Letter to President Fox from UC Berkeley scholars

October 27th, 2006

Sr. Vicente Fox Quesada

Presidente de la Republica de México
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos Casa Miguel Alemán
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850
Distrito Federal, México

Mr. President Fox,

As citizens of Mexico and the World, concerned about social justice and the respect of human rights, we respectfully request that you and your administration resolve the current conflict in Oaxaca through peaceful and rational means.

From California, we watch the events in Oaxaca with deep concern. We are worried by the multiple recent attacks by armed groups on the barricades of the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca; we are disturbed by the current contradictory repression by the Preventive Federal Police and the military presence in the state to silence those who protest against repression and the conditions of state terror maintained by the government of Oaxaca.

We believe it is not possible to talk about the “reestablishment of the rule of law” in the context of actions by “porros” and paramilitaries at the service of the state government and the violation of human rights. As academics, representatives of social organizations, parents and citizens fighting for social justice, we understand the importance of returning to school and the reestablishment of social peace. We believe that this can only be achieved through dialogue and negotiations, and not through the violent repression of a civil and peaceful movement whose complaints have the wide support of the Oaxacan society and reflect the economic, political and social backwardness of the state.

Taking into consideration article 39 of the Mexican constitution, which establishes that “the people have the unalienable right to alter and modify the form of their government at any time,” we do not understand why the governor of this state is supported through violent means, while the state demonstrates democratic deficiencies, institutional voids and social backwardness. During his mandate, this governor killed more than 39 social fighters including Brad Will, an American independent news reporter, and jailed more than 200 community organizers. He also rerouted thousands of millions of pesos destined for public health, housing, and education, into the political campaign of his presidential candidate, the construction of his mansions and the support and backing of his business. We do not understand the rational and humanitarian logic that defends this untouchable authoritarianism, this shared corruption, this celebrated imposition and gangsterism as a style of government.

Thus, we request the following:

• The immediate withdrawal of the Mexican army and the Preventive Federal Police.
• The release of all political prisoners.
• Justice for those killed and the immediate apprehension and punishment of those responsible for the murders.
• The immediate departure of Governor Ulises Ruiz from his post, as per the wish of the Oaxacan society.
• Education as means toward peace.
• An immediate response to our demands by the Mexican government.

We ask that the federal government act with logical coherence. Order that is imposed by force can only be ephemeral. In its heightened level of awareness, the global community is no longer willing to accept unsubstantiated talk and double standards, but demands that authority walk the talk and teach through example rather than words.

Sincerely,


1 Francisco Ramos Stierle, estudiante de doctorado en Astrofísica, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
2 Dr. José María Rabasa, jefe del departamento de Español y Portugués, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
3 Dr. Manuel Callahan, profesor departamento de Ethnic Studies, Humboldt State University.
4 Adrian Carrasco Zanini, a nombre del Media Studies Program, New College of California
5 Dr. Ignacio Valero, profesor de humanidades, California College of the Arts..
6 Alejandro Reyes Arias, estudiante de doctorado en Literatura Latinoamericana, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
7 Carlos Bazúa Morales, Estudiante de doctorado en Antropología, Universidad de California en Merced.
8 Dr. Alex Saragoza, profesor departamento de ethnic studies, Universidad de California en Berkeley
9 Dr. Estelle Tarica, Associate Professor Español y Portugués, Chair, Latin American Studies Program, Universidad de California en Berkeley
10 Heriberto Avelino, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
11 Dr. Louis Segal, Lecturer in Latin American Studies, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
12 Alan Jose, estudiante de Doctorado en Español y Cine, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
13 Roberto Hernández, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
14 Dr. Milena Britto de Queiroz, profesora de Doctorado en Español y Portugués, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
15 Andrea Ramos Stierle, estudiante de Etnología, Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia.
16 Daniel Joseph Nemser, estudiante de doctorado en Literatura, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
17 Adriana Cruz-Manjarrez, Universidad de California Los Ángeles.
18 Concepción Corona Vázquez. Ciudad de México.
19 Dr. Victor Ramos Plascencia. Ciudad de México.
20 Magalí Rabasa, estudiante de doctorado Estudios Culturales, Universidad de California en Davis.
21 Dr. Robert McKee Irwin, Associate Professor departamento Español, Universidad de California en Davis.
22 Nefertiti Kelley-Farias, Media Coord./AssistDeputy Director, California-Mexico Health Initiative, California Policy Research Center, University of California Office of the President.
23 Camila Piñeiro Harnecker, estudiante de maestría en Estudios Latinoamericanos, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
24 Terry Kelley Farias, estudios Latinoamericanos, Universidad de California en Berkeley. Integrante de Ideas del Cambio A.C. Mexico. Representante de la Comunidad para Monument Community Partnership en Concord, California.
25 Carina Vance, estudiante de maestria en Salud Publica, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
26 Anna Zalik, Ciriacy Wantrup Postdoctoral Fellow in Natural Resource Studies, Departmento de Geografía, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
27 Dr. Leandro Colling, professor do departamento de Comunicação da Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brasil
28 Veronica Montes, estudiante de doctorado en sociologia de la Universidad de California en Santa Barbara
29 Agustin Palacios, estudiante de doctorado en Estudios Etnicos Universidad de California en Berkeley.
30 Dr. Diana Pei Wu, Environmental Science, Policy & Management, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
31 Mark Healey, profesor de historia, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
32 Orlanda Azevedo, Lectora de Portugues, Universidad de California en Berkeley
33 Dr. Sirena Pellarolo, Profesora California State, University Northridge
34 Valeria Brabata González, estudiante de maestría en políticas públicas, Goldman School of Public Policy, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
35 María del Carmen Arjona Camacho, estudiante de la Maestría en Salud Pública, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
36 Oscar A. Rosas Jaimes, estudiante de doctorado en Ingeniería de Control, UNAM. Profesor Visitante en U.C. Berkeley.
37 Ilse Ruiz Mercado, estudiante de doctorado en Sistemas de Ingeneria Civil y Ambiental, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
38 Layda Negrete, estudiante en el Programa Doctoral de Politicas Publicas, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
39 Daniel Lebrija, Instituto Multicultural, Berkeley, California.
40 Paola Reyes, estudiante de bachillerato en psicología, Wellesley College, California.
41 Natalia Brizuela, profesora de literatura latinoamericana, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
42 Jeremias Zunguze, estudiante de maestría en Literatura Luso-Brasileña, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
43 Ernesto Tejeda Yeomans, estudiante de maestria en Estructuras, Universidad de Califormia en Berkeley.
44 Lilia Aleman Ramos, estudiante de doctorado, Universidad de CAlifornia en Riverside.
45 Elizabeth Sáenz-Ackermann, estudiante de maestría en Estudios Latinoamericanos, Universidad Estatal de San Diego, California.
46 Juan Jose Fraire Zamora, estudiente de doctorado en Evolucion, Ecologia y Biologia de Organismos, Universidad de California Riverside.
47 Heidy Sarabia, Estudiante de Doctorado, Sociologia, Universidad de Califormia en Berkeley.
48 Andrea González,Estudiante de doctorado en Antropología, Research Scholar en Universidad de California Santa Barbara
49 Dr. Herve Bouy, Postdoc en el departamento de Astronomía de Universidad de California en Berkeley.
50 FRENTE POR LA DEMOCRACIA EN MEXICO, San Francisco, California:
51 Miguel Robles, Comité Defensa del Voto, San Francisco, California.
52 Renee Saucedo, La Raza Centro Legal, San Francisco Day Labor Program, California.
53 Frank Martin del Campo, Consejo Laboral para el Avance Latinoamericano, San Francisco, California.
54 Al Rojas, Frente de Mexicanos en el Exterior, Sacramento, California.
55 Maria Ceballos, Coalicion Primero de Mayo, San Francisco, California.
56 Jose Sandoval, Voluntarios de la Comunidad, San Jose, California.
57 Maria Cristina Gutierrez, Compañeras del Barrio, Barrio Unido por una Amnistia Incondicional, San Francisco, California.
58 Alfonso Gutierrez Mendez, Frente Amplio Progresista, Los Angeles, California
59 Sabas Castellanos, Frente indigena de Organizaciones Binacionales, Coordinacion del Norte de California.
60 Antonio Ramirez, Organizacion Comite de apoyo al movimiento de los pueblos populares de Oaxaca, Santa Rosa, California.
61 Francisco Herrera, Trabajo Cultural Caminante, San Francisco, California.
62 Evelyn Barragan, Colectivo Chale, Santa Rosa, California.
63 Luis Magaña, Trbajadores Agricolas de California, Stockton, California.
64 Ted Lewis, Director del Programa de Derechos Humanos de la Organizacion Global Exchange.
65 Dra. Leslie Yerington
66 Patricia Algara, estudiante de maestria en Arquitectura de Paisajes, Universidad de California en Berkeley.
67 Prof. Nélida B. von Müller, Profesional Principal del Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Técnica de la Rep. Argentina.
68 Jorge Colaizzo, English Learner Prgram Resource Teacher, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Concord, California.
69 Alfredo Montaña Barbano, estudiante de doctorado en Astrofísica, Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica, Puebla, México.
70 Daniel Pérez Becker, Estudiante de doctorado en Física, Universidad de Califormia en Berkeley.