Feature Archives

Nov. 4th: At 2 a.m., the barricades at Cincos Senoras and Radio APPO were attacked by paramilitaries. Beside these attacks, reports say that it was a quiet day in Oaxaca. A caravan from Mexico City left at around noon to meet in Oaxaca for Sunday's "Mega-March" against the PFP and Ulises Ruiz (starting at 10 a.m., or 8 a.m. Pacific time). The caravan has reported seeing many PFP troops and roadbloaks outside of Oaxaca, and four PFP jets flying into Oaxaca airport. Radio APPO's transmissions were jammed for much of the day.

Nov. 3rd: Radio Universidad came under attack once again this morning at 7am by paramilitary gunfire. Read developing updates from today. Volunteers from Centro de Medios Libres have posted their analysis of yesterday's events.

Nov. 2nd: University under siege by Federal Police | Photos from Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca | Tristan's Report
PFP launched an attack earlier today on Radio Universidad, but was forced to retreat by crowds of supporters. Among many reports of disappeared and missing persons, two girls were reported kidnapped by helicopters. Helicopters were also used throughout the day to launch teargas cannisters on the barricades. Read english transcript from Radio Universidad

Nov. 1st: Concerns about the presence of the PFP (federal "preventive" police) in the area around Oaxaca's Radio Universidad have heightened, and it is anticipated that a raid and attempt to shut down the station could occur tonight. ( English Translation from radio broadcast 1 | 2) The PFP reportedly has received a search warrant to go into the University. The hosts on the radio are calling for people to come out to the station to defend it physically, and to document the actions of the PFP and its supporters. Menacing flyers have been distributed by the pro-PRI people who have worked as paramilitaries against the recent social mobilizations in Oaxaca. One of the flyers calls for the arrests of several named protesters.

Press reports out of Mexico indicate the gunmen suspected of murdering New York journalist Brad Will are missing and not in police custody.

On Nov. 1st, Bound Together Bookstore in San Francisco held a dedication ceremony for its "Anarchism in the Americas" mural. The mural, which now includes a depiction of Brad Will, was dedicated in his honor. Photos: 1| 2

The Zapatistas have called for a November 1st shutdown of all Zapatista-held territories in Mexico in solidarity with the struggle of the people of Oaxaca. They are calling upon people all over the world to hold similar actions on that date (Ideas from Northern California Zapatistas). They also announced this weekend that they have begun organizing for joint solidarity actions across Mexico, leading to a nationwide shut-down (general strike) on November 20th. A Day of the Dead benefit for the Zapatistas will be held in Oakland on November 2nd. John Ross, author of "Zapatistas!" will be at Northtown Books in Arcata on Friday, November 3rd beginning at 7:30 PM.

October 23rd: Oaxacan Teachers Reject Return to School: SNTE Still on Strike!

danielsan reports from Oaxaca City, Mexico - There have been two APPO supporters killed this week: a painter and a teacher. Two autopsies filmed by human rights observers, two memorials in the Zocalo. There have been many more over the past few months, but as more time passes it seems like the violence comes in waves. They're starting to use the term "death squads" to describe the teams of out-of-uniform cops and military that are always found responsible for the shootings at the barricades or at the building occupations. There are some soldiers and cops around from time to time. Read more, photos and audio

danielsan reports from Oaxaca City, Mexico—where two protesters were shot on Oct. 13th, one fatally: "These days there is a lot of speculation and rumor, waiting for the outcome of the negotiations happening far away in Mexico City. There are propositions, leaked deals, and infinite possibilities, with some impatience, too. But nothing is concrete yet. Each side has a central demand, but at this point it isn´t clear whether a deal can be made: APPO and the people of Oaxaca have made perfectly clear that Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz cannot remain in power, since he has not been in power for several months now. Any step forward depends on his resignation, voluntary or otherwise."
Interview with an APPO supporter shot on Oct. 13th

A Johns Hopkins study published in UK journal The Lancet estimates that 655,000 more Iraqis have died as a result of war and political violence since March 2003 than would have died if mortality rates had remained the same as during 2002. Both violent and nonviolent death rates are now significantly above pre-war values, with the violence mainly concentrated in Sunni areas. While the number of additional deaths in the first year after the war was likely over 100,000, over half the total additional deaths are from this past year alone. PDF of Johns Hopkins study

On Sept. 21, about 100 protesters in San Francisco marked the 34th Anniversary of martial law in the Philippines and the murder of Filipinos. Photos. Earlier in the day activists dropped banners over freeways and street overpasses. Photos. Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power under martial law, at least 752 Filipinos have been murdered in politically motivated killings while 184 have gone missing.

Radio APPO relay

Santa Cruz IMC reporter Bradley wrote on August 29th: "Oaxaca City is almost entirely closed today... I am the only tourist staying at my hostel today... even the Zocalo is eerily quiet... The radio transmissions for Radio La Ley were cut-off sometime during the (early morning hours). Radio La Ley, a corporate radio station owned by ... Clear Channel, was recently taken over in solidarity with Asamblea Popular del Pueblo de Oaxaca (APPO). Approximately three radio stations are still in the hands of APPO and its supporters. A "MegaMarcha" will be held on September 1st."
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Slideshow