Rally in Solidarity with Oaxaca : Melbourne Indymedia

Oaxaca has been the scene of a 5 month old campaign to remove a corrupt local governor, Ulises Ruiz, who is implicated in a number of murders of activists and unionists. In the last few days the President of Mexico, Vincente Fox has sent heavily armed police to the town to forcefully repress demonstrators. The death toll so far is 15, with many more injured or disappeared. Heriberto Salas from The Other Campaign addressed the crowd calling for protests against the President of Mexico, Vincente Fox, who will be in Melbourne for the G20 governmental meeting.

A recent email from Brad Will, a New York City Indymedia member who was murdered last week by police in Oaxaca, was also read out to the crowd. The email told of a recent murder of an another activist in Oaxaca, Alejandro Garcia Hernandez and finished with the words….

‘one more death -- one more martyr in a dirty war -- one more time to cry and hurt -- one more time to know power and its ugly head -- one more bullet cracks the night -- one more night at the barricades -- some keep the fires -- others curl up and sleep -- but all of them are with him as he rests one last night at his watch’

What a neat group of people, standing up against repression in Mexico,and to honor Brad Will.

The people of Oaxaca we stand with you.

Yes good on youse all for turning out in solidarity. Other cities in Australia like Canberra and all around the world including across USA (like May 1st this year strike). Another world is being built in the shell of the old.
IWW Melbourne member.

narconews update:
Massive March in Oaxaca

11/06 | Hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets to demand Gov.'s ouster

By John Gibler

Today the Oaxaca People’s Popular Assembly (APPO) offered its response to Gov. Ulises Ruiz’s claim that the conflict in Oaxaca is limited to “one avenue in the capital.”

They filled over 3 miles of federal highway 190 with hundreds of thousands of protesters all shouting for the governor’s ouster.

Massive March in Oaxaca

Today the Oaxaca People’s Popular Assembly (APPO) offered its response to Gov. Ulises Ruiz’s claim that the conflict in Oaxaca is limited to “one avenue in the capital.”

They filled over 3 miles of federal highway 190 with hundreds of thousands of protesters all shouting for the governor’s ouster.

“This shows the people’s unity,” said one marcher who declined to give her name.

At 10 AM, members of the APPO and supporters from across the state and the country began to gather at the monument to Benito Juarez about 4 miles outside of Oaxaca’s historic center.

The day before a caravan of nearly 100 cars, trucks and buses left from Mexico City to join the march. It took them over twelve hours to reach Oaxaca City—twice the normal travel time—do to military roadblocks set up to intercept them along the way. The caravan also had trouble getting gas as most stations had been ordered not to serve them.

Early in the morning, in anticipation of the march’s arrival, the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) closed off all entrances to the Zocalo with six-foot-high barricades made of razor wire. They also stationed special operations officers on the roofs of surrounding buildings and doubled the ranks of riot police guarding the barricades.

The march seemed relatively small, around 4 thousand people, before leaving from the Juarez monument, but quickly expanded as people began to walk and found thousands more supporters waiting for them along the road.

Only 30 minutes into the march it was impossible to see the end from pedestrian bridges that cross over the highway.

Throughout the entire length of the march, hundreds of people from surrounding neighborhoods gathered to applaud, offer marchers water and oranges, and then file in behind.

There were relatively few puppets, signs, and banners, mostly just everyday folks walking under the clouds, chanting slogans against the governor.

Tensions rose briefly as the marchers entered the historic center, passing within two blocks of the reinforced police barricades. The cars leading the march turned up Porfirio Diaz but several marchers shouted to continue straight, towards the Zocalo. APPO organizers quickly linked arms forming a human wall to shut off the street and guide the march up toward Santo Domingo Cathedral.

As the marchers poured into the plaza in front of Santo Domingo, a few hundred people walked down to the Zocalo to shout at the police, but once again APPO organizers linked arms in front of the razor wire and urged the other protesters to avoid confrontations.

“We want to show that our struggle is peaceful and just,” said a middle-age teacher from Tlaxiaco who declined to give her name. “Ulises Ruiz is the one who sends people out to kill. How is it possible that he is able to hire killers and stay in office?”

When asked about Thursday’s battle outside the state university, she responded that the students: “did not attack; they defended themselves from an attack in an unequal battle because those wretched police are armed to the teeth. If they start to attack, well people have to defend themselves as best they can.”

ATTACK AGAINST RADIO

For the second day in a row, shortly before 7 AM, armed gunmen again opened fire on the university radio station, this time wounding one student, 22 year-old Marcos Sanchez Martinez. He was in critical condition at a local public hospital this morning.

Add your comments

TIERRA Y LIBERTAD

Nov 06, 2006 01:46AM EST
INDIEGENTE13 fuegodecaracoles@hotmail.com

YA CASI LLEGA EL TIEMPO PARA QUE EL SOL SALGA Y RECUERDA A NUESTRA GENTE QUE ES EL TIEMPO, Y CUAHTEMOK LO DIJO!

Nov 06, 2006 01:27PM EST
Mikhail Francis mikhailfrancis@hotmail.com

I am English and living in Spain but have many indigenous friends in Mexico and Guatemala whom I visit regularly.

I and others are watching what is happening because there is support for the APPO and a more just and egalitarian society in Mexico. There is no room for injustices, repression and abuse in a country if it wants to govern by democratic means.

The world is moving more and more to a global community where justice for ordinary people must be seen to work, else there will be reaction like we are witnessing now. The brutal days of the descendants of the conquistadores are numbered in Mexico. It is to be hoped the transition can be a peaceful one for it surely will happen

You can email the Mexican Embassy in Australia at the following address

embamex@mexico.org.au

And bcc a copy to

elgritodelpueblo@gmail.com

an address for the People's Assembly of Oaxaca (APPO) to let them know you've written.

Not sure if the email for the mexican embassy above actually works, go on this link to send an email, it can be just one line.

http://portal.sre.gob.mx/australia/index.php?option=contact&Itemid=6

Israeli technology to keep US borders safe
By Laura Goldman October 15, 2006

For possibly the first time ever, the words Israel and border are in
the same sentence and it doesn't have anything to do with its own
borders. The talent and expertise that Elbit Systems (NASDAQ ELST) has
employed for years in protecting Israel's borders will now be put to
use on US borders to keep Americans safe.

Kollsman Inc., an American-based subsidiary of Elbit, has been
selected as a member of the winning consortium by the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) for the Secure Border Initiative (SBI) to
supply technology to identify threats, to deter and prevent crossings,
and to apprehend intruders along the US borders with Canada and Mexico.

Kollsman, headquartered in Merrimack, New Hampshire, is a development,
manufacturing and support organization providing advanced
electro-optical and avionics systems to the commercial aerospace,
military and homeland security markets. The company's expertise
includes enhanced vision systems, flight displays, head-up displays,
thermal imaging systems, fire control systems, and advanced security
and surveillance solutions.

The Secure Border Initiative is the latest attempt by the United
States government to use technology to secure its borders, stop
smuggling, and prevent illegal immigration. After September 11,
illegal immigration is not just seen as a social problem, but also a
national security issue. A unique aspect of this initiative was that
Homeland Security gave the bidders total freedom to create new ideas
of how to apply both new and old technology to secure the US borders.

The DHS awarded the SBI contract for the border security project to
prime contractor Boeing over Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. In
addition to Boeing and Elbit, the other members of the $2 billion
program are telecommunication heavy-weights Lucent, L3 Communications,
Perot Systems and Unisys Global Public Sector.
Elbit was selected because of its ability to bring together global
resources with decades of technological experience and capabilities
securing borders in extreme cold, mountainous regions, as well as hot,
desert terrains.

Kollsman's global parent, Elbit Systems Ltd. has extensive experience
with operational border control and management systems combined with
command, control and situational awareness for the Israeli government.
Elbit's Long Range Reconnaissance and Observation System (LORROS) and
advanced turnkey unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAV) are some of the
products and technology that will be utilized.

President and CEO of Elbit Systems of America, Tim Taylor said he was
proud of being part of the winning bid and is "motivated to provide
the best border protection available."

"US citizens and the federal government are very concerned about the
vulnerabilities on the porous US northern and southern borders. The
strategic and technological strengths that we bring to the project
will help restore the safety and security that Americans have known
for so long. Detecting threats along 6,000 miles of border in the US
is not the place for experimentation. The experience of our family of
companies, along with the substantial credentials of Boeing as a
successful prime integrator in the homeland security market enables us
to make a significant contribution to protecting the United States."

Wayne Esser, head of the SBInet project for Boeing said: "We are very
happy that Elbit is part of the team because there is not
one-size-fits-all solution for 6,000 miles of border. Knollsman has
the engineering and manufacturing capability to provide at short
notice state-of-the-art solutions that will be integrated to support
this challenging effort. The result will be a program that safeguards
the freedoms that are a cornerstone of our nation."

Based in Haifa, Elbit is the largest non-governmental defense company
in Israel.
"Elbit Systems through its Ortek subsidiary is a major player in
homeland security in Israel and throughout the world. The electronic
deterrence system is key in providing customers in Israel and around
the globe with comprehensive solutions for peripheral defense," said
Joseph Ackerman, president and CEO of Elbit.

Among its projects are defense systems for Israel's land and sea
borders, peripheral security systems of air force bases, major
sections of the border security fence, and Jerusalem's detour route.

Sixty percent of Elbit's customers are international. The UK's
Ministry of Defense awarded the Watchkeeper program to a consortium
that included Elbit Systems. The WK450 air vehicle that was designed,
is based on Elbit Systems Hermes 450. The Hermes 450 is a proven
system with over 20,000 flying hours. In 2003, the Elbit Hermes 450
system was accepted by the US Naval Air Station Fallon Joint UAV Test
and Evaluation Center in Nevada for joint interoperability trials.

Elbit's Peripheral Coastal Security was recently deployed by a country
in Asia. It is based on Elbit's advanced night vision sensors,
daylight surveillance, and laser rangefinders.

Managing director Eli Venezia said: "Our Coastal Security system is
unique in its ability to provide the customer with a comprehensive
solution to meet the specific needs of defense against terrorist threats."

For the SBInet project, the Boeing/Elbit consortium proposed the
radical idea of 1,800 towers equipped with cameras and motion
detectors stretched across the border. The data from the cameras and
motion detectors is transmitted to border patrol agents in real time
with no delay.

The exact value of this contract is not known yet. The US Congress is
still debating the controversial question of whether or not to
construct a fence along the Mexican border. Until that decision is
made, it is unclear what the total costs for the SBI net will be. If
the fence is built, the costs of the fence alone will be as high as $1
billion.

http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Articles%5El1450&enPage=BlankPage&
enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enVersion=0&enZone=Technology

http://ww4report.com/node/2743

The Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign Honours the Martyrs of Oaxaca.
Jamal Juma' , Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, November 3rd, 2006

In this dreadful Autumn of death and destruction, the Palestinian and Mexican people are united more than ever in a common history, mourning and struggle.

In Palestine in the last 48 hours a new massacre has been perpetrated. 20 martyrs from the refugee camp of Beit Hanoun have been added to the hundreds of victims that have been killed since June, when the Occupation forces launched another ruthless offensive in the Gaza Strip.

In the same way, since June the Mexican government has started to use all the destructive force of its military against the 70,000 educational workers in Oaxaca who struggle for their rights. The same government that followed the demands of the US government to send its soldiers to invade and massacre the Iraqi people today turns these weapons against its own people in defence of imperialist interests.

We mourn the dead of Oaxaca as we mourn our own and we take courage from the determination in the struggle that this people has shown in response to the repression. They have united their voices in the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO): some 350 organizations have taken back the city and struggle to overthrow the corrupt government of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.

If the government wanted to crush this movement with the invasion of the 29th October and the murder of the protesters, we now know that this goal has not been achieved and that the activists of the APPO know how to respond to the latest brutal attacks.

We know that the Mexican intifada continues and spreads to other states of the nation.

As Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign representing some 50 popular committees that struggle day after day in the villages ghettoised by the wall and besieged by the complex mechanism of Zionist repression and expulsion, we want to let you know that you are not alone, that your struggle is our struggle.

60 years of occupation, dispossession, daily murder and eventually the attempt to transform Palestine into a giant open air prison were not enough to destroy the determination of the Palestinian people. The majority of our people has been expelled from their land and struggles for the return to their homes, the rest of us resists apartheid and a life in open-air prisons behind walls and razor wire.

The experience of these 60 years of resistance enable us to recognize our brothers in the Mexican indigenous communities who have resisted genocide for over 500 years. We salute the resistance of the people of Oaxaca against a corrupt puppet government and see in it a new point of reference for the struggle against imperialism.

We join the call of our Mexican comrades to demand:

1. That Ulises Ruiz Ortiz immediately step down from his post as governor of the state of Oaxaca. His authoritarian policies are at the root of the bloodshed and the struggle. His permanent presence is the main obstacle to a political solution.

2. The immediate withdrawal of the Federal Preventive Police from the city of Oaxaca.

3. The immediate end to all forms of repression, the liberation of the arrested and the detained and the return of the disappeared.

4. Unconditional respect for Human Rights and the guarantee of safety for all, in particular the members of the APPO.

5. The punishment of the intellectual and material authors of the murders perpetrated by the paramilitary groups of the state.

We further remind the Federal Government that it holds the responsibility for the repression and assaults on the population and organizations of Oaxaca.

We join all those that ask a political solution and the respect of the demands put forward by the APPO.

Jerusalem, November 3, 2006

Jamal Juma'
Coordinator of the Palestinian grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign