II
Women’s Transformation Watch
Oaxaca will be the site of the ii women’s
transformation watch, which will take place during the meeting of women
in resistance from april 26 to 28.
Some of the objectives proposed for the watch are
to provide visibility, disseminate and show solidarity with the women of
oaxaca and their struggles and to condemn the increased repression
against social movements. Additional objectives are to recover and
highlight the leadership of women who ‘cross the line’ in their
actions for transformation.
These are women, who are part of collective
struggles, but risk being erased from history, despite their
contributions to the rebuilding of the social fabric torn by neo
liberalism, corporate globalizations and fundamentalisms, from a
perspective that promotes relationships based on equality, respect and
recognition of diversity, social justice and a healthy environment.
The initiative to create the women’s
transformation watch/ women crossing the line emerged from an agreement
among 25 feminists from central america and mexico, who came together in
panama for a meeting on “Imagining
and Reinventing the Feminism of the Future” september 19-22, 2006, organized by the
international organization Just
Associates with the support of Hivos from
the netherlands. the first
group action was the international women’s
transformation watch on women’s perspectives in the nicaraguan
elections.
International
Virtual Watch
Feminist International Radio Endeavour and The
Petatera Radio Program initiave, join the _meeting of women in
resistance _ through coverage of the event with a virtual women’s
transformation watch, with live broadcasts including interviews,
testimonies and analysis in the voices of the leaders, feminists from
diverse organizations, women from social movements, including trade
unionists, indigenous women,
teachers and students.
The Virtual Watch´s main objective is to create
a campaign of solidarity messages with the women of oaxaca. by listening
to the broadcast and sending an email you will be leaving proof that the
actions of these women ‘crossing the line’ have gone on to be an
example and inspiration to the women´s social movement around
the world.
At
the same the process will contribute to strengthening women´s right to
collective ownership of communications media, in this case the use of the internet as a channel to mobilize
international solidarity.
From
oaxaca
april
26-27-28
Meeting
of Women in Resistance
Broadcast
schedule to be defined
II
Women’s Transformation Watch/ Women Crossing the Line
Send
your message of solidarity hy a watch in Oaxaca |
Background
of the Conflict
In may 2006, the teachers union goes on strike to
demand improved working conditions and wages. the massive strike is
carried out in a climate of major political tension that reflects a
combination of a pre-electoral period, discontent with the local
government of the state of oaxaca, corruption accusations against the
governor and an increase in repressive actions by the local authorities
against the social mobilization. the movement settles in a tent city in
the oaxaca main square (Zocalo).
On june 14th, ulises ruiz, governor of oaxaca,
issues a police order to repress and evict the protestors from the main
square. the escalating violence used by the police is also aimed at
women where torture, threats and sexual abuse are methods designed to
control women.
Oaxaca: an example of women’s resistance and
struggle
The "Marcha de las Cacerolas" (the
march of cooking pots) takes place on august 1, with 12000 women
marching through the city streets, banging on pots and pans and
demanding the resignation of the governor.
From there they decide to take over tv channel 9
and the am and fm radios of the corporación oaxaqueña de radio y
televisión (cortv), property of the state government. the antennas are
bombarded; however, the women remain for 20 days in the building
broadcasting through one of the fm stations, which was not affected by
the bombardment. later, they overtake 9 more radio stations.
The actions of these women become news once again
on september 15, when they organize a new demonstration, and on october
24 when they receive a solidarity caravan from mexico city, made up of
feminist non-governmental organizations dedicated to advocacy for gender
equality , such as “Consorcio para el diálogo parlamentario y la
equidad”, and some feminist legislators such as maricela contreras,
who listened to the testimonies of the women of oaxaca, joined the
protests in solidarity with these women and disseminated the information
of what they witnessed.
Oaxaca´s
current situation
The book voces de la valentía en oaxaca , which
aims to give testimony of the participation of women and the
consequences of the conflict in their lives, points out that as of
december 2006 the conflict has resulted in 17 deaths, 450 detentions,
and about 30 ‘disappearances’, 13 of which are women. on november
25, the international day against violence against women, 41 women who
denounced torture and inhumane treatment were detained.
References:
Consorcio
para el Diálogo Parlamentario y la Equidad
Comunicación
e Información de la Mujer (Cimac)
Just
Associates
Encuentro
de Mujeres en Resistencia
Entrevistas
en audio de RIF- FIRE
BOLETíN
PETATERA