Teaching Rebellion Contributor Kidnapped and Tortured

Journalist Pedro Matías, whose testimony is included in the book “Teaching Rebellion”, was kidnapped and tortured for twelve hours yesterday before being abandoned on the side of the road outside of Oaxaca.

From Reporters Without Borders:

Oaxaca-based reporter kidnapped and tortured for 12 hours

Reporters Without Borders is appalled by the abduction and mistreatment of reporter Pedro Matías Arrazola of the local daily Noticias de Oaxaca and the national weekly Proceso, who was beaten and psychologically tortured for about 12 hours on the night of 25 October in the southern city of Oaxaca before being dumped outside the city.

Friends of Brad Will, links

Days away from the 2nd anniversary of Brad Will’s murder, actions are planned and in progress around the world.  Take a moment to check out the news and analysis of these other great bloggers, and support actions in your city: 

Friends of Brad Will, complete coverage of actions, news, investigation by organization of friends and family of Brad, fighting for justice in his case.

Members of Friends of Brad Will in New York are engaged in a hunger strike and protest in front of Sentator Clinton’s office.  More info on Friends of Brad site, also briefly covered in NY Times. 

Angrywhitekid, blog covering latin american social struggles, great recent analysis on Oaxaca.

Recent articles by Kristin Bricker on Narconews, highlight connection betwen Plan Merida and arrests of APPO movement member.

Que Corre la Voz, Portland

For some reason speaking on the radio makes me more nervous than speaking in public, but we embrace the opportunity to share on two different radio shows on community radio, KBOO in Portland:  Buscando Americas a spanish live program focusing on political issues and discussion, and Public Affairs program bringing the latest news and analysis.  If you missed the broadcasts, Friday at 2pm and 5 pm, excerpts of English interview will be re-broadcast on Tuesday 10 am, and hopefully all audio will soon be available on their website, www.kboo.org .  Thanks to all our friends at KBOO, an amazing space and exciting example of alternative community radio! 

The influence of KBOO was tangible in the enormous turn out at our Portland event that evening at Laughing Horse Books!  We ran out of chairs at this great independent bookstore- folks, infoshops and collectively-run radical bookshops are a struggling, give your local alternative some love and support! 

The Portland crowd was very informed and connected to Oaxaca issues- a lot of great questions about the role of media, mainstream and alternative and how to effectively be in solidarity with the movement members recently detained and accused of involvement in Brad Wills murder.   

Saturday, we had another live Spanish radio interview with a community station in Skagit Valley, WA, an area with a large population of Oaxacan migrants, www.ksvr.org .  Saludos Paisanos!  Que corre la voz solidaria!

Statement of Oaxaca Witnesses

(sigue en espanol)

Oaxaca, October 21, 2008

Faced with constant threats and harassment against us and our families we write this letter so that the men and women of Mexico and the world are made aware of the abuse of power exercised recently by institutions such as the Federal Attorney General.

We have a right to live in peace as do our families. From the very beginning, we five witnesses, voluntarily came forward to contribute to the resolution of this case. We gave statements before the Federal Attorney General, contributing information, we supplied testimony based on the real events and we presented counter arguments to that of the State Attorney General, given that the information and investigation led by this institution as always been full of irregularity, ambiguity and omissions.

UC Davis, impactful discussion

Will family: Hardy, Kathy and Wendy with Gustavo and Melissa

The Teaching Rebellion Tour in Davis last night was a huge success. Over 75 people attended the event, and the discussion was very dynamic. We had the incredible honor of having Brad Will’s parents and sister at our event. They have been very active in the struggle for justice for their son and the other 26 people murdered in Oaxaca during 2006, and their presence and participatihon at this timely event was very moving and informative.

Latest on Oaxaca, Mexican press

Major Mexican press covers recent arrests in Oaxaca and details the “irregularities” in the Attorney General’s (PGR, Procuraduria General de Republica) investigation as recent Mexican National Commision for Human Rights (CNDH) report describes.

La Jornada, Mexican national newspaper

El Milenio, Mexican national newspaper

Las Noticias, Oaxacan daily newspaper

WITNESS TO JOURNALIST’S MURDER DENOUNCES ARRESTS OF OAXACAN ACTIVISTS

Press Release, 10/20/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melissa Mundt melissajmundt(at)gmail.com
Rachel Wallis, rachel.a.wallis(at)gmail.com

WITNESS TO JOURNALIST’S MURDER DENOUNCES ARRESTS OF OAXACAN ACTIVISTS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Monday, Oct. 20: Days after Mexican authorities arrested two activists for the murder of independent journalist Brad Will, Mexican photographer and witness to the murder, Gustavo Vilchis, denounces the arrests as politically motivated.  Vilchis, along with human rights organizations and members of the media, argue that plainclothes police officers and a local elected official are responsible for Will’s murder.

According to the Oaxaca based indigenous organization Consejo Indigena Popular de Oaxaca (CIPO), Juan Manuel Martinez Moreno was arrested Thursday October 17 and charged with Will’s murder.  Octavio Peréz was later arrested as an accomplice to the murder. CIPO reports that federal authorities have issued more warrants in relation to the case. Both Peréz and Martinez are activists with Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO, Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca) one of the main organizing bodies of the 2006 protests.

Vilchis, an eyewitness to Will’s murder, is currently on a speaking tour in the US.  He argues that, “We know, and there is evidence to prove, that the bullets that took the life of Brad and injured at least three other protesters came from local officials, who were well armed and dressed as civilians.  We, who have been fighting for justice in the case of Brad’s murder, know that the investigations of the ‘Mexican authorities’ are full of irregularities and omissions.  They are clearly trying to blame the people who put their lives at risk to try save Brad’s life, and at the same time, they are repressing and criminalizing protest movements.”

Will was shot and killed on October 27, 2006, during the violent clashes between protesters and authorities that consumed the city of Oaxaca, Mexico for nearly six months.  Although autopsy reports revealed that Will was shot by the same caliber weapon carried by the municipal officials who were captured on film shooting towards the protesters, Mexican authorities have continued to insist that he was shot at close range by protesters.

On September 28, 2008, the National Commission on Human Rights in Mexico released a report claiming that there were serious irregularities and omissions during the investigation of the murder.

Gustavo Vilchis is currently on tour promoting the book, published by PM Press, “Teaching Rebellion: Stories from the Grassroots Movement in Oaxaca,” a collection of testimonies from participants in the Oaxacan social movement, which features his photography and his account of Will’s murder.

Gustavo Vilchis is available for interviews. For more information or to schedule and interview please contact Melissa Mundt melissajmundt(at)gmail.com and/or Rachel Wallis, rachel.a.wallis(at)gmail.com
To review a copy of the book (for Bay Area folks books could be available tomorrow) contact Ramsey, ramsey(at)pmpress.org

UC Berkeley, special guests

An exciting event-  at last we have books on hand to sell and people are enthusiastic to take them home.  We are joined by another relative of Brad Will and it is always an honor and a privilege to share with this amazing family.  Our friend John Gibler was also able to attend and speak to his experience in Oaxaca and as a reporter working closely on the Brad Will case.  John described the “exquisite incompetence” that has permeated the murder investigation on every level.  And we discussed the use of nonviolence and violence in social movements and strategies in Oaxaca.  Thanks all!

Week of Action and Remembrance, NYC

Remembering Brad Will (1970-2006)
American journalist assassinated in Oaxaca, Mexico
by right-wing paramilitary death squads

Press conference on Tuesday, October 21, 2008
2 pm (NYC time) in front of U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton’s office: 780 Third Ave
between 48th & 49th St., Manhattan

FOLLOWED by a 4-day round-the-clock vigil and
Hunger Strike at Sen. Hillary Clinton’s office

Oaxaca Breaking News

As some of you might already know, late last week the prosecutor’s office in Mexico brought charges against a number of Oaxacan activists in the death of indymedia reporter Brad Will, and have indicated that there are more warrants related to the case yet to be served. Gustavo Vilchis, the speaker for the West Coast and Midwest Teaching Rebellion tour, was an eyewitness to Brad’s murder.

We’re hoping to use the tour to inform the public about the truth in Brad’s murder: that Brad Will was killed by plainclothes police officers and municipal employees, and that these charges are just another attempt to criminalize social movements in Oaxaca.

Journalist John Gibler, who contributed photographs to Teaching Rebellion, reported on the breaking news:

On Democracy Now, Ignoring Evidence, Mexican Authorities Charge Activists for 2006 Murder of Independent Journalist Brad Will

In the Indypendent, The Rule of Impunity, Mexican Government Ignores Overwhelming Evidence, Charges Oaxacan Activists for Brad Will’s Murder

You will find below a press release that we wrote up around the recent arrests. We have an incredible opportunity right now to support activists who are being unjustly detained and prosecuted in Oaxaca! Please contact Melissa (chiapaspeacehouse(at)gmail.com) or Rachel (rachel.a.wallis(at)gmail.com) to schedule interview with Gustavo Vilchis.