Feminist international radio endeavour - FIRE

APRIL 2007

II WOMENS TRANSFORMATION WATCH / WOMEN CROSSING THE LINE
Oaxaca, méxico, april 26-28, 2007
Meeting of Women in Resistance

by Katerina Anfossi
Feminist International Radio Endeavour/RIF- FIRE

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

I
n 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

T
he 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

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