[Peace-discuss] Updates from Oaxaca

[David Green]

Below are two e-mails from George Salzman, a retired
physicist from U-Mass Boston who has lived in Oaxaca
for years and followed its political activities.

I've become increasingly interested in Oaxaca in
recent months--it has the feel of a genuine center of
grassroots revolutionary activity. It's not surprising
 that it is being violently suppressed.

DG

1) Photo of killed young American video-journalist in
Oaxaca, at http://www.jornada.unam.mx:8080/ultimas
2) A late report on Narco News by Al Giordano, at
http://www.narconews.com/en.html
3) Two of many e-mails on the OSAG list, at 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oaxacastudyactiongroup/

This is as ugly as it's been since 14 June, but I
don't believe the governor will be able to suppress
the rebellion. --George
----------------------------
Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 19:07:30 -0500 (CDT)
From: Alvaro Ricárdez Scherenberg,
montecarmleg at yahoo.com.mx
Subject: Send everywhere
To: Nancy Davis, nmsdavies at yahoo.com
CC: Tonee Mello, toneemello at hotmail.com

En este mismo momento, policías vestidos de civil
están atacando las barricadas mantenidas por el pueblo
de oaxaca. Están siendo agredidos con metralletas y
los maestros se defienden con palos y machetes. Es una
verdadera masacre organizada por la administración de
ulises ruiz ortiz, gobernador del Estado de Oaxaca.
Hay varios maestros herdidos y un reportero
norteamericano de Indymedia muerto por las balas de
los policías. La Cruz Roja Local no asiste a los
llamados de ayuda pues ha recibido órdenes de no move!
rse. Avisar a todos los medios.

Right now, in this very moment, state policemen
dressed in civil clothes are atacking the barricades
mantained by the Oaxacan people and their teachers.
They are shooting them with machineguns and the
teachers and the people are defending themselves with
stones and machetes. It is a real massacre orginized
by the ulises ruiz administration (Oaxcan Governor).
There are many teachers hurted and at least one
American reporter from New York City (Indymedia),
killed by the State police. The local Red Cross is not
caming to attend the urgent help calls because they
have got orders from the state goverment not to do it.
Please help all concerned.
----------------------------
Subject: [oaxacastudyactiongroup] stay off the streets
tonight!!
From: Charlie Herlihy, zapcafe at yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:46:32 -0700 (PDT)
To: oaxacastudyactiongroup at yahoogroups.com

Those of you in the city who don't understand spanish
might not be aware that there is major shit going down
right now (7:45pm) with several deaths and more
wounded, and there are as many as 100 armed men just
in one location, ready to attack somewhere, plenty of
shooting in diferent locations, ongoing. We're getting
phone calls from barricades in the city, and everyone
expects concerted attacks tonight. Some appo leaders
have already gone into hiding-don´t be braver than
them... There is action all over the state, but the
city is under a seige, and it might be the worst night
so far.
_______________________________________________ 

 All comments and criticisms are welcome.   
<george.salzman at umb.edu>

_____________________________________

Oaxaca, Sunday 29 October 2006 

Friends, 

      Here’s a bit of update and a revealing
first-hand report from two Pittsburgh folks who were
at the barricade in Santa Lucia del Camino barrio (an
out-of-the-center neighborhood of Oaxaca City, about 4
miles east of the center) where William Bradley Roland
(Brad Will), the U.S. journalist and camerman from New
York City was shot and killed Friday the 27th.
Yesterday, Saturday, was a very tense day. With
president Vicente Fox’s announcement that he was
sending a force of Federal Preventive Police (PFP, the
initials in Spanish) to restore order, the widespread
expectation was that they would act to clear the
encampments and the barricades. 

      Nancy ’s theory was that if they came in
daylight they would likely surround the Zócalo and
give the protestors an opportunity to leave, but if
they arrived at night they were coming to apply el
mano duro (the hard hand) and it would be bloody. It
seemed likely that after the terrible press the Ulises
PRI State government got the day before, the first
possibility was more likely because a massive
blood-bath would be very bad publicity for the PAN
federal government. The reports on the radio were that
buses were on their way, already between Puebla and
Oaxaca , with PFP contingents. Maybe they’d be
arriving by early or mid-afternoon. So we went to the
Zócalo around noon. The usual vendors were practically
all gone. A handful of tourists. A funeral ceremony
for one of the victims of the Friday massacre. Not
very many people compared to the massive crowds
recently to be seen there. People fearful but
determined to resist. 

      The Popular Assembly Movement was not backing
down, waiting, calling for strengthening the
barricades. But the day, and the night, seem to have
passed relatively quietly. And the item below, from La
Jornada ‘s late news posting reports arrest of two of
the assassins. We can hope that the federal move is
intended to curb Ulises, and that the PRI forces in
the state will be deterred sufficiently for a
non-bloody exit from the immediate crisis. Sorry I
don’t have time to translate the article now, but will
post it on the Oaxaca Study-Action Group website
later. That site is at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oaxacastudyactiongroup/
. Here’s the item in Spanish: 
  
http://www.jornada.unam.mx:8080/ultimas (at 3:50am
Central Standard Time) 
  
http://www.jornada.unam.mx:8080/ultimas/detienen-a-2-presuntos-responsables-de-la-muerte-de-camarografo-de-eu
(at 3:50am Central Standard Time) 

Detienen a 2 presuntos responsables de la muerte de
camarógrafo de EU 
  
Enrique Méndez, enviado 
  
28/10/2006 15:12 
  
Oaxaca, Oax. Este sábado fueron detenidos dos
presuntos responsables de ataques con armas de fuego
contra una barricada en Santa Lucía del Camino la
tarde del viernes, y que causaron la muerte del
camarógrafo neoyorquino Bradley Roland Will. 
  
Se trata de Abel Santiago Zurita, regidor de Seguridad
Pública, y Manuel Aguilar, jefe de personal del
ayuntamiento de Santa Lucía del Camino. 
  
El corresponsal acreditado por la agencia Indymedia e
integrante de la ONG Asociación de Asesores de
Derechos Humanos (según las credenciales que portaba)
murió cerca de las seis de la tarde del viernes a
causa de dos impactos de R-15.

      And here's the report from Santa Lucia del
Camino:

Account of the Príista attack in Santa Lucia del
Camino in Oaxaca, Mexico 

Attacks across the city kill at least 4.  

NOTE:  This account is not meant to be a complete
account of the day, it is meant to be from the
perspectives and experiences of two people in the
midst of what can only be described as a battle in the
streets of Santa Lucia, in Oaxaca.  We know that other
things happened in other neighborhoods, and that other
things probably happened in our vicinity.  This is our
best effort at capturing the events that we
experienced and witnessed.  
  
On Thursday night, Barricade Three in Santa Lucia del
Camino set up a little earlier than normal. 
Reinforcing the barricades for Friday’s day of action
required more trucks and buses than usual.  At times,
it was a chaotic scene with camión after camión
joining the barricade and people unsure of where they
should go.  Eventually things calmed down.  Many more
people than usual guarded the barricade and the
tranquility of the night had many regulars taking time
to lie down, if not sleep.  As day broke, the
barricade took on the feel of a community holiday or
small block party with small children running about. 
At what felt like an informal pot-luck, people brought
tortillas and beans, sandwiches, bread, and arroz con
leche.  Most chose to not cover their faces, despite
this being a regular practice at the barricades.  Up
to this point, the only “contentious” moment was the
permitted approached of a chicken truck that surprised
several people. 
  
Sudenly, about a dozen people started shouting,
donning masks, picking up Molotov cocktails (known as
bombas Molotov) and cohetes (large bottle rockets
typically shit out of PVC pipes the people call
bazookas), and collecting rocks and sticks.  A small
group moved forward to see why a truck that was part
of the barricade (about 200 feet away) was moving and
investigate a commotion on the other side of that
barricade.  After advancing about 100 feet, the group
spotted 150 to 200 Príistas (supporters of the
authoritarian PRI party that ruled Mexico for 70 years
and currently “rule” the state of Oaxaca) marching
toward the barricade.  The cohetes were fired into the
air to warn the Príistas not to approach.  The warning
was ignored.  
  
The tiny group of defenders fell back to the barricade
and gathered more supplies.  It was a chaotic
situation.  Prioritizing in the moment, a split second
decision was made to leave our bags, in part because
rocks from the Príistas were already falling where our
bags lay.  As we sprinted down side streets to the
closest barricade, there were shouts for children to
go inside their homes to safety.  At the next
barricade, people were banging on poles and railing to
sound the alarm and rally the neighborhood to fight
the Príista advance.  People came out of their homes
and armed themselves with sticks, machetes, metal
poles, cohetes and rocks.  Once a fairly large crowd
had gathered several people started shouting “Vamos,
compañeros, Vamos!” (Let’s go) and “Avanza!”
(advance).  People began advancing to the fallen
barricade and the Príistas, spreading out along the
width of the four-lane highway, it’s median, and
sidewalks.  Both sides fired their cohetes, and as we
drew nearer rocks started flying from both sides.  We
pushed the Príistas back passed the remnants of the
now disassembled barricade. There was a lull of about
thirty seconds as we populated the area around the
barricade before many decided to chase the
still-visible Príistas only about 100 feet away from
us.  Though most of them retreated faster than we
advanced, one unlucky Príistas was forced to choose
his own safety and well-being over that of his fancy
SUV.  The look of regret was visible on his face as
rocks crashed to the ground around him and he turned
and ran.  The SUV, lacking a license plate, briefly
became the target instead of the retreating Príistas. 
Tires slashed, windows smashed, someone decided to
ensure that it was beyond use and set it ablaze. 
While some focused their attention on the SUV, some
continued to chase the Príistas.  Most Príistas had
scattered into nearby homes and businesses, so people
re-grouped back at the barricade. 
  
As we all clustered in the intersection, the two of us
looked around and estimated that there were at least
500 people ready to defend their neighborhood.  We
were both amazed by what we were seeing.  Neither of
us had ever witnessed such an incredible display of
collective self-defense.  We both nearly cried at the
inspiring sight of people successfully working
together to ward off aggression without centralized
leadership.  The barricade reclaimed, sandbags
replaced, and the Príistas pushed back, the battle
appeared for a few moments, to be over. 
  
We’re unsure as to the exact reason for the second
advance, but we believe that Príistas were again
spotted at the next intersection where they had
scattered minutes before.  As we cautiously advanced,
walking in cover when possible, shots were heard from
the intersection and everyone ducked or ran for cover.
 Many corporate news outlets, most notably those
relying on AP “reporter” Rebeca Romero (widely
believed to be on Ulises Ruiz’s payroll), have claimed
it was “unclear” as to who shot first. It was the
Príistas.  From the ground, on the receiving end of
the gunfire, there is no doubt as to who shot first. 
There is nothing “unclear” about it. It was the
Príistas, shown by El Universal photos and local
television to be armed to the teeth, who shot first. 
  
After the shooting stopped, the group moved quickly to
the other side of the road and to the corner where the
shots had originated from.  The attacking Príistas had
retreated back away from the highway and deeper into
the neighborhood.  Fifty to 100 people slowly advanced
north a block into the neighborhood while 200 people
gradually moved up, either by going north, or
approaching it from the west by way of the barricade. 
Again the group moved north, taking cover by vehicles
parked along the street.  In addition to shooters at
the far end of the street, more Príistas were taking
cover inside a building along the street.  The
building was targeted with Molotovs, rocks, bricks,
and cohetes.  Someone kicked the door in before
Príistas down the street started shooting again and we
had to retreat back to the end of the block.  This
gave the Príistas time to close and blockade the door.
 A few attempts with similar results gave way to
milling about, as we waited for reinforcements.  One
block west towards the barricade, about 100 people had
gathered to take cover from additional Príistas on
that street.  Soon we heard a truck roar to life and a
few minutes later, compañeros in a dump truck came to
provide shielding for another advance.  In the first
such advance, the truck went too far down the road,
shooting started again, at which point we fell back to
the end of the block.  Most waited there while the
truck maneuvered itself horizontally across the street
in front of the gate of the targeted building.  Once
the truck was ready, another advance began and the
truck smashed open the gate.  Another round of
shooting began, and again everyone took cover and
began to withdraw. 
  
At this point, Brad Will, an Indymedia reporter from
New York, was shot in the abdomen as he was filming. 
Many people ran to carry him around the block and down
the street.  As we waited for a car to arrive to take
him to the hospital, efforts were made to keep him
conscious and breathing, including CPR. As Brad showed
signs of consciousness and movement, the crowd
surrounding him cheered. He was carried into a car and
driven to the hospital.  Moments later, as people were
still taking in what happened, it started to rain.
People gathered up the Molotovs and cohetes and got
them out of the rain. About a half hour later, people
started to gradually head back to the barricade. 
  
When we arrived at the barricade, we learned from a
teary-eyed compañero that Brad had died on his way to
the hospital. People from APPO such as Flavo Sosa
arrived at the scene and were attempting to coordinate
with the rest of the city where there had been other
attacks.  Hundreds of bottles were being filled and
prepared as Molotov cocktails.  Thanks to the help of
several compañeras, we recovered one of our bags;
though the other which contained a passport, several
forms of id, travelers checks, over $1,000 pesos (most
of which was intended to be used for the barricade), a
video camera, is gone and was presumably stolen by the
Príistas.  Hundreds remained at the barricade for the
night. The two of us went to a compañero’s house to
rest, write and watch the news. 
  
As of this writing, the Príistas have set up their own
barricades within the neighborhood, APPO has activated
the mobile brigades, 4 or 5 people have died, dozens
injured, and barricade 3 remains up, reinforced, and
alert.  Among the attackers were local municipal
police (such as Abel Santiago Zárate and Juan Carlos
Soriano Velasco) and politicians/PRI thugs (such
Manuel Aguilar and Pedro Carmona, the man identified
as Brad Will’s killer), all from the neighborhood. 
Though the two of us had slightly differing
expectations of how the day would pan out, neither of
us expected an attack of this kind or magnitude in
broad daylight.  The diversity of people who fought
the Príista attackers was astounding.  We saw young
kids helping to gather cohetes and Molotovs.  We saw
old women armed with rocks making their way to the
front.  We saw people wearing circle As, hammer and
sickles, and people who didn’t wear their political
identity on their sleeves. In the end, it didn’t
matter who you were, only what side you stood on. 
  
La lucha sigue; the struggle continues. 
  
“Tenemos dos manos y un corazón para luchar.” 
“We have two hands and a heart to struggle.” 
--CIPO-RFM 
  
Two Poggers in Oaxaca 
  
PS 
We didn’t know Brad before meeting him here in Oaxaca,
and wish to direct you to accounts of his life that
are better than anything we would be able to write. 
Our thoughts go to his family, friends, and loved
ones. 
  
http://www.narconews.com/Issue43/article2223.html 
http://nyc.indymedia.org/es/2006/10/77809.html 
  
Our thoughts and prayers also go out to the dead and
wounded whose names we do not know and whose fates we
did not witness.
_______________________________________________ 

 All comments and criticisms are welcome.   
<george.salzman at umb.edu>

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