Daria: Two Days in the Life of Oaxaca's Revolution
August 23, 2006
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The revolutionary actions and resultant state repression in the Mexican state of Oaxaca continue to escalate. In the
wake of the violent expulsion of the popular movement from the occupied Channel 9 state television facilities, the
people have seized at least ten commercial radio stations and converted them into popular communications media. In the
neighborhoods surrounding these stations and other parts of Oaxaca City, residents have, in many cases spontaneously and
without organized leadership, barricaded the streets and organized their own security patrols.
Correspondent James Daria reports from one of these neighborhoods:
"At night, wandering through the blockade, this reporter was able to witness the birth of not simply just another
roadblock but the birth of social and community consciousness among neighbors, friends and family. The small numbers of
teachers were aided by local residents who joined the encampment, making up the majority of the people. Women brought
food and drink to the protesters and children ran throughout the occupied streets free of traffic. The atmosphere was
one of a radical block party and an excuse to socialize with one another. Walking further I bumped into my two of my
neighbors who brought hot coffee. We walked through the encampment and met up with other neighbors, friends and family.
"Walking back to the house to make more coffee, the first reports of police attacks against encampments at other
antennas began to be heard on the many radios. Fireworks began to sound throughout the city. One bang means alert, two
bangs mean we are being attacked. We returned to our block together for security. Leaving the pots and pans in the
house, the neighbors grabbed sticks, broom handles and metal rods. As they armed themselves with homemade weapons of
self defense, they hatched a plan to ring the church bell.
"The ragged group of instant revolutionaries roamed the streets of the neighborhood as we discussed why resistance to
the state government was so important. My neighbor, a housewife who is originally from the coast and is raising four
children alone while husband is away working in the United States, talked as she walked towards the church with stick in
hand. 'All of us here have been fucked over in one way or another by the government,' the mother explained. The other
family, made up of parents and two daughters-one of whom was eight months pregnant but armed with a stick and a shopping
bag filled with rocks, reiterated their commitment to defend their neighborhood. 'We are poor. We are the people,' was
the common sentiment. 'We poor people have nothing to lose, the rich do.'"
Follow this remarkable story, with new updates daily, on this special page of The Narco News Bulletin:
From somewhere in a country called América,
Dan Feder
Managing Editor
The Narco News Bulletin
ENDS