Paramilitaries Attack Indigenous Autonomous Community of La Soledad in Oaxaca
north america / mexico |
indigenous struggles |
press release
Thursday August 18, 2005 23:30 by CIPO-RFM - Northwest Anarchist Federation
The death threats continue, the gun shots can still be heard and the authorities, when they should be protecting, simply do not appear. The State Commission for Human Rights has done absolutely nothing to prevent the aggression on people travelling, even when knowing perfectly well about these aggressions
Paramilitaries Attack Indigenous Autonomous Community of
La Soledad in Oaxaca
Brothers and sisters of the world:
Today July 20, 2005, at 10 pm the state of repression against the
community of Trapiche La Soledad, Sola de Vega is deteriorating.
Since yesterday July 19 from 10 pm onwards, the authorities of the
community San Cristobal, Sola de Vega have installed a blockade in
the only entrance that reaches the community of La Soledad.
Two thick tree trunks, and a large chain were laid across the
path, about 20 to 30 people (including children) armed with rifles,
sticks, and machetes, hold 10 to 12 hour long guards, checking all
the vehicles that want to pass. The main order is that no person is
to leave, and to allow only certain people to enter. Our brothers and
sisters have been kidnapped, with the protection of the municipal
preventive police that allow the paramilitaries of San Cristobal to
violate human and constitutional rights with impunity. We also
denounce the death threat that is upon all of the members of the
CIPO-RFM, from the region or from the organizing committee; the order
is to kill them if they go there.
The situation gets more complicated by the day to get food and
medicine in.
The municipal preventive state police (about 50 of them) have
already been present in the place of conflict. But they limit
themselves to look upon the scene, and worse, participate in the
blockade and live with those who participate in the blockade;
together, paramilitaries and police are all armed. For this reason,
Melchor Silva Lopez, authority of San Cristobal, has been advised on
the conditions caused by aggressions in which the children, men and
women of the community are finding themselves in. His only response
was, "nothing will happen, until a general assembly of the people
gives a response." But the so called assembly has never taken place,
it is only another swindle to continue acting with impunity with the
complacency of the state government.
The government delegate announced that he would have a meeting
with the president of Sola de Vega but did not confirm if he would
assist in spite of the urgency of the problem.
The death threats continue, the gun shots can still be heard and
the authorities, when they should be protecting, simply do not
appear. The State Commission for Human Rights has done absolutely
nothing to prevent the aggression on people travelling, even when
knowing perfectly well about these aggressions. For many months we
have been denouncing these aggressions to this institution as well as
the Attorney of Justice.
To summarize, Oaxaca is no man`s land where everything revolves
around economic interests, without caring who they have to trample
on.
Today more than ever, the lives of the people of La Soledad, and
in particular the representatives and members of the
CIPO-RFM
are in danger.
The State Governor, the Chamber of Deputies, the Attorney General
of State Justice, the Municipal President of Villa Sola de Vega, and
the State Commission of Human Rights in Oaxaca are aware of this
situation,yet have not intervened in solving the conflict, and are
aware of all the problems that exist between the community of
Soledad, Sola de Vega with San Cristoba.
What they have done is to tolerate, conceal, and give impunity, as
a form of attacking and destroying autonomous organizational
processes, like the ones of the communities of the CIPO-RFM.
That is why we hold: Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, state governor, Jorge
Franco Vargas, Government Secretary, president of State Congress, and
the State Commission of Human Rights of Oaxaca responsible of any act
of violence.
We demand the intervention of the President of Mexico, Vicente
Fox, who has said, that human rights will be respected, and would
like to point out that the municipal president of Sola de Vega also
belongs to the same party as him: the PAN.
Sincerely,
Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca- Ricardo Flores Magon
From Unfinished
Buisness No 2: Agitational publication of the NORTHWEST ANARCHIST
FEDERATION - NAF U..B.. B U P.o. Box 112 Portland, O R 97232
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