Article: The State of Oaxaca Mexico

The violence continues here in Oaxaca, Mexico as the helicopters continue to circle the skys above the city center several times a day. In the helicopters on each side are military personel hanging out with riffles in their hands. All rather intimidating as one walks along the city streets. The local and federal governments continue in their attempt to silence the word of the people.

The social movements that are taking place here in Oaxaca and in all of Mexico are being silenced by the paramilitaries that are murdering the voices of the people. With over 45 million people living well below the poverty level here in Mexico, people are asking for change. Local newspapers, TV and radio stations have been bought out by local governments and are censored. Talk show hosts have been fired and black listed for not adhering to the new policies of the new station owners.

Authors of books written exposing some of this corruption at the state and fedral governmnt levels have been jailed and threatened. Lawyers defending people from the social movements have recieved death threats as well as having their officies burned. Some of these cases have gone to the Mexican Supreme Court level and have been silenced there as well. Very little of this information is appearing in the media here and certainly is not being mentioned in the international media. This past monday two young women whom were hosting a radio talk show here in Oaxaca were ambushed and murdeed. They were 22 year old Tersa Bautista and 20 year old Felicitas Martínez.

They hosted a show called THE VOICE THAT BREAKS THE SILENCE. They introduced the show in mid January of this year. Police say that AK-47 rifiles were used and there were more than 20 rounds fired at the two young women. In the past few weeks there have been numerous kidnappings of prominent business owners as well as local civilians some of whom have turned up asesinated and others whose families have paid large ransoms for their release. Assasinations of high ranked police and military officials in local city parks in broad daylight during traffic rush hour. High powered rifiles have been the instrument used in most of these assinations.

One assination involved eight bullets to the head as the victim (and I use that term lightly) was jogging with his body guards in a local city park early one beautiful spring morning. Assinated government informants have turned up at the front doors of local government buildings. Some of which have had their tounges cut out of their mouth and left in their laps. The people have been passive for some time now without results from their pleas. It´s as if they are now being forced to use violence because their voices are not being heard. Violence like this is happening from Chiapas to Sonora. The 45 million people who have been ignored and left behind for much to long a period are now rising and demanding change. And don´t fool yourself into thinking that your government is any less brutal. It seems these days that most governments have gotten out of control and no longer represent the majority of the people.

Anyone who questions policies of their government is quickly labled a terrorist. How long will it continue and to where will this bring us?

It´s just a matter of time until we know this answer.