The English translation of an important document.
English translation: Tomás Rosa Bueno and Lois Meyer (for the OSAG “t-group”)
Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca – Accords
(10 September 2006)
CONSENSUS STATEMENTS BY THE POPULAR ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLE OF OAXACA IN A MEETING HELD IN THE “PROFR. JACOBO HERRERA SALAZAR” AUDITORIUM, OF SECTION 22 OF THE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION WORKERS UNION, ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2006
PARTICIPANTS: 309 DELEGATES FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS
START: 12:15 PM CLOSE: 11:00 PM
I. FRATERNAL GREETINGS:
o OAXACA CITY TAXI DRIVERS
o APPO OF SAN JUAN GUELAVIA
o APPO OF SANTA CRUZ PAPALUTLA
o FRANCISCO VILLA POPULAR FRONT
o OAXACA INDEPENDENT TAXI DRIVERS GROUP
o UNAM STUDENT COLLECTIVE
o AN APPO HAS BEEN ORGANIZED IN SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 10 AM, TO SUPPORT THE OAXACA MOVEMENT, AS IN AUGUST 1st -APPO (INVITATION TO JOIN THE MEGAMARCH COMING FROM ALL 7 REGIONS OF THE STATE AND CARAVANNING TO MEXICO CITY ON SEPTEMBER 15.)
II. REPORTS
1. MIGUEL A. ALVAREZ (SERAPAZ)
2. DIALOGUE WITH THE INTERIOR MINISTRY ON THURSDAY, SEP. 04, 2006.
3. SECTION 22 (STATE ASSEMBLY AGREEMENTS, SEP. 06, 2006).
III. CONSENSUS STATEMENTS:
1. This Plenary ratifies that unity in discourse and action by all social organizations and by the organized people in the popular struggle, as these join together in the APPO, is an important factor to defeat the tyrant, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz,.
2. This Plenary agrees to ratify that the ousting of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz is a non-negotiable item.
3. Total support for a single APPO negotiating commission to maintain a unified presence at the negotiating table with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, based on the central demand that Ulises Ruiz must go (a split in the negotiating commission must not be allowed).
4. Develop a political document as a counterproposal to the offer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, made up of proposals from the people of Oaxaca.
5. Ratify the decision to submit the government’s proposals to popular consultation.
6. Attend the meeting with the Senate to ensure that there is a concrete proposal, to not break off negotiations, to avoid clinging to only one solution, to keep insisting on the quickest solutions, which is the resignation or removal of Ulíses Ruiz Ortiz.
7. Establish the necessary contacts with the different parliamentary factions in the Senate, following them up with mobilization so as not to compromise the Oaxaca popular movement.
8. Take organizational measures to strengthen the APPO.
9. Initiate the departure of the three caravans to publicize our struggle in the North, South and Center of the country, the 15th and 16th of September 2006.
10. Keep promoting the creation of APPOs in the regions.
11. Strengthen APPO’s police force and the mobile brigade.
12. That the national protest encampment in Mexico City move to the Senate
13. Advance in the writing of the political proclamation, the manifesto and in the call for citizen meetings to deal with the reactivation of the economy, public safety, upkeep and beautification of the city, urban and suburban transportation, tourism and harmonious coexistence. (Present it at the next APPO meeting.)
14. That the APPO’s Cultural Commission and Section 22’s Secretary of Culture and Recreation organize the festivities for Independence day.
15. Carry out a fund-raising campaign to organize the Independence Day celebration.
16. Structure APPO committees in the neighborhoods, agencias (tiny hamlets), municipalities and regions.
17. Meeting with all labor unions belonging to the APPO (on a date to be determined).
18. Meeting of all agencias and neighborhoods belonging to the APPO, on Tuesday September 12, 5 PM, at the School of Law and Social Sciences.
19. Meeting with public transportation company owners to deal with transportation fares (date to be determined).
20. Due to need, consider the possibility of expanding or creating new commissions for the collective steering of the APPO.
21. Promote the national and international forum of solidarity with the Oaxacan
people’s struggle on September 28, 2006.
22. During the national forum, schedule a national march of solidarity with Oaxaca,
September 28, 2006.
23. Promote the motorcade of the ” First of August Oaxacan Women´s Coordination-
APPO”, leaving on Friday September 15, 2006.
24. Schedule the APPO’s Constituent Congress.
25. In anticipation of eventual repression, we need to create a national and
international protective shield for our teacher and popular struggle requesting
both information and financial support. (Create worker defense committees.)
26. To guarantee the work proposal presented by the Secretary of Culture and
Recreation of Section 22, that the celebration of Independence Day in Oaxaca
incorporate active and peaceful resistance.
27. September 20, 2006: march from the Ministry of the Internal Affairs to the
presidential palace in Mexico City, together with Mexico City’s Popular
Assembly, in support of Oaxaca’s popular struggle.
28. Sertexa bus owners ask for the return of their vehicles
IV. PRONOUNCEMENTS
o This Plenary declares its opposition ot the repressive policies of the Federal and State governments. It also condemns the militarization of the State of Oaxaca.
o For the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Mexico, and in particular the release of: Germán Mendoza Nube, Erangelio Mendoza González, Catarino Torres Pereda and Ramiro Aragón Pérez.
o Punishment for those who are the material and intellectual authors of the crimes against comrades who have fallen in this period of popular struggle.
o Against the militarization of Oaxaca’s villages, we demand the immediate departure of the Mexican army from the Sierra Juarez villages of: San Gaspar Yagalaxi, Río Grande, and Guelatao de Juárez, among others.
V. PLAN OF ACTION
Date and place Activity Participants
Sep. 14, 2006
Mexico City 5th Round of Negotiations between APPO and the Ministry of the Internal Affairs APPO’s Official Negotiating Commission
Sep. 13, 15 and 16, 2006 Popular Independence festivities The people of Oaxaca
Sep. 28, 2006, Oaxaca City National and international forum of solidarity with the struggle of the Oaxacan people National and international organizations
Sep. 28, 2006 National march of solidarity with Oaxaca National organizations
October 12, 2006, 11 AM, San Lorenzo Lalana (City Hall) Popular Forum Open invitation to all social organizations
FOR THE REMOVAL OF ULISES RUIZ ORTIZ, NOT ONE STEP BACK!
UNITED AND ORGANIZED, WE WILL WIN!
