June 14th, 2006 

Dear Friends,

Over the last two weeks, many of you signed on to a letter in solidarity with the public schoolteachers in Oaxaca, who have been on strike since May 22nd.

This morning, June 14th, at dawn, several thousand police entered the center of downtown Oaxaca and attacked the teachers, who have been camped in the streets since their strike began. Also, the teachers’ union headquarters were attacked, and the teachers’ radio station, Radio Planton, was destroyed; the radio staff beaten and arrested.

The Oaxacan Human Rights Network is reporting five people dead. The unconfirmed report is that, among those five, two of the dead are children, and two of the dead are women teachers. However, there have been problems confirming the number of dead. The hospital authorities have been reluctant to release concrete information, even about the injured, leading to suspicions that the government has instructed them to conceal information.

Many more teachers have been injured and/or arrested. There are unconfirmed reports that at least five of the women teachers were raped by police.

The reports are that, despite the brutal police attack, the teachers have “re-taken” the center of downtown Oaxaca, and that hundreds of parents, kids, and students are making their way to the center of town to support the teachers.

Thus far, the repression has been carried out by state police, without any involvement by the federal police. But there are rumors that federal police are already on their way. So both the governor of Oaxaca, as well as President Vicente Fox, need to hear from us.

The last time I wrote to you, I was asking you to sign your name on a letter. This time, I am asking you to take your solidarity to the streets. Obviously, the governor of Oaxaca doesn’t read his mail. I am asking you to mobilize in whatever way you see fit…If you can, gather outside of the Mexican consulate wherever you live. Get other teachers, parents, students, to join you. If you can’t get out there, then call your local embassy or consulate and tell them what you think. Demand that the local Mexican consul deliver your message to the Governor of the state of Oaxaca.

Tell them that people in the United States are paying attention. That the situation should be resolved through dialogue not repression, and that the State of Oaxaca should respect and meet the teacher’s just demands. Tell them that all threats to send in the federal police will only result in more deaths. 

If you are able to carry out actions, please 1) document them with photos and/or video, and 2) please email us to let us know.

Thanks so much

Jill Freidberg
info@corrugate.org