STOP HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN OAXACA!
niemand is illegaal - 11.03.2005 00:57
The Consejo Indigena Popular de Oaxaca, Ricardo Flores Magon, or CIPO-RFM, is an organization that unites diverse indigenous communities in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The work of this organization is necessary to defend and support communities in resistance to the exploitation of their land and people. CIPO has seen hundreds of its members arbitrarily arrested, and 11 members murdered. Here in Oaxaca, those who dare to interfere with the neo-liberal plans promoted by the government, those who affirm their right to secure their future as a people, face systematic repression and human rights violations.
The illegitimate governor Ulises Ruiz has made clear his strategy for dealing with opposition, which has its precedent in the PRI leadership he inherited: a campaign of repression against a wide variety of social organizations, sindicates and workers unions. The maximum-security prisons of Oaxaca contain their political prisoners. Their demand for justice remains unanswered. On February 18th, more than 80,000 teachers, students, workers and activists exercised their right to protest and marched to the capital to demand an end to the repression.
The specific history of repression against CIPO reaches far back, into the term of the previous governor, Jose Murat. For eight months last year, up until the 22nd of December, CIPO members maintained a protest camp in the main city square of the capital, demanding that paramilitary groups be dismantled and their leaders punished, respect for autonomy and community radio, life guarantees for human rights defenders, and freedom for their political prisoners.
*PARAMILITARIES
CIPO demands that all paramilitary groups in Oaxaca and Mexico be dismantled. These groups have attacked CIPO communities and murdered with complete impunity. The main function of the paramilitaries is to ensure political control of regions rich in natural resources. The PRI state government claims that the resulting bloodbaths are the result of inter-community conflicts, denying the fact that paramilitaries exist and are in fact armed and protected by this same corrupt government.
*THE STRUGGLE AGAINST NEOLIBERALISM
CIPO demands respect for the autonomy of indigenous communities. They are in resistance to the Plan Puebla Panama (PPP), and its projects that encourage the dissapearance of community, the displacement of their people and their way of life. PPP is promoted by the Fox administration and will turn southern Mexico into a series of transportation corridors and maquilas. Hundreds of thousands of indigenous campesinos would be forcibly removed from their land and into low-paying factory jobs. This territory is rich in biodiversity, a richness that those who promote the plan seek to exploit. Oaxaca alone represents thirteen percent of the world`s biosphere.
The resulting increase in militarization and paramilitarization of this region has a clear purpose: to supress social movements against PPP. This violent repression and its destablizing effects directly benefit the economic interests of multinational corporations. The attacks demonstrate the failure to recognize the autonomy of the indigenous communities of CIPO who are building self-sufficient and sustainable solutions. They work, independently from all political parties, to defend their forests, water and native corn crops (NO GMOs). The governmental agencies in charge of defending the environment and indigenous rights are not fulfilling this task. In fact, they are directly contribuing to the destruction.
Despite claims in the local newspapers that CIPO is a group of radical militants, the organization utilizes non-violent direct action when all legal discourse has been exhausted. (The Oaxacan newspaper El Tiempo is owned by ex-governor Jose Murat and consistently publishes slanderous personal attacks against Raul Gatica.) Rather than firearms, they arm themselves with the truth, with an organized and unified voice demanding justice and respect for customs and traditions.
*COMMUNITY RADIO
CIPO demands respect for its community radio station, which transmits in various indigenous languages and is a station by all and for all, hence the name Radio Guetza. Despite the fact that all legal requirements have been fufilled, the station has been repeatedly attacked and dismantled. Radio transmission has been suspended due to the atmosphere of consistent repression.
*POLITICAL PRISONERS
The struggle to free their political prisoners from jail continues. Fourteen members of CIPO were incarcerated on September 14th, 2004, when over 100 police led by the Secretary of Public Security, Jose Manuel Veras Salinas, violently evicted the protest camp from the city square with no prior dialogue and no warrant. The prisoners, 3 of them minors, were beaten and held incommunicado for 24 hours with no food, water or medical attention for the wounds inflicted by the police. They were tortured, threatened with rape and murder, endured racist taunting and were asked "where is your leader, we are looking for him." 10 have left prison under bail, 4 remain unjustly imprisoned. They have been charged with stealing electricity and a variety of crimes that they did not commit. It is a lengthy and expensive legal process ahead.
Their compañeros took back the city square that same day and kept the protest camp going until December 22nd, when Veras Salinas showed up again with 120 police in riot gear and invited them to leave, then proceeded to take away all their belongings and threaten them with a repeat of the September eviction if they did not comply. Once again, they brought with them a representative from the state human rights comission, who once again did nothing. Both evictions happened in the early morning hours before a major tourist event. Public money is spent to militarize and "clean up" public spaces in order to cater to international tourist and business prescence, rather than deal with the issues that bring people into the street to protest.
*RAUL GATICA
CIPO also demands life-guarantees for Raul Gatica, one of the organization`s most visible members, seen as their leader. His work as a human rights defender has led him to receive constant threats and assasination attempts, the most recent in the Mexico City bus station September 2004, by hired thugs of the now ex-governor, Jose Murat.
The Interamerican Human Rights Commission has intervened in favor of Raul, recommending measures of protection in September 2004, none of which have been fufilled by the Mexican government. One of these measures is international human rights accompaniment. Raul has sought out members of the international community to accompany him, and CIPO is building a network of support to spread word of their situation. This network would be called upon to act, so that any human rights violations witnessed would be publicized and denounced by the international community. Local governmental officials should know that these human rights violations they commit or are accomplice to are unacceptable. This international solidarity network will protect those fighting for justice in Oaxaca.
What can you do to help the despicable human rights situation here in Oaxaca? There are several options. March 21st is an international day of action in support of peace and justice in Oaxaca. CIPO will be realizing a large protest in Oaxaca, and marches to the Mexican embassies in South Africa, England, Australia and Canada are being planned as well. If the embassy is too far away, go the Mexican consulate. If you cannot march, flood the public offices with phone calls or faxes on the 21st. Write President Fox, Governor Ulises Ruiz and others to ensure that Raul Gatica and all human rights defenders are protected. Put yourself in contact with CIPO for more information at www.nodo50.org/cipo
Human Rights contacts:
Lic. Sergio Segreste Rios
Pdte de la Comision Estatal de Derechos Humanos
 correo@cedhoax.org
Dr. Jose Luis Soberanes
Pdte de la Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos
correo@cndh.org.mx
adresses of those responsable:
Lic. Vicente Fox Quezada
Presidente de los Estados Unidos de Mexico
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos No. 1
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850
Distrito Federal, Mexico
vicentefox@presidencia.gob.mx
sprivada@presidencia.gob.mx
Telephone: 011 52 55 59 992800
Fax: 011 52 55 52772376
Ulises Ruiz Ortiz
Gobernador de Oaxaca
Carretera Oaxaca Puerto-Angel Km 9.5
Santa Maria Cayotepec, Oaxaca
C.P. 71254
gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx
Telephone and fax: 011 52 951 50 20 530
Please CC your letter to the US Embassy in Mexico:
Ambassador Tony Ganza
U.S. Embassy
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Colonia Cuauhtemoc 06500 Mexico, D.F.
Fax: 011 52 55 5511-9980
011 52 55 5208-4178
Here is a short sample letter:
Dear President Vicente Fox or Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz:
I am deeply concerned about the status of human rights in Mexico, especially in light of the attacks by paramilitary groups CROCUT and Antorcha Campesina on indigenous communities in Oaxaca. I am aware of the fact that threats against human rights defenders including Raul Gatica, member of CIPO-RFM in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, have recently increased.
As recently as September of 2004, Raul Gatica realized that he was being followed by armed men who wished to kill him for the work he has been doing in defense of indigenous people. On September 27, 2004, the Inter-American Human Rights Commission issued recommendations to the Mexican Government to protect Raul Gatica as a human rights worker. Five months later, most of the recommendations are still unfulfilled, leaving him vulnerable. The lack of response to these recommendations demonstrates a serious lack of commitment to human rights and those who defend them.
I write to urge you to ensure that authorities adopt the necessary protection measures in accordance with the demands of the Inter-American Human Rights Commission. I also encourage your administration to develop public policies for the long-term protection of human rights advocates.
More government officials who should hear your voice of dissent:
Lic. Jorge Franco Vargas
Secretario de Gobierno del Estado
sriagral@oaxaca.gob.mx
Santiago Creel Miranda
Secretario de Gobernacion
santiagocreel@compuserve.com
ghuerta@segob.gob.mx
Patricia Villanueva
Procurador General de Oaxaca
procuraduria7@oaxaca.gob.mx
 Website: http://www.nodo50.org/cipo
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