TO ALL THE COMPAÑERAS AND COMPAÑEROS:
OF COMMUNICATION MEDIAS.
Radio Ñomndaa, La Palabra del Agua (The Word of the Water), located in the Amuzga indigenous community of Suljaa' in Xochistlahuaca, in the Costa Chica of Guerrero, began transmission on the 20th day of December 2004. This radio was born as an instrument of struggle for the recognition and respect of our collective rights, as an indigenous pueblo. It is a tool of struggle against the forgetfulness and the aggression that, for so many years now, the mexican government, on its three levels, has detonated
against us the Amuzgas, and the non indigenous of the region. It is exercising of the right to autonomy. Radio Ñomndaa tries to be an instrument of unity, against division, aggression, scorn and ignorance of our culture, our ways and customs (usos y costumbres), as original peoples of Mexico. La existence of La Palabra del Aqua is fundamental to San Andres Accords of the Poor in Agreement 169 of the International Labor Organization (Los Acuerdos de San Andres de los Pobres en el Convenio 169 de la Organizacion Internacional del Trabajo) and other treaties and international agreements effective in our country.
La Palabra del Aqua has been a factor to create unity among the Amuzgos, citizens and between indigenous and non indigenous people oppressed in the region of the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Radio Ñomndaa is a community radio, free and independent from the government and it's political parties. In this radio we have made a collective work, a voluntary work, we are not anybody's employees. The collaborators are from the community of the region, we are women and men, adults youths, girls and boys, farmers, housewives, traditional medicine practitioners, students, teachers, and general citizens of the region. We have maintained ourselves thanks to the support of the people who listen and who agree with our work.
Once again we denounce the fact that the founders and Director Committee of Radio Ñomndaa, for exercising this right, actually denied in our constitution, we have been harassed, criminalized, and defamed by different levels of government and caciques (wealthy landowners) but is spite of this, we continue on with this fight, because it is necessary in order to construct Otro Mexico (The Other Mexico).
It has been approximately seven years since the PRIista Aceadeth Rocha Ramirez seized formal political power and wealthy landowner status (caciquil) in the municipality of Xochistlahuaca. In these years she has attacked the Amuzgo people of Xochistlahuaca in a very differing ways. Against such aggression the people have defended themselves and resisted, including proposing other ways of organizing to achieve development. In spite of said person having committed many crimes, she actually continues being in charge of the municipal presidency, dispatching her duties from her personal residence, not the official presidential palace of the town. In these three years that Radio Ñomndaa has been on the air, we have not kept quiet, nor have we forgotten her robberies, disturbances, aggressions, political imposition, persecution, and lack of respect for the ways and customs (usos y costumbres) of our people.
On the day of the 18th of January, we found out about the creation of the new radio station in our little community Suljaa', this station calls itself “the voice of the indigenous”, and has been installed in the private residence of Aceadeth Rocha Ramirez. We have realized that it has ties with a commercial station called Radio Capital, that is located in the city of Chilpancingo. The one responsible and the DJ
of this radio is called Victor Wences, who apparently draws on a lot of experience making radio in the cities, and relies on advisors and employed professional technicians. From their first transmissions our discourse was plagiarized, they tried to trick the people into believing that it was a community radio, that it was in the service of indigenous peoples and their struggles, and that it vindicates the Agreement 169 of the International Labor Organization. In light of this we would like to give our point of view:
1.The station that calls itself “the indigenous voice” is not of the community, it is used by the PRI that is in service to Aceadeth Rocha Ramirez and by her brother Jose Luis Rocha Ramirez municipal president of the PRI.
2.The station that calls itself “the indigenous voice” is not the voice of the people, it is the voice of Aceadeth Rocha Ramirez and of her employees to politically promote their boss, this lady president of the municipality. One only hears indigenous voices when they tell the time, send greetings, or on some song.
3.The station that calls itself “the indigenous voice” is not an indigenous radio because it is thought up and made by the authorities, caciques, businessmen, and employees who are not indigenous, it is sold to the highest bidder.
4.The station that calls itself “the indigenous voice” is clearly a radio that was born to disseminate lies in favor of the capitalist system, politicians and rich landowners of the region, like Aceadeth Rocha Ramirez and the ex governor of Guererro, the current senator of the republic, who is a part of the Comisión de Comunicación y Transporte of the senate, and who is for certain, a person whose relative is owner of an unpermitted commercial radio station, that calls itself “Stereo Más”, located in the city of Ometepec, Gro.
5.It is very clear that “the indigenous voice” was born to strike out at the political project represented by Radio Ñomndaa, to try to make it disappear. In fact one of it's first actions has been to try to co-opt some of the collaborators of Radio Ñomndaa, offering them money and work.
It is clear that in this year of elections for the municipal presidents of Guerrero, the politicians and the caciques will use these radio stations, without permission, to trick, misinform and confuse the people, and to attack their political adversaries. We ask ourselves: Is this not precisely what is prohibited by law? Aren't the authorities the ones who must respect and fulfill the renowned rule of law? It is no secret to anybody that the application of the law in México is selective and goes against the people that fight for justice and liberty. We know, that for communities in rebellion there is the jail, and for those who pretend to represent indigenous visions and usurp them, there are money opportunities; for the social strugglers there is persecution, while for the caciques and corrupt politicians there is impunity, and the protection and prize of lord Capital.
This situation is faced by the Colectivo en Rebeldía Suljaa' and the Director Committee of Radio Ñomndaa, La Palabra del Agua; we reiterate our obligation to continue henceforth in the fight to construct a Mexico that does not exclude us, that recognizes and respects our rights as a pueblo and as people. Radio Ñomndaa will follow it's path to be a tool in service of the community and the struggle for liberty.
We call out to all the companer@s of the Other Campaign, and to indigenous radios, community radios, free radios, independent radios; and to indigenous and social communities and organizations; to collectives and social groups, and to all the people in struggle in Mexico and in the world, to be very attentive with open eyes to what could happen to the collaborators of Radio Nomndaa, La Palabra del Agua.
Never again a México without us the indigenous!
Never again a México without us the Nn'ancue!
The word of the pueblo is free, clear, rebellious and true!
Attentively
The Collective in Rebellión Suljaa' committee
The Directory Committee of Radio Ñomndaa
Suljaa', Guerrero, México, January 20, 2008
email:
lapalabradelagua@gmail.com