Letter to the Consulate - Oaxaquenos of Oregon

The Organization of Oaxacan Indigenous Migrant Communities, here in the Northwest, develivered the following letter to the Mexican Consulate in Portland. Thanks to Ann, an OSAG listserv contributor, for sharing this on the listserv.

Organization of Oaxacan Indigenous Migrant Communities
OCIMO
P.O. Box 626
Gervais, OR 97206

To the Mexican Consulate in the U.S.
To the People of Oaxaca
to the people of mexico
to the people of the world
to the president of mexico, vicente fox quesada
to the loca, national, and international press


Those of us who form part of the directive of the Organization of Oaxacan Indigenous Migrant Communities, OCIMO, declare the following, with respect to the situation that exists in the state of Oaxaca:

The events that have occurred in recent months in the state of Oaxaca have concretely revealed the grave situation concerning human rights, the suspension of constitutional guarantees and the vulnerability of the people.


The lack of government makes evident, today more than ever in the state of Oaxaca that the construction of a new Social Pact is required to restore the capacity to govern, the state of law and a constitutional order in the state. The governmental action as a response to these needs has been repression and systematic violation of human rights, under the pretext of reinstating order through the use of armed force on three levels, municipal, state and federal.


The case of Oaxaca is an historic problem that concentrates offences against the Oaxacan population. The demands of social organizations, unions, human rights and non-governmental organisms have been repressed during the last two six-year terms. The violent and repressive action against the Oaxacan teachers and the intent to dislodge them June 14 and the 2nd and 3rd of November, mobilized the society behind one single demand: the removal of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz as governor of the state. This situation unleashed an extreme repression that translated into the illegal detention of leaders, armed attacks on peaceful demonstrations, criminalization of the popular movement and, as if that was not enough, the presence of armed forces in Oaxacan territory.


The state of Oaxaca, along with other states of the republic, shares with other communities of the world the grief and dissatisfaction of severe marginalization and poverty in which many communities live, and unfortunately this has been the principal reason that many have had to migrate in search of economic sustenance to the north of the country and to the United States of North America. Paradoxically, it doesn't matter to anyone when a migrant dies on the desert trying to cross the border, but the money orders they send from the United States well serve the government of Oaxaca and Mexico.


The movement of the Teachers in Oaxaca and of the Popular Assembly of the Communities of Oaxaca, APPO, is much more than a labor conflict, but a true social movement of popular character that has its origins in the poverty of the majority of the population, in the marginalization and social exclusion, in the ocean of inequality that we live, and principally, in a profoundly stratified society that considers that those who have money and power deserve them, "because it is ordained by God", "because the Indigenous are condemned to a miserable destiny by reason of birth", or simply "because they are lazy, irresponsible, drunks, etc.". Lamentably in Mexico, the major part of the privileged social groups think this way and this is their one argument for staying in power, committing fraudulent elections, sacking the country, delivering the natural resources and energy of the nation to powerful multinational corporations.


For all the above reasons we demand the following:


FIRST: We hold Ulises Ruiz and his cabinet directly responsible for the assassinations and violent actions that have occurred since the month of June through the present, including the death of the U.S. fotojournalist Bradley Roland Will, through their lack of capacity to govern and officiate a political solution to the conflict, and by their irresponsible manner continue to obstinately resist resigning or soliciting a leave as a sign of civility to ease the conflict. To the contrary he has initiated systematic repression through groups of provocateurs, hit-men, and paramilitaries.


SECOND: We also hold the government of Vicente Fox responsible for the omission of arbitration and lack of clarity in recognizing what is a social and political conflict that goes deeper than a local and labor demand. Also for refusing to take responsibility into his hands for a process of open and pluralist dialogue, leaving aside party interests and those of the highest echelons of power.


In an equal manner, the grave situation in Oaxaca corresponds to the Secretary of State, who in his lukewarm approach and double talk has prolonged the lack of solution with empty, confusing proposals, without consensus; giving the green light to Ulises Ruiz as part of the marriage of the PRI-PAN in light of the approaching transfer of power to FECAL.


THIRD: We also hold the Senate of the Republic responsible, putting it's power and party interests first it prefers to ratify the powers in Oaxaca while acknowledging there has been an authority vacuum, and by its decision there has resulted an increase in the scale of violence in the state of Oaxaca on the part of armed groups of the State Government.

For the above reasons we demand:


1. We demand the immediate departure of Ulises Ruiz as an element for easing the conflict that allows the beginning of a profound social process integral to changes in the State.


2. We reject the use of armed force as a means of solution, as this does not guarantee in any way the reestablishment of the state of law.


3. We demand the implementation of a security plan for the community and economic reactivation that permits the citizens to return to their activities.


4. We make an URGENT CALL for national and international human rights organizations to be present in vigilance, observation, documentation, monitoring, and denouncement of the human rights violations in this very difficult moment for Oaxaca; above all their presence helps to deter the loss of human life and the repression of the social movement.


5. We demand the immediate withdrawel by the Mexican Consulate of Portland of the charges against Nikki Thanos and Mateo Bernal for their right to demonstrate and free speech October 31 of 2006.


6. We make a call to the society at large to get involved and stay involved and to pay attention to every one of the occurrences that continue in the case of Oaxaca, and express your solidarity in some form. We convoke the media to fulfill their commitment to the truth, impartiality, and the dissemination of information in a responsible manner concerning the issues of these states.


Finally we hope Oaxaca today serves as motive for hope for all of us who live in diaspora.


We are a migrant community but preoccupied for the occurrences in our state.


November 20, 2006

Cordially,


The directive of OCIMO


Santiago Ventura, Adrian Zurita, Felipe Gonzalez, Cristobal Mendoza, Octavio Merecias, Leonor Vera




Not sure if this was part of the letter or added on to the posting by the contributor, but interesting information, nevertheless:

from infoshop.org

A List of US, Canadian and European Corporations Profiting from Death and Repression in Oaxaca

Here's a particularly egregious example...Rio Tinto's subsidiary Kennecott has a history of illegal uranium extraction in Oaxaca, was fined and had its license canceled yet still operates in Oaxaca.
Rio Tinto PLC
6 St James's Square
London SW1Y 4LD
United Kingdom
Tel. +44-171-9302399, Fax:
+44-171-9303249

Rio Tinto Ltd.
33rd Floor
55 Collins Street
Melbourne, VIC, 3001
Australia
Tel. +61-3-92833333, Fax: +61-3-92833707

Subsidiaries:

Rio Tinto's subsidiary Kennecott was fined for illegally mining uranium in the Loxicha region in southern Mexico's Oaxaca state. Its license was canceled (in 2001). Under Mexican law, uranium extraction and processing is the sole prerogative of the state. Kennecott carried out surface exploration and drilling on three concessions in Oaxaca, named Elvira I, II and III until October 1999. (unomásuno, Dec 18, 2001) Source.

Kennecott Exploration was the subsidiary responsible and continues to have links with the state government of Oaxaca and Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.

For a brief detail, in Spanish, of Kennecott's past record in Oaxaca, Mexico: ¡Urgente! Confirman exploración de uranio en Loxicha.

Main corporate office:

Kennecott Exploration
224 N 2200 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Tel. (801) 238-2400
Fax (801) 238-2480

USA / Mexico office: (outside of Tucson, AZ)

Kennecott Exploration
10861 N Mavinee Dr # 141
Oro Valley, AZ 85737
Tel. (520) 544-8173


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Continuum Resources Ltd., a Canadian mining corporation, which "holds in excess of 70,000 hectares of exploration ground in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Included in the property portfolio are two of the most significant past-producers of gold and silver in southern Mexico: the San Jose epithermal silver-gold deposit and the Natividad epithermal gold-silver deposit." Source: Continuum corporate site.

Management:
* Greig Hutton, P.Eng President, Director
* Lawrence A. Dick PH.D., P.GEO., Vice President Exploration, Director
* Raul Diaz Unzueta Director General, Mexico
* Robert G. McMorran Chief Financial Officer, Director
* Warren McIntyre Corporate Secretary, Director

Corporate address:
1200 - 1188 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4A2
t. 604.629.0000
f. 604.669.2960
info@...

Continuum is also linked through its San Jose-Taviche mine to Foruna Silver Mines Inc., another BC, Canada based company:

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.

Corporate Address:
355 Burrard Street, Suite 840
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6C 2G8
Telephone:
604 484-4085 ext. 232
Fax:
604 484-4029

Management:
Jorge A. Ganoza Durant, B.Sc. Eng.: President
Luis Ganoza Durant, B.Sc., MBA, M.Sc.: Chief Financial Officer
Jorge R. Ganoza Aicardi, B.Sc. Eng.: VP Operations
Thomas I. Vehrs, Ph.D.: VP Exploration
Simon Ridgway, Chairman: Director
Peter Thiersch, M.Sc., P.Geo.: Director
Mike Iverson: Director
Tomas Guerrero Méndez, Eng.: Director
Sally Whittall: Corporate Secretary


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Other corporations involved in Oaxaca through Plan Puebla Panama (source):

International Paper
Global Headquarters
6400 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38197
901-419-9000

Boise Cascade
1111 West Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 50
Boise, ID 83728
phone: 208.384.6161

International Paper Company and Boise Cascade are currently purchasing land in Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico for plantation forestry.

ENDESA (a Spanish corporate utilities group) is the principal investor in the regional energy interconnection initiative to privatize energy and develop hydroelectric dams.

ENDESA, S.A. Headquarters:
C/ Ribera del Loira, 60
(Campo de las Naciones)
28042 Madrid
Spain
Tel: (+34) 91 213 10 00
Fax: (+34) 91 563 81 81

Harken Energy, Applied Energy Services Corporation(AESC), Duke Energy, and Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH) are all U.S. energy corporations that are investing from Mexico to Panama in the development of hydroelectric dams and the privatization of the energy grid.

The headwaters for 40% of Mexico's rivers are in Oaxaca. The companies listed plan to construct hydroelectric dams and wind energy facilities, with associated relay substations, etc, that would then be siphoned out of Oaxaca and sold for a profit in a deregulated energy market in urban Mexico, Central America and north of the Rio Grande.

This is Plan Puebla Panama and NAFTA's substitution of profit development for sustainable or responsible development: currently, 35% of homes in Oaxaca have no running water, 55% have no plumbing, and 13% have no electricity, while only 38% have all three. 40% of homes in Oaxaca have dirt floors. Source: http://www.sipaz.org/.

Privatization is geared specifically to exclude the poor, which is an overwhelming percentage of Oaxaca's people: 72% of the employed population earns less than 70 pesos (aprox. $6-$7) a day.

These are some of the US energy companies responsible:

Harken Energy is also known due to a scandal involving then corporate officer George W. Bush in an incident of insider trading, just before the company stock lost a significant amount of value. Headquartered in Southlake, TX, Harken Energy continues to have close connections with George W. Bush's White House. Remind them that a diversified portfolio in Latin America means getting blood on your hands.

Harken Energy Corporate Office:
180 State Street, Ste. 200
Southlake, TX 76092
Phone: 817.424.2424

Applied Energy Services (AES) has a record of flagrantly violating air pollution standards and fixing energy markets by withholding supply and gouging prices. Class-action lawsuits have been filed regarding price gouging and withholding supply in California. It wants to expand this woeful record by spiking prices in Central America.

AESC Corporate Office:
250 Chaddick Drive
Wheeling, IL 60090
Phone: 847.537.1919
Fax: 847.537.1946

Duke Energy, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is fast becoming a mega-utility by acquiring smaller utilities and power facilities. It is closely linked to Plan Puebla Panama.

Duke Energy Corporate Office:
526 South Church St.
Charlotte, NC 28202-1904
(704) 594-6200

Other investors include Tribasa, Caros, GAN, ICA, Imbursa, Texas Connection, International Shipholding Corporation, Monsanto, Shell, Dow Chemical, Exxon, Shell, and Hutchinson Holdings.