Movement for Justice in El Barrio (La Otra New York) Proposes an International Day of Action (July 18)

UPDATE: During the National Forum Against Repression in Mexico City it was propossed to do a National/International day of action against repression. In consequence, the NY compas and those who had commited to participating in the June 26 day of action decided to postpone it for July 18th to make it part of the National/International action.

To Our Zapatista Sisters and Brothers:
To All Organizations, Groups, Collectives, Families, and Individuals in The Other Campaign:
To All Mexicans and Chicanos in The Other Campaign in the United States:
To All International Adherents to the Sixth Declaration:

What follows is a proposal for “An International Day of Action Against Repression and for the Liberation of All Political Prisoners in Mexico.” We are Movement for Justice in El Barrio. We are an organization of Mexican immigrants that were forced to leave Mexico and come to New York because of the neoliberal system. We fight against the displacement from our homes here in New York and for the liberation of our Mexico. We are adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle and part of The Other Campaign. We thank you for allowing us to share our humble and simple word.

From where we are, North of the Rio Bravo, we are filled with pain and rage to hear about the repression being exerted by the Mexican government on The Other Campaign. The repression began more than a year ago with the terrible events in San Salvador Atenco. As the strength of The Other Campaign grew, the repression spread to Oaxaca, Yucatan, Chiapas, San Luis Potosi and to all different parts of the country. The repression has included police brutality, torture, arbitrary detentions, the murder of two youth, and the rape of detained women. In the past few months the repression has intensified. Recently, soldiers from the federal army harassed Zapatista Delegates from the Sixth Commission, the Compañero David Vanegas was beaten and illegally jailed in Oaxaca, three members of the People’s Front for the Defense of the Land, from Atenco, were illegally sentenced to 67 years in prison, and these are not the only cases. This repression fills us with anger. That is why we propose that we unite the strength of the many struggles that make up The Other Campaign to oppose this repression and demand freedom for all political prisoners in Mexico.

We are putting out a call for actions and protests all over Mexico and the world as part of an “International Day of Action against Repression and for the Liberation of All Political Prisoners in Mexico.” We propose that the actions take place on Tuesday, the 26th of June. We also propose the following demands:

1. Liberty and justice for all the political prisoners
2. The cancellation of the illegal sentences against Ignacio del Valle Medina, Felipe Alvarez Hernandez, and Hector Galindo Gochicua, members of The People’s Front for the Defense of the Land.
3. An end to the harassment of the Sixth Commission
4. An end to the harassment, intimidation, repression and detention of members of “The Other Campaign.”

Compañeras and Compañeros, this is our word. We hope our contribution to this great struggle will be of interest to all. Please let us know as soon as possible if you agree with our proposal and if you will participate. We can be reached at the email address: movimientoporjusticiadelbarrio@yahoo.com.

We send our embraces, full of hope, unity and brother and sisterhood from someplace in New York, a place where we live, but also a place where Mexico lives deep in our hearts.

Sincerely,

From The Other Campaign in New York

Movement for Justice in El Barrio

From the Other Side, May 2007