Witness for Peace Partner Organization Threatened in Midst of Escalating Tensions

On Monday, November 27, Citizen Radio, a radio station said to be operated by supporters of the governor, called on people to take over and burn the offices of the Oaxaca non-profit organization Servicios para una Educación Alternativa (EDUCA), which has been a close partner organization to Witness for Peace. The radio accused EDUCA of using its office to manufacture Molotov cocktails for the APPO, and they specifically announced the name of their director as the person responsible for it all. EDUCA maintains strong relationships with prominent organizations on a local, national, and international level, all of whom know the organization´s work and know these accusations are false. The non-profit was founded in 1994 and grew out of the Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Oaxaca, and is focused on working with the most marginalized sectors of the Oaxacan population—indigenous peoples, small farmers, and women. Their work includes promoting citizens´ rights (including political, economic, and social rights), autonomy in indigenous communities (including a school which promotes the training of local indigenous authorities), and community economies, which promote local markets and networks which benefit Oaxaca communities (for more information about EDUCA, see www.educaoaxaca.org). The false accusations about EDUCA on the radio is one more example of the current climate of tension and psychological warfare which has clearly intensified in the last week.

On Saturday, November 25th the seventh APPO mega march, consisting of a stream of people 8 kilometers long, culminated in the city center in an attempt to create a human fence for 48 hours around the Federal Preventative Police (FPP). At about 5 pm the battle began. The FPP attempted to break up the human barricades and released teargas and threw rocks at the protesters. A five hour confrontation followed: protestors were teargassed, rocks were thrown by both sides, cars and buses burned (reports of up to 40), and government offices torched. The FPP set fire to the APPO encampment near Santo Domingo church, and armed gunmen in civilian clothes fired shots from the ethno botanical gardens in Santo Domingo. More than 140 people were injured, with reports of up to 150 people detained, 39 people disappeared, and three deaths, although the deaths have yet to be confirmed.

On Monday, November 27th, 141 detainees from Saturday’s confrontation were transferred from a prison outside of Oaxaca City to a medium level security prison in the far away state of Nayarit. The federal government has said that it considers all detainees to be very dangerous. The head of the FPP has announced that there will be no more tolerance for protest and that people involved will be punished. In addition, he announced that FPP will begin to implement over 300 outstanding arrest warrants and search for APPO members. Patrols by the local and state police and the FPP continue each night (and day), searching for presumed movement members. Police have also set up check points on main roads in the city and are searching public transportation with lists in hand of presumably guilty parties. The Oaxaca Network on Human Rights has denounced arbitrary detentions and is stating that the situation in the center of Oaxaca City is one of extreme violence. The APPO decided not to rebuild their encampment outside of Santo Domingo church, for fear of another violent encounter with the FPP. Tensions are expected to increase as December 1st nears and president-elect Felipe Calderón takes office amidst intense political division in Mexico.

EDUCA has closed their offices for the week, as a precaution against possible attacks, and human rights organizations are demanding the respect of the physical and psychological integrity of the director of EDUCA, as well as its entire staff. How can such a well respected, well established, effective organization such as EDUCA be victim of such unfounded criticism and violent threats? What effect does a threat to an organization fighting for the rights of the most marginalized people in the region have on civil society as a whole? Witness for Peace has had the honor of working with EDUCA for over 5 years, and are inspired by their dedication to continue in the struggle for justice for all peoples. A threat to our community of organizations working towards a more just world is a threat to all.