As expected PFP police force enters Oaxaca City!!! Photos from 'el universal'
Federal Police Force has come to Oaxaca and started to break through the city centre. APPO members at first were reluctant to leave the barricade. They did not fight against federal forces, though. Instead some women offered them flowers in good will signal.
At the moment, Radio Univesidad and theirs allies spread all over the country have aired an APPO agreement. That under any circumstance members should fight federal forces, as they fear this will be all government needs to start shooting against them.
Comment on BBC coverage,…
I don’t know what to think now. It seems that BBC reporter in Mexico goes from the imprecision to the misinformation.
Next is the bbc report corresponding to Sunday, October 29.
Despite being the latest report, it goes back to early may. However it does this fully of imprecision. Reporter wrote that ‘The unrest began when striking teachers and leftists occupied the town centre’. This is not quite as it happened. The unrest began when teachers strike and demonstration in Oaxaca city centre was repressed by state police force sent by Ulises Ruiz, the governor. Later on, different social groups including leftist joined the teachers and they conformed the Popular Assambly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO).
The reporter also states that ‘now some 70,000 teachers, who were demanding higher pay, have reportedly agreed to return to work on Monday’. Again, this is imprecise. The one and only demand after police attempted to kick teachers out of Oaxaca centre, is the resignation of Ulises Ruiz.
In addition, there was a consultation among teachers to asses the possibility of returning to work, however, the outcome was unclear.
Federal Police Force has come to Oaxaca and started to break through the city centre. APPO members at first were reluctant to leave the barricade. They did not fight against federal forces, though. Instead some women offered them flowers in good will signal.
At the moment, Radio Univesidad and theirs allies spread all over the country have aired an APPO agreement. That under any circumstance members should fight federal forces, as they fear this will be all government needs to start shooting against them.Comment on BBC coverage,…
I don’t know what to think now. It seems that BBC reporter in Mexico goes from the imprecision to the misinformation.
Next is the bbc report corresponding to Sunday, October 29.
Despite being the latest report, it goes back to early may. However it does this fully of imprecision. Reporter wrote that ‘The unrest began when striking teachers and leftists occupied the town centre’. This is not quite as it happened. The unrest began when teachers strike and demonstration in Oaxaca city centre was repressed by state police force sent by Ulises Ruiz, the governor. Later on, different social groups including leftist joined the teachers and they conformed the Popular Assambly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO).
The reporter also states that ‘now some 70,000 teachers, who were demanding higher pay, have reportedly agreed to return to work on Monday’. Again, this is imprecise. The one and only demand after police attempted to kick teachers out of Oaxaca centre, is the resignation of Ulises Ruiz.
In addition, there was a consultation among teachers to asses the possibility of returning to work, however, the outcome was unclear.
Firstly, because Enrique Rueda, teachers’ representative gave no options but to return in three different dates and more than half of the teachers was unwilling to do so without governor’s resignation. Second, teachers gave Ulises Ruiz an ultimatum to resign that ended last Friday 27.
It is believed that because of this ultimatum Ruiz supporters went violent over APPO barricades.
It also seems that BBC reporter keeps arguing that it was Mr. Fox’s fear stopped him from sending Federal Police Force to Oaxaca. Rather, it would be argued that it was his political convenience instead.
_____
Mexican police advance on Oaxaca
Last Updated: Sunday, 29 October 2006, 18:43 GMT
Mexican riot police have advanced on the southern city of Oaxaca, where protesters have been rallying against the state governor for five months.
Backed by helicopters and armoured trucks, police destroyed a street barricade erected by demonstrators, but met little initial resistance.
The unrest began when striking teachers and leftists occupied the town centre.
But now some 70,000 teachers, who were demanding higher pay, have reportedly agreed to return to work on Monday.
Hundreds of police in body armour and a Swat team armed with assault rifles filled a road leading into the town, the Reuters news agency reported.
Mexican President Vicente Fox had resisted sending forces to the region for fear of involving them in the violent confrontations.
But he changed tactics after three people including a US journalist died in clashes between masked gunmen and leftist protesters on Friday.
At least six people have been killed since the unrest began in May.
The demonstrators were seeking to oust Governor Ulises Ruiz, whom they accused of abuse of power.
An interior ministry statement called for "the immediate handover of the streets, plazas, public buildings and private property".
Gunfire erupted on Friday apparently after armed men tried to remove a blockade set up by protesters.
The Oaxaca People's Popular Assembly, which is leading the protests, accused off-duty local policemen of firing on them.
The dead journalist has been named as Will Bradley Roland, a cameraman working with the independent news group Indymedia.
President's vow
Thousands of schools have been closed since the strike began in May, leaving 1.3 million children out of school.
The teachers staged the walk-out, demanding higher pay and better working conditions.
After police attacked one of their demonstrations in June, they extended their demands to include a call for the resignation of Gov Ruiz. The teachers were joined in their protest by left-wing groups.
This week, striking teachers voted to return to classes but many protesters say they will not back down until Gov Ruiz is removed from office.
Critics accuse him of corruption and repressive tactics against dissenters, whose roadblocks have driven tourism from the city and hurt business.
Last week, Mexico's Senate decided by a 74-31 vote that the state government had not ceased to function, a condition necessary to remove a governor from office.
But the Senate recognised that conditions of "ungovernability" existed in the state and criticised Mr Ruiz for failing to bring months of violent protests to an end.
President Vicente Fox has vowed to end the conflict before he leaves office on 1 December but negotiations to find a peaceful way out have so far failed.
It also seems that BBC reporter keeps arguing that it was Mr. Fox’s fear stopped him from sending Federal Police Force to Oaxaca. Rather, it would be argued that it was his political convenience instead.
_____
Mexican police advance on Oaxaca
Last Updated: Sunday, 29 October 2006, 18:43 GMT
Mexican riot police have advanced on the southern city of Oaxaca, where protesters have been rallying against the state governor for five months.
Backed by helicopters and armoured trucks, police destroyed a street barricade erected by demonstrators, but met little initial resistance.
The unrest began when striking teachers and leftists occupied the town centre.
But now some 70,000 teachers, who were demanding higher pay, have reportedly agreed to return to work on Monday.
Hundreds of police in body armour and a Swat team armed with assault rifles filled a road leading into the town, the Reuters news agency reported.
Mexican President Vicente Fox had resisted sending forces to the region for fear of involving them in the violent confrontations.
But he changed tactics after three people including a US journalist died in clashes between masked gunmen and leftist protesters on Friday.
At least six people have been killed since the unrest began in May.
The demonstrators were seeking to oust Governor Ulises Ruiz, whom they accused of abuse of power.
An interior ministry statement called for "the immediate handover of the streets, plazas, public buildings and private property".
Gunfire erupted on Friday apparently after armed men tried to remove a blockade set up by protesters.
The Oaxaca People's Popular Assembly, which is leading the protests, accused off-duty local policemen of firing on them.
The dead journalist has been named as Will Bradley Roland, a cameraman working with the independent news group Indymedia.
President's vow
Thousands of schools have been closed since the strike began in May, leaving 1.3 million children out of school.
The teachers staged the walk-out, demanding higher pay and better working conditions.
After police attacked one of their demonstrations in June, they extended their demands to include a call for the resignation of Gov Ruiz. The teachers were joined in their protest by left-wing groups.
This week, striking teachers voted to return to classes but many protesters say they will not back down until Gov Ruiz is removed from office.
Critics accuse him of corruption and repressive tactics against dissenters, whose roadblocks have driven tourism from the city and hurt business.
Last week, Mexico's Senate decided by a 74-31 vote that the state government had not ceased to function, a condition necessary to remove a governor from office.
But the Senate recognised that conditions of "ungovernability" existed in the state and criticised Mr Ruiz for failing to bring months of violent protests to an end.
President Vicente Fox has vowed to end the conflict before he leaves office on 1 December but negotiations to find a peaceful way out have so far failed.
