Mexican Embassy in London Occupied. Demonstration Outside. San Salvador Atenco Massacre Solidarity Protest.
Today, at this very moment, and from 9:45 a.m, anti-capitalist activists, human rights campaigners individuals and groups, from all over the United Kingdom, including London's Zapatista Action Project ( z.a.p. ), Bristol Solidarity group Kiptik and the Comite Cerezo support group in the U.K., are staging a peaceful occupation and noise demonstration inside and outside the Mexican Embassy in London. Closing it down for business.
Jo, one of the people chained to the outside railings in front of its main door said we will not move until the Ambassador, Juan JoséBremer de Martino, comes out and sits down with us to discuss what steps the Mexican government or in its absence the relevant authority in power in Mexico will take to put right the human rights violations perpetrated by the Mexican security forces in San Salvador Atenco.
For a live interview with the campaigners at the scene or to find out more call +44798424115.
Confrontation, deaths disappeared and human rights abuses in Mexico.
During clashes with the Mexican Police, One 14 year old child's life was taken away by a shot he received from a 38 special police gun. The National Human Rights Committee, a Mexican Government agency, reported seven raped women and 16 were sexually abused while in police custody. 239 People where arrested, and an unconfirmed number are reported dissapeared.
Reporters without borders denounced the mistreatment and deportation of three foreign journalists during the Security Force's attack. They had been beaten and had their equipment and material seized by police.
Despite Mexican Government denials, in a recent video, also released by the National Human Rights Committee, 3 police operatives deployed in San Salvador Atenco, admit: ... ( some officers ) carried weapons like R15s, shotguns 38 and 9 millimetre. We received orders to hit everything that moved, as long as the media wouldn't see us, and that we should break into houses to take as many people as possible out.
The purpose of the action today is to show solidarity with the victims of these brutal attack from the Mexican authorities as well as demand responsibility and justice. Sending a clear message to the Mexican Democratic Institutions - Activists and Human Rights campaigners all over the world are watching the situation in San Salvador Atenco, surrounding the 'other campaign', the pre-electoral process in Mexico and warn that as demonstrated by solidarity action all over the world, actions and protests targeting the government and it's representatives as well as Mexico's economic interests to defend the rights of ordinary people in Mexico and to see the release of the prisoners as well as those responsible for the events in San Salvador Atenco WILL NOT STOP until those responsible are brought to justice.
Of the arrested, the National Human Rights committee noted that 90% had been beaten and many had broken bones.
Francisco Cerezo Contreras, campaigner from the human rights organisation Comite Cerezo, who was overseeing the Other campaign's visit to Mexico City and attended San Salvador Atenco in the position of human rights observer, was being illegally recorded and monitored by the Mexican Security Forces In Mexico City after the events of Atenco while he was talking to Melanie del Carmen Salgado Lopez, a student who has been suffering death threats. The people surrounding them noticed the recoding taking place and the agent was uncovered. Alejandro has been receiving dead threats since. He is now under constant accompaignment of Peace Brigades International observers to safeguard his life. Campaigners will demand the immediate stop of such activities and an official and independent investigation and hold the president of the Mexican Republic Vicente Fox Quesada responsible for what could happen to him if appropriate action is not taken to safeguard their lives.
San Salvador Atenco is a town in the State of Mexico, situated 15 miles north east of Mexico City. On May the 3rd, a confrontation broke out in the nearby village of Texcoco when police moved in to remove street flower sellers, answering market forces' orders to cleanse traditional street sellers out to clear the way for a new WALLMART superstore. The flower sellers then asked for solidarity from Atenco's machetero movement. Back in 2002, in San Salvador Atenco, also withstanding the powerful forces behind politicians, The peasant Popular front for the Defence of The Land ( Frente Popular en Defensa de la Tierra-FPDT ) resisted the development of a new airport for City of Mexico on their land and successfully stopped the plan2. They then declared San Salvador Atenco an Autonomous Municipality.
UK climate and anti airport expansion campaigners are also present in the protest at the embassy.
Parallel to the june 2006 election campaign in Mexico, grassroots organisations from all over the country, who put no hopes in a change of government, might it be from the centre, left or right, set out the so called ' Other Campaign' to organise 'anti- capitalist' grassroots solutions and set out in a strategic journey to find out practical ways to better the condition of Mexico's excluded, indigenous peoples and the poor.
On May 6, putting words into action, over 8000 marchers who signed up to the EZLN's 6th Declaration of the Lacantun Jungle, including Zapatista spokes person "Subcommander Marcos", as well as students, and people from the surrounding areas and Mexico's capital City arrived in San Salvador Atenco. Demanding the release of all of Atenco prisoners, including those from the FPDT, the immediate stop of threats and intimidation as well as political responsibility and justice. This is just the beginning.
La lucha sigue.
For a live interview from the Mexican embassy and to request high resolution images from the protest you can Telephone +44798424115 for more information, email zap06
riseup.net