danielsan reports from Oaxaca City, Mexico

October 24th - We spoke with two teachers, Flavio & Fabian, in the Central Zócalo for a while before moving to the UABJO, Autonamous University of Oaxaca-Benito Juarez. Audio files in mp3 format are in Spanish. English translation is transcribed below each file. The first file is a message in Zapotec, greeting Oaxacans living in California. Read more and listen to audio

October 23rd - Questions about the process and manner in which leadership of the teachers' union (SNTE) initiated a controversial referendum to return to work led to a rejection of the 'consulta' and the continuation of the five-months-and-running teachers strike. The teachers remain at the forefront of the strike and they stick to their demand: No return to work with URO claiming to be in power! Read more and view photos

October 20th, 2006 - 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.

Last night after Panfilo Hernandez Vasquez was shot and killed, two police patrol cars were stopped and smashed in retribution. But no one was hurt--just some smashed windows and a couple of no-longer-driveable cars to add to the barricade. This movement has been unarmed for the whole time. Sticks, sometimes machetes, but never guns. But until what point? How many teachers, picked off by gunfire in the night, as the seemingly endless negotiations drag on? How many memorials in the Zocalo? How long before a guerrila movement resurfaces? Before people leave the morgue with retribution in mind? Read more, view photos and listen to audio || Audio: Oct. 22 Update from Oaxaca

Audio (mp3s): maestra - caso contra URO || maestra - Oaxaca as an example to the world || maestra - educaton en Oaxaca || niño - poesia en zócalo

previous Oaxaca reports from danielsan: Ulises Gives A Face to Corruption || Ingobernabilidad || ¡Ni un paso atrás! Not one step back! || Interview with APPO Supporter Shot Friday Night || From the Barricades: Oaxacan Teachers Speak