Boston Actions in Solidarity with the People of Oaxaca!

north america / mexico | community struggles | press release Tuesday October 03, 2006 12:07 by Jake - Boston Anarchists for Popular Assemblies trenchesfullofpoets at riseup dot net

On Saturday, September 30th, as Mexican military helicopters flew over Oaxaca City with the intent of threatening and intimidating the peaceful movement of the Popular Assemblies of the People of Oaxaca, Boston activists gathered at the Boylston T stop to spread awareness about the imminent invasion of Oaxaca City by the federal Mexican Army. This small educational action marked the beginning of an on-going campaign of Boston solidarity with the movement of the popular assemblies in Oaxaca. Read more for ideas on how to get involved!

On Saturday, September 30th, as Mexican military helicopters flew over Oaxaca City with the intent of threatening and intimidating the peaceful movement of the Popular Assemblies of the People of Oaxaca, Boston activists gathered at the Boylston T stop to spread awareness about the imminent invasion of Oaxaca City by the federal Mexican Army.

The activists marched through the commons to Park Street, down Winter Street into Downtown Crossing, through China Town, up Boylston Street, and ended at the Mexican Consulate. Along the route, they chanted, held signs, and handed out pamphlets with information about the Popular Assemblies of the People of Oaxaca (APPO), which formed four months ago and have served as the democratic decision-making body in the state of Oaxaca all summer. The pamphlets also focused on outgoing Mexican president Fox’s threats of military intervention. Vicente Fox plans to invade Oaxaca with the Mexican military and federal police to quell the rebellion and restore the much hated governor-in-hiding, Ulisses Ruiz, to office. This small educational action marked the beginning of an on-going campaign of Boston solidarity with the movement of the popular assemblies in Oaxaca.

Please join us for our next public action this Friday, October 6th, at 11:30am at the Mexican Consulate. We will make it clear to the Mexican Consulate that Boston residents are paying attention to the struggles of Oaxaca, and the Mexican Government’s actions will not be taken lightly. At around 12:30 or 1pm, we will start an educational march, handing out pamphlets and leaflets about the current situation in Oaxaca to people on the streets, sidewalks, vending stands, park benches, etc. Please bring relevant signs and literature, musical instruments, noisemakers, puppets, chalk, and anything else that you think will help to spread the message.

Also, this week we will be sending people to the Mexican Consulate every day to deliver the following letter. You can call or fax the Mexican Consulate, but please help us by delivering in person if possible. The consulate is open weekdays only from 9:30am-12:30pm, so please try to go early, or if you have work, on your lunch break. While this task is not very glamorous, it will be effective if we send the message to the Mexican Government that there is international support and concern. The Zapatistas have indicated that this tactic was successful in helping to halt the federal invasion of the Zapatista Autonomous Zone in Chiapas, Mexico. If you are reading this but do not live in or near Boston, find the nearest Mexican Consulate and let them know how you feel! Also feel free to edit this letter based on where you are or what you want to say. Please print out and sign the letter below, and bring it to the Mexican Consulate at:

Boston Mexican Consulate
20 Park Plaza, Suite 506, Boston, MA 02116
Tel: (617) 426-4181 * Fax: (617) 695-1957

The consulate is a short walk from the Boylston or Arlington T stops on the Green Line. Follow this link for a map:
Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&addr
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To the Mexican Consulate of Boston, Massachusetts,

We, residents of Boston, have been watching the developments in Oaxaca, Mexico, from the beginning of the teachers’ strike in May, to the formation of the Popular Assemblies of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) in June. We have watched as the APPO has become of vessel for the people of Oaxaca to use their voices and democratically govern themselves. We have listened to APPO, and the Oaxaca people in general and have heard their demands for the resignation of governor Ulisses Ruiz. Now in October, our attention is still on Oaxaca.

This weekend, we read report after report of Mexican military helicopters and other aircraft circling the skies over Oaxaca City, and tanks, marines, and troop carriers massing in Oaxaca state. We view this as a direct threat against the people of Oaxaca. We, residents of Boston, Massachusetts, are deeply concerned for our sisters and brothers in Oaxaca. Though they have shown the world that they believe in true democracy, and have taught us many lessons about democracy in practice, the Mexican government of Vicente Fox, to whom democracy comes less naturally and who would be best served by taking an example from the peaceful movement of Oaxaca, seem intent on a state-sponsored, military intervention and massacre with the aims at destroying the democracy of Oaxaca.

We urge you to send a message to the Mexican Government of Vicente Fox that the people of Boston are outraged by this weekend’s threatening display of force and potential violence against a peaceful, democratic movement of Mexican citizens. We also urge Vicente Fox to go to the negotiation table with APPO representatives, recognize the people of Oaxaca’s right to remove from office Ulisses Ruiz—who no longer represents the people’s will—and recognize the APPO as the official governing body of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

We will continue to keep our eyes on Oaxaca, and will continue to act in solidarity with the APPO and the people of Oaxaca in general here in our own city of Boston.

Sincerely, ____________________

[BIMC Editors: See Mexico and Chiapas Indymedia for more photos and video]