From EFE, Nov. 12 via Chiapas95 (our translation):
OAXACA – A group of 250 indigenous from the community of Acteal in Chiapas state marched today in the city of Oaxaca and held a religious ritual in support of peace for this state, which has suffered a political conflict since almost six months ago.
The Chiapanecan indigenous, members of the organization Las Abejas (The Bees), held a fast and a day of prayers against violence in historic center of Oaxaca, recognized by UNESCO as a world hertiage site.
“We want Oaxaca to return to peace, and for there to be no more shedding of blood,” said Agustin Vasquez, representative of the group.
The leaders marched under a white flag, with the legend “For peace and dignity for the people of Oaxaca,” and were by a representative of the archdiocese of Oaxaca, Hilarino Martinez.
Vasquez said that “to have peace, there must be human solidarity; we want no more aggressions like Acteal, and this requires that the politicians and soldiers also support peace.”
In the community of Acteal, an armed group killed 45 members of Las Abejas on Dec. 22, 1997.
At the end of the religious ceremony, the indigenous of Acteal distributed white flowers to the federal police who surrounded the atrium of the Cathedral…
Las Abejas have been the first organization to enter the center of this city since the PFP {Federal Preventative Police] evicted the protesters.
Meanwhile, the president of the Mexican League for the Defense of Human Rights, Yessica Sanchez Maya, said that since Oct. 29, when the PFP took control of the city center, the police have detained 136 sympathizers of the APPO [Popular People’s Assembly of Oaxaca], of which 122 have been released and 14 remain jailed for various crimes.
See our last posts on Oaxaca, Chiapas and the Acteal massacre.
