Yet another unseen terror in Oaxaca?
Mexico is on turmoil! The horrible terror in Atenco was only the beginning. In Oaxaca there already are more victims than in Atenco. The struggle for justice, democracy and dignity will probably be easier for the next Mexican states that will decide to end the reign of terror. The repression in Latin America prevents accurate information to be effectively globally delivered.
The situation will worsen on 1st of December when corrupt president Felipe Calderon will be installed. On 29th of October Federal preventive police (PFP) violently finished the sit-in protest of the rebellious farmers, students, teachers, indigenous people and others, which began in May. The PFP troops are stationed on the main square in Oaxaca and they heavily armed wait for any threat from the peaceful and unarmed crowds. The youngsters paid by dictator Ulises Ruiz tried to remove the anti-Ulises graffiti. These is a very hard work, because outside main square there are thousands and on the outskirts of the city millions. The demand of Oaxacan people is the same for more than 165 days: removal of corrupt governor Ulises Ruiz. The rebellious people are everywhere. The main square is occupied by more than 4000 young and small indigenous people from all over the Mexico, paid by government. Probably they are not even 18 years old.
Last summer Ulises suspended Noticias, the only Oaxacan daily newspaper that is critical over the situation in Oaxaca. When demonstration began, Noticias started to work again. The situation in Oaxaca is intense. Tourists and activists are not allowed to take pictures. The worst and the latest news is, that federal army is situated only four hours away from the city and activists expects that it could burst in a couple of days, not only in Oaxaca, but all over Mexico. Direct contact to non-government organization OIDHO (Indian organizations for Human Rights in Oaxaca) – which was establishing pirate radios, alternative education and health care and a number of other projects, which enabled indigenous people an effective self-organization – is not possible at the moment.
Few days ago PFP attacked a pirate radio just in front of the university campus. Two reporters were injured. Helicopters are flying frequently across Oaxaca – perhaps they will clear it up tonight…
On Friday, October 27, APPO (Popular Assembly of the people of Oaxaca) and teacher’s union (Seccion 22) reached an agreement with federal government about going back at schools and beginning with lessons. In spite of that the president Vicente Fox sent PFP to attack them. That was the reason that APPO and Seccion 22 suspended all negotiations and compromises.
APPO and other fighters for justice, democracy and dignity are not alone. Around 3500 zapatists occupied the main roads to San Cristobal de las Casas and some other roads in Chiapas. Demonstrations are appearing in other countries too. Especially in USA are mass manifests from university teachers and science workers. They were stimulated by the death of Ronald Bradley Will, young student and reporter, who recorded his own killers, who are still on freedom. In 164 days of insurrection in Oaxaca, 16 people were killed. A male nurse Alberto Lopez Bernal died, when he was saving two injured children from PFP. He was 27 years old and had two children.
The protests are spreading all over the world: in front of Mexican embassy in Brazil, Germany, Italy, USA, Austria and Spain. On October 31, congress issued a proposal for the resignation of Ulises Ruiz, but he refused to do so. Those members of APPO, who can’t fight in Oaxaca because they were threatened to be killed or imprisoned, are protesting in Mexico City. Their hunger strike is lasting more than 17 days now. Amnesty International wants to know what happened to 30 members of APPO who are missing.
With the arrival of PFP everything changed. Fledgling policemen robbed crashed and urinated 37 stores. Gold and silver was stolen, the centre is turning into a toilet. PFP is occupying the city since Saturday and is armed and prepared for war.
On November 2, about 3000 troops of PFP, PFI (Federal Police of Investigation), judiciary police, ministerial police and the paramilitary groups of the governors party PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) entered the university campus in Oaxaca, where the main voice of the movement Radio Universidad is located. The radio has been off the air for few times but the rebellious students always managed to get it back on the air. There were around 10000 demonstrators, including the director of the Autonomous University Benito Juarez in Oaxaca. In the clashes 27 people were injured (among them 3 reporters) and 30 people were imprisoned, including children. Teargas was dropped from helicopters and armoured cars used water cannons.
We are witnessing one of the major struggles for dignity of humankind on a global scale. We are also witnessing one of the biggest repressions against humankind.
Is this just another historical fact or the reality we are involved in?
The situation will worsen on 1st of December when corrupt president Felipe Calderon will be installed. On 29th of October Federal preventive police (PFP) violently finished the sit-in protest of the rebellious farmers, students, teachers, indigenous people and others, which began in May. The PFP troops are stationed on the main square in Oaxaca and they heavily armed wait for any threat from the peaceful and unarmed crowds. The youngsters paid by dictator Ulises Ruiz tried to remove the anti-Ulises graffiti. These is a very hard work, because outside main square there are thousands and on the outskirts of the city millions. The demand of Oaxacan people is the same for more than 165 days: removal of corrupt governor Ulises Ruiz. The rebellious people are everywhere. The main square is occupied by more than 4000 young and small indigenous people from all over the Mexico, paid by government. Probably they are not even 18 years old.
Last summer Ulises suspended Noticias, the only Oaxacan daily newspaper that is critical over the situation in Oaxaca. When demonstration began, Noticias started to work again. The situation in Oaxaca is intense. Tourists and activists are not allowed to take pictures. The worst and the latest news is, that federal army is situated only four hours away from the city and activists expects that it could burst in a couple of days, not only in Oaxaca, but all over Mexico. Direct contact to non-government organization OIDHO (Indian organizations for Human Rights in Oaxaca) – which was establishing pirate radios, alternative education and health care and a number of other projects, which enabled indigenous people an effective self-organization – is not possible at the moment.
Few days ago PFP attacked a pirate radio just in front of the university campus. Two reporters were injured. Helicopters are flying frequently across Oaxaca – perhaps they will clear it up tonight…
On Friday, October 27, APPO (Popular Assembly of the people of Oaxaca) and teacher’s union (Seccion 22) reached an agreement with federal government about going back at schools and beginning with lessons. In spite of that the president Vicente Fox sent PFP to attack them. That was the reason that APPO and Seccion 22 suspended all negotiations and compromises.
APPO and other fighters for justice, democracy and dignity are not alone. Around 3500 zapatists occupied the main roads to San Cristobal de las Casas and some other roads in Chiapas. Demonstrations are appearing in other countries too. Especially in USA are mass manifests from university teachers and science workers. They were stimulated by the death of Ronald Bradley Will, young student and reporter, who recorded his own killers, who are still on freedom. In 164 days of insurrection in Oaxaca, 16 people were killed. A male nurse Alberto Lopez Bernal died, when he was saving two injured children from PFP. He was 27 years old and had two children.
The protests are spreading all over the world: in front of Mexican embassy in Brazil, Germany, Italy, USA, Austria and Spain. On October 31, congress issued a proposal for the resignation of Ulises Ruiz, but he refused to do so. Those members of APPO, who can’t fight in Oaxaca because they were threatened to be killed or imprisoned, are protesting in Mexico City. Their hunger strike is lasting more than 17 days now. Amnesty International wants to know what happened to 30 members of APPO who are missing.
With the arrival of PFP everything changed. Fledgling policemen robbed crashed and urinated 37 stores. Gold and silver was stolen, the centre is turning into a toilet. PFP is occupying the city since Saturday and is armed and prepared for war.
On November 2, about 3000 troops of PFP, PFI (Federal Police of Investigation), judiciary police, ministerial police and the paramilitary groups of the governors party PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) entered the university campus in Oaxaca, where the main voice of the movement Radio Universidad is located. The radio has been off the air for few times but the rebellious students always managed to get it back on the air. There were around 10000 demonstrators, including the director of the Autonomous University Benito Juarez in Oaxaca. In the clashes 27 people were injured (among them 3 reporters) and 30 people were imprisoned, including children. Teargas was dropped from helicopters and armoured cars used water cannons.
We are witnessing one of the major struggles for dignity of humankind on a global scale. We are also witnessing one of the biggest repressions against humankind.
Is this just another historical fact or the reality we are involved in?
posted by Alice at
Saturday, November 04, 2006
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