CPTnet
19 December 2006
OAXACA CHRISTMAS ACTION: Send cards of encouragement and support to
families of political prisoners
by Chris Schweitzer (with help from Matthew Wiens)
On 13 December, two members of Cactus (Centro de Apoyo Communitario
Trabajando Unidos) and I arrived in the neighborhood of Campimiento in
Huahuapan, Oaxaca. We met with family members of those who were arrested
waiting for a bus two and a half weeks earlier after attending a protest in
the city of Oaxaca City. ( See 13 December CPTnet release, OAXACA URGENT
ACTION: Ask Mexican authorities to release political Prisoners." We were
in this impoverished community to document their stories and to collect
documents that may help earn the release of their loved ones. We spent the
day going from house to house to hear from mothers, children, fathers,
sisters and brothers of those in prison. Below are some of their stories:
Bernadita Ortiz Bautista, a 40 year old Mixteca Indigenous woman, was
arrested along with her son Alejandro (19) and two of her daughters, Rosalva
(12)* and Beatriz (14)*. Rosalva and Beatriz saw the police beat their
mother. The Mexican authorities held children for three days (separately
from their mother) before releasing them. They are now at home helping to
care for five younger brothers and sisters. Their father, Pablo Ortiz, says
he is unable to work, because he needs to be home with the children now
that the mother is away. Typical of homes in Campimiento, their one room
house is only sixteen feet long and thirteen feet wide.
Faustino Vasquez Mendez (77)* is living alone now as her son, Miguel Perez
Mendez (50) is in the Nayarit jail. She says she suffers from high blood
pressure and that the arrest of her son has made her very nervous. She has
little income as Miguel earned most of the money for their food and rent.
She said they had never been involved in anything like this before - the
most they normally do is vote. "In comes one, in comes another, the
presidents are all the same. And here we are on the same small piece of
land......I´m praying to God they all get out. What else can I do?"
Rosila Lopez Martinez (32)* is the mother of two children, Humberto* and
Eneri. * Her husband, Justino Alejandro Gil Bautista (50), a teacher, is in
jail "Right now, I don´t know anything of him - if he's OK, where he is.
I can't go to visit!" But she talked a lot about why Justino was involved
in the protest, saying, "It hurt him a lot to see children hungry and cold.
He could not leave the struggle. He said, 'It's not possible that this
happens year after year and the children are in the same situation.'"
Lucina Santos Reyes (20)* was away at school when her mother (Juana Reyes
Espinosa) and her sister (Paula Santos Reyes) were arrested in Oaxaca.
Lucina had to return home to take care of her seven year old sister and her
two nieces. She said, "At first the children didn't cry, but now they´re
crying a lot. I don't know why they are keeping their mothers away from
their children if they are not guilty!"
The arrest and extended incarceration of Gildardo Herrera Flores (52) has
left his three daughters Daniela (17)*, Rosio (14)* and Estefania (8)* home
alone. All three are in school but Daniela is particularly worried about
the lack of her father's taxi income. She said her grandmother helps a
little, but cannot do much. Estefania is crying a lot now, the older
sisters said, and they are worried their father is going to get sick.
Maira Maceda Bonilla (14)* was arrested while waiting outside the bus
station. She said the police handcuffed them and took them to the city
center, where the police beat many and slapped Maira. The police also took
her money and she was in jail alone for three days.
Jaime Auieliano Martinez Gordillo (fifty-years old) went with his wife,
Maria Perez Gutierrez, (forty-five), and their niece Marta Mendez Perez
(twenty-seven) to the march in Oaxaca and all three were arrested. Jaime
and Maria both repair shoes, and Maria takes in sewing. Their son, Jaime
(17)* traveled twenty hours alone to visit his mother and father in jail.
During the visit, his mother and father were not allowed to talk to each
other and all had to keep looking at the floor. Jaime is now taking care of
his 14- year-old sister.
In violation of the Mexican constitution, the Mexican authorities have
allowed none of the prisoners to see a lawyer since the arrests twenty days
ago, and most families have not been able to visit their family members in
jail, because they lack the resources to make the long trip. Most of those
arrested will probably be in jail until a least 15 January 2007 when they
are supposed to see a judge. Most of the family members we interviewed that
day were very tearful, and people seem afraid of further attacks on their
family and sad. The repression of protesters in Oaxaca is ongoing. Some
people have disappeared
ACTION: We are asking that you to invite your family, church and
community to send Christmas, New Years and/or Tres Reyes (Three Kings) cards
to the family members to let them know -they are not alone
-that there are people around the world working for the release of the
family members in prison
-and that Christians in other countries see this nonviolent struggle for
justice in Oaxaca as important and appreciated.
Please send the notes (individually or in bunches that people at Cactus
could deliver) to: Centro de Apoyo Comunitario Trabajando Juntos, AC
Privada de Jazmin 2 fraccionamiento Jardines del Sur Huahuapan de Leon,
Oaxaca Mexico
Please write to the above family members with asterisks by their names or
the families of the other prisoners listed below, and/or 10-year old
Francisco Santos Reyes* who is now home after the authorities released him.
José Luís Oropeza Hernández Ciro Pedrosa Guadarrama Celerino Leiva
Ramírez Ever Legaria Hernández Gerardo Silva Domínguez Jaime Legaria
Ramírez Carmelo Cruz Hernández Rufina Petronila Martínez López
Eusebio bautista Cruz Agustín Venancio Cruz Bautista Pablo Juventino
Solano Martínez Luís Pérez Suárez Pedro Avelino Solano Lujan
If you do not speak Spanish, you may want to include the following message
or some of the phrases below:
Querido (insert name here), Tenemos conocimiento que algunos de sus
familiares han sido capturados y puestos en la carcel. Esperamos que esten
reunidos muy pronto y todo este conflicto se solucione a favor de ustedes.
Es admirable e importante para su pais y el mundo la lucha que ustedes
confrontan en OAXACA clamando por JUSTICIA. No se desesperen que las
esperanzas no estan perdidas. Siempre estaremos respaldando sus justos
derechos. Atentamente su servidor y amigo, (Your name)
Translation: Dear (name), We have heard that people from your family and
other families of your region have been put in prison. We hope that you
will be reunited very soon and all of this conflict will be resolved in your
favor. Your struggle for justice in Oaxaca is admirable and important for
your country and the world. Do not despair that hope is lost. We are with
you in your call for justice.
Sincerely your servant and friend, (your name)
Merry Christmas = Feliz Navidad Happy New Year = Feliz Año Nuevo May
God Bless You = Que Dios Le Bendiga
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