marco del desarrollo de nuestra lucha por una transformación profunda de la situación política, económica, social y cultural para superar la situación de miseria y hambre ancestrales a las que ha sido sometido nuestros pueblos por parte de los opresores.

The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca after the aggression which our people have suffered in the last hours, within the framework of our struggle for a profound transformation of the economic, social, political and cultural situation, to overcome the situation of ancestral misery and hunger to which our peoples have been subjected by the oppressors.



En marco de la jornada de lucha que programamos el día de ayer 25 de noviembre que la APPO había contemplado la realización de una mega marcha que partió de la Casa Oficial en Santa Maria Coyotepec, con el objetivo de concluir en el centro histórico de la ciudad con el establecimiento de un cerco a la PFP que se encontraba ocupando el zócalo de esta ciudad, y que la definición de este cerco seria de manera pacifica sin tener contacto con la PFP, y ante los acontecimientos que se desencadenaron el día de ayer la Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca, hace las siguientes:



In the framework of the day of struggle that we planned for yesterday the 25th of November APPO had contemplated carrying out a mega march from the Government House in Santa Maria Coyotepec, with the goal of ending in the historic center of Oaxaca by encircling the PFP, which is occupying the zócalo of this city. Since this encirclement was specifically to be peaceful without contact with the PFP, and in view of the events which were unleashed yesterday, the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca declares the following:



CONSIDERACIONES:

Que Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, desde hace días ha declarado que estaba iniciando la operación de un plan del cual lograría obtener el control de la ciudad antes del día 1° de diciembre. Que desde hace días la PFP en coordinación con los diversos cuerpos policíacos, los sicarios, paramilitares, y porros de Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, empezaron a apostarse en diversos techos del centro histórico, que en muchos de los casos recibimos denuncias de los vecinos, fue sin el permiso de los propietarios, esto en la idea de que desde este lugar provocarían la agresión en contra de este movimiento.

CONSIDERATIONS:

That Ulises Ruiz Ortiz several days ago declared that he was initiating the operation of a plan which would obtain control of the city before the first of December. That several days ago the PFP in coordination with different police forces, paid assassins, paramilitaries and thugs of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz began to post themselves on various roofs of the historic center. In many cases neighbors denounced them to us, because they did it without permission of the buildings owners – their idea was that from these roofs they could provoke aggression against this movement.



Que el día de ayer después de que la comisión del Consejo Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca, recorrió la mayoría de las bocacalles para establecer el cerco a la PFP, los policías, sicarios y paramilitares apostados en los techos de diversos edificios del centro histórico empezaron a arrojar canicas y gas pimienta y lacrimógeno a nuestros compañeros en diversos puntos, para provocar la agresión generalizada que se desato al instante, en una ofensiva generalizada, consistente en la agresión de la PFP, en diversas bocacalles, las detenciones masivas a los compañeros que se replegaban en diversos puntos de la ciudad, la acción inmediata de los porros y paramilitares que participaron junto con la PFP y otros cuerpos policíacos, y que muchos de ellos hicieron disparos de arma de fuego sobre militantes de la APPO.

That yesterday, after a group from the Consejo Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca occupied the majority of the entry streets to establish the circle around the PFP, the police, shooters and paramilitaries posted on the roofs of different buildings in the historic center began to launch marbles and pepper and tear gas at our companions at several places, to provoke the general aggression which was unleashed immediately into a general offensive, consisting of aggression by the PFP in several facing streets, the massive detentions of companions who retreated at several points in the city, the immediate action of the thugs and paramilitaries who participated together with the PFP and other police units, and that many of them shot firearms onto the APPO militants.



Que ante esta ofensiva general del los agresores, los miembros de la APPO y el pueblo en general, hicieron el uso de su derecho legitimo a defenderse, para evitar una masacre en contra de nuestro pueblo, haciendo uso de piedras, palos, cohetones, y demás objetos que pudieron encontrar a su paso, ya que la mayoría no venia preparado a alguna confrontación.

That in the face of this general offensive, the members of the APPO and the people in general made use of their legitimate right to defend themselves, to avoid a massacre against our people, making use of stones, sticks, rockets and objects found at hand, since the majority did not come prepared for any confrontation.



Que después los datos preeliminares con que hasta ahora tenemos, es que hay 165 presos políticos, decenas de desaparecidos, centenares de heridos y lesionados, así como varios muertos, que hasta ahora no hemos podido confirmar.

That with the preliminary figures that we have now, it seems there are 165 political prisoners, tens of disappeared, hundreds of wounded and injured, as well as several deaths which up to now we have not been able to confirm.



Ante esta situación, la Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca, hace las siguientes declaraciones:

In the face of this situation, the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca declare the following:



— Condenamos enérgicamente esta embestida de represión que nuestro pueblo ha sufrido, pues siguen siendo como en las peores etapas del fascismo en la historia.

— We condemn energetically this attack of repression which our people have suffered, which continues as the worst stages of fascism in our history.



— Reafirmamos nuestra lucha por una transformación social, política, económica y social, la lucha por el poder popular, y reafirmamos que la caída del tirano Ulises Ruiz, es el inicio para el reestablecimiento de la paz y la tranquilidad para los oaxaqueños, así como el retiro inmediato de la PFP, pues a partir de su llegada solo vino a incrementar la violencia y la ingobernabilidad en Oaxaca.

— We reaffirm our struggle for a social, political, economic and social transformation, the struggle for popular power, and we reaffirm that the fall of the tyrant Ulises Ruiz is the start for the reestablishment of peace and tranquility for the Oaxaqueños, as well as the (immediate) withdrawal of the PFP, since starting with their arrival, violence and ungovernability increased.



— Ratificamos que la lucha del pueblo de Oaxaca y la APPO es una lucha de masas en la que participa el pueblo de Oaxaca, y tiene el carácter de civil y pacifica, por lo que declaramos que la quema de diversos edificios de la ciudad no fue una orientación, ni decisión de la APPO.

— We ratify that the struggle of the people of Oaxaca and the APPO is a struggle of the masses in which the people of Oaxaca participate, and it has a civil and pacific character, for which we declare that the burning of different buildings of the city was not a direction nor a decision of the APPO:



— Denunciamos que hace algunos momentos, han trasladado a varios compañeros que se encontraban en el penal de Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca, entre ellos los compañeros Cesar Mateos Benitez, y Jorge Sosa Campos, con rumbo desconocido, sin ningún motivo, por lo que han violado sus derechos humanos mas elementales.

— We denounce that some minutes ago, they took several companions who were in the prison of Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca, among them our companions Cesar Mateos Benitez, and Jorge Sosa Campos, to an unknown destination, with no reason, by which they have violated the most basic human rights



— La presencia de la PFP, y los hechos ocurridos demuestran que en el estado de Oaxaca hay ingobernabilidad, y no ha regresado la tranquilidad para el pueblo de Oaxaca.

— The presence of the PFP, and the events which have occurred show that in the state of Oaxaca there is ungovernability, and tranquility has not returned for the people of Oaxaca.



— Declaramos que la lucha del Pueblo de Oaxaca, por la caída de URO, continúa por lo que nuestra jornada de lucha y nuestro plan de acción va a seguir desarrollándose.

— We declare that the struggle of the People of Oaxaca for the fall of URO will continue as our daily struggle, and our plan of action is going to continue developing.



Por todo lo anterior hacemos un llamado a los pueblos de México y del Mundo entero, a continuar las acciones de solidaridad con el pueblo de Oaxaca y detener la sangrienta represión que sigue desarrollándose en contra de nuestro pueblo, a la prensa nacional e internacional, a los organismos de derechos humanos, a conformar brigadas para asistir esta ciudad para levantar los hechos de violación a los derechos mas elementales en contra del pueblo.



For all the above reasons we call on the peoples of Mexico and the entire world to continue actions in solidarity with the people of Oaxaca, and to stop the bloody repression which continues unfolding against our people; to the national and international press, to the organizations for human rights, that they create brigades to assist this city in disseminating the facts regarding violations against the people of their most elementary rights.


Noticias

http://www.noticias-oax.com.mx/articulos.php?id_sec=1&id_art=49518&id_ejemplar=1302


Viernes 08 de diciembre de 2006. Núm. 10750

Libran más órdenes de aprehensión Issuing more orders for arrests

OCTAVIO VÉLEZ ASCENCIO


A pesar de las declaraciones del gobernador Ulises Ruiz de que no se
detendrá a miembros del magisterio oaxaqueño, Despite prior declarations that he

would not arrest teachers el Poder Judicial del
Estado, además de librar órdenes de aprehensión a miembros de la APPO,

también dictó mandatos de arresto a dirigentes de la Sección 22 del
Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) y profesores
de diferentes niveles.

Aparte, el coordinador de Radio Plantón, Omar Olivera Espinoza; el

dirigente de la Coordinadora Democrática Magisterial de Oaxaca (Codemo),
Mario Cruz López; el ex dirigente de la Comisión Magisterial de

Derechos Humanos (Comaddh), Germán Mendoza Nube y quien fue conductora en
la estación de radio la Ley 710, llamada después La Ley de los
Pueblos, María del Carmen López Vásquez, cuando estuvo ocupada por el

movimiento magisterial y popular.

De acuerdo con el expediente penal 71/2006, iniciado por el juez Mixto
de Primera Instancia del Distrito Judicial de Ocotlán de Morelos,
Manuel Agustín Esquivel Valois por los delitos de secuestro, lesiones

calificadas y robo calificado, se giraron órdenes de aprehensión los
hermanos de Flavio Sosa Villavicencio, de nombres Gustavo, Erick y Horacio
---los dos últimos ya encarcelados---, César Mateos Benítez y Jorge

Luis Sosa Campos ---también ya detenidos---, así como Rueda Pacheco y
Rosas Romero.

Además, el secretario general del Sindicato de Trabajadores y
Empleados de la Universidad Autónoma "Benito Juárez" de
Oaxaca
(STEUABJO), Rosendo Ramírez Sánchez y Rogelio Pensamientos Mesinas, ambos
miembros de la APPO, y Daniel Sosa y Marcelino Mateos, al aparecer

familiares de César Mateos Benítez y Jorge Luis Sosa Campos.

Mientras que en la causa penal 70/200 instaurada por el mismo juez de
Ocotlán de Morelos, por los delitos de daños en los bienes y robo
calificado con violencia en contra de Caminos y Aeropistas de
Oaxaca (CAO),
se dictaron mandatos de arresto los maestros María del Carmen López
Vásquez, Mario Cruz López y Jacqueline López Almazán, quien también

es dirigente del Comité de Defensa de los Derechos del Pueblo (Codep).

Además, Pensamiento Mesinas, Ulises Hernández López, Alberto
Martínez Vásquez y Samuel Hernández Morales, dirigente igualmente del

Codep.

En tanto, en el expediente penal 102/2006 del Juzgado Mixto de Primera
Instancia del Distrito Judicial de Tlacolula de Matamoros, que está a
cargo de María de los Ángeles Vásquez García, por los delitos de

daños en los bienes y daños dolosos consumados por incendio en el
auditorio Guelaguetza, se giraron órdenes de aprehensión Samuel Hernández
Morales, Ulises Hernández López, Rosendo Ramírez Sánchez, Alberto

Martínez Vásquez, Armando Toledo Aquino, Aurelio Gómez Pedro, Rogelio
Pensamientos Mesinas, José Antonio Hernández Santos y Daniel Rosas
Romero.

También, Catarino Torres Pereda, dirigente del Comité de Defensa

Ciudadana (Codeci), preso en el penal de máxima seguridad de La Palma,
Estado de México, y Alejandro Cruz López, líder de las Organizaciones

Indias por los Derechos Humanos en Oaxaca (OIDHO).

A su vez, en la causa penal 58/2006 iniciada igualmente por el juez
Mixto de Primera Instancia del Distrito Judicial de Ocotlán de Morelos,

Esquivel Valois, se dictaron mandatos de arresto por los delitos de robo
específico cometido en contra del municipio de Miahuatlán a Rogelio
Pensamiento Mesinas, Samuel Hernández, Germán Mendoza Nube, Rosendo

Ramírez Sánchez, Luis Hernández López, Tomás Martínez Pinacho,
Venancio Ojeda Figueroa, Leopoldo Valencia Santiago, Raúl Zárate, Luis
Hernández López y Miguel Ángel Schultz Dávila, dirigente del Frente
de la Cordillera Norte.


Y por último, en el expediente penal 136/2006 del Juzgado Primero de
lo Penal del Distrito Judicial de Etla, giró órdenes de aprehensión

por el delito de despojo agravado por la ocupación del Canal 9 de
televisión propiedad de la administración estatal,

orders for arrest of those inv0olved at channel 9 Jacqueline López
Almazán, Esmeralda Martínez Martínez, Hortensia Luis López, Rogelio
Pensamiento Mesinas, Ulises Hernández López, Omar Olivera Espinoza,

María del Carmen López Vásquez, Carmen Sosa, Sandra Cancino Armenta,
Maribel Martínez Martínez ---hija del ex rector de la UABJO, Felipe
Martínez Soriano--- y Aline Castellanos Jurado, integrante del Colectivo

Huaxyacac.

Según una copia de las causas penales, que fueron entregadas a
NOTICIAS, Voz e Imagen de
Oaxaca, entre estos se encuentran el líder Enrique
Rueda Pacheco; los secretarios de Prensa y Propaganda, y de Alianza y

Gestoría Social, Daniel Rosas Romero y José Antonio Hernández Santos,
respectivamente.
Noicias received copies of those on the arrest list,
which includes Rueda, press secretaries, etc

[Wiley50]

22. Oaxaca Update,

Posted on OSAG yahoo group by a member
No Copyright




Dec. 6, 2006

Oaxaca Update, by Jacob Muller


Tensions run high in the city of Oaxaca following the recent wave of
apprehensions and detentions. On November 24 and 25 alone, 141
people were detained, and detentions have continued. Armed police—
municipal, state, and federal—roam the streets on foot and in police
and unmarked vehicles. Police are conducting searches (with and
without warrants) of the homes of those suspected of supporting the
Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO). Many supporters of
the popular movement are also being followed, harassed and
intimidated by police—usually in civilian clothing.

The arrest in Mexico City of the most high profile APPO leader,
Flavio Sosa, along with his brother and two other APPO leaders on
Dec. 4 was a surprise to many. Hours earlier Sosa had announced a
meeting with the federal government to continue negotiations and to
ask for the release of more than 214 political prisoners currently
being held. The fact that the federal government announced a
renewal of dialogue with APPO, while at the same time arresting it's
leaders is yet another example of the wide gap between the
government's words, and it's actions.

Sosa's arrest—which was orchestrated by both state and federal
authorities—clearly illustrates the fact that federal government
continues to collaborate closely with the government, particularly
the police forces, of Gov. Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (URO). The principal
demand of the APPO, before continuing on to negotiation of other
issues, has been the resignation or removal of URO. Sosa's arrest
is also a message to others in opposition to URO that the repression—
the application of mano dura (iron fist) policies will continue
under the new presidential administration of Felipe Calderon. As a
result other APPO leaders, as well as others who are part of the
popular movement, are in hiding.

In Oaxaca city, municipal, state and federal police—both armed and
in uniform and plain clothed—continue patrolling the streets;
vehicles pulled over while police check papers, etc. is a regular
sight. Many local grassroots organizations have been, and continue
to be, under surveillance by plain clothed agents. Some
organizations have closed offices or curtailed regular office hours
in response to the widespread detentions and intimidations. Phones
at the offices of many grassroots organization have reportedly been
tapped. Due to the heavy, very visible police presence and the
recent widespread repression and persecution, in the popular
movement has—for the moment—been immobilized.

In spite of the government's attempts to crush the popular movement
through widespread, often arbitrary detentions, and harassment and
intimidation through an highly-visible police presence, the recently
formed state-wide APPO Council (CEAPPO) on Dec. 3 issued an
announcement that they continue in regular meetings. In a recent
announcement, CEAPPO called for a for members and supporters to
participate in a march on December 10, and said:

"his new stage of struggle that we have named the "Stage of Peace
with Justice, Democracy and Liberty without Ulises Ruiz Ortiz" is,
at the same time, a novel exercise to continue the struggle that the
APPO is learning to build with patience, perseverance and wisdom.
Our original peoples taught us this on November 28 and 29 at the
Forum of Indigenous Peoples of Oaxaca, when they told us that
the "path must be taken slowly," which is what we are doing now,
without losing sight of the common objective, which is the profound
transformation of living, working, academic and recreational
conditions for our people."

CEAPPO continues to call for the removal of URO, and is calling for
the people of Oaxaca to "organize and carry out mobilizations and
protest actions to spread the `Stage of Peace…', the call for the
release of political prisoners, the return of the disappeared, the
cancellation of orders of apprehension, an end to illegal arrests,
an end to gag orders, the withdrawal of the Federal Preventive
Police (PFP), and what brought us all together: the departure of the
murderer Ulises Ruiz from Oaxaca. We call for this to happen in all
regions of the state through our regional, municipal and sectorial
Popular Assemblies".

Other groups have issued calls for the release of all political
prisoners and an end to the police state that is currently being
imposed in Oaxaca, including Senator Gabino Cue, who ran against
(many argue successfully) URO in the last Oaxacan gubernatorial
election. The Partido Revolutionario Democratico (PRD), the party
of Manuel Lopez Obrador, has agreed to assume the legal defense of
APPO leader Flavio Sosa.

And a newly formed group of internationally-known Oaxacan artists
and intellectuals, the "Comite' de Liberación 25 de noviembre" (Nov.
25 Liberation Committee) has the stated mission of freeing all
political prisoners, including many in APPO who are charged with the
serious crimes of sedition and rebellion.

URO has recently been working to clean up his image, offering up a
plan for state reform. He even offered to include APPO in public
planning and dialogues—something many observers note with bitter
irony, considering that 214 APPO supporters are currently in prison.

The ongoing surreal nature of the conflict was again illustrated
when Federal Preventative Police (who've maintained a camp and
ongoing presence in the zocalo—the heart of the city—since the end
of October) cleared out, paving the way for a visit by Oaxaca's
mayor, Jesus Angel Diaz Ortega on Dec. 3. The mayor smiled, grabbed
the hands of hesitant children, bought some gum from young
indigenous street vendors, and planted poinsettias for the coming
Christmas season—all while photographers sympathetic to the
government dutifully snapped away. One only needed to walk a block
from the scene to see a stark contrast to the
cheerful, "everything's ok" scene being recorded at the zocalo—
armored vehicles and hundreds of armed police in anti-riot gear.

Since the beginning of the conflict, 17 people—most supporters of
APPO--have been killed, including U.S. Indymedia journalist Brad
Will. There have been no police casualties.

More than 214 political prisoners are being held in state and
federal prisons. There are widespread reports of severe beatings
and torture of some detainees.

Nonetheless, the Dec. 4 Associated Press story spawned from the
mayor's photo opportunity at the zocalo—while conceding that many
residents say the conflict is far from over—reported that "he
troubled southern Mexican city of Oaxaca is visibly returning to
normal…".

[Judi Lynn]

23. Thanks for posting this update. n/t

[rman]

24. k&r