World Repression Feature Archive

latest update: Cesar released on bail

previous updates: 2004-9-29 | 2004-10-6 | 2004-10-8

Cesar Zelada is a well known student activist in Peru. He is also a member of the Fuerza de Izquierda Socialista, a left wing group, and the organiser of the Hands off Venezuela campaign in Peru.

He was in Bolivia as part of a delegation of Peruvian student activists invited by the Youth wing of the Bolivian Workers' Union (COB - the Bolivian TUC) to show solidarity with the struggle of the Peruvian students, particularly those at the Oruro Technical University.

He was arrested on September 14th, in the capital La Paz. He was strip searched and handcuffed by the PTJ police and then questioned without having access to a lawyer. He is being kept in jail in the San Pedro Penal, in La Paz. When making the case against him at the hearing, the prosecutor alleged that he was in possession of explosives, had lied about his address in Bolivia and was carrying "Marxist propaganda" with the aim of "subversion".

New attacks by judiciary and local government against the workers of the tile factory Zanon in Neuquén/Patagonia.

General Augusto Pinochet has been stripped of his immunity from prosecution today by the Chilean Supreme Court.

UPDATES:

Journalist Ewa Jasciewicz now held in detention for over 14 days as Israeli court fiasco continues.

19 AUGUST: Ewa is to be released from jail, but has still been forbidden by the IDF from entering Palestine.
20 AUGUST: Ewa remains locked up until at least Sunday, following an appeal by the Israeli Government [reports: 1 | 2 ]

The National Union of Journalists has condemned the Israeli Government for its treatment of journalist Ewa Jasiewicz, who was detained whilst entering Israel last week and remains in prison.

Ewa's appeal against deportation from Israel will be heard on Thursday, August 19th.

[ Telephone call from Ewa | Background on Baha | Ewa on Iraq | The "Intifada of the Empty Stomach"]

A broad umbrella group of 26 people from various environmental, academic and economical organisations and members from four Native American tribes, travelled to Scotland from Southern Oregon and Northern California to lobby, protest at and negotiate with Scottish Power, the parent company of PacifiCorp, which is responsible for the negative impacts of several dams on the Klamath River, its water quality, salmon population, surrounding environment and neighbouring communities.

Previous reports:
[ pictures of protest at Scottish Power's annual shareholders meeting | call to write protest letters | reply to consumer boycott | Klamath river support delegation in Scotland | U.S. Court Rules in Favor Of Hoopa Valley, Yurok Tribes! | Native Americans, Enviros, and Fishermen Battle Scottish Power | Myth and facts about the Klamath River dams ]

Audio reports:
[ interview with scientist | interview with Klamath Tribe | interview with sociologist | Interview with commercial fisherman | interview with Yurok tribe | Environmental Racism Conference 1 | Environmental Racism Conference, Eugene, January 2004 ]

The zapatista "Committee of Good Government" for the Morelia zone has denounced a brutal attack on a zapatista child in the municipality of Chilon, Chiapas, Mexico.

STOP PRESS FRIDAY 1600: WORLD COURT DECLARES WALL "ILLEGAL".

While the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the Netherlands, prepares to give its advisory opinion on the Apartheid Wall on July 9th, the Wall in Palestine continues to destroy lives and lands at an ever-increasing pace. Four months of court deliberations have prompted international political immobility, but Palestinian resistance is growing. Whole villages have risen up to stop the Apartheid Wall and the devastating repression of the Israeli Occupation.

In light of the upcoming opinion from the ICJ, the Israeli government is trying to manipulate the truth and disguise the colonial foundation of its racist apartheid policy. The occupation forces have depicted a decision by their own High Court to move 30km of the Apartheid Wall as a Palestinian “victory”, but Palestinians see how, on the contrary, this decision validates Israel’s claim that the Wall is solely a security measure and how it states that the Wall can be built on Palestinian land.

Latest News on the Apartheid Wall at StopTheWall.org | Background info on the ICJ | video, audio, photo and info from: europe@stopthewall.org

On Monday, 7th of june 2004, the Zapatist Eduardo Vázquez Álvaro was murdered in bright daylight in the middle of the city centre of Chilón.
 http://germany.indymedia.org/2004/06/85327.shtml
 http://www.chiapas.ch

Dramatic video published, which documents russian war crimes against prisoners in Chechnya. Anna Politkowskaja, a brave Russian journalist strikes again:
Threatened with murder already several times and allocated with bans on writing, she does not stop to point out the desperate situation of people in Chechnya.
Politkowskaja is now able to prove torture, inhuman treatment and homicide in Chechnya with a video, which is dated 21st of March 2000.

The Third Summit of Head of States and Governments from Latin America, the Caribbean and European Union (III ALCUE) has come to an end last night in a tense environment, and with a soft and indirect condemnation to the US military torture in Iraq, commercial agreements without popular support, violence against demonstrators at the end of the general demonstration and around 100 detainees and disappeared, as well as 30 injured. [Call for Solidarity, Update 31.06.2004]

More reports: [1, 2, 3]
Audio: [Houston Indymedia | Guadalajara Imc | Guadalajara Imc - part 2]
Guadalajara Indymedia/ | Mexico Indymedia

There is an emergency situation right now in the Gaza Strip and the town of Rafah [feature on Indymedia.org], in particular, with scenes that bring to mind Israel's invasion of Jenin and Nablus in the spring of 2002... Last weekend, 116 homes were destroyed, making over a thousand people homeless [www.btselem.org]. Hundreds more are slated for destruction. [Indymedia Israel, Rafah Today, Electronic Intifada].

Add to this the ongoing trouble in Iraq, where revelations of torture abound, and there was real appetite for action as various groups around the UK called actions. The combination of the weeks' war crimes and media coverage brought people out in abundance, some of whom were protesting for the first time.

London

The previous weekend, Palestine Solidarity Campaign held its annual Nakba (Catastrophe) Day rally in Tragalgar Sq [Photo's: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ] at which several speakers called on people to attend the Stop the War/End the Torture demonstration last Saturday morning [Reports & photo's: 1 | 2 ], which then, in turn, built the protest against the Rafah Massacre outside Downing Street, which resulted in a sit down on Whitehall. [Reports & pictures 1 | 2 ].

During the week, George Bush Snr played an ill-timed visit to raise party funds for his son [report]. The weekly picket at Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street was this week swelled by a large number of new faces [Report; pictures: 1 | 2] whilst there have been daily gatherings alongside Brian Hawe in Parliament Square.

Around the UK:

There were other protests over the past week in cities across the country:

• Palestine protest reports & pictures: Sheffield | York | Oxf ord.
• Iraq Torture protest reports & pictures: Northampton | Chicksands Joint Services Interrogation Centre .

Manuel Posada Chévez, member and activist of the citizens council Unidalguense (Consejo Ciudadano Unidalguense, CCU), was murdered on the 11th of april with 2 dagger thrusts by Víctor Hugo López alias "Víctor Xquiete".
The at present fugacious murderer, was recruited as a municipal policeman and followed the orders of Armando Sánchez Ruíz, who is president of the cmunicipality, but without the popular recognition of the Unidalguense community.

Indigenous Guaraní in the southeast of Bolivia blockade gas conveyor systems of multinational corporations and demand the reversal of the law from 1996 about the sell-out of the Bolivian natural gas. The union of farm workers and Aymará of the Anden region set a four day time limit for the governemt Mesa to fulfill their demands.
Streetblockades are prepared.

Translation of a feature by IMC Bolivia published on the 5.5.2004

Guaraní people defend the natural gas (original: El pueblo guaraní defiende el gas - 05/05/2004 10:51 )

Easter Saturday, 10th of April, a peaceful demonstration of Zaptistas got attacked with stones, guns and fireworks in the highlands of Chiapas near San Cristobal de las Casas.

Result of the ambush: 29 Zapatistas injured, and 3 seriously, one with life threatening injuries.

More information, reports and pictures on Chiapas Indymedia or on La Jornada, [en] | Photo gallery Jechvó/Zinacantán

Update (13.4.2004): Manuel Gomez Hernandez, one of those wounded in the attack , is in critical condition in hospital with a machete wound to the head, it is in the balance whether he will survive or not.
The Zapatistas in the hospital in San Cristobal de Las Casas are suffering poor medical attention and even worse are being harrassed constantly by the police.
125 zapatista families have fled their homes in the municipality of Zinacantan, Los Altos, Chiapas, fearing attack by militants of the PRD (Revolutionary Democratic Party).
A press conference by ngos including the network of community human rights defenders and solidarity protests are called for.

Sign an international letter of support with the Zapatistas (esp) from Barcelona's Zapatista Solidarity Collective.

Update4: Saturday the 17^th of April - Jo's account of the continued siege and her kidnapping and release."You look for ways out. You wonder whether they're going to kill you, make demands for your release, if they'll hurt you. You wait for the knives and the guns and the video camera. You tell yourself you're going to be OK."

Update3: Tuesday the 13^th of April - Jo Wilding's amazing eyewitness reports of the situation in Fallujah are now available. She describes American attacks on unarmed civilians and ambulances in Fallujah: "Snipers are causing not just carnage but also the paralysis of the ambulance and evacuation services. The biggest hospital after the main one was bombed is in US territory and cut off from the clinic by snipers. The ambulance has been repaired four times after bullet damage. Bodies are lying in the streets because no one can go to collect them without being shot." Hundreds of people are being killed - the situation in Fallujah is catastrophic.

Update2: Tuesday the 13^th of April - Due to the refusal of new Iraqi army units to attack Fallujah, the U.S. is now hoping to recruit senior former commanders from Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist security forces to ensure that there are "well-formed Iraqi chains of command."

Update1: Monday the 12^th of April - Eyewitness acount from Dahr Jamail in Fallujah. Dahr Jamail is the Baghdad correspondent for the New Statesman.

Sat 10^th April: As anti-occupation demonstrations erupted all over Iraq, the town of Fallujah, a flash-point for resistance was besieged by three battalions of American troops. The death toll in the town so far is being reported as 500 dead and 1200-1700 wounded. There were unconfirmed reports of B-52 bomber strikes and U.S. Apache helicopters attacking civilians as they try to flee the city. Eyewitness reports from Iraq contradicted American generals who claim that they are currently observing a ceasefire.

Ewa Jasiewicz, who worked with Voices in the Wilderness and Occupation Watch in Basra and Baghdad, got back from Iraq 2 months ago. She writes:

I just spoke to friends in Baghdad - Paola Gaspiroli, Italian, from Occupation Watch and Bridges to Baghdad, journalist Leigh Gordon, England, (NUJ, Tribune, Mail on Sunday) and a Palestinian friend with family in Falluja and friends in the Iraqi Islamic Party. Both he and Leigh have been ferrying out the injured from Falluja to Baghdad for the past three days. Ambulances have been barred from entry into the blood-drenched city. Here is their news, which they told me over the telephone on Friday the 9th of April.

Eyewitness Reports: Paola | Friend | Leigh Gordon
Audio Reports: Ewa Jasiewicz, Glasgow [1, 2, 3] | Paola Gaspiroli, Iraq
Other Reports: What You Can Do | View from Baghdad | Baghdad Burning | Palestine and Iraq | Mission Accomplished? | Jo Wilding on Hostages | From Liberation to Jihad | Background Info on Fallujah

Meanwhile, on Sunday 11 an emergency demonstration took place outside Downing St in London. Around 80 people gathered in a picket to show their repulse to the latest military attacks against civilians in Iraq. Photos: 1 + 2.

"My picture was taken with President Aristide when he visited and it was put in the front of the school office. The men came with guns and took the picture. They said they will kill me." Haitian domestic servant

"During the night of the 28th of February 2004, there was a coup d'etat. One could say that it was a geo-political kidnapping. I can clearly say that it was terrorism disguised as diplomacy." Ousted Haitian President Aristide

As the dust settles in the aftermath of the ousting of Haitian president Aristide, it appears that far from being the product of a popular uprising the change of government is another instance of US sponsored 'regime change'. Speaking in exile from the Central African Republic Aristide has claims he was kidnapped in the course of a coup d'etat, a claim supported by eyewitness reports that Aristide was forced out of Haiti at gunpoint by American soldiers. In a telephone conversation with Congressmember Maxine Waters, Aristide also claims he was threatened by US diplomats.

Indymedia has as yet few reports of events on the ground, but one disturbing report has echoes of previous brutal episodes in Haiti's recent history. One of Haiti's 400,000 restaveks (unpaid domestic servants) is reported in hiding in Northern Haiti after death squads targeted her. They looted her school where they found a photograph of her giving flowers to President Arstide. The girl is 12 years old.

In Kingston, Jamaica in early March, the 15-nation Caribbean Community, CARICOM, called for a United Nations investigation into the circumstances of Aristide's departure from office and from Haiti. They were joined shortly after by South Africa. Whilst Democracy Now! reports that the Consul General of the Haitian government in New York insists on recognising the Aristide government as legitimate.

Aristide Speaks From Captivity : Audio | Transcript

"The inability of U.S. strategy to break the base of their movement has led many in Lavalas to begin to openly speculate that the ongoing attacks in the Central Plateau represent the second phase of the plan. If they are correct this second phase is likely to result in an escalation of armed incursions against Haiti with the intention of overthrowing the constitutional government." Kevin Pina on Otto Reich in Haiti

External links: Reuters: Thousands take to the streets | Haiti Action Committee | Bush's Latest Coup Against Democracy | Democracy Now!

On Friday, February 13th, almost 8 months since their initial imprisonment, 13 people arrested during protests at the EU summit in Thessaloniki last June have had all charges dropped. 8 of the remaining cases are still under investagative review by the Greek Judiciary whilst the remaining 6 have had their charges dropped to misdemeanours. A final decision on whether to pursue allegations could come as early as next week. This is an enormous victory in the campaign against state repression waged by the Greek state against anti-capitalist protestors - although it must be remembered that the battle is not over yet.

Comprehensive coverage of the Thessaloniki Support Campaign can be found on the UK Indymedia site; Athens and Thessaloniki Indymedia sites both carry breaking news regarding the Thessaloniki 7 and the other accused.

[Castellano][Deutsch]

Mexican armed forces have attacked the Chol indigenous community of Nuevo San Rafael, burning down 23 houses and violently evicting the inhabitants, who are Zapatista sympathisers. The attack, reported variously as happening on either 19 or 22 January, took place in the remote Montes Azules jungle area of Chiapas.

Resource-rich Montes Azules has long been coveted by multinationals. As the governments and multinationals press forward with the Plan Puebla Panama and Free Trade Area of the Americas, the “war of low intensity” against the thousand-plus Zapatista autonomous communities erupts into blatant repression. The Secretary of Government of Chiapas, Rubén Velázquez López, promises more evictions, declaring that land invasions will no longer be tolerated.

The fate of the inhabitants of Nuevo San Rafael is unknown, as the army is preventing reporters and human rights observers from entering the area. Local indigenous Chol, Josué Jiménez Cruz, has been arrested, and is apparently imprisoned in the town of Ocosingo. International solidarity activity is vital, declare Zapatista solidarity groups. Protesters call to ring the Mexican Embassy in London on 0207 499 8586 (open 9am-6pm)

Protest letter in Spanish by the Gruppe B.A.S.T.A.
Indymedia Chiapas

The World Economic Forum has started in the exclusive wintersport mountain town of Davos, in Switzerland. The WEF "plays a key role for developing new economic, political, cultural and social tendencies and strategies", invites CEOs of major corporations, hundreds of top international government officials and just plain rich people.

Its start on the 20th of january was accompanied by a variety of protests, despite the policy of "Arbenz". The policy recommended by "Arbenz" is an integration and segregation strategy for the purpose of more control of WEF - protests, it tries to subdue NGOs and WEF critical organisations by giving them a chance of presenting their concerns to a small number of WEF delegates in Davos, in return for a "non participation" at the protests against the WEF on the streets, so in order to make it easier to justify a forcefull repression.

Despite police repression and the ice cold weather, protests and demonstrations have been taking place at a daily basis:
On Sunday 25 there was several demonstrations - Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
On Saturday 24 in Coire [Pics 1 | 2 | 3] - Landquart [Report | Pics] - Davos [Repot & pics] - Lugano [Pics | Video] - Neuchatel [Pics]
Photo reports of demontrations and actions from Wednesday 21 to Friday 23: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

For up to date information see Indymedia Switzerland

Riot police stormed the autonomous, indigenous town of Tlalnepantla, south of Mexico City, in the early morning at 1am last Wednesday, 14^th of January.
Eye witnesses talk of at least 2 deaths, a dozen injured and a dozen missing persons, and of widespread police brutality and intimitation.

GREG BERGER, independant reporter and documentary film maker in the Interview [ audio | 128kbs stream | 250 kbs stream] with Democracy Now!
“An armed incursion by the state police of about 1,500 riot police stormed the town. There were snipers placed on buildings, a rain of bullets fell on the people who were holding the city hall as an autonomous municipality, and at least two people were killed. Many people were beaten. I personally spoke with several old women who were beaten in the face and body by the riot police. Many of the people from the town ran into the hills and are currently being chased with helicopters and police dogs through the woods. And the entire town is basically in a state of siege.”