Segunda etapa de la campaña "Libertad y Justicia para Atenco"
Los Brigadistas-UNAM
Como parte de la segunda etapa de la campaña “Libertad y Justicia para Atenco”, el Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra inició una gira que recorrerá 12 estados de la república, convocando a sumar acciones en solidaridad por la libertad de los 12 presos políticos de Atenco, por la cancelación de las órdenes de aprensión en contra de América del Valle y Adán Espinoza y por el castigo a los responsables de la represión de 3 y 4 de mayo de 2006. El recorrido comenzó en Chiapas. La comisión del FPDT visitó los municipios de San Cristobal de Las Casas, Ocosingo, Oventic, Tonalá, Pijijiapan, Tuxtla Gutiérrez y Villaflores. En Acteal, en un acto muy emotivo con integrantes de la Abejas, el FPDT les reconoció que “desde 1997 el ejemplo que nos han dado es de lucha y resistencia”.
Invitaron a hermanar ambas luchas, para reclamar justicia y castigo a los responsables de la masacre de los compañeros indígenas y de la represión en Atenco. Sobre la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación, que liberó a asesinos confesos de la masacre, los compañeros de Atenco denunciaron que una vez más está demostrado que la justicia en México más bien se dedica a garantizar protección e impunidad a los represores, como Enrique Peña Nieto, Eduardo Medina Mora, Genaro García Luna y el expresidente Zedillo. En reunión con la junta de buen gobierno de los Altos en el Caracol de Oventic enviaron un mensaje a la resistencia zapatista: “la solidaridad es la caricia de los pueblos, esa premisa es la que nos impulsa, sin ella nosotros no seríamos capaces de estar aquí, ustedes nos han enseñado que la lucha es la única vía que nos hermana, por eso siguiendo su ejemplo, volvemos a encontrarlos porque sin esta posibilidad no tendríamos la fortaleza de seguir”.
A los ex-presos y familiares de presos políticos de la Voz del Amate, el FPDT invitó caminar juntos por la liberación de todos los presos políticos del país. La segunda visita de la gira fue en Veracruz. En cada sede donde fueron recibidos, los familiares de los detenidos en el Molino de Flores (Texcoco) hicieron una invitación a quienes quieran “adoptar” a un preso enviando cartas y mails para acompañarlos en la resistencia o brindarles apoyo económico durante el proceso penal y a sus familias.
Los ejidatarios han vuelto a decir que avanzarán con todos, desde los sindicatos y colonos, hasta los profesores, estudiantes e indígenas en resistencia, para construir un país mejor y lograr la libertad de todos los prisioneros por luchar.
La gira por la libertad concluirá el 5 y 6 de diciembre con un Festival por la libertad en San Salvador Atenco. La agenda de la gira puede consultarse en la página: www.atencolibertadyjusticia.com
Share This
Tecpatl
Our Word is Our Weapon, if you have anything you would like us to publish please send us an email @ maiz_centeotl_chicomecoatl@riseup.net
Subscribe To Maiz Today!!!!
Posts
All Comments
10/16/09
Why Our Food Safety Measures Are Failing
Feedlots and E. Coli
By JIM GOODMAN
CounterPunch
The New York Times pointed out how a flawed and inadequate USDA meat inspection system has jeopardized the safety of those who eat meat and makes the simple act of eating a burger a potential game of Russian roulette.
E. coli O157:H7, a virulent bacteria found in cattle manure was first identified in 1975 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and identified as a cause of human illness in 1982.
E. coli was first identified in 1885, but this new, more virulent strain, produces toxins that severely damage the intestinal lining (hemorrhagic colitis). The CDC estimates 0157:H7 causes 73,000 cases of illness and 61 deaths per year in the US.
According to the CDC, since 2004, the rates of illness due to 0157:H7 have actually increased. Control measures to decrease the incidence of contamination at slaughter plants initially showed positive results, but the trend has reversed.
Why are food safety measures failing? Why did the O157:H7 show up seemingly out of nowhere and why is it becoming more widespread?
With the dawn of high production agriculture after World War II, cattle that had traditionally been fed a grass and forage diet (to which they were naturally adapted), were moved into huge feedlots holding thousands of cattle and finished on a diet of grain. “Corn fed beef” became the American standard, tender, juicy, artery clogging and energy intensive.
University research indicates that changing the diet of cattle from forage to grain is very likely a cause of the increased incidence of O157:H7. Interesting how the rise of O157:H7 so closely parallels the rise of the feedlot industry.
Is it just coincidence that O157:H7 seemed to arrive as huge feedlots and grain diets became the norm for US cattle production? Is it coincidence that the vast majority of beef recalls have been from huge meat processors, those that grind beef from multiple sources and use ammonia to kill bacteria clinging to the meat?
No coincidence, it's cause and effect. I've seen feedlots where thousands of cattle wade knee deep in manure. Their hides covered with manure, they carry it into the processing plants; the source of contamination has entered the food chain.
I have also watched pasture fed cattle in small local processing plants being carefully and slowly processed. No manure covered hides, no meat of unknown origin; here the potential for contamination is greatly reduced.
Processing over 400 animals per hour, a recipe for contaminated meat, is commonplace in plants responsible for most meat recalls. As low wage workers struggle to keep up with the machinery in one of Americas most dangerous occupations, they must also struggle to keep the meat “clean”.
Rather than wait for the contamination to enter the plant, wouldn't it make sense to stop it before it starts? Feeding more antibiotics could reduce the levels of O157:H7 in cattle, but is that the answer?
If high grain diets support a higher incidence of O157:H7, shouldn't we go back to feeding animals the grass and forage they were meant to eat, so we don't need to feed antibiotics.
Improving processing plant inspections is a good idea, but it is only part of the solution. The real solution is minimizing the potential contaminant. Secondly, slow down the processing line so the workers can do their jobs.
CDC tells people to wash their hands, their cutting boards and to cook meat thoroughly. Good sound suggestions, but why is the burden of safety inordinately placed on the consumer? Why are the processors allowed to hide behind the “safe handling instructions” and maximize their profits with impunity?
In what amounts to a sea change at UDSA, Secretary Vilsack has launched the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food campaign to promote local food production, processing and consumption. He is on to something; safer food, more nutritious food and a revitalized rural economy. Food safety doesn't have to be complex, mostly it depends on common sense.
Jim Goodman is a dairy farmer from Wonewoc WI and a IATP Food and Society Fellow.
By JIM GOODMAN
CounterPunch
The New York Times pointed out how a flawed and inadequate USDA meat inspection system has jeopardized the safety of those who eat meat and makes the simple act of eating a burger a potential game of Russian roulette.
E. coli O157:H7, a virulent bacteria found in cattle manure was first identified in 1975 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and identified as a cause of human illness in 1982.
E. coli was first identified in 1885, but this new, more virulent strain, produces toxins that severely damage the intestinal lining (hemorrhagic colitis). The CDC estimates 0157:H7 causes 73,000 cases of illness and 61 deaths per year in the US.
According to the CDC, since 2004, the rates of illness due to 0157:H7 have actually increased. Control measures to decrease the incidence of contamination at slaughter plants initially showed positive results, but the trend has reversed.
Why are food safety measures failing? Why did the O157:H7 show up seemingly out of nowhere and why is it becoming more widespread?
With the dawn of high production agriculture after World War II, cattle that had traditionally been fed a grass and forage diet (to which they were naturally adapted), were moved into huge feedlots holding thousands of cattle and finished on a diet of grain. “Corn fed beef” became the American standard, tender, juicy, artery clogging and energy intensive.
University research indicates that changing the diet of cattle from forage to grain is very likely a cause of the increased incidence of O157:H7. Interesting how the rise of O157:H7 so closely parallels the rise of the feedlot industry.
Is it just coincidence that O157:H7 seemed to arrive as huge feedlots and grain diets became the norm for US cattle production? Is it coincidence that the vast majority of beef recalls have been from huge meat processors, those that grind beef from multiple sources and use ammonia to kill bacteria clinging to the meat?
No coincidence, it's cause and effect. I've seen feedlots where thousands of cattle wade knee deep in manure. Their hides covered with manure, they carry it into the processing plants; the source of contamination has entered the food chain.
I have also watched pasture fed cattle in small local processing plants being carefully and slowly processed. No manure covered hides, no meat of unknown origin; here the potential for contamination is greatly reduced.
Processing over 400 animals per hour, a recipe for contaminated meat, is commonplace in plants responsible for most meat recalls. As low wage workers struggle to keep up with the machinery in one of Americas most dangerous occupations, they must also struggle to keep the meat “clean”.
Rather than wait for the contamination to enter the plant, wouldn't it make sense to stop it before it starts? Feeding more antibiotics could reduce the levels of O157:H7 in cattle, but is that the answer?
If high grain diets support a higher incidence of O157:H7, shouldn't we go back to feeding animals the grass and forage they were meant to eat, so we don't need to feed antibiotics.
Improving processing plant inspections is a good idea, but it is only part of the solution. The real solution is minimizing the potential contaminant. Secondly, slow down the processing line so the workers can do their jobs.
CDC tells people to wash their hands, their cutting boards and to cook meat thoroughly. Good sound suggestions, but why is the burden of safety inordinately placed on the consumer? Why are the processors allowed to hide behind the “safe handling instructions” and maximize their profits with impunity?
In what amounts to a sea change at UDSA, Secretary Vilsack has launched the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food campaign to promote local food production, processing and consumption. He is on to something; safer food, more nutritious food and a revitalized rural economy. Food safety doesn't have to be complex, mostly it depends on common sense.
Jim Goodman is a dairy farmer from Wonewoc WI and a IATP Food and Society Fellow.
10/15/09
Una Minera Canadiense Cierra su Planta en Chiapas
Omal
La empresa minera canadiense Linear Gold Corporation cedió a la presión de los indígenas que se oponían a la explotación de yacimientos de oro y plata en su territorio en Chiapas (México) y anunció el cierre de sus oficinas en el estado para el 30 de septiembre.
Después de varias manifestaciones de protesta que derivaron en detenciones de algunos líderes indígenas, la empresa canadiense puso fin a cuatro años de operaciones.
En un oficio enviado al gobernador de Chiapas Juan Sabines Guerrero, la empresa Linear Gold México, S.A. de C.V., filial de la empresa canadiense, expuso que el "Proyecto Ixhuatán" que puso en marcha en 2005 para explorar oro y plata en la región norte del estado llegó a su fin, y anunció que el proyecto de inversión será "replanteado".
En la carta, fechada el 18 de septiembre pasado, la empresa explicó al gobernador que por "instrucciones superiores", a partir del 30 de ese mes suspenderá todas sus operaciones y cerrará sus oficinas en Chiapas.
"Se analizarán los estudios geológicos realizados en este tiempo de exploración a la situación financiera mundial y el replanteamiento de inversión para el proyecto", argumentó.
Pero eso no es todo, la empresa minera expuso que su cierre también tuvo que ver con otros factores: "En una baja escala, en los últimos tiempos hemos enfrentado algunos problemas de apatía y peticiones fuera de contexto por parte de algunos ejidos, lo cual nos complicó el trabajo cotidiano de exploración."
En la carta firmada por Gerardo Cano Mendoza, gerente de relaciones comunitarias y de gobierno de la empresa para el Proyecto Ixhuatán, se advierte que si bien éste no es un cierre definitivo, se notificará a las autoridades correspondientes cuando se "esté en posibilidades de retomar nuevamente las actividades".
Una postura similar a esta carta se expone en la página electrónica de la empresa canadiense
Junto con la empresa Blackfire Exploration Corporation, la Linear Gold Corp., tiene en su poder la mayoría de las concesiones otorgadas por el gobierno federal a las mineras extranjeras en el estado de Chiapas.
Uno de los principales opositores al proyecto ha sido la Red Mexicana de Afectados por la Minería (Rema), que en lo que va del 2009 aceleró su activismo para exigir que se retiren del estado.
"Otros mundos", es un organismo no gubernamental que ha estado encabezando esta protesta, en su portal electrónico tiene una serie de documentos que exhibe cómo estas empresas mineras contaminan los mantos freáticos en donde tiene presencia.
La empresa minera canadiense Linear Gold Corporation cedió a la presión de los indígenas que se oponían a la explotación de yacimientos de oro y plata en su territorio en Chiapas (México) y anunció el cierre de sus oficinas en el estado para el 30 de septiembre.
Después de varias manifestaciones de protesta que derivaron en detenciones de algunos líderes indígenas, la empresa canadiense puso fin a cuatro años de operaciones.
En un oficio enviado al gobernador de Chiapas Juan Sabines Guerrero, la empresa Linear Gold México, S.A. de C.V., filial de la empresa canadiense, expuso que el "Proyecto Ixhuatán" que puso en marcha en 2005 para explorar oro y plata en la región norte del estado llegó a su fin, y anunció que el proyecto de inversión será "replanteado".
En la carta, fechada el 18 de septiembre pasado, la empresa explicó al gobernador que por "instrucciones superiores", a partir del 30 de ese mes suspenderá todas sus operaciones y cerrará sus oficinas en Chiapas.
"Se analizarán los estudios geológicos realizados en este tiempo de exploración a la situación financiera mundial y el replanteamiento de inversión para el proyecto", argumentó.
Pero eso no es todo, la empresa minera expuso que su cierre también tuvo que ver con otros factores: "En una baja escala, en los últimos tiempos hemos enfrentado algunos problemas de apatía y peticiones fuera de contexto por parte de algunos ejidos, lo cual nos complicó el trabajo cotidiano de exploración."
En la carta firmada por Gerardo Cano Mendoza, gerente de relaciones comunitarias y de gobierno de la empresa para el Proyecto Ixhuatán, se advierte que si bien éste no es un cierre definitivo, se notificará a las autoridades correspondientes cuando se "esté en posibilidades de retomar nuevamente las actividades".
Una postura similar a esta carta se expone en la página electrónica de la empresa canadiense
Junto con la empresa Blackfire Exploration Corporation, la Linear Gold Corp., tiene en su poder la mayoría de las concesiones otorgadas por el gobierno federal a las mineras extranjeras en el estado de Chiapas.
Uno de los principales opositores al proyecto ha sido la Red Mexicana de Afectados por la Minería (Rema), que en lo que va del 2009 aceleró su activismo para exigir que se retiren del estado.
"Otros mundos", es un organismo no gubernamental que ha estado encabezando esta protesta, en su portal electrónico tiene una serie de documentos que exhibe cómo estas empresas mineras contaminan los mantos freáticos en donde tiene presencia.
Yale Lab Tech Causes Two Problems for Animal Researchers
Peeling Back the Plexiglas Curtain
By MARTHA ROSENBERG
CounterPunch
Scratch that $11.2 million underground animal research facility the University of Iowa's interim vice president for research, Jordan Cohen is probably saying to his Board of Regents right about now.
A 35,000-square-foot underground vivarium where researchers could move mice, sheep, pigs, rabbits and primates without ever coming above ground made a lot of sense in 2004--when activists breached Iowa labs, opening cages and ruining research.
But it doesn't make a lot of sense when the enemy is, gulp one of one's own.
The Yale community might be breathing a little easier now that a suspect is in custody in connection with the murder of graduate student Annie Le who was killed inside a high security lab in September, but the animal research community isn't.
What good are electronic surveillance, code cards and high tech security when the foe is in your own household in the form of a laboratory technician like suspect Raymond Clark III some are asking?
Did he euthanize one too many decorticated cats? See too many primates pinned in stereotaxic devices? Spend too long under the ether hood?
Or was Clark "off" before he became a lab technician--even becoming a technician because he was off? (Does the job description read, "most love animals but not get too attached to them"?)
Whatever Clark's reasons if found guilty, animal researchers now have two new fears: depraved technicians--and the public peeling back the Plexiglas curtain on the secretive, pork-ridden world of animal research.
There's a reason for the security that keeps Beagle burn videos from surfacing like egg farm videos. Animal research is too lucrative for the university/government/pharma complex to risk macaques on YouTube and the public judging the asinine and repetitive experiments many researchers know they live on.
Do you think Northwestern University--or the National Institutes of Health (NIH)--want to acknowledge that every year from l978 through l985 Associate Professor Dr. Charles Larson fused monkeys' necks to their skulls and deprived them food five days per week to make them cry out in a specific manner according to Concerned Citizens for Ethical Research? At a tax payer cost of $472,370? To "gain insights into some of the neurological disorders affecting vocalization?" Even as his colleagues scoffed?
And how about FOI documents obtained after veterinarian Dr. Catherine Dell'Orto reported strokes were being induced in baboons by removing their eyes in Columbia University laboratories, also with our tax dollars, in 2002?
After surgery, baboon B777, "lacked physical alertness, was unable to sit upright, or to eat. On September 21, the records indicate that the animal was awake and motionless but unable to eat, and could only drink water if squeezed into its mouth. It had vomited in the morning. The animal died while in its cage on September 21, 2001 at 1:30 p.m," wrote Columbia's investigative committee.
Thanks to the Stimulus Bill, NIH has a 2009 budget of $39.9 billion--think a year of the war in Iraq--and much of it goes to animal research.
University of Washington, for example, scored a cool $1 billion this year according to the Seattle Times for research, topping all public universities, despite its little incident with assistant professor of immunology Chen Dong in 2003.
Dong withheld food from mice, removed tips of their tails without anesthesia, failed to let babies wean and failed to euthanize suffering mice per the established mouse-pain scale said the university, barring him from animal research. Dong was also charged with falsifying his scientific articles and the Journal of Clinical Investigation asked for a retraction, reported the Times.
Nor does the University of Iowa seem to be hurting financially with its plans for a $122.5 million Iowa Institute for Biomedical Discovery which will connect to the underground vivarium mentioned earlier with its state of the art animal housing facilities, cage washing facilities and aseptic surgery space.
No, for animal researchers the bigger fear from Le's murder than technicians like Clark is the public seeing the heaps of unsupervised government pork behind their Plexiglas curtain. No wonder the research community wraps a "saves lives" cloak around its work whether falsified journal articles or Larson's "speech" studies.
It keeps the public from saying YOU'RE FUNDING WHAT? For how many years? With what results? about its tax dollars.
Martha Rosenberg can be reached at: martharosenberg@sbcglobal.net
By MARTHA ROSENBERG
CounterPunch
Scratch that $11.2 million underground animal research facility the University of Iowa's interim vice president for research, Jordan Cohen is probably saying to his Board of Regents right about now.
A 35,000-square-foot underground vivarium where researchers could move mice, sheep, pigs, rabbits and primates without ever coming above ground made a lot of sense in 2004--when activists breached Iowa labs, opening cages and ruining research.
But it doesn't make a lot of sense when the enemy is, gulp one of one's own.
The Yale community might be breathing a little easier now that a suspect is in custody in connection with the murder of graduate student Annie Le who was killed inside a high security lab in September, but the animal research community isn't.
What good are electronic surveillance, code cards and high tech security when the foe is in your own household in the form of a laboratory technician like suspect Raymond Clark III some are asking?
Did he euthanize one too many decorticated cats? See too many primates pinned in stereotaxic devices? Spend too long under the ether hood?
Or was Clark "off" before he became a lab technician--even becoming a technician because he was off? (Does the job description read, "most love animals but not get too attached to them"?)
Whatever Clark's reasons if found guilty, animal researchers now have two new fears: depraved technicians--and the public peeling back the Plexiglas curtain on the secretive, pork-ridden world of animal research.
There's a reason for the security that keeps Beagle burn videos from surfacing like egg farm videos. Animal research is too lucrative for the university/government/pharma complex to risk macaques on YouTube and the public judging the asinine and repetitive experiments many researchers know they live on.
Do you think Northwestern University--or the National Institutes of Health (NIH)--want to acknowledge that every year from l978 through l985 Associate Professor Dr. Charles Larson fused monkeys' necks to their skulls and deprived them food five days per week to make them cry out in a specific manner according to Concerned Citizens for Ethical Research? At a tax payer cost of $472,370? To "gain insights into some of the neurological disorders affecting vocalization?" Even as his colleagues scoffed?
And how about FOI documents obtained after veterinarian Dr. Catherine Dell'Orto reported strokes were being induced in baboons by removing their eyes in Columbia University laboratories, also with our tax dollars, in 2002?
After surgery, baboon B777, "lacked physical alertness, was unable to sit upright, or to eat. On September 21, the records indicate that the animal was awake and motionless but unable to eat, and could only drink water if squeezed into its mouth. It had vomited in the morning. The animal died while in its cage on September 21, 2001 at 1:30 p.m," wrote Columbia's investigative committee.
Thanks to the Stimulus Bill, NIH has a 2009 budget of $39.9 billion--think a year of the war in Iraq--and much of it goes to animal research.
University of Washington, for example, scored a cool $1 billion this year according to the Seattle Times for research, topping all public universities, despite its little incident with assistant professor of immunology Chen Dong in 2003.
Dong withheld food from mice, removed tips of their tails without anesthesia, failed to let babies wean and failed to euthanize suffering mice per the established mouse-pain scale said the university, barring him from animal research. Dong was also charged with falsifying his scientific articles and the Journal of Clinical Investigation asked for a retraction, reported the Times.
Nor does the University of Iowa seem to be hurting financially with its plans for a $122.5 million Iowa Institute for Biomedical Discovery which will connect to the underground vivarium mentioned earlier with its state of the art animal housing facilities, cage washing facilities and aseptic surgery space.
No, for animal researchers the bigger fear from Le's murder than technicians like Clark is the public seeing the heaps of unsupervised government pork behind their Plexiglas curtain. No wonder the research community wraps a "saves lives" cloak around its work whether falsified journal articles or Larson's "speech" studies.
It keeps the public from saying YOU'RE FUNDING WHAT? For how many years? With what results? about its tax dollars.
Martha Rosenberg can be reached at: martharosenberg@sbcglobal.net
Gran Parte de la Provincia Afgana Bajo Control de la Insurgencia
Testigo Presencial: los Talibanes en Kunduz
Gul Rahim Niazmand
IWPR/ICH
El vehículo está marcado cuartel de la policía provincial de Kunduz, pero sus ocupantes no son necesariamente servidores del Estado.
Los talibanes en Kunduz capturaron recientemente ocho camiones Ford Ranger de la policía en el distrito Chahr Dara, y las utilizan para movilizarse.
No cuesta notar la diferencia, sin embargo. Cuando los que están tras el volante son talibanes, hacen tronar canciones islámicas y nacionales por los altavoces montados sobre el techo del vehículo; se abrazan y ríen.
A veces, los talibanes usan motocicletas, cuando los caminos son demasiado estrechos o difíciles para las Ranger. Se cubren las cabezas y caras con pañuelos cuadriculados.
Una fila de talibanes en motocicletas acaba de pasar en camino a Chahr Dara, y desaparece rápidamente en una nube de polvo.
Los talibanes tienen el control total del distrito. Han establecido su propia forma de ley islámica y se mueven abiertamente por las aldeas y bazares, sin temor. Aquí no existe la autoridad del gobierno.
“Sólo controlamos la oficina del gobernador,” dijo el gobernador del distrito de Chahr Dara, Abdul Wahid. “Fuera de estos muros no tenemos ninguna jurisdicción. La gente no viene a la oficina del gobernador a resolver sus problemas, van donde los talibanes.”
Otros cuatro distritos están aproximadamente en la misma situación. La ciudad de Kunduz, capital de la provincia, está rodeada de áreas en las cuales el control del gobierno prácticamente ha desaparecido.
Archi, a 50 kilómetros al norte de Kunduz, está, como Chahr Dara, totalmente bajo control talibán. Ali Abad, 25 km al sur, está dominada en gran parte por los fundamentalistas. El control gubernamental es casi inexistente en Imam Saheb, 70 km al norte, y en Abad, a sólo 25 km al este, el gobierno sólo controla el centro del distrito y unas pocas aldeas cercanas.
Hace sólo un año la provincia Kunduz se consideraba estable, los negocios florecían y los residentes se mostraban optimistas.
Los funcionarios afganos y extranjeros se pelean por explicar el cambio. Las razones y explicaciones son tan diversas como extravagantes. Cada cual tiene una teoría, pero parece que nadie puede presentar pruebas.
El gobernador de Kunduz, ingeniero Mohammad Omar, culpa a Pakistán por la emergencia de los insurgentes.
Hasta hace muy poco, la mayoría de los suministros para las fuerzas internacionales llegaba a Afganistán a través del vecino al sur del país, lo que representaba vastas sumas de dinero en impuestos y aranceles para Islamabad.
Pero con la creciente inseguridad en las rutas de aprovisionamiento por Pakistán, algunos países de la OTAN tratan de traer su combustible y otros suministros desde Tayikistán, a través del puerto de Sher Khan, en el río entre los dos países y Kunduz.
“El suministro logístico de la OTAN a través del puerto de Sher Khan a Afganistán traerá beneficios económicos para la región y el país,” dijo el gobernador. “Esto no es aceptable para Pakistán, porque no quiere perder los privilegios que recibe de la OTAN. Por eso trata de desestabilizar la situación en esta región para que la OTAN se vea obligada a pedir ayuda a Pakistán en cuanto a rutas de abastecimiento.”
Funcionarios paquistaníes en Kabul no respondieron a las solicitudes de comentario.
El teniente coronel Carsten Spiering, portavoz del Equipo Provincial de Reconstrucción alemán en Kunduz, no descartó la idea de que el cambio de rutas de abastecimiento podría tener que ver con parte de los problemas en la provincia.
“Hay varios motivos detrás del deterioro de la situación de la seguridad en Kunduz, uno de los cuales es el cambio de los convoyes de suministro de las fuerzas de la coalición dirigidas por la OTAN y [EE.UU.] a través del puerto de Sher Khan,” dijo, sin entrar en detalles.
Los talibanes, dice el gobernador Omar, también han sido alentados por la escasez de fuerzas policiales en Kunduz.
“Cuando la policía llega a un área, [los insurgentes] corren y se ocultan,” dijo. “No son suficientemente fuertes para combatir cara a cara. Pero [los insurgentes] no tienen una ubicación fija, la policía no puede establecer un frente en la lucha. En su lugar, los insurgentes realizan ataques de guerrilla.”
El jefe de policía de Kunduz, Mohammad Razaq Yaqubi, sin embargo, vincula los problemas de seguridad con contrabandistas de narcóticos en Kunduz.
“Los talibanes tratan de aumentar el cultivo y la producción de opio en esta región,” dijo. “Esta guerra en Kunduz pertenece a la mafia de los narcóticos, que opera en nombre del Islam.”
Yaqubi llamó a las fuerzas internacionales a combatir a los contrabandistas.
“Tienen que luchar contra ellos,” insistió. “Al Qaeda obtiene una gran parte de sus ingresos de la droga y compra equipos militares con ellos”
Kunduz ha sido declarada libre de amapolas durante los últimos tres años, pero los expertos en narcóticos estiman que es un centro importante para el contrabando de opio y heroína a Tayikistán o Uzbekistán, y de ahí a Rusia y Europa.
El analista político Ghulam Haidar Haidar cree que los extranjeros son responsables de la inseguridad en Kunduz.
Según Haidar, las fuerzas de la coalición están entrenando y equipando a los insurgentes con el fin de extender la inseguridad a Asia Central.
“EE.UU. quiere una base desde la cual amenazar a Rusia,” dijo. “Los intereses políticos de EE.UU. en Asia Central no son ningún secreto. EE.UU. puede lograr sus objetivos sólo si los talibanes pasan al otro lado del Oxus (el río Amu Darya, que forma la frontera entre Afganistán y Tayikistán y Uzbekistán). Entonces las fuerzas estadounidenses podrán entrar en Asia Central en nombre de la guerra contra el terror.”
La versión de Haidar parece estar de acuerdo con la de los residentes del distrito de Chahr Dara.
Un residente local, que no quiso dar su nombre, insistió en que los talibanes están apoyados por EE.UU.
“Lo vi con mis propios ojos,” dijo. “Yo llevaba mi ganado a casa por la tarde y vi a talibanes que bajaban de helicópteros estadounidenses. También estaban descargando motocicletas de esas naves. Más tarde, un mulá local al que conozco muy bien fue a hablar con los estadounidenses y luego los helicópteros partieron.”
La capitana Elizabeth Mathias, hablando por las fuerzas de EE.UU. en Afganistán, rechazó la acusación.
“EE.UU. no apoya a militantes talibanes, ni estamos expandiendo el conflicto a Asia Central… la región Afganistán-Pakistán, y específicamente la inestabilidad dentro de esos dos países, mantienen suficientemente ocupadas a las fuerzas de EE.UU. y la OTAN,” dijo.
“En cuanto a los rumores, creo honradamente que es una reacción natural de gente que trata de comprender las situaciones difíciles que enfrenta… [El gobierno y las fuerzas de la coalición] siguen combatiendo contra fuerzas desestabilizadoras en el área y comunican esos esfuerzos a los residentes de Kunduz.”
Otro tema que puede haber aumentado la influencia de los talibanes es la percepción entre los pastunes de que la OTAN y las fuerzas de la coalición libran la guerra sólo contra un grupo étnico: el suyo.
Los talibanes son pastunes en su abrumadora mayoría, y la guerra se ha concentrado en áreas pastunes. Esto ha llevado a un sentimento de agravio entre los pastunes, según Haidar, y a una disposición a apoyar a los insurgentes por venganza o para obtener protección.
“Dondequiera que viven pastunes, hay enfrentamientos, y matan a civiles,” dijo. “Esta guerra ha sido impuesta a los pastunes, pero ya no quieren más guerra.”
Incidentes como el bombardeo en Chahr Dara del 4 de septiembre, cuando los militares alemanes pidieron un ataque aéreo contra dos camiones cisterna que habían sido secuestrados por los talibanes, sólo profundizan el enojo local.
Varias docenas de civiles resultaron muertos cuando las bombas dieron en un grupo de personas reunidas alrededor de los vehículos. Aunque los alemanes dicen que pensaron que todos eran insurgentes, muchos eran aldeanos que trataban de conseguir combustible gratuito de los camiones.
El gobernador del distrito Chahr Dara, Abdul Wahid, culpa al gobierno por no hacer más.
“Al principio había muy pocos talibanes y el gobierno podría haberlos derrotado,” dijo. “Pero ignoraron el problema. Ahora [la insurgencia] está creciendo a diario.”
Gul Rahim Niazmand es un aprendiz del IWPR basado en Kunduz.
Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Gul Rahim Niazmand
IWPR/ICH
Traducido del inglés para Rebelión por Germán Leyens
El vehículo está marcado cuartel de la policía provincial de Kunduz, pero sus ocupantes no son necesariamente servidores del Estado.
Los talibanes en Kunduz capturaron recientemente ocho camiones Ford Ranger de la policía en el distrito Chahr Dara, y las utilizan para movilizarse.
No cuesta notar la diferencia, sin embargo. Cuando los que están tras el volante son talibanes, hacen tronar canciones islámicas y nacionales por los altavoces montados sobre el techo del vehículo; se abrazan y ríen.
A veces, los talibanes usan motocicletas, cuando los caminos son demasiado estrechos o difíciles para las Ranger. Se cubren las cabezas y caras con pañuelos cuadriculados.
Una fila de talibanes en motocicletas acaba de pasar en camino a Chahr Dara, y desaparece rápidamente en una nube de polvo.
Los talibanes tienen el control total del distrito. Han establecido su propia forma de ley islámica y se mueven abiertamente por las aldeas y bazares, sin temor. Aquí no existe la autoridad del gobierno.
“Sólo controlamos la oficina del gobernador,” dijo el gobernador del distrito de Chahr Dara, Abdul Wahid. “Fuera de estos muros no tenemos ninguna jurisdicción. La gente no viene a la oficina del gobernador a resolver sus problemas, van donde los talibanes.”
Otros cuatro distritos están aproximadamente en la misma situación. La ciudad de Kunduz, capital de la provincia, está rodeada de áreas en las cuales el control del gobierno prácticamente ha desaparecido.
Archi, a 50 kilómetros al norte de Kunduz, está, como Chahr Dara, totalmente bajo control talibán. Ali Abad, 25 km al sur, está dominada en gran parte por los fundamentalistas. El control gubernamental es casi inexistente en Imam Saheb, 70 km al norte, y en Abad, a sólo 25 km al este, el gobierno sólo controla el centro del distrito y unas pocas aldeas cercanas.
Hace sólo un año la provincia Kunduz se consideraba estable, los negocios florecían y los residentes se mostraban optimistas.
Los funcionarios afganos y extranjeros se pelean por explicar el cambio. Las razones y explicaciones son tan diversas como extravagantes. Cada cual tiene una teoría, pero parece que nadie puede presentar pruebas.
El gobernador de Kunduz, ingeniero Mohammad Omar, culpa a Pakistán por la emergencia de los insurgentes.
Hasta hace muy poco, la mayoría de los suministros para las fuerzas internacionales llegaba a Afganistán a través del vecino al sur del país, lo que representaba vastas sumas de dinero en impuestos y aranceles para Islamabad.
Pero con la creciente inseguridad en las rutas de aprovisionamiento por Pakistán, algunos países de la OTAN tratan de traer su combustible y otros suministros desde Tayikistán, a través del puerto de Sher Khan, en el río entre los dos países y Kunduz.
“El suministro logístico de la OTAN a través del puerto de Sher Khan a Afganistán traerá beneficios económicos para la región y el país,” dijo el gobernador. “Esto no es aceptable para Pakistán, porque no quiere perder los privilegios que recibe de la OTAN. Por eso trata de desestabilizar la situación en esta región para que la OTAN se vea obligada a pedir ayuda a Pakistán en cuanto a rutas de abastecimiento.”
Funcionarios paquistaníes en Kabul no respondieron a las solicitudes de comentario.
El teniente coronel Carsten Spiering, portavoz del Equipo Provincial de Reconstrucción alemán en Kunduz, no descartó la idea de que el cambio de rutas de abastecimiento podría tener que ver con parte de los problemas en la provincia.
“Hay varios motivos detrás del deterioro de la situación de la seguridad en Kunduz, uno de los cuales es el cambio de los convoyes de suministro de las fuerzas de la coalición dirigidas por la OTAN y [EE.UU.] a través del puerto de Sher Khan,” dijo, sin entrar en detalles.
Los talibanes, dice el gobernador Omar, también han sido alentados por la escasez de fuerzas policiales en Kunduz.
“Cuando la policía llega a un área, [los insurgentes] corren y se ocultan,” dijo. “No son suficientemente fuertes para combatir cara a cara. Pero [los insurgentes] no tienen una ubicación fija, la policía no puede establecer un frente en la lucha. En su lugar, los insurgentes realizan ataques de guerrilla.”
El jefe de policía de Kunduz, Mohammad Razaq Yaqubi, sin embargo, vincula los problemas de seguridad con contrabandistas de narcóticos en Kunduz.
“Los talibanes tratan de aumentar el cultivo y la producción de opio en esta región,” dijo. “Esta guerra en Kunduz pertenece a la mafia de los narcóticos, que opera en nombre del Islam.”
Yaqubi llamó a las fuerzas internacionales a combatir a los contrabandistas.
“Tienen que luchar contra ellos,” insistió. “Al Qaeda obtiene una gran parte de sus ingresos de la droga y compra equipos militares con ellos”
Kunduz ha sido declarada libre de amapolas durante los últimos tres años, pero los expertos en narcóticos estiman que es un centro importante para el contrabando de opio y heroína a Tayikistán o Uzbekistán, y de ahí a Rusia y Europa.
El analista político Ghulam Haidar Haidar cree que los extranjeros son responsables de la inseguridad en Kunduz.
Según Haidar, las fuerzas de la coalición están entrenando y equipando a los insurgentes con el fin de extender la inseguridad a Asia Central.
“EE.UU. quiere una base desde la cual amenazar a Rusia,” dijo. “Los intereses políticos de EE.UU. en Asia Central no son ningún secreto. EE.UU. puede lograr sus objetivos sólo si los talibanes pasan al otro lado del Oxus (el río Amu Darya, que forma la frontera entre Afganistán y Tayikistán y Uzbekistán). Entonces las fuerzas estadounidenses podrán entrar en Asia Central en nombre de la guerra contra el terror.”
La versión de Haidar parece estar de acuerdo con la de los residentes del distrito de Chahr Dara.
Un residente local, que no quiso dar su nombre, insistió en que los talibanes están apoyados por EE.UU.
“Lo vi con mis propios ojos,” dijo. “Yo llevaba mi ganado a casa por la tarde y vi a talibanes que bajaban de helicópteros estadounidenses. También estaban descargando motocicletas de esas naves. Más tarde, un mulá local al que conozco muy bien fue a hablar con los estadounidenses y luego los helicópteros partieron.”
La capitana Elizabeth Mathias, hablando por las fuerzas de EE.UU. en Afganistán, rechazó la acusación.
“EE.UU. no apoya a militantes talibanes, ni estamos expandiendo el conflicto a Asia Central… la región Afganistán-Pakistán, y específicamente la inestabilidad dentro de esos dos países, mantienen suficientemente ocupadas a las fuerzas de EE.UU. y la OTAN,” dijo.
“En cuanto a los rumores, creo honradamente que es una reacción natural de gente que trata de comprender las situaciones difíciles que enfrenta… [El gobierno y las fuerzas de la coalición] siguen combatiendo contra fuerzas desestabilizadoras en el área y comunican esos esfuerzos a los residentes de Kunduz.”
Otro tema que puede haber aumentado la influencia de los talibanes es la percepción entre los pastunes de que la OTAN y las fuerzas de la coalición libran la guerra sólo contra un grupo étnico: el suyo.
Los talibanes son pastunes en su abrumadora mayoría, y la guerra se ha concentrado en áreas pastunes. Esto ha llevado a un sentimento de agravio entre los pastunes, según Haidar, y a una disposición a apoyar a los insurgentes por venganza o para obtener protección.
“Dondequiera que viven pastunes, hay enfrentamientos, y matan a civiles,” dijo. “Esta guerra ha sido impuesta a los pastunes, pero ya no quieren más guerra.”
Incidentes como el bombardeo en Chahr Dara del 4 de septiembre, cuando los militares alemanes pidieron un ataque aéreo contra dos camiones cisterna que habían sido secuestrados por los talibanes, sólo profundizan el enojo local.
Varias docenas de civiles resultaron muertos cuando las bombas dieron en un grupo de personas reunidas alrededor de los vehículos. Aunque los alemanes dicen que pensaron que todos eran insurgentes, muchos eran aldeanos que trataban de conseguir combustible gratuito de los camiones.
El gobernador del distrito Chahr Dara, Abdul Wahid, culpa al gobierno por no hacer más.
“Al principio había muy pocos talibanes y el gobierno podría haberlos derrotado,” dijo. “Pero ignoraron el problema. Ahora [la insurgencia] está creciendo a diario.”
Gul Rahim Niazmand es un aprendiz del IWPR basado en Kunduz.
Institute for War & Peace Reporting
10/14/09
WPNCL CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF INDONESIAN TO DIALOGUE WITH THE PAPUAN PEOPLE
West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) had written twice
to the President of the Republic of Indonesian Dr. Haji Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, in 2007 and again in 2008 requesting him to dialogue with the
Papuan people. But until now there is still no response from him or his
government.
Since its’ establishment WPNCL was committed to the use of peaceful
means as the dominant principle to resolve the conflict between the
Papuan people and the government of Indonesia. WPNCL considers a
mutually beneficial Summit/dialogue with Indonesia the first priority in
the process of resolving the issue of West Papua. Such dialogue or
Summit must be facilitated by a Third Party or Mediator, endorsed by
both parties, the Papuan people and the government of Indonesia.
WPNCL viewed the recent incident involving the arrest and detention of
Mr. Jonah Wenda, Spokesman of the Military Council of the West Papuan
National Liberation Army (TPN PB) and peace Activist of WPNCL on 6
September 2009 in Klamono/Sorong as a provocative act that could
undermine the on going efforts to maintain peace and tolerance in the
land of Papua. Mr. Jonah Wenda was transferred to Jayapura for further
interrogation then released in September and placed under house arrest.
It is important to keep in mind that peace and tolerance in the land of
Papua could be maintained because of the hard work of peace activists of
the land including Mr. Jonah Wenda. He had worked tirelessly together
with members of WPNCL to make sure that TPN remain committed to peace.
WPNCL considers this as confidence boosting effort to pave the way for
peace negotiation with the government of Indonesia. After all there must
be genuine good will efforts shown by both parties before any negotiation.
Mr. Jonah Wenda and the other peace activists are conducting themselves
in the open and known to members of the public. They cannot be
considered as a threat to any one. All their activities are
manifestations of the undertaking in 2002 where POLDA PAPUA (Regional
Police Force of Papua) had agreed to work together with the Papuan
Peoples Representative Council (DPRP) and Stakeholder in the Society to
maintain peace in the land of Papua. The details of commitment of
Stakeholders in the form of Recommendations could be ascertained in the
Report of the Peace Conference of the Papuan people held in Jayapura
from 15-16 October 2002.
Since that Conference, a Task Force for Peace was established by members
of the Civil Society. The main task was to disseminate information and
engage Civil Society about the recommendations. The Task Force had also
facilitated consultations and reconciliation with groups that
potentially could hinder or endangered the peace efforts. It facilitated
parallel meetings with different stakeholders in the Society including
the different regional commands of TPN.
The Task Force for Peace in Papua had also facilitated combined meetings
with Papuans in the country and those in Diaspora. From 16-20 June 2003
a Think Tank Group meeting was held in Utrecht, Netherlands. Some 23
Papuan intellectuals participated. The 3 main agenda items of the
meetings were Human Rights and Justice, Development, and Politics.
Because of the absence of some important Stakeholders including the TPN
it was recommended that another meeting be organized some where closer
to West Papua. Such meeting must be inclusive to allow for full
participation of Stakeholders of the whole resistance movement.
All these meetings realized the need for workshops tor the purpose of
dissemination of the basic recommendations and more importantly to allow
for wider participation and input by all sectors who want the
realization of peace in West Papua. Two Workshops were facilitated in
the country. The first Workshop held in Jayapura on 27 October 2004
recommended that a high level meeting of National leaders must be
convened to seriously consider all the criteria and options in the
process to resolve the conflict in West Papua. The second workshop held
on 20 November 2004 agreed to organize a meeting for the leaders of all
the Papuan organizations in the Civil Society. The workshop also
discussed technical matters involved including, agenda, venue,
participants and cost involved in convening such a meeting.
Considering the recommendations from the workshops many diverse groups
in the Civil Society decided to go ahead to convene the proposed
National meeting/Summit involving Stakeholders in the country and also
in Diaspora. This meeting/Summit was held in Papua New Guinea from 28
November to 1st December 2005. This Summit was able to make a number of
interim decisions: The establishment of a National Coordinating body
called, West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL). The Summit
decided that the Secretariat of WPNCL be based in Port Vila, the Capital
of the Republic of Vanuatu. The Summit also decided that concerted
efforts must be made to consult widely on unity and maximize
consolidation between different factions of the Resistance movement in
West Papua. From the invited 28 Resistance organizations only 18 were
able to attend. The remaining 10 organizations sent their apologies and
endorsed the purpose of the Summit.
Based on the recommendations from the above Summit an important meeting
was convened for the Commanders of the West Papuan National Liberation
Army, the TPN PB. PNG was also the venue for this meeting which was held
from 22-24 July 2006 and was attended by all the regional Commands of
TPN. A number of important agreements were made in the meeting
including, the duty and function of TPN as a Revolutionary Army that
must protect all West Papuans; separation of TPN from the OPM structure,
further more the role and responsibility of TPN during the revolution;
the formation of TPN Military Council as the highest Coordinating body
of TPN; during the same meeting a declaration of commitment by all the
Commanders to work together in the efforts to liberate Papuan people and
the land of West Papua; urging all the Commanders within the TPN Command
to unify their perceptions whether in programming, strategy and action
to accomplish the objective of the revolution; acknowledge and respect
the universal principles of humanity; endorse the efforts to establish
West Papua as land of peace; urging unity between all the resistance
groups in West Papua; urging all West Papuans to work together to
maintain National unity.
Another follow up meeting by TPN was held at Victoria HQ from 5-7 April
2007. This meeting had reached a number of agreements to merge, Arfai
1965 Command, Marvic Command and Pemka Command into one Command to be
known as West Papua National Liberation Army Command. This new Command
comes under the responsibility and direct Command of the Military
Council of the West Papua National Liberation Army; Henceforth, the
Military Council of TPN PB becomes the highest decision making body or
Command of TPN PB; confirming a new Command structure and designation of
regional Commands for each HQ; the appointment of ranking officers in
the Military Council of TPN PB including the other rankings further down
the structure of Command. A communiqué was issued at the end of the
meeting to declare or affirm the above decisions: a unity process within
the rank and file of TPN PB, the merging of Arfai ’65 Command, Marvic
Command and Pemka Command into one Command structure. Commitment by all
parties within TPN PB to foster bilateral and international cooperation
to combat the traffic of narcotics, to stem terrorist networks and above
all the creation of a National Command of TPN PB encompassing all
regions of West Papua which was divided into 6 Regional Commands.
Next WPNCL convened its Second Summit in Malaysia from 22-25 September
2007. A number of decisions were made here: WPNCL will establish its
Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatnu; the adoption of Bylaws of WPNCL that
also cover rules on the TPN PB and other functions of the Coalition. The
Summit established a negotiating team and agreed on the strategy for
negotiation with Indonesia through a Third Party. The Summit had also
approved the existence and the on going work of the West Papua Peace
Working Group that had networks in 4 major regions, Asia, Pacific,
America and Europe. Because of the absence of some stakeholders
including TPN PB it was decided to have the final Leaders Summit in
Vanuatu.
The third and final West Papuan leaders Summit was held in Vanuatu from 2-10 April 2008. This Summit was endorsed by the Government of Vanuatu. The Summit issued a major resolution calling on Indonesia to agree to resolve the West Papuan conflict peacefully through International negotiation facilitated by a Third Party. The Summit also called on the International community to encourage Indonesia to open West Papua for International access by Journalists and other International agencies. TPN PB has been one of the important supporting pillars of WPNCL. But since its Commander was elected as Chairman of the Coalition during the Summit in Vanuatu the position of Commander became vacant. Unfortunately it is a technical matter and was referred to the Military Council of TPN PB to decide. This matter was resolved when all the Commanders met near the PNG border from 29-31 October 2008. This was also the first National Planning meeting of the new Military Council of TPN PB. WPNCL had also held its first National Planning meeting near the PNG border from 4-8 April 2009 to finalize its programs with clear directions and targets including one of the options of negotiating with Indonesia through a Third Party facilitation.
To conclude, WPNCL believes the new government of Dr. Haji Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono has the commitment to resolve the West Papuan issue.
We encourage SBY’s government to establish communication with us as we
previously requested in order to commence the process for negotiation.
We hope, God willing this will lead to a mutually beneficial result for
both our two peoples, Papuans and Indonesians of this generation and
those yet to come.
For more details contact, Rex Rumakiek, the Secretary General on +61414247468
or the Vice Chairman Dr. John Ondawame on +678 439759026 or the Vanuatu
Mission Mr. Andy Ayamiseba on + 678 40808 or 60651.
For general information on Human Rights issues contact Ms. Paula
Makabory, the International Representative of Papua Institute of Human
Rights Study and Advocacy, on: +61 402547517
to the President of the Republic of Indonesian Dr. Haji Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, in 2007 and again in 2008 requesting him to dialogue with the
Papuan people. But until now there is still no response from him or his
government.
Since its’ establishment WPNCL was committed to the use of peaceful
means as the dominant principle to resolve the conflict between the
Papuan people and the government of Indonesia. WPNCL considers a
mutually beneficial Summit/dialogue with Indonesia the first priority in
the process of resolving the issue of West Papua. Such dialogue or
Summit must be facilitated by a Third Party or Mediator, endorsed by
both parties, the Papuan people and the government of Indonesia.
WPNCL viewed the recent incident involving the arrest and detention of
Mr. Jonah Wenda, Spokesman of the Military Council of the West Papuan
National Liberation Army (TPN PB) and peace Activist of WPNCL on 6
September 2009 in Klamono/Sorong as a provocative act that could
undermine the on going efforts to maintain peace and tolerance in the
land of Papua. Mr. Jonah Wenda was transferred to Jayapura for further
interrogation then released in September and placed under house arrest.
It is important to keep in mind that peace and tolerance in the land of
Papua could be maintained because of the hard work of peace activists of
the land including Mr. Jonah Wenda. He had worked tirelessly together
with members of WPNCL to make sure that TPN remain committed to peace.
WPNCL considers this as confidence boosting effort to pave the way for
peace negotiation with the government of Indonesia. After all there must
be genuine good will efforts shown by both parties before any negotiation.
Mr. Jonah Wenda and the other peace activists are conducting themselves
in the open and known to members of the public. They cannot be
considered as a threat to any one. All their activities are
manifestations of the undertaking in 2002 where POLDA PAPUA (Regional
Police Force of Papua) had agreed to work together with the Papuan
Peoples Representative Council (DPRP) and Stakeholder in the Society to
maintain peace in the land of Papua. The details of commitment of
Stakeholders in the form of Recommendations could be ascertained in the
Report of the Peace Conference of the Papuan people held in Jayapura
from 15-16 October 2002.
Since that Conference, a Task Force for Peace was established by members
of the Civil Society. The main task was to disseminate information and
engage Civil Society about the recommendations. The Task Force had also
facilitated consultations and reconciliation with groups that
potentially could hinder or endangered the peace efforts. It facilitated
parallel meetings with different stakeholders in the Society including
the different regional commands of TPN.
The Task Force for Peace in Papua had also facilitated combined meetings
with Papuans in the country and those in Diaspora. From 16-20 June 2003
a Think Tank Group meeting was held in Utrecht, Netherlands. Some 23
Papuan intellectuals participated. The 3 main agenda items of the
meetings were Human Rights and Justice, Development, and Politics.
Because of the absence of some important Stakeholders including the TPN
it was recommended that another meeting be organized some where closer
to West Papua. Such meeting must be inclusive to allow for full
participation of Stakeholders of the whole resistance movement.
All these meetings realized the need for workshops tor the purpose of
dissemination of the basic recommendations and more importantly to allow
for wider participation and input by all sectors who want the
realization of peace in West Papua. Two Workshops were facilitated in
the country. The first Workshop held in Jayapura on 27 October 2004
recommended that a high level meeting of National leaders must be
convened to seriously consider all the criteria and options in the
process to resolve the conflict in West Papua. The second workshop held
on 20 November 2004 agreed to organize a meeting for the leaders of all
the Papuan organizations in the Civil Society. The workshop also
discussed technical matters involved including, agenda, venue,
participants and cost involved in convening such a meeting.
Considering the recommendations from the workshops many diverse groups
in the Civil Society decided to go ahead to convene the proposed
National meeting/Summit involving Stakeholders in the country and also
in Diaspora. This meeting/Summit was held in Papua New Guinea from 28
November to 1st December 2005. This Summit was able to make a number of
interim decisions: The establishment of a National Coordinating body
called, West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL). The Summit
decided that the Secretariat of WPNCL be based in Port Vila, the Capital
of the Republic of Vanuatu. The Summit also decided that concerted
efforts must be made to consult widely on unity and maximize
consolidation between different factions of the Resistance movement in
West Papua. From the invited 28 Resistance organizations only 18 were
able to attend. The remaining 10 organizations sent their apologies and
endorsed the purpose of the Summit.
Based on the recommendations from the above Summit an important meeting
was convened for the Commanders of the West Papuan National Liberation
Army, the TPN PB. PNG was also the venue for this meeting which was held
from 22-24 July 2006 and was attended by all the regional Commands of
TPN. A number of important agreements were made in the meeting
including, the duty and function of TPN as a Revolutionary Army that
must protect all West Papuans; separation of TPN from the OPM structure,
further more the role and responsibility of TPN during the revolution;
the formation of TPN Military Council as the highest Coordinating body
of TPN; during the same meeting a declaration of commitment by all the
Commanders to work together in the efforts to liberate Papuan people and
the land of West Papua; urging all the Commanders within the TPN Command
to unify their perceptions whether in programming, strategy and action
to accomplish the objective of the revolution; acknowledge and respect
the universal principles of humanity; endorse the efforts to establish
West Papua as land of peace; urging unity between all the resistance
groups in West Papua; urging all West Papuans to work together to
maintain National unity.
Another follow up meeting by TPN was held at Victoria HQ from 5-7 April
2007. This meeting had reached a number of agreements to merge, Arfai
1965 Command, Marvic Command and Pemka Command into one Command to be
known as West Papua National Liberation Army Command. This new Command
comes under the responsibility and direct Command of the Military
Council of the West Papua National Liberation Army; Henceforth, the
Military Council of TPN PB becomes the highest decision making body or
Command of TPN PB; confirming a new Command structure and designation of
regional Commands for each HQ; the appointment of ranking officers in
the Military Council of TPN PB including the other rankings further down
the structure of Command. A communiqué was issued at the end of the
meeting to declare or affirm the above decisions: a unity process within
the rank and file of TPN PB, the merging of Arfai ’65 Command, Marvic
Command and Pemka Command into one Command structure. Commitment by all
parties within TPN PB to foster bilateral and international cooperation
to combat the traffic of narcotics, to stem terrorist networks and above
all the creation of a National Command of TPN PB encompassing all
regions of West Papua which was divided into 6 Regional Commands.
Next WPNCL convened its Second Summit in Malaysia from 22-25 September
2007. A number of decisions were made here: WPNCL will establish its
Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatnu; the adoption of Bylaws of WPNCL that
also cover rules on the TPN PB and other functions of the Coalition. The
Summit established a negotiating team and agreed on the strategy for
negotiation with Indonesia through a Third Party. The Summit had also
approved the existence and the on going work of the West Papua Peace
Working Group that had networks in 4 major regions, Asia, Pacific,
America and Europe. Because of the absence of some stakeholders
including TPN PB it was decided to have the final Leaders Summit in
Vanuatu.
The third and final West Papuan leaders Summit was held in Vanuatu from 2-10 April 2008. This Summit was endorsed by the Government of Vanuatu. The Summit issued a major resolution calling on Indonesia to agree to resolve the West Papuan conflict peacefully through International negotiation facilitated by a Third Party. The Summit also called on the International community to encourage Indonesia to open West Papua for International access by Journalists and other International agencies. TPN PB has been one of the important supporting pillars of WPNCL. But since its Commander was elected as Chairman of the Coalition during the Summit in Vanuatu the position of Commander became vacant. Unfortunately it is a technical matter and was referred to the Military Council of TPN PB to decide. This matter was resolved when all the Commanders met near the PNG border from 29-31 October 2008. This was also the first National Planning meeting of the new Military Council of TPN PB. WPNCL had also held its first National Planning meeting near the PNG border from 4-8 April 2009 to finalize its programs with clear directions and targets including one of the options of negotiating with Indonesia through a Third Party facilitation.
To conclude, WPNCL believes the new government of Dr. Haji Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono has the commitment to resolve the West Papuan issue.
We encourage SBY’s government to establish communication with us as we
previously requested in order to commence the process for negotiation.
We hope, God willing this will lead to a mutually beneficial result for
both our two peoples, Papuans and Indonesians of this generation and
those yet to come.
For more details contact, Rex Rumakiek, the Secretary General on +61414247468
or the Vice Chairman Dr. John Ondawame on +678 439759026 or the Vanuatu
Mission Mr. Andy Ayamiseba on + 678 40808 or 60651.
For general information on Human Rights issues contact Ms. Paula
Makabory, the International Representative of Papua Institute of Human
Rights Study and Advocacy, on: +61 402547517
Llegó el Momento para una Nueva Constitución: Céleo Alvarez Casildo
La Ceiba - En el Día de la Raza, los garífunas conmemoran 517 años de resistencia indígena, negra y popular, en medio de una crisis política e institucional que les afecta aun más sus ya precarias condiciones socio-económicas.
Contrario a otros años, esta vez los afrodescendientes callan sus tambores y sus matracas. No saldrán a las calles, porque no existen condiciones idóneas en el ámbito político, ni económico.
El dirigente comunitario Céleo Alvarez Casildo sostiene que la lucha de los negros en este país, lleva más de 500 años, sumergidos en el olvido de los gobiernos de siempre, con poca asistencia para paliar sus necesidades.
Señala que en pleno siglo XXl, aún existen comunidades remotas como su natal Plaplaya en la Mosquitia, donde no hay los servicios mínimos para vivir, como agua potable de buena calidad, electricidad o acceso a la educación secundaria.
Zulma Valencia, de la Organización Negra Centroamericana (Oneca), explicó que el Día de la Raza es una fecha propicia para recordar aquel 12 de octubre de 1492, cuando se concretó el llamado "encontronazo de tres mundos, que representa la deplorable y más prolongada violación de los derechos humanos de los pueblos indígenas de las
Américas y consecuentemente de millones de personas africanas y afrodescendientes".
Céleo Alvarez Casildo, quien es presidente de la Organización de Desarrollo Etnico Comunitario (Odeco), señala que para los africanos y afrodescendientes, significó “la tragedia más gigantesca de la historia humana por su magnitud y por su duración”, conocida como la trata de negros transatlántica.
"Hoy como ayer, los afrodescendientes luchamos contra las injusticias recetadas por organismos internacionales de Occidente que aprendieron muy bien la receta ambiciosa de sus ancestros: riqueza y opulencia a costa del sacrificio de millones de personas", apuntó.
Los pueblos y comunidades chortís, tolupanes, lencas, afrodescendientes de habla inglesa, tawahkas, misquitos, nahuas, pech y garífunas, se debaten en deplorables condiciones de pobreza, discriminación racial, exclusión y marginalidad sin precedentes, la batalla constante por el reconocimiento de sus derechos.
"No cabe duda que la indiferencia de los gobiernos ha jugado un papel crucial en la continuación del neocolonialismo y de la aplicación inmisericorde del modelo económico neoliberal, afectando severamente los intereses de estos pueblos y de las mayorías aglutinadas en los sectores populares", señaló.
LA CONSTITUYENTE
"Nosotros reiteramos nuestra condena al golpe de Estado y hacemos el llamamiento para que se logre la reconciliación nacional, para lo cual proponemos las reformas a la Ley Electoral y de las Organizaciones Políticas y la convocatoria a un plebiscito para que la ciudadanía se pronuncie por una nueva Constitución".
Para los negros, este momento que vive el país, si bien es cierto les afecta como a todos, representa una oportunidad histórica para cambiar el rumbo de Honduras y que las grandes mayorías se vean beneficiadas.
Es evidente, dice Céleo Alvarez, que nos encontramos ante una frágil institucionalidad en cuanto a la impartición de la justicia, seguridad alimentaria, seguridad ciudadana, participación política y la defensa de los derechos humanos.
Son alarmantes los índices de criminalidad, corrupción e impunidad y deterioro del nivel de vida en el campo y la ciudad, situación agravada a partir del golpe de Estado ocurrido el pasado 28 de junio de 2009, apuntó.
Añadió el dirigente que la clase política y económica tradicional implementa diferentes mecanismos para controlar la cosa pública.
"Los grupos de poder, acostumbrados a saquear y a controlar los poderes del Estado, no duermen, especulan, calumnian y levantan falsas expectativas cuando consideran que pueden ser afectados sus leoninos intereses".
Dijo que es urgente garantizar la libertad de expresión, de movilización pacífica y la seguridad personal de todos los ciudadanos, evitar la represión y otras violaciones de los derechos humanos.
Así como conjugar esfuerzos para impedir que se regrese a la temible, retrógrada y tenebrosa década perdida de los años 80, garantizando los derechos y libertades contemplados en la Constitución de la República y en los convenios internacionales.
Por eso, Céleo Alvarez Casildo considera que ha llegado el momento para redactar una nueva Constitución, mediante la instalación de una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente, en la cual se tome en cuenta a las grandes mayorías.
Selvin Fernandez
Contrario a otros años, esta vez los afrodescendientes callan sus tambores y sus matracas. No saldrán a las calles, porque no existen condiciones idóneas en el ámbito político, ni económico.
El dirigente comunitario Céleo Alvarez Casildo sostiene que la lucha de los negros en este país, lleva más de 500 años, sumergidos en el olvido de los gobiernos de siempre, con poca asistencia para paliar sus necesidades.
Señala que en pleno siglo XXl, aún existen comunidades remotas como su natal Plaplaya en la Mosquitia, donde no hay los servicios mínimos para vivir, como agua potable de buena calidad, electricidad o acceso a la educación secundaria.
Zulma Valencia, de la Organización Negra Centroamericana (Oneca), explicó que el Día de la Raza es una fecha propicia para recordar aquel 12 de octubre de 1492, cuando se concretó el llamado "encontronazo de tres mundos, que representa la deplorable y más prolongada violación de los derechos humanos de los pueblos indígenas de las
Américas y consecuentemente de millones de personas africanas y afrodescendientes".
Céleo Alvarez Casildo, quien es presidente de la Organización de Desarrollo Etnico Comunitario (Odeco), señala que para los africanos y afrodescendientes, significó “la tragedia más gigantesca de la historia humana por su magnitud y por su duración”, conocida como la trata de negros transatlántica.
"Hoy como ayer, los afrodescendientes luchamos contra las injusticias recetadas por organismos internacionales de Occidente que aprendieron muy bien la receta ambiciosa de sus ancestros: riqueza y opulencia a costa del sacrificio de millones de personas", apuntó.
Los pueblos y comunidades chortís, tolupanes, lencas, afrodescendientes de habla inglesa, tawahkas, misquitos, nahuas, pech y garífunas, se debaten en deplorables condiciones de pobreza, discriminación racial, exclusión y marginalidad sin precedentes, la batalla constante por el reconocimiento de sus derechos.
"No cabe duda que la indiferencia de los gobiernos ha jugado un papel crucial en la continuación del neocolonialismo y de la aplicación inmisericorde del modelo económico neoliberal, afectando severamente los intereses de estos pueblos y de las mayorías aglutinadas en los sectores populares", señaló.
LA CONSTITUYENTE
"Nosotros reiteramos nuestra condena al golpe de Estado y hacemos el llamamiento para que se logre la reconciliación nacional, para lo cual proponemos las reformas a la Ley Electoral y de las Organizaciones Políticas y la convocatoria a un plebiscito para que la ciudadanía se pronuncie por una nueva Constitución".
Para los negros, este momento que vive el país, si bien es cierto les afecta como a todos, representa una oportunidad histórica para cambiar el rumbo de Honduras y que las grandes mayorías se vean beneficiadas.
Es evidente, dice Céleo Alvarez, que nos encontramos ante una frágil institucionalidad en cuanto a la impartición de la justicia, seguridad alimentaria, seguridad ciudadana, participación política y la defensa de los derechos humanos.
Son alarmantes los índices de criminalidad, corrupción e impunidad y deterioro del nivel de vida en el campo y la ciudad, situación agravada a partir del golpe de Estado ocurrido el pasado 28 de junio de 2009, apuntó.
Añadió el dirigente que la clase política y económica tradicional implementa diferentes mecanismos para controlar la cosa pública.
"Los grupos de poder, acostumbrados a saquear y a controlar los poderes del Estado, no duermen, especulan, calumnian y levantan falsas expectativas cuando consideran que pueden ser afectados sus leoninos intereses".
Dijo que es urgente garantizar la libertad de expresión, de movilización pacífica y la seguridad personal de todos los ciudadanos, evitar la represión y otras violaciones de los derechos humanos.
Así como conjugar esfuerzos para impedir que se regrese a la temible, retrógrada y tenebrosa década perdida de los años 80, garantizando los derechos y libertades contemplados en la Constitución de la República y en los convenios internacionales.
Por eso, Céleo Alvarez Casildo considera que ha llegado el momento para redactar una nueva Constitución, mediante la instalación de una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente, en la cual se tome en cuenta a las grandes mayorías.
Selvin Fernandez
Celeo Alvarez Casildo: The Moment Has Come for a New Constitution in Honduras
“We reiterate our condemnation of the coup d’etat… and call for convening a referendum so that the citizenry can vote on a new Constitution”
By Selvin Fernández
The Daily Tiempo
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
La Ceiba – On this, the “dia de la Raza,” Garífunas commemorate 517 years of indigenous, black and popular resistance, in the middle of a political and institutional crisis that affects their precarious social-economic conditions more than before.
Contrary to in previous years, this time the Afro-descendants have silenced their drums and matraca noisemakers. They won’t be out in the streets, because the political and economic conditions to do so don’t exist.
The community leader Celeo Alvarez Casildo says that the struggle of black people in this country, now more than 500 years old, is forgotten by every administration with little assistance to meet its needs.
He said that in the 21st Century, there are still remote communities like his native Plapaya in the Mosquitia region, where minimum services to survive don’t exist, such as potable water, electricity or access to high school.
Zulma Valencia of the Central American Black Organization (ONECA, in its Spanish initials) explained that the Dia de la Raza is an appropriate date to remember that October 12 of 1492 when the so called “meeting of three worlds occurred, which represents the deplorable and most prolongued violation of human rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and consequently of millions of Africans and Afro-descendants.”
Celeo Alvarez Casildo, president of the Organization for Community and Ethnic Development (ODECO) says that for Africans and Afro-descendants, it has brought “the most gigantic tragedy of human history due to its magnitude and duration” and its treatment of black people on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Today as before, we Afro-descendants struggle against injustices created by international Western organisms that learned very well the ambitious recipe of their ancestors: wealth and opulence at the cost of sacrificing millions of people,” he said.
The peoples and communities of the Chortís, Tolupanes, Lencas, Afro-descendants who speak English, Tawahkas, Misquitos, Nahuas, Pech and Garífunas live in deplorable conditions of poverty, racial discrimination, exclusion and marginalization without precedent in a constant battle for the recognition of their rights.
“There is no doubt that the indifference of government administrations has played a crucial role in the continuation of neo-colonialism, with the application of misery through the neoliberal economic model, severely affecting the interests of the people and also the majority made up of all the popular sectors,” he said.
The Constitutional Convention
“We reiterate our condemnation of the coup d’etat and call for national reconciliation, which is why we propose reforms to the Electoral Law and that political organizations convene a referendum so that the citizenry can vote on a new Constitution,” said Alvarez Casildo.
“For black people, this is the moment the entire country finds itself in. It affects everyone. And it represents a historic opportunity to change the direction of Honduras so that the great majority benefit.”
It is evident, Celeo Alvarez says, that we find ourselves with fragile institutions when it comes to the justice system, hunger, public safety, political participation and the defense of human rights.
The levels of criminality, corruption and impunity are alarming in the country as well as the city, a situation aggravated by the June 28 coup d’etat, he said.
He added that the traditional political and economic class implements many mechanisms to control public life.
“Those in power, accustomed to loot and to control the powers of the State, do not sleep. They engage in speculation, lie and raise false expectations whenever they think that their interests might be affected.”
He said it is urgent to guarantee freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly and the personal safety of all citizens, without repression and violations of human rights.
It is time to join forces to prevent that the terrible retrograde decade of the 80s does not return by guaranteeing the rights and liberties written in the Constitution and in international treaties.
That’s why Celeo Alvarez Casildo believes the moment has come to write a new Constitution through the election of a National Constituent Assembly that takes into account what the great majority of Hondurans want.
Translated by NarcoNews
By Selvin Fernández
The Daily Tiempo
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
La Ceiba – On this, the “dia de la Raza,” Garífunas commemorate 517 years of indigenous, black and popular resistance, in the middle of a political and institutional crisis that affects their precarious social-economic conditions more than before.
Contrary to in previous years, this time the Afro-descendants have silenced their drums and matraca noisemakers. They won’t be out in the streets, because the political and economic conditions to do so don’t exist.
The community leader Celeo Alvarez Casildo says that the struggle of black people in this country, now more than 500 years old, is forgotten by every administration with little assistance to meet its needs.
He said that in the 21st Century, there are still remote communities like his native Plapaya in the Mosquitia region, where minimum services to survive don’t exist, such as potable water, electricity or access to high school.
Zulma Valencia of the Central American Black Organization (ONECA, in its Spanish initials) explained that the Dia de la Raza is an appropriate date to remember that October 12 of 1492 when the so called “meeting of three worlds occurred, which represents the deplorable and most prolongued violation of human rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and consequently of millions of Africans and Afro-descendants.”
Celeo Alvarez Casildo, president of the Organization for Community and Ethnic Development (ODECO) says that for Africans and Afro-descendants, it has brought “the most gigantic tragedy of human history due to its magnitude and duration” and its treatment of black people on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Today as before, we Afro-descendants struggle against injustices created by international Western organisms that learned very well the ambitious recipe of their ancestors: wealth and opulence at the cost of sacrificing millions of people,” he said.
The peoples and communities of the Chortís, Tolupanes, Lencas, Afro-descendants who speak English, Tawahkas, Misquitos, Nahuas, Pech and Garífunas live in deplorable conditions of poverty, racial discrimination, exclusion and marginalization without precedent in a constant battle for the recognition of their rights.
“There is no doubt that the indifference of government administrations has played a crucial role in the continuation of neo-colonialism, with the application of misery through the neoliberal economic model, severely affecting the interests of the people and also the majority made up of all the popular sectors,” he said.
The Constitutional Convention
“We reiterate our condemnation of the coup d’etat and call for national reconciliation, which is why we propose reforms to the Electoral Law and that political organizations convene a referendum so that the citizenry can vote on a new Constitution,” said Alvarez Casildo.
“For black people, this is the moment the entire country finds itself in. It affects everyone. And it represents a historic opportunity to change the direction of Honduras so that the great majority benefit.”
It is evident, Celeo Alvarez says, that we find ourselves with fragile institutions when it comes to the justice system, hunger, public safety, political participation and the defense of human rights.
The levels of criminality, corruption and impunity are alarming in the country as well as the city, a situation aggravated by the June 28 coup d’etat, he said.
He added that the traditional political and economic class implements many mechanisms to control public life.
“Those in power, accustomed to loot and to control the powers of the State, do not sleep. They engage in speculation, lie and raise false expectations whenever they think that their interests might be affected.”
He said it is urgent to guarantee freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly and the personal safety of all citizens, without repression and violations of human rights.
It is time to join forces to prevent that the terrible retrograde decade of the 80s does not return by guaranteeing the rights and liberties written in the Constitution and in international treaties.
That’s why Celeo Alvarez Casildo believes the moment has come to write a new Constitution through the election of a National Constituent Assembly that takes into account what the great majority of Hondurans want.
Translated by NarcoNews
10/13/09
Los Indígenas Americanos Reivindican sus Derechos en el Día de la Resistencia
Ruben Pascual
Gara
Las comunidades indígenas de América organizaron diversas actividades ecológicas, culturales, políticas y educativas en el día de ayer para celebrar el Día de la Resistencia Indígena y alzar la voz para seguir reivindicando sus derechos y mostrar su rechazo al modelo neoliberal vigente.
En Guatemala, al igual que en otros muchos países, miles de indígenas y campesinos llevaron a cabo diversas protestas, como manifestaciones y cortes de carretera. En el bloqueo realizado en el municipio sureño de Mixco, una persona disparó contra los manifestantes que impedían el paso, matando al menos a una persona -un joven de 19 años identificado como Iner Orlando Boror- e hiriendo de bala a otras dos.
Además, el Movimiento de Renovación Nacional reivindicó el apagón que dejó sin luz a todo el país el domingo, argumentando que respondía a «la violación sistemática» de los dere- chos de los indígenas que lleva a cabo el Gobierno.
«Día de luto»
Por otra parte, el presidente boliviano, Evo Morales, reivindicó que el 12 de octubre es un «día de luto» para América Latina, porque conmemora una «invasión» que trajo «hambre, miseria y enfermedades».
«Nuestros antepasados estaban preparados para enfrentar cualquier situación de emergencia, especialmente de carácter alimenticio. La invasión nos trajo hambre, miseria, enfermedades», aseveró.
En Venezuela, el Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, del presidente bolivariano, Hugo Chávez, celebró una manifestación, en la que invitó a participar a todos los pueblos indígenas. El diputado venezolano Darío Vivas anunció que, tras la marcha, tendría lugar un acto de homenaje a los pueblos indígenas y al padre de la Patria Venezolana, Simón Bolívar.
Por su parte, las comunidades originarias de Argentina también expresaron su rechazo al «Día de la Raza», al entender que esta efeméride refleja la visión de los conquistadores españoles de América en perjuicio de sus antepasados.
En su lugar, algunas comunidades del país sudamericano celebraron el domingo el «Último Día de Libertad de los Pueblos Originarios de América», mientras que otras se decantaron por homenajear ayer la resistencia de sus antepasados.
Gara
Las comunidades indígenas de América organizaron diversas actividades ecológicas, culturales, políticas y educativas en el día de ayer para celebrar el Día de la Resistencia Indígena y alzar la voz para seguir reivindicando sus derechos y mostrar su rechazo al modelo neoliberal vigente.
En Guatemala, al igual que en otros muchos países, miles de indígenas y campesinos llevaron a cabo diversas protestas, como manifestaciones y cortes de carretera. En el bloqueo realizado en el municipio sureño de Mixco, una persona disparó contra los manifestantes que impedían el paso, matando al menos a una persona -un joven de 19 años identificado como Iner Orlando Boror- e hiriendo de bala a otras dos.
Además, el Movimiento de Renovación Nacional reivindicó el apagón que dejó sin luz a todo el país el domingo, argumentando que respondía a «la violación sistemática» de los dere- chos de los indígenas que lleva a cabo el Gobierno.
«Día de luto»
Por otra parte, el presidente boliviano, Evo Morales, reivindicó que el 12 de octubre es un «día de luto» para América Latina, porque conmemora una «invasión» que trajo «hambre, miseria y enfermedades».
«Nuestros antepasados estaban preparados para enfrentar cualquier situación de emergencia, especialmente de carácter alimenticio. La invasión nos trajo hambre, miseria, enfermedades», aseveró.
En Venezuela, el Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, del presidente bolivariano, Hugo Chávez, celebró una manifestación, en la que invitó a participar a todos los pueblos indígenas. El diputado venezolano Darío Vivas anunció que, tras la marcha, tendría lugar un acto de homenaje a los pueblos indígenas y al padre de la Patria Venezolana, Simón Bolívar.
Por su parte, las comunidades originarias de Argentina también expresaron su rechazo al «Día de la Raza», al entender que esta efeméride refleja la visión de los conquistadores españoles de América en perjuicio de sus antepasados.
En su lugar, algunas comunidades del país sudamericano celebraron el domingo el «Último Día de Libertad de los Pueblos Originarios de América», mientras que otras se decantaron por homenajear ayer la resistencia de sus antepasados.
Putting the Spine Back in the Commonwealth
The Commons, the Nobel for Economics and the Living Legacy of Tom Paine
By PETER LINEBAUGH
CounterPunch
In the prologue to Henry V (staged in 1599) Shakespeare described the Globe theatre (built in 1599). It is where the muse of fire ascended, this is the cockpit holding the vast fields, this is the wooden O crammed with war, the place of imaginary puissance. The ‘English nation’ as an ideological patriotic construct, yes, was constructed in this O, and then again when Henry V was put up in World War Two on the silver screen. Again, it was ‘the nation’.
A couple Fridays ago though it was A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine that was performed at the Globe, Trevor Griffith’s magnificent play. We walked across the Thames afterwards, across the Millennium Bridge, the footbridge that sways, to Mansion House and the Circle Line. St Paul's Cathedral was lit up, the Globe behind us was still illuminated, the clouds parted to reveal a full moon, and light glittered on the river. No, the scene was not that to evoke the nation. Between the banks of the Thames we could point out, amid the bank buildings of the City, where the demos of 1999, 2001 took place (‘Take Over the City’) against privatization of England and the planet. Again, the buildings were the background to the demo last spring against the G-20. Already, the commons was a call.
I sit on an oak seat in the upper gallery, peering down at the yard and the groundlings, nursing their pints, sipping their coffee. Looking into the sky, an occasional star shines through the moving clouds, or a jet moves across the night sky, and a cold wind comes up. Has the theatrical illusion been broken?
Elinor Ostrom has won the Nobel prize. And for what? While the Nobel committee says "for her analysis of economic governance, especially the commons," I think we can safely say for common sense, though to be sure this is covered in many layers of jargon social sciencey, economistic, and otherwise. Instead of saying ‘the commons’ and risking evocation of thousands of years of history, or instead of saying “all things in common” and kindling the scriptural spirit of the religious, she will write of “common pool resources,” and found an institute and win a prize. The discourse appeals to policy makers rather than commoners who might prefer Thomas Paine.
The Nobel committee continues, “Elinor Ostrom has challenged the conventional wisdom that common property is poorly managed and should be either regulated by central authorities or privatized. Based on numerous studies of user-managed fish stocks, pastures, woods, lakes, and groundwater basins, Ostrom concludes that the outcomes are, more often than not, better than predicted by standard theories. She observes that resource users frequently develop sophisticated mechanisms for decision-making and rule enforcement to handle conflicts of interest, and she characterizes the rules that promote successful outcomes.”
Trevor Griffiths pointed this out years ago in Occupations (1970) in his play about Gramsci. Gramsci was to become all the rage. You thought his notion of ‘egemonia was the name of a village in Sardinia? It had not yet become the shibboleth of grad school Marxists. He said that the auto workers could take over the factory and do a better job without the bosses. Treat the factory as a commons. That was Turin in 1920. Now I’m not going to say Tom Paine was similarly into workers’ control or workers’ councils, but we should quote this from his Agrarian Justice (1797). “It is a position not to be controverted that the earth, in its natural, cultivated state, was, and ever would have continued to be, the COMMON PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE.” “neither did the Creator of the earth open a land-office, from whence the first title-deeds should issue.”
The dispossessed must be indemnified for their loss, and he proposed a hefty chunk of be distributed to everyone on reaching the age of twenty-one. The sum was approximately equivalent to a subsistence farm, a garden, cow, a pasturage, some implements. And then again another chunk of wealth was to be disbursed at retirement, and retirement began at age fifty. Paine does not call for the expropriation of the expropriators, or the negation of the negation. Far from it he seeks to protect the affluent from the risk of tumult, and the only means of doing this, short of class war, is justice. “the great mass of the poor, in countries, are become an hereditary race, and it is next to impossible from them to get out of that state of themselves.”
This play must travel. Of course Griffiths is a master of the movie script as well (Reds is his). And he has written a TV drama, Food for Ravens, on the founder of the National Health Service in the UK, Aneurin Bevan. (It too should be shown - in the waiting rooms of hospitals, in the lounges of nursing homes, on the closed TV circuits of prisons.) So his Tom Paine play might be shown in several media. But the play is live. And we long for life.
How to challenge American theatre to produce Trevor Griffiths’ Tom Paine? Against the pious stuffiness of the John Adams mini-series let us have the lively, raucous debates that set him off to begin with – Tom Paine. I’d like a mainly Black cast for a production in Detroit, perhaps for next years World Social Forum. Why not a mixture of Arab and Hispanic, Afro Am, Korean, and Anglo in Pittsburgh? Wouldn’t it be great in New Orleans or Berkeley?
The production I saw was London theatre at its best. Here was the engineering of first-rate stage-craft. The stage was used, the trap door, the scaffolding, the balcony, the portable speakers-platform on wheels, the hanging yard arm with sails furled. A cast of twenty or more playing multiple parts. Music, too, songs and ballads. It was not didactic or preachey. Great wit, fast talk, superb acting. Common people rushing all over the yard shouting out slogans and thoughts from Common Sense. Fighting for American independence in England!
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.”
A theatre of ideas but the ideas are in the people, they don’t float apart. The ideas emerge with conflict. Now here is A New World and as usual America is stuck in the old, the old world of empire, the old world of tyranny, the old world of banks and commodities, money as the network of exploitation and oppression, the old world of diffidence and despair. A New World belongs to our times for the students in California protesting the cuts, for the students of Pittsburgh viciously attacked by the G-20 robocops, for the prisoners, the foreclosed, the homeless. It belongs in the U.S.A. I compare it to The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade, the Peter Weiss play of 1968, as theatre for our times. Griffiths takes us to America, to the sea, to France, to England, and back to America. The little O has begun to embrace the planet.
Paine believed passionately, to quote Trevor Griffiths, “in the rights of men and women as equal citizens under the law based on constitutions they drew up for themselves rather than inherited from the class-ridden past.”
From Agrarian Justice, “The present state of civilization is as odious as it is unjust… It is absolutely the opposite of what it should be and it is necessary that a revolution should be made in it… The contrast of affluence and wretchedness, continually meeting and offending the eye, is like dead and living bodies chained together … the condition of millions in every country … is now far worse than if they had been born before civilization began… There must grow, and soon, a system of civilization so organized that not a man or woman born in the Republic but shall inherit some means of beginning the world and see before them the certainty of escaping the miseries that up to now have always accompanied old age … An army of principle will penetrate where an army of soldiers can not; it will march on the horizon of the world, and it will conquer.”
He dedicated Rights of Man, part one, to George Washington that he may enjoy the happiness of seeing the New World regenerate the Old” and in 2009 it must be the reverse, and Trevor Griffiths’s play, A New World, must find realization, dramatizations, readings, in America. What was significant was not “independence” but the “revolution in the principles and practice of government.” He was against monarchy, and the boss principle generally (my way or the highway).
He began his career in America writing against slavery. He himself was disenfranchised – cast off from the voting rolls, in New Rochelle, N.Y. – and African Americans attended his funeral but not a white man unless you count the few Irish men. How can you not read of his funeral without profoundest pity. Friday night there was not a dry eye in the Globe from gallery to ground.
On the way along the funky Northern Line from our hotel at King's Cross down to the Globe who should be sitting opposite on a crowded five o'clock train but an old friend. On her way to Palestine next week, she was meeting someone for a Turkish dinner across the street from the Globe and to see A New World, wouldn't we join them? So we were right in the middle of our old London. Ye olde Englande I'm going to have to say (give the heritage industry its due).
Yes, that was Trevor Griffiths sitting in the garden of The Swan overlooking the courtyard into the entrances of his theatre, our theatre for the evening. He was in the center of a table of friends, theatre people, and I shouted and went over, brash as Americans used to be. Come and see me during the interval. He introduced me to the director. I tried out theatre talk. You must show it in South Africa, in Ireland, in Delhi. And they burst out laughing, wondering which delicatessen I had in mind.
So I spoke of Pittsburgh and the demos in California, and the criminalization of shack dwellers in South Africa. Trevor got serious too and told me about four years of readings, four years of staging (I almost said campaigning) all over the UK. The play is not "national" he said, not part of the 21st century nation. I couldn’t quite judge the undertones in the way he said ‘nation.’ The emphasis was on the regions, in the localities. The goal, the ambition is what I got out of it. We must aim at least for the same. It’s not the nation. Something else. Unless we put spine back into ‘the commonwealth’ restoring its nerve and bone, that’s not it either.
A muse of fire? A collective, communal muse?
A new world.
Peter Linebaugh teaches history at the University of Toledo. The London Hanged and (with Marcus Rediker) The Many-Headed Hydra: the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic. His essay on the history of May Day is included in Serpents in the Garden. His latest book is the Magna Carta Manifesto. He can be reached at: plineba@yahoo.com
By PETER LINEBAUGH
CounterPunch
In the prologue to Henry V (staged in 1599) Shakespeare described the Globe theatre (built in 1599). It is where the muse of fire ascended, this is the cockpit holding the vast fields, this is the wooden O crammed with war, the place of imaginary puissance. The ‘English nation’ as an ideological patriotic construct, yes, was constructed in this O, and then again when Henry V was put up in World War Two on the silver screen. Again, it was ‘the nation’.
A couple Fridays ago though it was A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine that was performed at the Globe, Trevor Griffith’s magnificent play. We walked across the Thames afterwards, across the Millennium Bridge, the footbridge that sways, to Mansion House and the Circle Line. St Paul's Cathedral was lit up, the Globe behind us was still illuminated, the clouds parted to reveal a full moon, and light glittered on the river. No, the scene was not that to evoke the nation. Between the banks of the Thames we could point out, amid the bank buildings of the City, where the demos of 1999, 2001 took place (‘Take Over the City’) against privatization of England and the planet. Again, the buildings were the background to the demo last spring against the G-20. Already, the commons was a call.
I sit on an oak seat in the upper gallery, peering down at the yard and the groundlings, nursing their pints, sipping their coffee. Looking into the sky, an occasional star shines through the moving clouds, or a jet moves across the night sky, and a cold wind comes up. Has the theatrical illusion been broken?
Elinor Ostrom has won the Nobel prize. And for what? While the Nobel committee says "for her analysis of economic governance, especially the commons," I think we can safely say for common sense, though to be sure this is covered in many layers of jargon social sciencey, economistic, and otherwise. Instead of saying ‘the commons’ and risking evocation of thousands of years of history, or instead of saying “all things in common” and kindling the scriptural spirit of the religious, she will write of “common pool resources,” and found an institute and win a prize. The discourse appeals to policy makers rather than commoners who might prefer Thomas Paine.
The Nobel committee continues, “Elinor Ostrom has challenged the conventional wisdom that common property is poorly managed and should be either regulated by central authorities or privatized. Based on numerous studies of user-managed fish stocks, pastures, woods, lakes, and groundwater basins, Ostrom concludes that the outcomes are, more often than not, better than predicted by standard theories. She observes that resource users frequently develop sophisticated mechanisms for decision-making and rule enforcement to handle conflicts of interest, and she characterizes the rules that promote successful outcomes.”
Trevor Griffiths pointed this out years ago in Occupations (1970) in his play about Gramsci. Gramsci was to become all the rage. You thought his notion of ‘egemonia was the name of a village in Sardinia? It had not yet become the shibboleth of grad school Marxists. He said that the auto workers could take over the factory and do a better job without the bosses. Treat the factory as a commons. That was Turin in 1920. Now I’m not going to say Tom Paine was similarly into workers’ control or workers’ councils, but we should quote this from his Agrarian Justice (1797). “It is a position not to be controverted that the earth, in its natural, cultivated state, was, and ever would have continued to be, the COMMON PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE.” “neither did the Creator of the earth open a land-office, from whence the first title-deeds should issue.”
The dispossessed must be indemnified for their loss, and he proposed a hefty chunk of be distributed to everyone on reaching the age of twenty-one. The sum was approximately equivalent to a subsistence farm, a garden, cow, a pasturage, some implements. And then again another chunk of wealth was to be disbursed at retirement, and retirement began at age fifty. Paine does not call for the expropriation of the expropriators, or the negation of the negation. Far from it he seeks to protect the affluent from the risk of tumult, and the only means of doing this, short of class war, is justice. “the great mass of the poor, in countries, are become an hereditary race, and it is next to impossible from them to get out of that state of themselves.”
This play must travel. Of course Griffiths is a master of the movie script as well (Reds is his). And he has written a TV drama, Food for Ravens, on the founder of the National Health Service in the UK, Aneurin Bevan. (It too should be shown - in the waiting rooms of hospitals, in the lounges of nursing homes, on the closed TV circuits of prisons.) So his Tom Paine play might be shown in several media. But the play is live. And we long for life.
How to challenge American theatre to produce Trevor Griffiths’ Tom Paine? Against the pious stuffiness of the John Adams mini-series let us have the lively, raucous debates that set him off to begin with – Tom Paine. I’d like a mainly Black cast for a production in Detroit, perhaps for next years World Social Forum. Why not a mixture of Arab and Hispanic, Afro Am, Korean, and Anglo in Pittsburgh? Wouldn’t it be great in New Orleans or Berkeley?
The production I saw was London theatre at its best. Here was the engineering of first-rate stage-craft. The stage was used, the trap door, the scaffolding, the balcony, the portable speakers-platform on wheels, the hanging yard arm with sails furled. A cast of twenty or more playing multiple parts. Music, too, songs and ballads. It was not didactic or preachey. Great wit, fast talk, superb acting. Common people rushing all over the yard shouting out slogans and thoughts from Common Sense. Fighting for American independence in England!
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.”
A theatre of ideas but the ideas are in the people, they don’t float apart. The ideas emerge with conflict. Now here is A New World and as usual America is stuck in the old, the old world of empire, the old world of tyranny, the old world of banks and commodities, money as the network of exploitation and oppression, the old world of diffidence and despair. A New World belongs to our times for the students in California protesting the cuts, for the students of Pittsburgh viciously attacked by the G-20 robocops, for the prisoners, the foreclosed, the homeless. It belongs in the U.S.A. I compare it to The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade, the Peter Weiss play of 1968, as theatre for our times. Griffiths takes us to America, to the sea, to France, to England, and back to America. The little O has begun to embrace the planet.
Paine believed passionately, to quote Trevor Griffiths, “in the rights of men and women as equal citizens under the law based on constitutions they drew up for themselves rather than inherited from the class-ridden past.”
From Agrarian Justice, “The present state of civilization is as odious as it is unjust… It is absolutely the opposite of what it should be and it is necessary that a revolution should be made in it… The contrast of affluence and wretchedness, continually meeting and offending the eye, is like dead and living bodies chained together … the condition of millions in every country … is now far worse than if they had been born before civilization began… There must grow, and soon, a system of civilization so organized that not a man or woman born in the Republic but shall inherit some means of beginning the world and see before them the certainty of escaping the miseries that up to now have always accompanied old age … An army of principle will penetrate where an army of soldiers can not; it will march on the horizon of the world, and it will conquer.”
He dedicated Rights of Man, part one, to George Washington that he may enjoy the happiness of seeing the New World regenerate the Old” and in 2009 it must be the reverse, and Trevor Griffiths’s play, A New World, must find realization, dramatizations, readings, in America. What was significant was not “independence” but the “revolution in the principles and practice of government.” He was against monarchy, and the boss principle generally (my way or the highway).
He began his career in America writing against slavery. He himself was disenfranchised – cast off from the voting rolls, in New Rochelle, N.Y. – and African Americans attended his funeral but not a white man unless you count the few Irish men. How can you not read of his funeral without profoundest pity. Friday night there was not a dry eye in the Globe from gallery to ground.
On the way along the funky Northern Line from our hotel at King's Cross down to the Globe who should be sitting opposite on a crowded five o'clock train but an old friend. On her way to Palestine next week, she was meeting someone for a Turkish dinner across the street from the Globe and to see A New World, wouldn't we join them? So we were right in the middle of our old London. Ye olde Englande I'm going to have to say (give the heritage industry its due).
Yes, that was Trevor Griffiths sitting in the garden of The Swan overlooking the courtyard into the entrances of his theatre, our theatre for the evening. He was in the center of a table of friends, theatre people, and I shouted and went over, brash as Americans used to be. Come and see me during the interval. He introduced me to the director. I tried out theatre talk. You must show it in South Africa, in Ireland, in Delhi. And they burst out laughing, wondering which delicatessen I had in mind.
So I spoke of Pittsburgh and the demos in California, and the criminalization of shack dwellers in South Africa. Trevor got serious too and told me about four years of readings, four years of staging (I almost said campaigning) all over the UK. The play is not "national" he said, not part of the 21st century nation. I couldn’t quite judge the undertones in the way he said ‘nation.’ The emphasis was on the regions, in the localities. The goal, the ambition is what I got out of it. We must aim at least for the same. It’s not the nation. Something else. Unless we put spine back into ‘the commonwealth’ restoring its nerve and bone, that’s not it either.
A muse of fire? A collective, communal muse?
A new world.
Peter Linebaugh teaches history at the University of Toledo. The London Hanged and (with Marcus Rediker) The Many-Headed Hydra: the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic. His essay on the history of May Day is included in Serpents in the Garden. His latest book is the Magna Carta Manifesto. He can be reached at: plineba@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Armas
