[ Please read on even if you can’t attend the benefit. important information about how to help below. ]
December 12th, 2006
Chaz’s Bull City Records
1916 Perry St.
Durham, NC
Celebrate the Feast Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe!
Support the Peoples’ Struggle in Oaxaca!
film screening/teach-in @ 8pm
benefit show @ 9pm
Bands:
Scene of the Crime Rovers-Durham marching band
The Drowsies-Raleigh punk
Something’s Wrong-Asheville punk
Feast Upon Thy Brother-Durham metal
oaxacan style tamales and horchata! cheap and super delicioso!
all proceeds go to benefit CACTUS!!!!!!!
CACTUS (Centro de Apoyo Comunitario Trabajando Unidos—Center for Communal Support) is a grassroots organization based in the La Mixteca region of Oaxaca, home to Mexico’s poorest municipalities.
CACTUS works to resist oppressive economic and political policies that leave the people of La Mixteca impoverished and marginalized. Many of CACTUS’s organizers do solidarity economy work, community banking and popular education. They mostly work with women seeing as most of the men have migrated either to the US or the agricultural fields of Northern Mexico that 100% export to the US. But they are not powerless! CACTUS has been participating in the assemblies of the Asamblea Popular del Pueblo de Oaxaca, APPO (Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca).
On November 25 CACTUS and other organizations from La Mixteca were traveling to Oaxaca City to participate in the seventh mega march of the APPO when their buses were stopped by paramilitaries. One bus was offloaded and then set on fire. Over 20 people were arrested and are still being detained Nayarit.
CACTUS organizers have received death threats and have been in hiding for the last two months to avoid arrest, disappearance and assassination. Furthermore, their offices have been broken into and vandalized. They are being treated like criminals when all they are doing is exercising their right to live with dignity.
Much international attention has been focused on the amazing popular rebellion that is happening in Oaxaca City. However, little has been passed onto the more rural and outlying regions of the state, even though these activists, workers, and farmers are also facing institutional and violent repression. Emily Posner and I will be traveling to La Mixteca on December 15th for two weeks. Our solidarity mission is multi-faceted.
First, we will act as human rights observers in La Mixteca. Second, we will document as much as we can about what is happening in La Mixteca. Third, we will help set up documentation infrastructure, so that when we leave, this region’s residents will be able to continue documenting these turbulent times.
Finally, to we will deliver much needed supplies and money to help CACTUS continue its imperative work. We will bring things like cell phones and money for phone cards to improve CACTUS communication network in case of another paramilitary attack. We will donate video and audio recording equipment and digital cameras for CACTUS. We will supply needed funds so that CACTUS can get their comrades out of jail and continue to participate APPO general assemblies.
If you can’t make the show, but wish to donate a cellphone that is sim card compatible, digital camera, audio recording equipment or video recording equipment please send it to Tennessee Watson before December 15th.
If you are interested in donating funds to purchase any of this equipment or to take directly to Oaxaca (so we can avoid wiring costs) please send to Tennessee Watson. We are hoping to raise at least $1,000 to purchase equipment and to help get CACTUS organizers and residents of La Mixteca out of jail. Your help is greatly appreciated at this pivotal time.
Tennessee Watson
1317 West Pettigrew
Durham, North Carolina
27705
585.739.9143
tennessee.watson@gmail.com
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source: http://www.friendsofbradwill.org/
