La Lucha Sigue: Radio Universidad Broadcasting from Oaxaca

[ Photo of Radio Universidad by Ariel (from November 2006) — high resolution ]

May 14th, 2007 – danielsan writes: Oaxaca City’s Radio Universidad, retaken by students and APPO supporters on May Day, continues to broadcast at 1400 AM in the state capitol. The webstream also continues, allowing all of us to hear news direct from Oaxaca’s embattled people’s movement. “Tune In” to witness and support the resurgence of demands like justice, accountability, and recognition of human rights.

May 15th is National Teachers Day in Mexico (as well as Puerto Rico and Colombia). Historically, teachers in México have been especially active in social struggles and revolutionary movements. The teachers of Oaxaca are no exception–in fact they are most often at the forefront, as they have been recently.

An article from La Jornada (a leftist newspaper published out of Mexico City’s National Autonomous University UNAM) is translated and reposted below, about the continued broadcasts and interference. So far (in my monitoring of the webstream), interference hasn’t been an issue, but the article below says that the AM broadcast has been interfered with since 8 AM on Saturday morning.

Last November, Radio Universidad’s signal was virtually blocked out by a competing signal broadcasting the same annoying song over and over again, effectively silencing the protest movement’s voice after a police attack was unable to do so. A sample clip of the awful song that blocked Radio Universidad is attached below for your curiosity.

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Translation of:
Notimex / La Jornada On Line

Members of APPO takeover Radio Universidad

May 12 2007

Oaxaca: A group of students in support of APPO maintains its control of Radio Universidad, the University station of UABJO [Oaxaca City’s National Autonomous University – Benito Juarez], sending messages about the march organized by Section 22 of the SNTE [the radical Oaxacan local of the National Teachers Union] planned for May 15th [National Teachers Day]

Reports say that the re-occupation has continued since Thursday night, when the students supporting the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (the APPO) entered the broadcast-installations “in support of the teachers and the popular movement.”

One of the speakers said the takeover is also in solidarity with “our comrades from the Medical School” who have been blockading their facilities since last Wednesday.

APPO sympathizers also took over the University’s radio station last April 30th, in order to coordinate 2006’s May Day march and the takeover of buildings on May 2nd.

These mobilizations were the work of said [teachers] union to protest against the “Law of the ISSSTE (Institute of State Workers for Security and Social Service).”

On that occasion, the radio was returned in the afternoon on the 2nd, as had been announced since the takeover.

The radio has been interrupted with interference since 8 am this [past] Saturday.

The host announced through the broadcast that this action intends to renew the activities of the teachers union (SNTE) that begin on May 15th with a march on National Teachers Day.

The University Rector, Francisco Martínez Neri, had said that normal procedures would be followed so that the students would not support the radio in that way, but to this point there have been no declarations.

translation by danielsan [with context added]

Miembros de la APPO toman en Oaxaca Radio Universidad

Notimex / La Jornada On Line
12/05/2007 13:32

Oaxaca, Oax. Un grupo de universitarios simpatizantes de la APPO mantiene tomada Radio Universidad de la UABJO, para transmitir mensajes, en el marco de la marcha de la Sección 22 del SNTE, programada para el 15 de mayo próximo.

Según los reportes, desde la noche del jueves, los estudiantes simpatizantes de la Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO) ingresaron a las instalaciones de la emisora, “en apoyo al magisterio y al movimiento popular”.

Uno de los locutores dijo que la toma también es en solidaridad con “nuestros compañeros de la Facultad de Medicina”, quienes desde el miércoles pasado bloquearon los accesos de dicha facultad.

Los simpatizantes de la APPO habían tomado la radiodifusora de la Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO) el 30 de abril pasado, para convocar a la marcha del 1 de mayo y a la toma de edificios el dos de mayo.

Estas movilizaciones fueron en el marco del llamado nacional para manifestarse en contra de la Ley del Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE).

En esa ocasión, la radio fue entregada la tarde del dos de mayo, como lo habían anunciado desde su toma.

Esta radio universitaria se encuentra interferida desde la 8:00 horas de este sábado.

El locutor señaló mediante la radio, que esta acción es para reincorporarse nuevamente a las actividades de la APPO y a las de la Sección 22 del Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE), que inician el 15 de mayo con una marcha por el Día del Maestro.

El rector de la universidad, Francisco Martínez Neri, había declarado que se harían normas jurídicas para que los estudiantes no se apoderen de esa forma de la emisora, pero hasta el momento no ha dado declaraciones.