Manifesto Presented to Consul as Oaxaca Solidarity Camp Closes in San Diego

November 25th, 2006 – san diego indymedia volunteer writes: With a press conference and presentation of a Manifesto to the Consul, the Oaxaca Solidarity Camp, which had occupied the sidewalk outside the San Diego Mexican Consulate since the invasion of Oaxaca City by Federal Preventative Forces (PFP) on October 29, closed Tuesday and moved to Chican@ Perk in Sherman Heights.

The Camp had become a center for education about the corrupt government in Oaxaca, ongoing repression and the resistance, as well as a hub for organizing activity. The Plantonistas communicated their messages using diverse tactics, including marches, rallies, banners, chants, photos, sidewalk chalk art, flyers, video showings and conversations.

As the Camp was being dismantled, the Consul Luis Cabrera presented himself to receive a copy of the VAPPOR-OAXACA Manifesto, signing a statement that he would forward it to outgoing President Vincente Fox and fraudulently elected incoming President Felipe Calderón.

Christy Will, who was present at the Camp Tuesday morning, introduced herself to the representative of the government that is violently repressing the resistance her brother Brad was documenting as he was murdered and that is sheltering his assassins. She earlier read a statement on Radio Universidad thanking the Plantonistas for their solidarity with the people of Oaxaca, expressing support for the demands of The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) and announcing the formation of a foundation to “support and contribute to nonviolent groups dedicated to the advancement of underserved people and communities throughout the world.”

The Manifesto declares the solidarity of VAPPOR-OAXACA with the people of Oaxaca and their representatives, APPO. It connects the dots between the current struggle, the role of the international capitalist system stretching back 514 years to the European invasion, and the repression of Oaxaqueños and other migrants in the border region. It also submits demands paralleling those of APPO: immediate withdrawal of Mexican federal forces; a complete end to repression, harassment, torture and psychological warfare; freedom for all political prisoners and disappeared, with compensation; and the removal and immediate arrest, judgment and punishment of the corrupt governor Ulises Ruiz.

The Plantonistas reclaimed public space in front of the Consulate and held the space day and night despite harassment by cops and Consulate personnel in a heavily gentrified neighborhood of Little Italy, where private security forces aided by cops have made it nearly impossible to sit down, much less lie down, without buying crap.

The Camp was maintained by a coalition of individuals and groups operating on a consensus basis that came to be called VAPPOR OAXACA, including Oaxaqueños in San Diego County, Adherents to the Zapatista Sixth Declaration, Anarchists, Students, Migrant Advocates and others. Members of VAPPOR OAXACA plan to continue their educational efforts and actions elsewhere in San Diego.

Numerous other solidarity actions around the world have been raising awareness of ongoing repression and resistance in Oaxaca, despite a corporate media near blackout.

The Seventh MegaMarch, called for by APPO with the intention of surrounding PFP troops in the Zócalo of Oaxaca City and ejecting them on November 25, is in progress. For live coverage, check out Radio Universidad.

Video 8min 20sec: Press Conference (espanol), Christy Will (english and espanol) and dismantling of the Camp.

Video:12min 17sec Presentation of Manifesto to Consul (espanol)

Press Release and Manifesto

Continuing Updates: espanol: 1 2 3 | english 1 2 3

SD Reports: 1 2 3 4 5 6

SD Photos/Reports with Photos: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

SD Audio: 1 2 3

SD Video: 1 2 3 4 5 6

SD Features: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

source: http://sandiego.indymedia.org/en/2006/11/122208.shtml

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