Translation by Working Class Emancipation

In spite of the harsh military operation to put an end
to the “Oaxaca Commune,” the valiant people of Oaxaca
are resisting today by putting up barricades and
confronting the occupiers at several points in the
city. They have not succeeded in defeating it. That
big resistance shows that it is possible to curb the
PFP invasion, but also that in all the organizations
of the country we have to go help strengthen our class
brothers in this unequal battle.

The betrayal that the Rueda Pacheco agreement with the
Interior Department (Gobernación) represents, so that
the teachers would return to classes, dividing and
weakening the movement of the APPO – in spite of the
sit-in and the APPO hunger strike in the DF – has
generated a lot of dissent among the thousands of
militant educational workers who, in a principled
manner and fulfilling the APPO agreements, are not
returning to classes until the fall of the tyrant URO.
No one in the APPO can go on saying that we must
respect the decision that the teachers’ leaders might
take. Strike-breaking cannot be justified with the
excuse of “trade union autonomy” of the
organizations. It was obvious that the return to
classes would weaken the movement and encourage the
repressive policy against the struggle. No negotiation
with those who attack the people’s struggle!

Let us break through the military siege on Oaxaca

An action on the national level that can mobilize
against repression, like the one that forced Zedillo
to halt the military offensive against the indigenous
peoples and Zapatista peasants in Chiapas in 1994, is
urgently needed. In all the movements in the states of
the country, we ought to go to help the comrades of
this big workers’ and people’s movement. On Sunday,
October 29, several organizations blockaded the Lázaro
Cárdenas Eje Central (“central axis”) as a means of
supporting Oaxaca. The students are already seizing
departments and prep schools and CCHs (science and
humanities high schools) and making barricades. Now
the trade union, peasant, social, and political
organizations must carry out actions in their places
of influence, like the seizure of border bridges and
custom houses, seizing embassies, strikes, etc.
(Mexican consulates overseas have been seized in
countries of Europe and Latin America.) Although
delayed, the EZLN has announced that it is joining
this support and will blockade highways in the zones
of Chiapas that it controls. Time is pressing, let us
form brigades to work in the whole DF and let us
increase international solidarity. Let us make the
agreements we voted on in the national and
international Solidarity Forum with the APPO in Oaxaca
a reality.

On the results of this struggle which has held the
state and federal government at bay for 5 months,
depends the reorganization of the workers’ and mass
movement or a big fall. In many years, we had not seen
a struggle as deep as this one, disputing the state,
la Federación, over territorial control; and with
self-defense organisations that infuriated the
bourgeoisie. Let us coordinate with the normal school
students of Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, who are confronting
repression by the PRD government of Zeferino
Torreblanca. A Caravan of Caravans that will arrive at
Oaxaca City from the north, south, east and west,
should be the aim of meetings like the Assembly of the
Peoples of Mexico. Let us make international attention
focus on Oaxaca. We have to arrive at the Oaxaca
Zócalo to help our comrades recover that bastion of
struggle that the APPO installed. With forceful
actions, let us show the heroic comrades of Oaxaca
that they are not alone!

Build for a National Strike!

The unions must spare no effort in these decisive
moments. Unfortunately, faced with savage repression,
they failed to call a strike and mobilization,
limiting themselves to declarations against the entry
of the PFP. The comrades of Oaxaca must not be left
alone! It is urgent that in their assemblies the
unions now discuss the national strike to force Ulises
Ruiz and the troops out of Oaxaca. The SME has already
declared in its meeting with the Interior Department
on Monday, October 30 that it agrees with the national
strike. Rank and file electrical workers should
discuss the date for this national day to make it a
reality. But the university students’ unions must also
do like the students and join this action, building for
the universities’ and teachers’ strike (STUNAM,
SITUAM, CHAPINGO, Bachilleres, CNTE). Let us pass from
declarations to deeds. Let us vote on a tentative date
now!

For a broad and democratic coordinating body of the
actions of struggle

Together with the APPO, let us promote a coordinating
body that can promote the necessary tasks to keep up
the people’s resistance in Oaxaca. Let us join forces
for that. The different organizations in the DF and
other states where we are, should elect their
delegates to this coordinating body and vote in a
united and democratic manner on the necessary tasks
and actions. Let the APPO feel that it can rely
completely on the organizations with which we
unconditionally support its struggle. For its part,
the APPO can help organize a national body that,
independently of the interests of the parties of the
Congress of the Union, moves forward toward a
class-conscious and militant unity.

Ulises Ruiz and troops, out of Oaxaca!

Stop the arrests in the state! For the release of all political prisioners!

Down with the agreements with the government that
weaken the movement!

For a Provisional Government of the APPO!

For a Revolutionary Constituent Assembly on the ruins
of the regime!

Long live the Commune of Oaxaca!