Youths rally in support of Mexican political prisoners
By
Ruth Vela
Published Mar 2, 2005 10:53 AM
A group of revolutionary youths--small in number
but big in spirit--rallied at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego Feb. 23 in
support of several political prisoners currently held throughout
Mexico.
The important event, initiated by Reynaldo Escoto of Zapatista
Friends-Tijuana, was called to present the consulate with letters and petitions
in support of three ongoing struggles: to free the political prisoners arrested
on May 28, 2004, in Guadalajara; a halt to the continued torment of the
community of Agiabampo 2 in Sonora; and stop the unjust incarceration of
Nicolasa Ramos from Maclovio Rojas, a Tijuana community still struggling for its
land titles.
The May 28 political prisoners are five men being detained at
the Penal de Puente Grande in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Although the charges range
from vandalism to inciting a riot, the real "crime" these youths are being
penalized for is having attended a demonstration at the Third Summit of Latin
America, the Caribbean and the European Union (III Cumbre America Latina, El
Caribe y la Union Europea) last May.
That day hundreds of demonstrators
were chased down and brutally beaten by police. Many protesters were not
detained but are currently awaiting trial. Those individuals, regardless of
where they live, are being forced to report to authorities in Guadalajara once a
month. Currently there is no trial date set for the five detainees, but their
combined bail is U.S. $8,000.
Agiabampo 2 in Sonora is a community like
many others in Mexico, in that it struggles for recognition of its land titles,
livable wages and decent housing. After being threatened and harassed by police,
the community built barricades made of junked cars. Also, the community declared
itself to be in solidarity with the Zapatista movement as a further measure of
security and in a brave revolutionary effort to struggle against the
government.
In response, the Mexican government came down hard on
Agiabampo 2 one night last December, sending paramilitary troopers directly to
the homes of movement leaders before dawn. Windows were shattered as women, men
and children were forced from their beds and thrown out into the cold. They were
forced to watch as community leaders were beaten, handcuffed and carried away by
police.
Three men remain in detention. Police patrol the community day
and night. Chil dren have stopped going to school and several families sleep in
one home out of fear.
Fear is no stranger to the people of Maclovio Rojas,
Tijuana, either. They too have struggled for their land titles and their dignity
in a battle against the government that has gone on for 16 years.
Two
years ago the people of Maclovio received a huge blow when Tijuana police
arrested Nicolasa Ramos, one of the leaders of their struggle, for alleged theft
of water. Water, which runs to the city of Tijuana in aqueducts that cross
Maclovio's land, is denied to the residents of the town. They must buy water
from the government.
Residents managed to tap into the water's source.
Ramos was targeted because of her important role in the struggle. Since December
2003, Ramos, who is in her 50s, has remained incarcerated. Other leaders of the
community were forced into hiding.
At the Feb. 23 rally, members of Zapa
tista Friends-Tijuana, Fight Imperialism- Stand Together, Resistencia
Estudiantil, and other youth and student groups led chants letting the people of
Guadalajara, Agiabampo and Maclovio Rojas know they are not alone: "NO ESTAN
SOLOS!"
Consulate officials claimed to be "unavailable." But the letters
and petitions were unenthusiastically received by a press agent, who promised
that the "San Diego Mexican Consulate is on your side."
In response, the
youths promised to continue rallying on their doorstep until there's proof that
the consulate is doing something in response to these three unjust, intolerable
crimes against the working class.
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
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