June 27th, 2007 — AMZ writes: To oppose the assault against the people of Oaxaca since June of last year and to demand freedom for all our political prisoners, there will be a rally in front of the Supreme Court building at 3:00 p.m. on June 28, 2007. We will not permit any more injustices against the people! See you there.
The members of the Magonista-Zapatista Alliance (AMZ) strongly denounce the dictator of Oaxaca, Ulises Ruin Ortiz (URO).
Now, when the APPO and teachers from Section 22 have set up their encampment in the main plaza of the city of Oaxaca once again, URO is making another stab at dismantling the movement in the state with the arrest in Santiago Xanica of our indigenous comrade César Luís Díaz, a member of the Committee for the Defense of Indigenous Rights of Santiago Xanica (CODEDI) and council member of the APPO for the coastal region. He has participated in all the APPO activities, including the most recent mega march.
After receiving numerous death threats from regional PRI party members, César was arrested about two months ago on orders from the PRI municipal president and taken to Xanica, where they tried to hang him. They were thwarted when women and children saved his life.
On Monday, June 18, at 4:00 in the afternoon, a heavily armed Oaxaca state police commando unit, along with the police who have the town of Xanica under siege, arrested César without a warrant in a town store. He was violently thrown into a truck and taken to an unknown site. After several hours, the authorities admitted that he was being held at the Pochutla prison. Now they’ve reported that they have him in the prison at Santa María Huatulco.
CODEDI-Xanica is a member organization of the AMZ, the Popular Anti-neoliberal Oaxacan Magonista Coordinating Body (COMPA), adherent to the Other Campaign, and founding member of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO).
Let’s not forget that on January 15, 2005, a few days after the URO government took over, the first indigenous prisoners of his term of office were unjustly taken: Abraham García Vásquez and Juventino and Noel Garcia, also members of the CODEDI. After being shot by the Oaxaca state and local police, they were taken to the Pochutla prison. More than two years later, the government has not been able to prove that these comrades are guilty of the charges against them.
We hold URO, Oaxaca’s illegitimate governor, and municipal PRI president Sergio García Cruz responsible for the arrests and persecution of our comrades. García Cruz has consistently been URO’s regional boss.
We demand an end to the persecution of the indigenous communities and representatives that have been and will continue to be the most unswerving bases of the APPO.
ULISES RUIZ OUT OF THE OAXACA GOVERNMENT!
FREEDOM FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS AND PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE!
LIVE PRESENTATION OF DISAPPEARED PEOPLE!
Without freedom there is no democracy!
Magonista-Zapatista Alliance (AMZ)
Committee for the Defense of Indigenous Rights of Santiago Xanica (CODEDI)
Indian Organizations for Human Rights in Oaxaca (OIDHO)
Autonomous Magonista Collective (CAMA)
