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Oaxaca update
My friend Brad was killed and I just got to Oaxaca
My long time friend and companion in the struggle for a better world, Brad Will, was killed in Oaxaca, Mexico on Friday. Many people know him from protests in Seattle, DC, Praue, NY and many other places.
In Oaxaca there has been a five month teachers strike and encampment and the city was taken over and barricaded by the coalition of civil society groups called the APPO. The main demand of the protesters is the the governor, called URO leave. Then there are other demands of course. The governor sends people in civilian cloths, but often actually police, to attack. Friday they atttacked several places and killed four people, Brad was one. See nyc.indymedia.org for more info.
On Saturday there were more attacks and killings. On Sunday the Federal Police invaded. In all day battles they retook the town. Although they are not as viscous as the local police they killed three and arrested 50 plus many more were injured. On Sunday I arrived in Mexico City. I was in time to go on a march and go to three encampments for Oaxaca. One is a serious hunger strike.
I met up with other people and we took the night bus to Oaxaca City. We made it to Oaxaca this morning. The downtown central plaza, where the encampment was is surrounded by large groups of Federal Police and water cannon tanks. We went to the university and Radio Universidad is still transmitting. It is the last protestor controlled radio station. There had been battles there last night and the university held out. It was a crazy
scene outside the university with 30 punks with molotovs in thier pockets and driving stolen construction equiptment and stealing cars and knocking down light poles with a front loader. At 11:00 we had three big marches. We marched toward the central square but the leadership of APPO diverted us to a park for a rally. However hundreds gathered at the police lines to chant and shout. mostly it went without incidence but a few rocks were thrown and a few tear gas grenades shot.
The whole city is spray painted and burned out vehicles and partial barricades are everywhere. Capturing vehicles to use in barricades is the common tactic here. Often they are burned and their shells block streets all over. It seems mellow but you never know what will next. The struggle continues and the teachers are setting up an encampmant in a nearby square.
In Oaxaca there has been a five month teachers strike and encampment and the city was taken over and barricaded by the coalition of civil society groups called the APPO. The main demand of the protesters is the the governor, called URO leave. Then there are other demands of course. The governor sends people in civilian cloths, but often actually police, to attack. Friday they atttacked several places and killed four people, Brad was one. See nyc.indymedia.org for more info.
On Saturday there were more attacks and killings. On Sunday the Federal Police invaded. In all day battles they retook the town. Although they are not as viscous as the local police they killed three and arrested 50 plus many more were injured. On Sunday I arrived in Mexico City. I was in time to go on a march and go to three encampments for Oaxaca. One is a serious hunger strike.
I met up with other people and we took the night bus to Oaxaca City. We made it to Oaxaca this morning. The downtown central plaza, where the encampment was is surrounded by large groups of Federal Police and water cannon tanks. We went to the university and Radio Universidad is still transmitting. It is the last protestor controlled radio station. There had been battles there last night and the university held out. It was a crazy
scene outside the university with 30 punks with molotovs in thier pockets and driving stolen construction equiptment and stealing cars and knocking down light poles with a front loader. At 11:00 we had three big marches. We marched toward the central square but the leadership of APPO diverted us to a park for a rally. However hundreds gathered at the police lines to chant and shout. mostly it went without incidence but a few rocks were thrown and a few tear gas grenades shot.
The whole city is spray painted and burned out vehicles and partial barricades are everywhere. Capturing vehicles to use in barricades is the common tactic here. Often they are burned and their shells block streets all over. It seems mellow but you never know what will next. The struggle continues and the teachers are setting up an encampmant in a nearby square.
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I have family down in Oaxaca (actually, they've moved temproarily to San Miguel de Allende just recently), so I've been following this whole nonsense closely.
I just can't find sympathy for either side here. I'm disgusted by the many heavy handed tactics by police, and can clearly see the corruption of the Ruiz government. The reporting from AP and the like has been rife with bias, and I can see why the teachers and other protesters would be unhappy with that.
But I see NO sympathy from the protesters for the people of Oaxaca who are suffering because of their interminable actions. The children who go without school, the business owners who go without customers, the citizens who go without services and the city which goes without order. Who cares about them, we've got a revolution here! If a few people have to suffer for the revolution to happen, so what? If the Oaxacan economy, and therefore the prosperity of all who live in Oaxaca, is damaged as tourists learn to avoid Oaxaca all together, who are the protesters to force that on everyone else? A bunch of short sighted arrogant fools, thats who.
But that attitude is the attitude of the government as well! Who cares if some hooligans get shot, or arrested, or beaten. Order comes with a cost! All they care about is there order, and all Ruiz cares about is his power.
Willing to sacrifice OTHERS for your goals, no matter how noble the goals are, is a selfish, evil act. The leftists lost any credibility they had as they disrupted the lives of thousands of others without concern.
I just can't find sympathy for either side here. I'm disgusted by the many heavy handed tactics by police, and can clearly see the corruption of the Ruiz government. The reporting from AP and the like has been rife with bias, and I can see why the teachers and other protesters would be unhappy with that.
But I see NO sympathy from the protesters for the people of Oaxaca who are suffering because of their interminable actions. The children who go without school, the business owners who go without customers, the citizens who go without services and the city which goes without order. Who cares about them, we've got a revolution here! If a few people have to suffer for the revolution to happen, so what? If the Oaxacan economy, and therefore the prosperity of all who live in Oaxaca, is damaged as tourists learn to avoid Oaxaca all together, who are the protesters to force that on everyone else? A bunch of short sighted arrogant fools, thats who.
But that attitude is the attitude of the government as well! Who cares if some hooligans get shot, or arrested, or beaten. Order comes with a cost! All they care about is there order, and all Ruiz cares about is his power.
Willing to sacrifice OTHERS for your goals, no matter how noble the goals are, is a selfish, evil act. The leftists lost any credibility they had as they disrupted the lives of thousands of others without concern.
For more information:
http://johnlong.typepad.com
I know there's already a lot of information out there, but I can't let the accusation of APPO not considering the consequences of their actions slip by. Most importantly, their structure of organizing (assemblies representing scores of communities) and their dependence on popular support to survive repression make this difficult. But let some of them respond on their own. See, for example this interview: http://zapagringo.blogspot.com/2006/10/q-with-appo-spokesperson.html
Of course, I'm quite curious about methods for ending an exploitative social order or displacing a corrupt government without inconveniencing anyone.
C
Of course, I'm quite curious about methods for ending an exploitative social order or displacing a corrupt government without inconveniencing anyone.
C
Those posting stories on Oaxaca might note the tone of the AP coverage, and lay off some of the more blatant advocacy in the postings that attempt to provide news coverage -- adopting more of a tone of neutrality in order to counter the sort of approach being taken by the AP and other "mainstream" media.
The alternative is to incline readers to discount Indymedia's coverage as propaganda and to view coverage like the AP's as being more "objective." While I'm able to recognize the bias in the AP report, the tone of the Indymedia reports iis likely to incline most readers (at best) to dismiss both sides as biased, and split the difference -- leading to a reading of the Indymedia reports as just another brand of bullshit -- and a tendency to view the AP report as, in the end, at least attempting to present both sides.
This isn't a matter of telling (or failing to tell) the truth, but of finding the best way to tell it effectively.
One might, of course, discount the importance of acquiring support from the petty-bourgeoisie and other non-"revolutionary" elements, but the presence or absence of such support may provide the crucial difference in who prevails in this situation. (I believe that was the case, for instance, in ending the Vietnam war.)
The alternative is to incline readers to discount Indymedia's coverage as propaganda and to view coverage like the AP's as being more "objective." While I'm able to recognize the bias in the AP report, the tone of the Indymedia reports iis likely to incline most readers (at best) to dismiss both sides as biased, and split the difference -- leading to a reading of the Indymedia reports as just another brand of bullshit -- and a tendency to view the AP report as, in the end, at least attempting to present both sides.
This isn't a matter of telling (or failing to tell) the truth, but of finding the best way to tell it effectively.
One might, of course, discount the importance of acquiring support from the petty-bourgeoisie and other non-"revolutionary" elements, but the presence or absence of such support may provide the crucial difference in who prevails in this situation. (I believe that was the case, for instance, in ending the Vietnam war.)
Those are actually two great responses, thank you! I wasn't expecting too much, and I should be a little more aware of the enormous difference in our respective world views. But what you gave me, very interesting.
Carwill, very interesting interview, thank you. It did seem like the APPO and the protesters were considering a lot of issues, up until about the past month or two.
As to how not to "inconvenience" people, you have a good point. I have very different ideas about what needs to change, but am at least as radical in terms of departure from the status quo. I believe the work to be done in changing things is personal work, educational work, and changing the minds of the people over time, especially the "petty-bourgeoisie", as they are almost always the real power in the world. The rich control them through control of the government and control of thought and rhetoric through the media. We can fight that influence.
This is a long term project, and looking for shortcuts will not yield the benefits you are looking for. Revolutionaries of any kind must push when the pushing is supported, not when they have lost their footing, otherwise they only undermine themselves.
Carwill, very interesting interview, thank you. It did seem like the APPO and the protesters were considering a lot of issues, up until about the past month or two.
As to how not to "inconvenience" people, you have a good point. I have very different ideas about what needs to change, but am at least as radical in terms of departure from the status quo. I believe the work to be done in changing things is personal work, educational work, and changing the minds of the people over time, especially the "petty-bourgeoisie", as they are almost always the real power in the world. The rich control them through control of the government and control of thought and rhetoric through the media. We can fight that influence.
This is a long term project, and looking for shortcuts will not yield the benefits you are looking for. Revolutionaries of any kind must push when the pushing is supported, not when they have lost their footing, otherwise they only undermine themselves.
For more information:
http://johnlong.typepad.com
A big difference I've noticed between friends who have been to Oaxaca who have at least some analysis of their surroundings and what I'm reading on-line is the importance of APPO, both from the perspective of Oaxacans and for our interest here. APPO is spending the current crisis denouncing provacateurs and 'those outside the movement', saying that resistance to the military gives them justification for violence. Then, indymedia reporters and others are reporting that basically, APPO is at the center of what's happening in Oaxaca and not paying any recognition to this fact that APPO is denouncing the people who are fighting back.
The simple fact is that many people do not agree with this "head of the movement, representation" view of struggle, let alone non-violence as a code.
Appo is very undecided in the minds of many of us in the States, not to mention that obviously there is a fair amount of disdain from Oaxacans themselves( a simple surmising of historical situations ie. this is not exactly a new phenomena that 'representatives' move from pronouncing the motives and demands of a movement to its guidelines, restrictions, and enemies- and people quickly wisen to the fact that someone is labeling their resistance as "acting on the part of the state"). My point is, something doesn't fit. People don't go out and fight the cops when people are being shot, and then later say 'oh, we were really HELPING the state in that situation'. So its not hard to see that APPO plays something of a reactionary role in the situation. What's important is for us to recognize the presence of real struggle going on, and reject the spin and political language which allows repression and class conflict to be mystified.
If there's any hope at all, its that APPO is far less influential than is being portrayed( which, from what I've heard is true), and that there is a general consciousness in Oaxaca that ALL political solutions are antagonistic to the quality of life. It would also help to see more discussion around the fact that there is an obvious conflict of interest between APPO and some of the people on the streets.
The simple fact is that many people do not agree with this "head of the movement, representation" view of struggle, let alone non-violence as a code.
Appo is very undecided in the minds of many of us in the States, not to mention that obviously there is a fair amount of disdain from Oaxacans themselves( a simple surmising of historical situations ie. this is not exactly a new phenomena that 'representatives' move from pronouncing the motives and demands of a movement to its guidelines, restrictions, and enemies- and people quickly wisen to the fact that someone is labeling their resistance as "acting on the part of the state"). My point is, something doesn't fit. People don't go out and fight the cops when people are being shot, and then later say 'oh, we were really HELPING the state in that situation'. So its not hard to see that APPO plays something of a reactionary role in the situation. What's important is for us to recognize the presence of real struggle going on, and reject the spin and political language which allows repression and class conflict to be mystified.
If there's any hope at all, its that APPO is far less influential than is being portrayed( which, from what I've heard is true), and that there is a general consciousness in Oaxaca that ALL political solutions are antagonistic to the quality of life. It would also help to see more discussion around the fact that there is an obvious conflict of interest between APPO and some of the people on the streets.
John's viewpoint exemplifies the obvious distinction between liberal reformism (let's change the world but let's be nice -- especially to tourist convenience and business profits), and revolution (if you want a big omelet to feed some people, you have to bust some huevos). Oaxaquenos are obviously on a path that could possibly create some serious structural change down the road (and I emphasize "possibly" bec the SNTE union has had an accommodationist past within the existing political system), and there are enough people involved with serious intentions that they might just pull something off.
This movement is part of a much larger one against govt/political party corruption, ineptitude and repression, as well as FOR worker rights. As such it can possibly lead to democratization and greater participation by common folk. The international community, beyond liberal reformism, needs to support this movement, just as we have the zapatista uprising.
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess t favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning....Power concedes nothing without a demand..." --Frederick Douglass, escaped slave in los United Estate Quieto.
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