San Cristobal de las Casas, 28 October 2006

TO THE PUEBLO OF OAXACA
TO THE PUEBLO OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
TO THE PUEBLOS, COMMUNITIES, CITIZENS AND ORGANIZACIONS OF CHIAPAS
TO THE PUEBLOS OF THE WORLD

Members of the Other Campaign Jovel, outraged by the repression exercised by the government against the civil movement of Oaxaca, a repression that has already led to numerous imprisonments, disappearances, orders of apprehension, dozens of injured and more than 13 deaths, want to publicly express that:

• We hold the state government of Oaxaca and the federal government of the Republic of Mexico responsible for the suffering of the people of Oaxaca and for the violence that is still to come, for not wanting to listen to nor legally recognize the legitimate demands of the APPO (Popular Assembly of the Pueblo of Oaxaca) and section XXII of the teachers union. Putting their efforts into methods of dissuasion, seeking to create division, burnout and terror, and avoiding their political responsibility.
• We hold Ulísis Ruiz Ortiz responsible for his shameless refusal to give up his position as governor, an action that has impeded a political resolution to the situation and that has led to armed actions against the popular movement.

We support the search for political solutions that the APPO and section 22 have been developing since the beginning of the conflict and we express our active solidarity in the decision of these organizations to continue in their struggle for their legitimate demands.

We, along with the APPO and section 22 of the teachers union, are demanding an immediate solution to this urgent political conflict. In this solution we demand:

• Demilitarization of the conflict, the immediate cessation of violent actions against the civil and popular movement of Oaxaca, and a guarantee of respect for life and the human rights of the population.
• The immediate exit of governor Ulísis Ruiz Ortiz and subsequent submission to a political trial and sanctions.
• That the army, PFP (the federal police), and the marines return to their barracks, and that all paramilitary groups be disarmed.
• The liberty of all political prisoners, the cancellation of all apprehension orders, and the safe return of all of those who have been disappeared and exiled.
• An exhaustive investigation and trial of the intellectual and material authors of these crimes, and of all the human rights violations that have been committed.
• Respect for the decisions of the people of Oaxaca, for their forms of organization and for their decision concerning their future, as guaranteed by article 39 of the Mexican Constitution.

We make the struggle of the APPO and of section XXII our own in our organizing, support and unity with peoples’ struggles, so that we may create a political path of transformation and justice and close the way to the violent and military solutions that the powers from above always send to hurt us.

“If they attack one of us, they attack all of us.”

Adherents to and those in solidarity with the Other Campaign, San Cristobal de las Casas.

NOTE: Given the gravity of the situation we call all of the people of the Other Campaign and all who feel the urgency of this situation to pass by the escuela de Cacao, Calle 1ro de marzo, 32 to support this urgent matter and support our brothers and sisters in Oaxaca.