113 lines
4.8 KiB
Plaintext
113 lines
4.8 KiB
Plaintext
NEWS FROM MEXICO (Sept 95)
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Last year, young anarchists members of a group called JAR
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(Anti-authoritarian Revolutionary Youth) demonstrated in front of a
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McDonalds, protesting against the anti-immigration campaign and in support
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of hispanic
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workers in the USA. The demo ended with the McDonalds grafittied and its
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windows and machines broken. Some days later, some members of JAR were
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arrested by
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police.
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Last April anaction by transport union Sindicato Unico de Autotransportes
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R-100 (SUTAUR) was declared illegal by the courts. The union, which has
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links with various popular organisations amongst which would be included the
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Movimiento
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Proletario Independiente and which is listed by the government as 'radical',
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gives legal support to its members and contested the action. Many workers
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have been threatened, beaten up and
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imprisoned. Of the 12,000 unionised workers, less than 1,000 have accepted
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an out of court
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settlements, the rest are holding out for more.
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In support of the workers at SUTAUR members of the 'radical' group within
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the student union,
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Consejo Estudiantil Universitario, siezed a number of lorries and kept them
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under guard on
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university campus. However, under pressure from the rector, police and other
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student groupings
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they were forced to return the vehicles a few days later.
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This years May day independent unions march, fronted by members of
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SUTAUR, saw dozens of workers and students throwing rocks and sticks
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at the police, who came to defend some of their undercover agents. 19
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people, some were minors, were imprisoned while trying to burn the
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Govenment Building front door. Many of them were beaten up and some are still
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in jail. Many anarchist organisations and colectives participated in the march.
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Anarchists painted the walls and broke the windows of the organization
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called Pro-vida
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(Pro-life), which openly speaks out against abortion and the use of
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condoms. Pro-vida in known for being formed by many right-wing and
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conservative groups.
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During June 17 campesinos were assasinated in Guerrero - they were members
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of OCSS, an
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organisation which was organising a peaceful protest in a nearby area.
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According to the official
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version at first it was claimed that the victims had been armed and had
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attacked the police but
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this was refuted by eye witnesses. The state govenor, Ruben Figueroa, held
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talks both before
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and after the massacre with a member of the opposition within the council.
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These conversations,
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according to the councilor, revealed that the govenor was fully aware of the
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plans of the police.
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The govenor told her: 'Some campesinos are going to demonstrate and will
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have to be
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stopped... they want war and they are going to get it'
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The government in Mexico City has implemented a social security plan in
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which it states openly
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that 'people who appear suspicious' are to be detained and there will be
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stop checks on cars
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and random raids. Popular human rights organisations, political opposition
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parties and civil
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groups have demonstrated against the plans. On July 1st plain clothes
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policemen beat up and
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detained a number of young people and on July 6th people were searched in
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the red light area
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and arrested if in possession of a condom on a charge of 'soliciting'.
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Throughout the month of
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July there were numerous complaints against the police for violence, threts,
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robbery etc. Finally
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on the 28th the police got an 80% pay rise.
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Friday 14th July saw the release of Gloria Benavides who had been acused of
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membership of
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the EZLN under the codename 'subcomandante Elisa'. Benavides was arrested on
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February 8th
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and thretened so that she might denounce various people and link them to the
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Zapatistas. On
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being released she called for the release of those other prisoners who were
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being held accused
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of membership of the EZLN.
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On July 28 the fifth stage of the peace talks between the EZLN and the
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mexican government ended. There was no agreement. The government rejected a
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zapatista proposal dealing with militar withdrawal and threatened to withdraw
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their own proposal if the zapatistas didn't accept it. The EZLN complains
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about the strongarm tactics and the threats of the government. Meanwhile,
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hundreds
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of people are gathering to organize the National Poll called for by the
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EZLN, it's supposed to happen on August 27. The International Poll is taking
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place right now and many organizations from all around the world have voted
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already.
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Facts about the government of Zedillo:
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In the first seven months of Zedillos' administration, 97 oposition members
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have been killed; 1,663 citizens have been imprisoned for their
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incomformity; 75 people have been kidnapped; 254 social leaders have
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detention orders against them; there has been 932 people injured in many
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represive actions; 36 journalists have suffered attacks and 138 members
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of democratic organizations have been threatened.
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Taken from: "Proceso" magazine, "La Jornada" newspaper, or seen with my own
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eyes.
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