Oaxaca activists describe arrest and resistance

Transcripción

J UST IC IA Y PAZ
El Av s
A pulication of the latin america solidarity committee
Spring 2008
Oaxaca activists describe arrest and resistance
Story by Joe Feldman
On Thursday, March 13th
LASC
presented “Update on Oaxaca: The Struggle
Continues,” an event that featured two social
activists from the southern state of Mexico,
one of whom is a former political prisoner,
who shared their personal experiences as
participants for change in the face of state
repression.
The evening began with a brief
introduction by UO Distinguished Professor
of Anthropology Dr. Lynn Stephen and an
excerpt from the documentary Land, Rain
and Fire, which, together, outlined the social
context of the so-called “Oaxaca Rebellion.”
Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico
and is home to over one million indigenous
language speakers. In recent years, poverty
in the state has been exacerbated by
NAFTA, which has undermined the ejido
system, led to the privatization of social
services such as healthcare, and resulted in
the corporate appropriation of land, forests,
and water resources.
Concerned by threats to privatize the
education system, teachers went on strike
in 2006 to demand higher pay and basic
services for students such as free books
and free school lunches. As the Oaxaca
Teacher’s Union’s (Sección 22) demands
were dismissed by Ulises Ruiz, the state’s
governor, supporters of the teachers’
cause united to form a massive social
movement calling for his resignation.
Out of these mobilizations emerged the
Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca
(APPO), an organization comprised of
diverse social actors who collectively seek
Activistas oaxaqueñas cuentan la resistencia
ante la represión
por Joe Feldman
El jueves, 13 de marzo LASC
presentó un evento llamado “Reporte
sobre Oaxaca: la lucha sigue,” que
incluyó dos luchadores sociales, uno
de ellos un ex-preso político, del estado
sureño mexicano quienes compartieron
sus experiencias personales como
participantes por el cambio ante la
represión estatal.
El evento comenzó con una
introducción breve por la Distinguida
See Resistance, page 5
Profesora de Antropología de la
Universidad de Oregon, Dra. Lynn
Stephen, y parte de un documental
titulado Tierra, lluvia y fuego, que juntos
dieron un contexto general de lo que se
llama “la rebelión oaxaqueña.” Oaxaca
es uno de los estados más pobres de
México y es hogar a más de un millón de
personas que hablan lenguas indígenas.
En años recientes, la pobreza del estado
ha aumentado por los efectos del TLC,
que ha socavado el sistema de los ejidos,
Continuado en la pagina 4
Let’s create a positive dialogue around immigration
Story by Dan Goldrich
Some of us in LASC and CALC is
Progressive Responses have begun a
conversation looking toward recasting
the immigration policy debate in a
more positive direction. We invite
critical comment and participation in
this endeavor. We expect the Global
Exchange program here on April 10,
‘NAFTA’s Failed; Alternatives for
Trade, Immigration and Security’ to
stimulate further relevant thinking.
What’s the problem? We think the
immigration debate now is too narrow,
too negative, too mean-spirited, and
is burying the policy components
of legalization. Elected officials and
others who have supported more
See Immigration, page 6
Page 2
El Aviso Spring 2008
Femicide in Guatamala largely ignored by police
Story by Taunya DeBoer
While the focus of U.S. politics
remain on the upcoming election, state
of the economy, and war in the Middle
East, the residual effects of former
foreign policy choices are proving
fatal for many women in Guatemala.
Women such as 17-year-old Andrea
Fabiola Contreras who was raped,
shot, and mutilated with “vengeance”
carved into her leg,  Maria Isabel Veliz
Franco who was seen on the news
by her parents after being beaten,
stabbed and tied up with barbed wire,
or Marta Olga Caseros Batres, who
was
decapitated
and
dismembered
by
machete.
From January 2000 to July 2007, over
3,200 women and children have been
abducted and brutally murdered
in
Guatemala,
a
significantly
higher rate than elsewhere in Latin
America.  What is even more alarming
than the frequency and pervasive
nature of the attacks is the brutality
involved and the government’s tepid
response. While the murder rate
has increased overall in Guatemala,
the murders of women are far more
brutal, often preceded by rape and
torture, and followed by decapitation,
mutilation,
or
dismemberment.
The official response to female murder
also differs, as blame is often attributed
to the victim in order to justify inaction
and the lack of an investigation. In one
case, the presence of red nail polish
“proved” the victim to be a prostitute,
thus unworthy of investigation.
15-year-old Maria Isabel Franco’s death
was not investigated despite witness
accounts of perpetrators dragging
her from a home, or the identification
of the car used in her
abduction, because the
Assistant
Prosecutor’s
office
had
deemed
her to be “a nobody, a
prostitute”.
In
many
cases, the investigation
seeks to find fault with the
victim prior to following
leads to the murderers,
the victim’s belongings
are returned to families
without analysis, or crime
scenes are not processed.
In order to seek justice,
families of the victims
must overcome social,
economic, and political
hurdles while also risking
the safety of surviving
members. The demands
for investigations often
go unheeded unless the
family becomes a “partner
in the investigation”,
which
requires
legal
assistance and may also
cause the family to endure
threats, reprisals, or even
the loss of another loved
one. Due to these obstacles, many
families are forced to relocate in fear,
may not press for an investigation, may
fail to report a crime at all or not even
retrieve the remains of their loved ones.
The gruesome nature of the attacks
is reminiscent of the type of violence
observed during the height of the
36-year civil war, with many blaming
the cultural tradition of impunity for
the escalating violence. Guatemala’s
transition to civilian rule did not
coincide with social reconciliation
or the creation of social mechanisms
to ensure justice for victims and
accountability for perpetrators of
violence. Due to this failure of the
transition process, many of those
responsible for the atrocities committed
during the years of military rule remain
free and oppression and human rights
violations have continued, although
they have transformed in scope and
breadth.
There is a broad perception tha
tthe current violence is perpetrated
by current or former members of the
military, the police or clandestine
groups that have resumed the roles of
the death squads of the past. Numerous
details support these assertions, as
some crimes have been attributed
to the police while others have been
archived
without
investigation
despite the presence of eyewitness
accounts and other empirical evidence.
Official reports claim between 40 to
70% of cases are archived without
investigation, the Coordinadora 25
de Noviembre, (an umbrella group
of women’s organizations), reports a
2% rate of successful prosecution, and
the Center for Gender and Refugee
Studies reports a rate of only 10%
investigated. . While the statistics
relating to investigations differ, the
point is the same: that the murderers
are enjoying the same impunity that
the intellectual authors of the genocidal
“scorched earth” campaign enjoyed.
As UN Special Envoy Yakin Erturk
stated upon her 2004 visit, “When
See Femicide, page 8
Page 3
THANKS MEMBERS!
Over 50 people attended the
“CISCAP-LASC Re-Naming Dinner”
on February 24th. We raised almost
$400, and the wonderful folks at the
World Cafe actually ran out of some
ingredients by the end of the evening.
Thanks again to the World Cafe and
to everyone who worked on the event;
look for more LASC fundraising
dinners, concerts, and/or other
projects over the next few months.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, April 7:
LASC “Close
the SOA” subcommittee meeting,
6:30pm, World Café (441 Blair Blvd,
across from the LASC/CALC offices).
Making plans for April Fast (see
4/23 below), and visit by SOA Watch
founder Roy Bourgeois in September.
Meeting is open to anyone; contact the
office for childcare and/or Spanish
interpretation.
Wednesday, April 9:
“Investing
in Conflict:
North American
Mining Companies, Trickle Down
“Development”, and Environmental
Destruction”, 7-9:30 PM, Growers’
Market, 454 Willamette, downtown
Eugene.
Human rights journalist
Dawn Paley on the effects of
Canadian and U.S. mining projects
on the development, environment
and human rights of people in Latin
America. Sponsored by Rights Action,
(formerly Guatemala Partners), and
the Pacific Green Party (Oregon);
endorsed by LASC.
For more
information, call 541-207-3291
Thursday, April 10: “NAFTA’s Failed:
Alternatives for Trade, Immigration &
Security” 7 pm, 175 UO Law School
Speakers on a Global Exchange tour
will focus on the failures of NAFTA,
the behind closed door scheming
of corporations & governments of
Canada, Mexico & the US to expand
NAFTA, how the failures have
escalated the movement of Mexicans
to the US, how NAFTA has hurt the
economies of all 3 countries. Featuring
Carleen Pichard, Regional Organizer
for the Council of Canadians,
Hector Sanchez, Policy Education
Coordinator for Global Exchange’s
Mexico Program. and John Gibler, an
independent journalist.
Sponsors include: LASC, CAUSA,
CALC, Eugene Springfield Solidarity
Network, UO Survival Center, UO
MEChA, Teamster Local 206, Wayne
Morse Center, and LERC.
Free
childcare and Spanish interpretation
provided.
April 11, Professor Charles Hale
(University of Texas, Austin) will offer
a seminar on Activist Anthropology
and a public talk on “Multiculturalism
and Neoliberalism in Latin America.”
Sponsored by the Department of
Anthropology, CLLAS, and LAS.
Contact: Lynn Stephen, stephenl@
uoregon.edu
Wednesday April 16: “Fair Trade vs.
Free Trade in Nicaragua”, featuring
Yamileth
Perez,
a
community
organizer and one of the founders
of a fair trade artisan store called
“Esperanza en Accion” outside of
Managua, Nicaragua.
6:30pm at
Central Presbyterian Church, 15th and
Patterson, Eugene.
Witness for Peace NW tour,
cosponsored by LASC and Central
Presbyterian Church. Free childcare
and Spanish interpretation provided.
Sunday, April 20: Preparing for Days
of Prayer and Action for Colombia.
12:30 pm at Eugene Friends
Meetinghouse, 2274 Onyx Street.
Featuring Aleita Hass-Holcombe of
Witness for Peace Northwest on how
and why we should tell Congress
that we want zero military aid for
Colombia, an end to aerial fumigation,
no “free” trade for Colombia, and
respect for human rights. Sponsored
by Witness for Peace Northwest and
Eugene Friends Meeting; endorsed
by LASC.
Monday, April 21: LASC Bakesale in
front of the UO Bookstore (13th and
Kincaid, Eugene). Contact the office
to bake or table.
Page 4
La rebelión: Se trata los activistas sociales como criminales
Continuado de pagina 1
ha llevado a la privatización de los
servicios sociales como el cuidado de
salud, y ha resultado en la apropiación
de los recursos de tierra, bosques, y
agua por grandes corporaciones.
Preocupados por las amenazas de
privatizar el sistema educativo, los
maestros comenzaron una huelga
en 2006 para exigir mejores sueldos
y servicios básicos para estudiantes
como libros y almuerzos subsidiados.
Mientras las exigencias del sindicato
de maestros, Sección 22, fueron
ignoradas por el gobernador Ulises
Ruiz, los partidarios de la causa de los
maestros se unieron para formar un
movimiento social masivo para pedir
la renuncia de el gobernador. De esta
movilización emergió la Asamblea
Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca
(APPO), una organización compuesta
por diversos sectores sociales quienes
colectivamente tienen como metas
proteger los derechos humanos,
escribir una nueva constitución estatal,
aumentar la autonomía municipal, y en
generalmente, establecer un nuevo tipo
de gobierno. Desde 2006, La APPO ha
hecho una campaña de desobediencia
civil y protesta pacífica, que ha visto la
manifestación más grande en la historia
de Oaxaca y la toma de una emisora
local de radio por una organización
de mujeres. Los esfuerzos de APPO
y sus partidarios han sido silenciados
con varias formas de represión
gubernamentales estatales y nacionales,
con Amnistía Internacional citando
“numerosos reportes del uso excesivo
de fuerza, la detención arbitraria,
la tortura y la fabricación de cargos
criminales contra los manifestantes”
por las autoridades de Oaxaca.
Tal violencia y violación de los
derechos humanos fue evidente en el
testimonio del ex–preso político que
habló al evento, incluyendo el hecho
en el cual fue privado de su libertad y
cómo fue secuestrado por autoridades
locales Oaxaqueñas, encarcelado como
prisionero político, y eventualmente
liberado como parte de un espectáculo
de publicidad por el gobierno
nacional en la Ciudad de México. Un
ornitólogo con experiencia haciendo
investigaciones
en
comunidades
empobrecidas indígenas, este luchador
social había apoyado la causa de los
maestros y había participado en las
marchas y plantones del sindicato
de maestros desde que era niño. Le
interesaba más en el 2006, sin embargo,
debido a la “ceguera y sordera política”
del Gobernador Ruiz en su intolerancia
de la huelga de los maestros. El 9 de
agosto, 2006, “policías” vestidos de
civiles le secuestraron a él y a dos de
sus amigos mientras ellos estaban
buscando dos de sus amigos que
servían de asistentes a un activista
parapléjico de la APPO (también
amigo de ellos) quienes habían sido
secuestrados más temprano ese mismo
día. Este luchador describió en detalle
cómo él y sus compañeros—ambos eran
maestros—fueron tirados en una van
donde fueron golpeados, quemados
con cigarrillos, cortados con vidrios,
y amenazados con la violación y la
muerte por unos 45 minutos. Siguiente
a este experiencia terrible y agotadora,
los tres hombres fueron encarcelados
bajo cargos falsos de haber portado
armas. Fue encarcelado por 83 días
hasta que la APPO logró negociar con
el gobierno nacional mexicano por su
libertad—una serie de eventos que
incluyó su “secuestro” de la cárcel,
y su “presentación” en una rueda de
prensa del gobierno en la Ciudad de
México. Una semanas después de su
liberación, sin embargo, se enteró que
no iba a ser exonerado de los cargos.
Hoy, sigue acusado de un crimen
federal y sus dos compañeros fueron
sentenciados recientemente a tres años
de prisión. Él criticó la criminalización
de los activistas sociales en Oaxaca y
expresó su preocupación que los casos
como el suyo pueden tener el efecto de
intimidar a la gente que está luchando
por sus derechos.
La otra presentadora comenzó su
discurso sobre la lucha en Oaxaca
acotando que ella y su compañero
(el ex–preso político), como muchos
partidarios del APPO, resultaron
protagonistas del movimiento por
razones circunstanciales y estaban
simplemente intentando participar y
hacer su parte. Esta luchadora social,
una bióloga que previamente trabajaba
con mujeres en comunidades indígenas
en las áreas del desarrollo y educación,
reflexionó sobre cómo el movimiento le
ha enseñado a ella y a sus compañeros
luchadores mucho sobre Oaxaca y
México en general. Habló sobre la
internacionalización del activismo social
en Oaxaca, un fenómeno evidenciado
por expresiones de solidaridad
internacional después de la muerte del
fotoperiodista Brad Will en octubre de
2006, pero adicionalmente, comentó
sobre cómo Oaxaca ha sido formada
por las transiciones políticas recientes
en México. Ella citó el arresto de un
activista de la APPO, Flavio Sosa, tres
días después que el Presidente Felipe
Calderón tomó poder del país, como
algo que dio un golpe importante al
movimiento y que mostró claramente la
perspectiva de la administración actual
sobre la situación en Oaxaca. Mientras
ella indicaba que los activistas se han
vuelto más cautelosos como respuesta
a la represión continua por parte del
gobierno, enfatizó que la lucha está lejos
de haber terminado y que continuará,
pero tal vez en una forma más sutil y
más escondida.
En la sesión de preguntas y respuestas,
el ex–preso político, la luchadora
social, y Stephen, quien tradujo la
presentación, hablaron de la condición
actual de las demandas de los maestros
y describieron la cultura política en
Oaxaca en más detalle. Aunque muchos
han regresado a su trabajo, “no ha pasado
nada” en respuesta a las demandas
de los maestros, notó la luchadora
social. Hasta hoy día, el Gobernador
Ruiz continua en poder, una realidad
que los presentadores atribuyeron
a la administración de favoritismo,
principalmente a las conexiones que
tiene el gobernador al nivel nacional y
a la pequeña elite económica y política
que ha dominado el estado por mucho
tiempo. El ex–preso político describió
esta pequeña elite como “una mafia.”
Page 5
Resistance: Non-violent APPO resistors often arrested in political protests
Continued from page 1
to protect human rights, draft a new state
constitution, increase municipal autonomy,
and, more generally, establish a new kind
of government. Since 2006, APPO has
launched a campaign of civil disobedience
and peaceful protest, which has seen the
largest march in the history of Oaxaca
and the takeover of a local radio station
by a women’s organization. The efforts of
APPO and their supporters have been met
with various forms of state violence, with
Amnesty International citing “widespread
reports of use of excessive force, arbitrary
detention, torture and fabrication of
criminal charges against protesters” by
authorities in Oaxaca.
Such violence and violation of human
rights were evident in this former political
prisoner’s testimony of how he was
abducted by local authorities, held as a
political prisoner, and eventually released
as part of a national government publicity
stunt in Mexico City. An ornithologist
with experience conducting research in
impoverished indigenous communities,
this social activist had been sympathetic
to the teachers’ cause and had participated
in teachers’ marches and sit-ins since he
was a child. He became more interested
during 2006, however, largely because of
how “politically blind and deaf” Governor
Ruiz was in his intolerance of the teachers’
strike. On August 9th, 2006, “police” in
civilian dress kidnapped him and two of
his friends while they were searching for
two other friends who served as assistants
to a paraplegic APPO activist (also a friend
of theirs) who had been abducted earlier
that day. The former political prisoner
detailed how he and his companions-both of whom were teachers--were thrown
into a van where they were subsequently
beaten, burned with cigarettes, cut with
glass and threatened with rape and death
for forty-five minutes. Following this
gruesome ordeal, the men were jailed on
false federal charges of arms possession.
He was imprisoned for 83 days until
APPO successfully negotiated with the
Mexican government for his release—a
series of events that included his being
“kidnapped” from jail, and paraded at a
government press conference in Mexico
City. In the weeks following this former
political prisoner’s release, however, he
learned that he would not be exonerated of
the charges. Today, he still stands accused
of a federal crime and his two companions
were recently sentenced to three years in
prison. He criticized the criminalization
of social activism in Oaxaca and expressed
concern that cases such as his can have the
effect of intimidating people who fight for
their rights.
The other presenter began her discussion
of the struggle in Oaxaca by noting that she
and her companion (the former political
prisoner), like many APPO supporters,
became protagonists in the movement
by circumstance and were simply trying
to participate and do their part. This
biologist, who previously worked with
women in indigenous communities in
areas of development and education,
reflected on how the movement has
taught her and fellow activists much about
Oaxaca and Mexico in general. In addition
to addressing the internationalization of
social activism in Oaxaca, a phenomenon
evidenced by expressions of international
solidarity following the death of American
photojournalist Brad Will in October,
2006, she discussed how Oaxaca has been
shaped by recent
political transitions in
Mexico. She cited the
arrest of prominent
APPO activist, Flavio
Sosa, three days after
President
Felipe
Calderón came to
power in Mexico as
a significant blow to
the movement which
clearly demonstrated
the
current
administration’s
view on the situation
in Oaxaca.
While
indicating that activists have become
more cautious in response to ongoing
government repression, this social activist
stressed that the struggle is far from over
and that the movement will continue,
though perhaps in a quieter, more hidden
way.
In a question-and-answer session,
the former political prisoner, the social
activist, and Stephen, who served as
translator for the evening, discussed the
current status of the teacher’s demands
and further described Oaxaca’s political
culture. Though many have returned
to their jobs, “nothing has happened” in
response to the teacher’s claims, noted
the social activist. To this day, Governor
Ruiz remains in power, an occurrence the
speakers attributed to political cronyism,
namely the governor’s connections on a
national level and to the small economic
and political elite that has long-ruled
the state. The former political prisoner
described this elite group as “una mafia.”
Thank you!
To everyone who has contributed to our end of the year membership/
fundraising drive, including a donor-advised grant from the McKenzie River
Gathering Foundation, directed by Sylvia Hart.
To all of the wonderful office volunteers who do so much of the work we
do, and to everyone who helped with occational projects around the office,
including the mailing of this newsletter.
To the members of the LASC Steering Committee, formed just this past
January: Taunya DeBoer, Herb Everett and Catherine Harris.
To the El Aviso production “dream team”: Shelley Bowerman; Miguel
Guerrero and Herb Everett.
—Scott Miksch
Page 6
Immigration: U.S. foreign policy ignores labor and migration realities
humane policies tend to remain
silent.
The outlook is continued heavy
immigration from Mexico for at least the
next decade or so. Framed narrowly as
a U.S. problem, fears are being fed that
immigration is spinning out of control,
hence the focus on border security and
deporting those here without legal
documentation.
If the focus was broadened, shifted
toward the historical relationship
between the U.S. and Mexico,
increased migration might more
validly be seen to be the consequence
of policies forced on Mexico by the U.S.
during the Mexican economic crisis of
the early 1980s. The North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in
1993 reinforced this policy approach.
These policies drastically transformed
the Mexican economy, destroying
millions of jobs in agriculture, industry
and the public sector, without creating
anything
approaching
sufficient
replacements, and sharply cutting the
standard of living of many Mexicans.
The wave of outmigration has thus
sharply increased.
Reconsideration of this history
suggests a focus on alternative policies
that might promote the creation of
more jobs and more equity in Mexico,
as NAFTA failed to do. In fact, critics
in all three member countries have
made the case that NAFTA and earlier
adopted similar policies have hurt the
standard of living in all of them, a view
now widely shared in the U.S. and
Mexico. Thus, this may be a propitious
time politically for the introduction of
such ideas: they envision U.S. support
for the creation of policies for more
and better jobs (regarding wages and
rights) for the Mexican labor force,
which would have a reciprocal, positive
impact on the U.S. labor force.
The reopening of this policy process
also might open the way for a politics
about other major changes that need to
be made in the three North American
countries regarding global warming and
May 1, 2007: Thousands march at the Oregon state capital for immigrant
justice. Photo by Scott Miksch
peak oil (the waning availability of oil
and gas). For example, there is growing
recognition of the need for relocalization
of agriculture on a more sustainable
basis as a major energy conservation
measure, with very substantial new
employment consequences throughout
North America. Reforestation and land
and water reclamation are important,
labor-intensive related focuses.
The general themes of this new
conversation are shifting the focus
away from blaming the victim and
towards policies that are needed
throughout the three country region.
We think this conversation would be a
step toward creating more support for
a humane immigration policy.
Individuals Nourishing Community
Since 1971
Local Merchants, the heart of our community
www.sundancenaturalfoods.com
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Page 7
UPCOMING EVENTS
More events on page 7
Wednesday-Friday, April 23-25:
School of the Americas Watch’s
Nationwide Fast to Shut Down
the SOA. Local events are in the
works for Wednesday and Friday;
contact the LASC office for more
information.
Thursday, April 24: Ben Linder
Commemoration: activist, author
and poet Margaret Randall reads
from her latest book, Stones Witness. .
4 p.m., Fir Room, EMU, University of
Oregon, Eugene. 5:30 p.m: Reception
/ Booksigning, Ben Linder Room,
EMU.
Friday, April 25: Community/
University film and discussion. Film:
“Letters from the Other Side” (7 pm,
Cesar Chavez School). Sponsored by
CLLAS and the Gender, Family, and
Immigration Project of CSWS.
Tuesday, April 29: Maria Ruth
Sanabria on “Women Waging
Peace in Colombia”, 7pm, 175 Law
LASC OFFICE WISH LIST:
• Used iMacs (including laptops),
a Mac-compatible laser printer
and Mac OS X V.10.4 compatible
software
• One or two small (two-drawer)
file cabinets
• Save your stuff!
LASC’s
“Smashing Estate Sale”, our
annual yard sale to raise rent
money, is coming on June 7th.
Contact the office regarding
storage possibilities or to
schedule a “pick up” closer to the
date of the sale.
(Please call the office at 485-8633 to
make a donation, and thank you to
all who have responded in the past!)
School (TENTATIVE), UO Campus,
Eugene. Maria Ruth was elected to
the Arauquita municipal council
in October 2007 as a candidate of
the Alternative Democratic Pole
opposition party, and she is a
member of the council’s human
rights commission. She is being
accompanied by Scott Nicholson,
who has been in Arauca since July
2006 documenting the human rights
situation.
Sponsored by LASC and the Montana
Human Rights Network; free
childcare and Spanish interpretation
provided.
Wednesday-Friday, May 7-9: 10-am4pm Table at UO Street Faire, EMU
Courtyard (13th and University)—
contact the office to help out.
Thursday, May 8th: Benefit Concert
at Cozmic Pizza, 8th and Charnelton,
downtown Eugene--details TBA
Latin American Immigration in
Oregon,” a symposium presented by
CSWS, co-sponsored by the Wayne
Morse Center for Law and Politics.
Contact: Lynn Stephen, stephenl@
uoregon.edu
Saturday, June 7th: LASC Smashing
Estate Sale, 9am-4pm, 458 Blair
Blvd., Eugene. Donate your quality
used clothes, books, furniture, etc.
to our annual benefit to raise money
for rent, and raise awareness around
consumerism,
sweatshops,
and
neighborhood issues. Contact the
office to donate or volunteer.
Wednesday, June 18th:
Pastors
for Peace Caravan to Cuba stops in
Eugene; event location and time TBA.
Gathering material aid for the people
of Cuba along many routes before
rendezvousing in Texas to challenge
the US embargo of Cuba. Contact
the office to host a “caravanistas”
or to donate goods or funds to the
caravan.
May 22-23: “Gender, Families and
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
WORK AT HOME OR IN
THE LASC OFFICE!
• Volunteer with practical skills
in accounting to assist staff with
bookkeeping (3 hours a month in
the office)
• Graphic designers needed for
laying out posters for LASC
events (1-2 posters a month, work
from home)
• Bakers needed for occational
bakesales at UO Bookstore,
beginning April 21th (around
2 dozen home-made goodies,
delivered to bakesale or office)
• Childcare providers for the
following evenings: April 10,
16, 24 and 29; May 8 (2 hours at
each event; see Upcoming Events
calendar for details)
• Volunteer to do yard work at 458
Blair, our office and that of CALC.
(1 hour a week at 458 Blair).
• LASC office volunteers are always
appreciated‹no
experience
necessary! We need help with
word processing and other data
entry work, making reminder
phone calls, small mailings, and
the like. Available office hours
are 9am to 4:30pm MondayFriday. (2 hours a week)
Page 8
Femicide: Amnesty International calls for end to violence against women
these levels of impunity exist, it seems
that there is violence being committed
by authorities.”
Director Mario
Polanco of the Guatemalan Mutual
Support Group, (GAM) suggests that
the murders are an attempt to “create
chaos”, reduce governability and
generate fear.
International pressure on the
Guatemalan government has mounted
but the murder rate continues to
steadily increase. In 2005 the UN
High Commissioner for Human
Rights opened an office in Guatemala
to observe suspected human rights
abuses, the Guatemalan government
created a special prosecutor’s office
that specifically handled crimes against
women and Amnesty International
continued issuing repeated calls for
action. The Center for Gender and
Refugee Studies at UC Hastings
has published two reports detailing
the ongoing femicide and echoing
 investigations
Amnesty’s calls for action. In 2006 the open
Guatemalan government responded that satisfy international standards,
by forming a commission to study the create urgent search mechanisms
issue. In May of 2007 the US House for the abducted, and begin a zero
passed H.Res.100 condemning the tolerance campaign in regards to
violence against women in Guatemala violence against women. Resolutions
and in March of this year the US expressing condolences to victims’
Senate passed S. Res 178 echoing this families are not enough to stop the
sentiment. Currently an International violence, we must continue to press
Commission Against Impunity in for binding resolutions requiring
Guatemala (CICIG) is assembling to measurable change.
assist in the investigations
of armed groups and
www.wartaxboycott.org
organized
crime.
However, we must not
cease to pressure our
own Congress to pass
resolutions that demand
immediate
action
by
the
Guatemalan
government such as the
recommendations
by
Amnesty International to
remove discriminatory
l e g i s l a t i o n ,
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Become a LASC Member or Renew Your Membership
__ Yes, I want to become a LASC member, or renew my LASC membership Enclosed is my
dues contribution of $_______ ($10/year regular, $5, student/low income).
__IwanttobecomeasustainingmemberofLASC(sustainingmembersmakeaquarterlydonation,andreceiveaquarterly
update and return envelop as a reminder). Enclosed is my first contribution of $_______.
__ I would like to contribution to LASC by volunteering my time—please contact me soon.
Name____________________________Address______________________________________
City_____________State____ Zip_______ Phone___________Email______________________
Clip&mailchecktoLASC,458BlairBlvd,Eugene,97402.Fortaxdeduction,
makechecksouttoLASC/CISPESEd
Fund. Ph.:(541) 485-8633 E-mail: [email protected] www.efn.org/~ciscap
______________________________________________________________________________
latinamericasolidaritycommittee
458 Blair Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97402
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
Paid
Eugene, OR
Permit No. 18
______________________________________________________________________________
Address Service Requested
Printed on recycled paper.

Oaxaca activists describe arrest and resistance

Transcripción

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