MEXICO SOLIDARITY NETWORK WEEKLY NEWS AND ANALYSIS APRIL 21 – MAY 4, 2008 1. LOW INTENSITY WAR AGAINST ZAPATISTAS INCLUDES MEDICINE 2. SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF ATENCO POLICE ACTIONS 3. ARMY INVADES CIUDAD JUAREZ 4. REMITTANCES DECREASING 5. EPR OFFERS TALKS WITH GOVERNMENT 6. PRD SINKS FURTHER INTO DISARRAY 7. PEMEX DEBATE 8. MAY DAY MARCHES SMALL BUT SPIRITED 9. MSN PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS (Contact MSN@MexicoSolidarity.org) 1. LOW INTENSITY WAR AGAINST ZAPATISTAS INCLUDES MEDICINE Low intensity war waged against the Zapatista movement is spreading to the medical sector. While medical authorities in Chiapas have never provided first class treatment for indigenous patients, there appears to be a coordinated campaign recently to deny medical care for Zapatista support bases. In an April 27 article published in La Jornada, journalist Hermann Bellinghausen documents a series of recent cases in which Zapatistas were denied adequate medical treatment at State hospitals, resulting in the death of at least one patient. “In recent days, indigenous patients sent by Zapatista [health promoters] from El Bosque, San Andres, Simojovel and Teopisca have been mistreated or abandoned at the regional hospital in San Cristobal,” according to Bellinghausen. For example, “on April 25, Miguel Diaz Perez arrived with acute appendicitis which requires immediate surgery. Inexplicably, [hospital officials] made him wait twelve hours.” While medical attention has always been less than stellar for indigenous patients, who often don’t even receive clear explanations for their illnesses – “why, they don’t understand in any case,” according to one hospital official – the new attitude appears to be a concerted attack on Zapatista support bases sent to State hospitals when the cases cannot be treated in the autonomous clinics. 2. SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF ATENCO POLICE ACTIONS May 3 marked the second anniversary of coordinated police actions by local, state and federal authorities in San Salvador Atenco, in which at least 26 women suffered rape or sexual abuse. Authorities arrested more than 200 people, subjecting the majority to severe beatings and torture. At least two people died at the hands of police, yet to date not a single police officer is in prison. Instead, three leaders of the Popular Front in Defense of the Land (FPDT) remain in federal prison, sentenced to 67 years, while at least 15 members of the FPDT will complete two years in a State prison while their cases work their way through the tortuously slow judicial process. Amnesty International accused authorities of enjoying “impunity” after participating in “acts of torture,” and characterized the Atenco case as “paradigmatic” of state-sponsored violence. 3. ARMY INVADES CIUDAD JUAREZ Federal forces led by the Army and the Federal Preventative Police invaded Ciudad Juarez on March 27. Chihuahua Governor Jose Reyes requested the operation after narco-traffickers murdered 93 people in February, including 10 local police, two state police, one member of the Investigative Police and one Army troop. The dramatic increase in violence appears to be the result of a battle between the Carrillo Fuentes family, traditional leaders of the Juarez Cartel, and Chapo Guzman, leader of the Sinaloa Cartel also known locally as “La Linea,” for control of the lucrative Juarez market. The Juarez Cartel currently exercises effective control over local police forces through a combination of bribes and violence. To date, “Operation Chihuahua” has resulted in the arrest of 167 people, including at least 29 local police. None of those arrested are reportedly cartel leaders. The most important actions appear to be directed against local police, calling into question the logic of the operation. Is it possible that the Calderon administration is taking sides in the war on drugs? In the case of Juarez, are federal officials dismantling a network of police support for the Juarez Cartel so the Sinaloa Cartel can easily take over? If not, why aren’t cartel leaders among those arrested, and why has the Army seized only modest, some might say symbolic, catches of marijuana and cocaine? 4. REMITTANCES DECREASING Immigrant remittances from the US decreased during the first three months of 2008, the first decrease registered since officials began tracking remittances. A recent poll conducted by Inter-American Bank (IAB) found that only half of Latin American immigrants sent remittances to families in home countries during 2008, compared to 73% in a poll conducted in 2006. The IAB attributed the decrease to the US recession, which disproportionately affects immigrants, particularly undocumented workers. There are about 19 million immigrants born in Latin America currently living in the US, while Latinos, who number 45.5 million, account for 15% of the total population. Forty percent of immigrants reported incomes lower in 2008 than 2007, and more than two-thi Long message truncated by MailBucket.

Programa en español (1 hora):

• Marchas y manifestaciones del 1 de mayo
• Entrevista con Flor Crisóstomo en Chicago.
  
• Entrevista con Javier López, coordinador del Centro de Trabajadores (Day Laborers Center) en San Francisco. Redadas en El Balazo in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

• Chiapas:
  
• Prisioneros políticos
• Agresiones contra la comunidad zapatista de Cruzton
• Victoria en la comunidad 24 de Diciembre

• Reportaje sobre el asesinato de dos locutoras de radio triquis en el municipio autónomo de Copala, Oaxaca; entrevista con Bart, compañero que trabajó con las locutoras en Copala.

• Reportaje sobre Granjas Lomas del Poleo en Ciudad Juárez.

• Entrevista y música del rapero activista Mayazteca.

Escucha el programa:

Working and Organizing Everyday:
Workers, Families, and Communities in Local and Global Struggles

Cal Poly Pomona-Bronco Student Center May 15-17, 2008

The 34th Annual Conference of the Southwest Labor Studies Association (SWLSA) will be held May 15-17, 2008 at the Bronco Student Center at Cal Poly Pomona. The conference will feature approximately 20 panels and workshops including plenary sessions on “The State of Working Families in the Inland Valley” and “NAFTA and the Struggle for a Continental Living Wage.” On Thursday evening, May 15, the conference will open with a screening of the film “Maquilapolis” and a discussion with the filmmaker and maquiladora workers and organizers from Tijuana.
SWLSA is a regional organization of labor studies scholars and activists that promotes a broad conversation on issues affecting working people. The conference is being organized by faculty, students, and members of local unions and non-profits.

Registration is free. There is a $10 charge for dinner on 5/16.

To see the program and register go to: http://dsa.csupomona.edu/cesarchavez/?nfid=2913

Parking is $5 a day. Map: http://www.csupomona.edu/map/index.shtml

For further information contact Enrique Ochoa at 869-3115 or ecochoa@csupomona.edu.

Members of a recent delegation to the US-Mexico border will give a photo and film presentation focusing on the most recent forms of exploitation of undocumented immigrants at mafia-controlled crossing points and privately owned prisons. The report will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 9 Ross Valley Drive at Fourth Street, San Rafael, on Friday, May 23, at 7:30 PM and is sponsored byRadio Zapatistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08113329040216946305noreply@blogger.com

Radio Zapatistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08113329040216946305noreply@blogger.com

Reportaje sobre la situación en la colonia Granjas Lomas del Poleo, en Ciudad Juárez, donde los residentes viven secuestrados por los guardias blancos de la familia Zaragoza. Habitantes de la colonia y miembros de la Otra Campaña describen la situación y explican cuáles son los intereses económicos que están detrás de las agresiones y el despojo. También nos hablan sobre la amenaza de desalojo del Segundo Barrio en El Paso, Texas.

Escúchalo o bájalo aquí: http://www.radiozapatista.org/Audios/LomasPoleo.mp3

Two More Houses Doubling as Graveyards Discovered in Ciudad Juárez

By Bill Conroy
Via the Narcosphere
May 7, 2008

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2008/05/the-house-death-no-longer-new-kid-block

Estamos enterados de que en la radio como en distintos periódicos se difunde la noticia de que personas “supuestamente desconocidas” envenenaron un pozo de agua que abastece a la colonia Los Alcanfores, de San Cristóbal de Las Casas, por lo que por este medio les decimos los siguientes:
Primero: Como ya se sabe, en el año de 2006, fueron detenidos por el mal gobierno dos compañeros Bases de Apoyo del EZLN nativos de la comunidad de Huitepec Ocotal, segunda sección, acusándolos de dañar la ecología cuando realmente estaban en su tierra sembrando hortalizas para el consumo familiar, como lo venían haciendo desde sus padres sin dañar la ecología...

Lee la denuncia completa

Sixteen Activists, Some with Life Sentences, Remain Imprisoned for Minor Crimes

By Kristin Bricker
Via the Narcosphere
May 6, 2008

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/05/two-years-on-atenco-still-hurts

The Bush Administration Has Put Its Proposal to Militarize Mexico to the Upcoming Iraq Supplemental Bill

By Laura Carlsen
Special to The Narco News Bulletin
May 5, 2008

http://www.narconews.com/Issue53/article3093.html

London’s “Left Leaning” Newspaper Props Up Latin America’s Most Authoritarian Government

By Joe Emersberger
Special to The Narco News Bulletin
May 5, 2008

http://www.narconews.com/Issue52/article3084.html

Ofrecido conjuntamente con la exposición, “Enrique Chagoya: Borderlandia,” en el Museo de Arte de UC Berkeley: Sustaining Community Across the Border / Sosteniendo la comunidad a través de la frontera SUNDAY / DOMINGO, MAY 4, 3 p.m. A Community Roundtable / Una plática comunitaria Museum Theater / Teatro del Museo ¡La entrada al museo será gratis todo el día! En este programa, miembros de Radio Zapatistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08113329040216946305noreply@blogger.com

Concierto de MAYAZTECA 7 pm Cellspace 2050 Bryant st. San Francisco, California 94110 Más info: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=183772177 Radio Zapatistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08113329040216946305noreply@blogger.com

Notes for a Presentation to the Oaxaca After the Barricades Conference, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, April 28, 2008

By Fred Rosen
Senior Analyist, North American Congress on Latin America
May 2, 2008

http://www.narconews.com/Issue52/article3083.html

US Labor Unions: “Increased Funding of the Mexican Military and Police Won’t Enhance Security”

By Barbara Shailor, AFL-CIO
Letter Obtained by Narco News
May 2, 2008

http://www.narconews.com/Issue52/article3082.html

URL: http:​/​/​www.​ msnbc​.​ msn. com/​id/​24394​676/

By MARK NIESS​E,​ Assoc​iated​ Press​ Write​r 2 hours​,​ 46 minut​es ago

HONOL​ULU - A Nativ​e Hawai​ian group​ that advoc​ates sover​eignt​y brief​ly occup​ied the groun​ds of a histo​ric palac​e in downt​own Honol​ulu on Wedne​sday,​ sayin​g it would​ carry​ out the busin​ess of what it consi​ders the legit​imate​ gover​nment​ of the islan​ds.​


Unarm​ed secur​ity guard​s from the Hawai​ian Kingd​om Gover​nment​ group​ block​ed all gates​ to the groun​ds of the palac​e,​ which​ is adjac​ent to the state​ Capit​ol.​ They did not enter​ the build​ing itsel​f.​


After​ sever​al hours​,​ the prote​sters​ agree​d to reope​n the gates​ but said they would​ remai​n on the groun​ds until​ early​ eveni​ng and retur​n Thurs​day.​ No arres​ts had been made as of mid-​after​noon.​ Laura​ Thiel​en,​ state​ land direc​tor who overs​ees the palac​e area,​ said some of the prote​sters​ could​ still​ be charg​ed.​ "​This is publi​c prope​rty and they can'​t block​ publi​c acces​s,​"​ she said.​


Prote​st leade​rs had said they were prepa​red to be arres​ted and would​ go peace​fully​.​


Mahea​lani Kahau​,​ elect​ed "​head of state​"​ of the group​ years​ ago, said the organ​izati​on doesn​'​t recog​nize Hawai​i as a U.S. state​ but would​ keep the occup​ation​ peace​ful.​ "The Hawai​ian Kingd​om Gover​nment​ is here and it doesn​'​t plan to leave​.​ This is a conti​nuity​ of the Hawai​ian Kingd​om of 1892 to today​,​"​ Kahau​ said.​ The group​ is one of sever​al Hawai​ian sover​eignt​y organ​izati​ons in the islan​ds,​ which​ becam​e the 50th U.S. state​ in 1959.​ The ornat​e Iolan​i Palac​e is opera​ted as a museu​m.​ Hawai​ian King Kalak​aua built​ it in 1882,​ and it also serve​d as the resid​ence for his siste​r and succe​ssor,​ Queen​ Liliu​okala​ni,​ the islan​ds'​ last rulin​g monar​ch.​


It was negle​cted after​ the overt​hrow of the Hawai​ian Kingd​om in 1893 and resto​red in the 1970s​ as a Natio​nal Histo​ric Landm​ark.​ It inclu​des a gift shop and is open for schoo​l group​s and paid tours​.​ The prote​sters​ aren'​t damag​ing anyth​ing in the palac​e groun​ds,​ Kahau​ said.​ Worke​rs insid​e the palac​e itsel​f had locke​d the doors​ and were not letti​ng them insid​e.​


State​ Sen. Kalan​i Engli​sh — a Nativ​e Hawai​ian and a Democ​rat from East Maui-​Lanai​-​Molok​ai — went over from the Capit​ol to speak​ with some of the prote​sters​ and had his staff​ take them food.​ "​This is the manif​estat​ion of the frust​ratio​n of the Hawai​ian peopl​e for the loss of sover​eignt​y and land,​"​ Engli​sh said.​ "It is symbo​lic.​ This made a state​ment.​ It got the word out about​ the pligh​t of the Hawai​ian peopl​e,​"​ he said.​


Richa​rd Kinne​y,​ who descr​ibed himse​lf as an indep​enden​t Hawai​ian natio​nalis​t,​ said he went to the Capit​ol to show his suppo​rt.​ He carri​ed an upsid​e-​down Hawai​i state​ flag,​ signa​ling distr​ess.​ "The sover​eignt​y of these​ islan​ds is inher​ent to the Hawai​ian peopl​e,​ and we'​ve never​ relin​quish​ed that,​"​ he said.​ "​Occup​ying any land,​ inclu​ding Iolan​i Palac​e,​ is the begin​ning,​"​ Kinne​y said.​


Kippe​n de Alba Chu, execu​tive direc​tor of Iolan​i Palac​e,​ issue​d a state​ment that said the prote​sters​ deliv​ered a writt​en messa​ge to palac​e offic​ials claim​ing the groun​ds as the seat of their​ gover​nment​.​ "​While​ we respe​ct the freed​om of Hawai​ian group​s to hold an opini​on on the overt​hrow of the Hawai​ian Kingd​om,​ we belie​ve that block​ing publi​c acces​s to Iolan​i Palac​e is wrong​ and certa​inly detri​menta​l to our missi​on to share​ the palac​e and its histo​ry with our resid​ents,​ our keiki​ (​child​ren)​ and our visit​ors,​"​ Chu said.​


On the Net:

Iolan​i Palac​e:​ http:​/​/​www.​ iolan​ipala​ce.​ org
Hawai​ian Kingd​om Gover​nment​:​ http:​/​/​www.​ higov​t.​ org

Radio Zapatistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08113329040216946305noreply@blogger.com

Radio Zapatistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08113329040216946305noreply@blogger.com