Oaxaca: update
Nancy Davies - 04.05.2007 07:57
Folks,
What we are seeing now is a general -not just Section 22- outcry against the Ley of ISSSTE, (Instituto de Salud y Seguro Social de Trabajadores del Estado) (or something equally lengthy), which affects all government employees.
All the unions, nationwide, have been out and marching, and the APPO is an adjunct, not a major player. This can be taken as a good result of the six months of consciousness-raising which the APPO has done, or, you might prefer to say the unions would have objected like crazy anyway.
Personally, I tend to give the APPO, and civil society, some credit for the consciousness that this is not merely a cost-saving measure on the part of the government, but a very particularly neoliberal move toward privatization of pensions. Furthermore, I give the APPO and civil society credit for the swelling number of refusals by union members and municipal authorities to accept without a close look anything their leaders tell them. When the bureaucrats' union marched off in anger to the zocalo, it was for just that reason -they figured out the union leader had been wheeling and dealing behind their backs, with no consultation. And of course failure to consult is also one of the seven deadly sins named against URO.
Perhaps I am too ready to be cheerful and appreciative -but at the same time extremely aware that internal APPO struggles are going on against a "militant" influence which really means against a "command" influence . That danger, from militants who want to assume power inside the APPO, is not easily overcome; I daresay it will go on forever, and I only hope the APPO will remain firmly in the participative democracy camp, forever, AMEN. The struggle is out in the open and defined, so that's good
On a slightly different note, a comment about the graffiti. First of all, graffiti on a wall is not "violence". Violence is when you shoot or torture a human being, right? So let's not let graffiti be alluded to in the same way as murder. Secondly, the APPO has asked the masked youngsters to unmask, and with small results. Therefore, the APPO assumes that many are government-paid infiltrators WHEN THEY PAINT PRIVATE HOMES. I have no way of knowing the truth, so speaking only in my personal opinion, I guess they are provocateurs. There is no gain to the APPO in infuriating homeowners; most of them are not URO supporters, and they are not APPO supporters either, and they can be left alone. (sooner or later URO will radicalize them, we are now getting pumped water every fifteen days). The APPO spokesperson said flat out the APPO spray paints only government buildings. And that, to me, is a legitimate tactic for an organization which is not allowed even two days on the radio. I didn't object to seeing URO ASESINO re-appear on the palacio walls, in fact, it rather brought a smile to my face.
Meanwhile, as I am sending various articles, if anyone wants to translate to English, it will be appreciated.
Noticias
 http://www.noticias-oax.com.mx/articulos.php?id_sec=2&id_art=53062&id_ejemplar=1415
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