Nov. 2 2006

During more than ten hours, the city of Oaxaca became the scenario of a battle with nearly six thousand PFP elements, ten anti-riot tanks, military support, state police, Judicial Police, and paramilitary; all on one side against the people of APPO which resisted through massive mobilization. APPO stuck to its demands: that the governor cease repression, that federal government forces leave the state of Oaxaca, presentation of disappeared activists, the cancelation of arrest orders and the resign of governor Ulises Ruíz Ortiz.

The attack started early in the morning, around seven o'clock. Federal police closed in on Ciudad Universitaria, the campus of the Autonomous University of Benito Juarez (UABJO). In this place is Radio Universidad, the APPO's radio which serves for coordination of resistance. Police started by removing the barricades set up for defense. At first people used pacific resistance methods, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the massive government forces. Using tear gas and water with

burning acid from the anti-riot tanks, the PFP kept pushing back the people and removing barricades. Then peope reorganized and put up more resistance using rocks, sticks, slingshots, rockets and molotov cocktails. Crossroads known as Soriana and Cinco señores became the points where the combat was more violent. Many were arrested and carried away in helicopters.



At the peak of the battle people had to withdrew, tear gas grenades were falling onto the campus, the police even took control of the gym and sports installations, violating the institution autonomy. Two helicopters were bombing the radio station with tear gas and attemping to land inside the

university. But the defense stood against all odds and caused the police to stand back a few times. Around one o'clock PFP had to withdraw because anti-riot tanks ran out of water. But then state police, judicial police, paramilitary and priístas started their attack using heavy gunfire. AK-47 and 7.62 ammunition casings were founded later on. Medics attempting to take care of

the wounded were also attacked by police. Reports indicate that the Red Cross refused to attend to wounded protestors. Also people injured and taken to the IMSS hospital were arrested.

Mario Mosqueda, an activist from the Medios Libres network was hit by police. When they found out that he was a reporter they started beating him with more violence. They injured him seriously in the head and broke his arm, but Mosqueda still managed to escape. Aparently, the crowd rescued him. Also

David Jaramillo from El Universal newspaper resulted injured, aparently from a homemade grenade. Another reporter, Miguel Dyimayuga, photographer from Proceso magazine was injured in a similar way. A fourth reporter, working for the state also was hurt. By the end of the day, the APPO reported to have more than two hundred people injured, many missing and perhaps up to

one hundred arrested.



When the PFP attempted to withdraw, they found themselves surrounded by the people who were called by the radio. The situation became so critical that the Government Secretary had to call APPO to ask them for a chance for the police to get out. So Radio Universidad made a call to the people on the streets so the PFP could get out. This information never came out on the

comercial media. At four o'clock it was clear that the attack was coming to an end and that it had failed completely. Still priístas kept attacking some barricades, but victory was definitely for the people. Last reports indicated that the situation was calm, but very tense. Another attack could

be mounted during the night. Also smaller clashes keep happening in some barricades. The goverment has announced that it's going to give a final assault before Sunday.



This was perhaps the most violent and massive attack on civil population

ever mounted in Mexico since the offensive against EZLN in '94, and the government did it to support a tiranic

governor acused of fraud and murder between many other crimes, and to try to

set an example against popular mobilization. In a journey of civil

resistance, Oaxaca's people survived another day in this long and violent

conflict.

zapote.radiolivre.org

cml.vientos.info