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geri

Nov 26, 2006, 9:10 AM

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photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2006/11/79912.html

The confrontation got pretty close to my house around 8 p.m. last night. I heard tear gas guns for about four hours, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

From my rooftop at about 5:30 p.m., I watched the sunset over majestic Monte Alban while below tear gas wafted from west to east in the zocalo. It was a pretty surreal scene to the sound of gun shots (mostly tear gas, I think), scared dogs barking, ambulance sirens, and church bells.

If you don't want to read all of the above website articles, go to the bottom and read Ollin's piece. I think it summarizes, very briefly, what this conflict is about. Well, it's about a lot of things, but he tells it from the indigenous aspect/side.

Does anyone know if it's hit the mainstream media in USA? My family is worried sick about me, so I don't send them news if they don't hear it in the media in El Norte.

I haven't been out and about yet this morning. Lots of rumors that I don't want to repeat unless I confirm them. I want to go and see for myself. It's a normal, quiet Sunday morning here. I DID walk to market but that's not near last night's protest.

pana

Nov 26, 2006, 5:53 PM

Post #2 of 12 (6451 views)

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Re: [geri] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Geri.......check this web site for another view of what is going on around you. http://markinmexico.blogspot.com/

Pana

geri

Nov 26, 2006, 6:43 PM

Post #3 of 12 (6441 views)

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Re: [pana] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Mark in Mexico is read by many people. I have a bit of a problem with his attitude, however. For instance, he writes:

After giving this a little more thought, I think the PFP would be wise to allow the camp to be set up. Then, once or twice per week, send in an armed group at 3:00 am to beat the crap out of anyone found in the camp, gather up all the tents, tarps, awnings, sleeping bags and clothes, pile it up and burn it all. APPO runs out of materiel before the PFP runs out of matches.

That sounds sort of sarcastic, or maybe he's trying to be funny? I just don't "get him." But thanks for the link. Much of what is printed in the media isn't true or is exaggerated. Not much press actually have reporters on the ground. I submitted my link mainly for the photos. Photos don't lie, albeit they were only for a short period of time in a small area.

Gayla

Nov 27, 2006, 2:49 PM

Post #4 of 12 (6392 views)

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Re: [geri] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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>Does anyone know if it's hit the mainstream media in USA? My family is worried sick about me, so I don't send them news if they don't hear it in the media in El Norte.

Geri

The most recent round of violence is getting minimal attention. It was reported without much fanfare or commentary. The only article I saw was from the AP wire service - and I have no feeling one way or the other for the accuracy of the article - their version blames the violence and burning on a rogue band of masked students who broke away from the main group of protesters and started hurling rocks and setting fires. To be honest, I found the post you did yesterday to be more informative.

geri

Nov 27, 2006, 3:07 PM

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Re: [Gayla] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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That is probably an accurate analysis, although there are those who would argue. Many of the photos I've seen are of peaceful people marching, old and young, men and women. The young Mexicans are much more violent, i.e. throwing rocks and molotov cocktails at police and into govt. buildings and, of course, the PFP responded with rocks (some say) and tear gas. The PFP are now stationed at Llano Park. Not a whole lot of them, but a few trucks. They seem to be signing a petition. Yesterday (Sunday) there were lines of Mexicans signing a Pro URO petition there. It's hard, for me, to know what's really going on 'cause there are so many stories/explanations/rumors. All I know is that it doesn't seem to be ending. The PFP have driven APPO out of the Santo Domingo area and so the walkways in that area are lined with police. No word, yet, about when the next "march" will be.

jacpowell

Nov 27, 2006, 5:32 PM

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Re: [geri] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Geri,

Here in Colorado the Denver Post had an Associated Press article today that was written by Rebecca Romero. It says the protestors are the ones who were wreaking all the havoc, burning buildings, etc., etc. This is directly opposite to what I've been reading on Indymedia, NarcoNews and other (admittedly leftist) websites. Romero seems to have a unique perspective, and unfortunately her accounts are the ones picked up by most of the mainstream US accounts I've seen on Google Alerts. Almost word-for-word.

Regardless of how "pure" one side or the other is, there is obviously at least one additional contingent involved, and it appears to me to be from the government side - "plainclothes" people (? state police or Ruiz henchmen ?) who are either attacking the APPO supporters, or are acting as catalysts to incite Federal police violence against the protestors. Of course, there's always the likelihood of activists who are allied with APPO but do not feel bound to the non-violent aspects.

One piece of information -- accurate or not -- that astounded me was that the two men who were arrested for shooting Brad Will probably won't be prosecuted. The local authorities are maintaining that the guys who took him to the hospital were the ones who killed him. Give me a break!

Stay safe. Lay in lots of food and water. And vinegar for the tear gas. I was glad to know you're okay.

Jackie

geri

Nov 28, 2006, 7:15 AM

Post #7 of 12 (6333 views)

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Re: [geri] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Jackie: Thanks for being concerned about me.

I think, but don't know, that it has always been the protestors who do the damage, i.e. burn buses, etc., unless as some claim, there are PRI infiltrators. In order to block streets, the protestors have used burned buses and cars for five months now. Last Saturday, most reports say, the throwing of rocks and molotov cocktails was by young people within the APPO protest. Many were masked, so it's hard to tell who they are but I've heard no reports from any source that PFP have started violence or used rough techniques without provocation. In my "opinion," the PFP are very well-trained and use amazing restraint. Their job, whether we like it or not, is to not let the protestors disrupt life in the zocalo and in the streets of Oaxaca, meaning no blockades, no campouts on public streets. Of course, there's not much life in the zocalo right now, since it's occupied by police and will be for some time, I predict. People can eat in restaurants and pass through the zocalo, (although a friend of mine, a guy from Holland, was asked for ID). But we could hang in the zocalo during the teachers' strike also, so just the players have changed in the zocalo. Maybe they play different card games, have different cell phone numbers, sleep in different pup tents and dress differently (they look pretty warlike) than the teachers, but in essence the zocalo is still a camp.

Re the Brad Will killing...it's on tape. Almost everyone agrees about who killed Will, but the identified killer is a PRI official/politico, so he cannot be arrested and tried for murder, at least not in Oaxaca.

In Mexico City they are calling for a national shut down on Friday in support of Oaxaca. I wonder how many businesses will comply? Vamos a ver.

In the meantime, I walk about and it's life as usual. Sometimes I feel guilty that I can't do more, but I can't. Even if it were legal, I wouldn't know what to do that would matter. In mi bolsa, I carry a baggie with a face cloth soaked in vinegar. I figure it's only going to do more harm to Oaxaca...and Mexico...if a gringa or tourist gets killed. So my contribution is staying safe. Ha!

waltw

Nov 28, 2006, 10:05 AM

Post #8 of 12 (6308 views)

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Re: [jacpowell] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Hello Jackie,

In the Machiavellian world of Oaxacan politics, I'm not sure the word "pure" enters the vocabulary, on either side. As Geri said earlier, hopefully the end result of all this will be more social justice. But right now, all I see is a lot of people/businesses being impacted economically in a very bad way and a most people in Oaxaca simply sick of the whole mess.

jacpowell

Nov 28, 2006, 2:42 PM

Post #9 of 12 (6285 views)

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Re: [waltw] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Hey, I'm getting tired of this, and I'm not even there! It just goes on and on. I do worry about all those folks who have lost their jobs or their shop/business income. What would I do in the same case? My sympathies would probably get thinner and thinner.

I used the word "pure" because I tend to be a Pollyanna, seeing things in black or white, and always being influenced by the last person I spoke to.

waltw

Nov 30, 2006, 6:14 PM

Post #10 of 12 (6216 views)

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Re: [jacpowell] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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The final barricades at Cinco Señores in Oaxaca City have been removed by the police. Traffic is flowing better. Things "seem" to be getting back to normal. However, there have many arrests. I read today in Noticias that the teachers may strike and leave classes again in protest of all the detentions that have occurred. Not sure how real that threat is. It appears that APPO is really on the retreat. Several of their leaders have been arrested.

waltw

Dec 2, 2006, 4:39 PM

Post #11 of 12 (6149 views)

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Re: [geri] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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"In my "opinion," the PFP are very well-trained and use amazing restraint. Their job, whether we like it or not, is to not let the protestors disrupt life in the zocalo and in the streets of Oaxaca, meaning no blockades, no campouts on public streets."

Geri,

Noticias reported today that more than 100 people have "disappeared" in recent weeks and hundreds more have been arrested and sent to prisons out of state. I think the PFP's role has expanded. There are also news reports of the PFP going into schools where teachers are teaching classes and arresting them on the spot. This recent activity is why the teachers are threatening to strike again.

Haven't seen this in the news, but I've heard recent accounts of the PFP taking people they've detained up for helicopter rides. Maybe that's a fairytale, but I trust the source who told me, who says he spoke directly to one of the people who experienced this type of "interrogation".

geri

Dec 2, 2006, 8:09 PM

Post #12 of 12 (6126 views)

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Re: [waltw] photos of Oaxaca, Nov. 25, 2006

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Yep, I've heard these stories also from people I trust, so this may only be the tip of the iceberg. I wonder if it's the old story that power breeds power? So many people wanted the Feds to help, now it seems as if they are the bad guys. 'Tis sad. Yet, so many Mexicans just go about their "business as usual." Strange times.