| From: | "Bruce Eggum" <bruceeggum(at)gmail.com> |
|---|---|
| Date: | Tue, 5 Jun 2007 21:55:24 -0500 |
| Subject: | Re: [WDDM] The Key Issue |
Oaxaca Mexico community has been confronting the Mexican Government using Anarchist principles with George Salzman "guiding".
(Please see George's webpage linked on bottom.)
I post this because it shows some of the problems of a non-structured Anarchist movement. The group is undefined, that is no membership which allows people from rebellious factions to participate and cause disturbance/violence which is than blamed on the movement. These factions also cause confusion and chaos within the movement. The "government" being attacked by these factions which identify themselves with the movement than responds with troops against the movement. Many innocents have been killed, injured and imprisoned because of these factions actions which were blamed on the movement.
Please note Nancy's "The APPO itself is contaminated with factions and caucuses" six paragraphs down.
The other problem, there is no attempt to petition the government directly because the movement is unstructured and refuses to communicate with government. If a member runs for political office that person is expelled from the movement. It has no identifiable committee or people to sign a petition or negotiate with. It is more like a mob demanding the present official be removed and other vague demands.
Update for June 4
Posted by: "Nancy Davies"
Mon Jun 4, 2007 11:54 am (PST)
Two famous Mexicans appeared in Oaxaca on Friday, June 1, Elena Poniatowski
and Carlos Monsivais. They came, with no advance publicity, to speak as a
panel at the Cine-club Pochote, space donated by Francisco Toledo for free
cultural events. Poniatowski, spoke first, followed by Carlos Monsivais.
They honored the 35th anniversary of the opening of the Casa de Cultura in
Juchitán, donated to Juchitán by Francisco Toledo. Hurrah for Toledo, in
other words.
Despite lack of advance notice in Oaxaca, about an anniversary relevant to
Juchitán, the audience was sizable (more than three hundred); information in
this city travels at the speed of sound. To accommodate the overflow crowd,
a screen was set up outside, where Toledo lounged under a tree listening to
his praises broadcast from inside. Sadly, people on the left have no respect
for either of those political dilettantes – I have to say I have very little
myself for Toledo, despite his donations and interventions. He's not my idea
of a politically savvy person. All three seem to appear at the beginning of
social conflicts and never accomplish much.
Monsivais discussed the dwindling of Cocei's clout after their 1970s
triumph -the uprising there resulted in the change from PRI to PRD (not a
happy scene now either)., which he said was "due to isolation. The lesson is
to organize nationally." He concluded, in a reference to the struggles now
as well as then, "The cultural resistance of the people is as deep as the
political resistance." That remark, if no other, left me wondering if the
two celebs would show up at the next day's second state-wide APPO, but I
heard they were not invited nor especially welcome.
The Second State-wide Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca took place
the weekend of June 2, and 3 in the city of Oaxaca. The efforts of Oaxaca
governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (URO) to break the movement seem to be having an
effect in the form of internal squabbles, which I believe are provoked by
paid government agents. There's also a certain amount of disinformation
floating around, so don't believe everything you read.
Meanwhile, Marcelino Coache Verano was freed Thursday, June 1 from the
prison at Cosolapa, after six months incarceration. Ten are still in prison,
including Venegas. Coache is an activist of the popular movement, a state
councilman of the APPO, and secretary general of the independent
collectivized union "23 de Marzo", of the city council of Oaxaca. 23 de
Marzo supports the coalition of the Popular Revolutionary Front, (Frente
Popular Revolucionario, FPR). Coache's release was a triumph because he was
cleared of all the fake charges brought against him, and unlike most of the
released prisoners, is not out on bail or payment of penalties, but is
absolutely free. I saw Coache setting up chairs inside the Law School
grand patio for the APPO meeting on Saturday. He looked thin, but not frail,
as he slung around the student desk-chairs.
The APPO itself is contaminated with factions and caucuses. One side is FPR
with Frente Amplio de Lucha Popular (FALP), and several collectives
including Coache's 23 de Marzo. As "Francisco" told me, he himself is a
Stalinist (I told him I was old enough to remember Stalin but he wasn't
impressed). He told me not everyone in the FPR is Stalinist (whew!) and the
groups' goal right now is to preserve the APPO and get rid of Ulises Ruiz ,
"Ideological differences can wait," he said, "the FPR is democratic at the
base." However, he didn't deny the gossip linking the Frente to all sorts of
malicious behavior, specifically, denouncing as a "traitor" the imprisoned
barricade leader David Venegas.
The other side is CODEP, CIPO-RFM, MAS), VOCAL, and on-again-off-again
COMO, the women's organization lately bedeviled by a similar split within
its own ranks.
The directing table of councilors were all FPR but one, I was told. The
people controlling admittance belonged to FPR also. When the chairperson
invited the professor of UABJO, Felipe Martinez Soriano to speak, a woman in
a plaid shirt and jeans strode onto the floor and began to quarrel loudly.
Later identified as Dolores Villalobos Cuamatzi of CIPO, she told me that
Martinez was about to open the meeting to the formal agenda, and the she
wanted to ventilate the issues of slander and counter-slander before the
meeting began. But a crowd pushed up around the professor and Dolores, and
she was ushered off the floor while he remained bewildered and silent.
Shortly afterward the meeting temporarily adjourned, and most attendees went
off to one or the other caucus again, the exceptions being the campesinos
and indigenous people who had traveled for hours to arrive and went to sleep
on the floor.
On Sunday, I strolled right in from Alcala The front councilors' table was
unoccupied because most people were at table discussions. Those around the
room were eating donated food, reading, chatting or sleeping. The atmosphere
had changed completely, as if a great wave of common sense had revealed that
the blame was not with themselves but with the infiltrators, and they had
all snapped back to sanity. Perhaps the Sunday calm was deceptive.
The two current APPO spokespersons to the press each represent one
contingent: Florentino Lopez with the Frente, and Victor Manuel Gomez with
Movimiento Al Socialismo. Both speak publicly for unity and the unaltered
goals of freeing prisoners and getting rid of URO.
The internal squabbles were reported in* Las Noticias,* where Pedro Matias
emphasized the efforts of URO to plant dissension. This is URO's way to kill
the APPO since November 25. In my opinion, some individuals must be on the
government payroll. The damage is evident. Infiltrators aside, the internal
split harks back to the assembly's decision against APPO's participation in
electoral politics. That disagreement was legitimate, but a vote once taken
stands. If provocateurs are at work, as I believe they surely are, that was
just the wedge issue. Slander and lies were picked up and perpetrated by
both sides, now against the FPR now against VOCAL. It seems that everyone
has gone nuts, repeating outlandish charges. Until the elections are over I
think we're just walking on eggs.
Fortunately, organizing goes on well, out in the countryside. That
organizing addresses the election in August: the punishment vote and
alternate candidates. More importantly, it brings people together to form
local assemblies and organizations where the people can exert influence, a
long-term goal of the APPO. Despite what the government is doing to disrupt
the APPO, I remain confident that the popular movement is alive and growing.
Else why would URO bother to try to destroy it? Realistically, electoral
politics in Oaxaca are a nightmare of buyers and sellers.
The teachers union was simultaneously meeting over the weekend at the
teachers auditorium. There's no teachers strike, as we can see by looking
out the window. But there is a decision to call for boycott of the
commercial Guelaguetza and the production of the alternative Guelaguetza.
I'm waiting for publication of results of both assemblies; if anyone gets
info please share it –translated preferably!oaxacastudyactiongroup(at)yahoogroups.com
Oxaca Revolt --- George Salzman page http://oaxacarevolt.org/
On 6/5/07, Antonio Rossin > wrote:PVR,
I see your key-issue. It appears to be a coin with two sides:
1. Education, to make the people understand critically and consciously, unlike herd;
2. Organization, to make the people become effective.
Let's agree, even the last idiot should understand that these two different sides of the
democracy solution are expected to co-operate together, if Democracy is to be up as
a political, collective solution worldwide.
Unfortunately, many activists -- mostly some (non-native) Americans -- are unable to
accept differences. They understand consensus only, and reject any difference to their
line, any criticism even constructive, as an offensive attempt "to destroy everything".
That is, these one-eye-blinded organizers see organization only. No matter to them,
if their organized people follow like herd, provided only they lead the bandwagon on
(self-appointed) behalf. I do not follow.
Btw, you can read my last essay on this Key-issue at:
http://www.wmgd.net/archive/articles/antoniorossin.html
or, in a recent, more detailed version, at:
http://www.flexible-learning.org/eng/demofunda.htm
Kind regards,
antonio
Vijayaraghavan Padmanabhan ha scritto:Dear Bruce, Antonio and all,
I think this conversation between Bruce and Antonio illustrates the key issue facing WDDM. Bruce says that he visualizes DD as people's initial method of controlling government. The people need a structure to develop initiatives and petitions they agree upon to tell government what their community is demanding.
My question is that how is this going to transform into true democracy when people are still out of govt. controlled by political parties. Already there are methods of petitioning and developing initiatives available for people to make known their preferences as in the swiss system. But still they are at the receiving end. There is no clear strategy on how the people are going to gain control over governance. If there is a final method of controlling the government that is being contemplated, Bruce, kindly make it known. Under such circumstances, Antonio's grievance over 'setting up a bureaucratic infra structure as the core point of DD' is valid. First the exact way in which the goal is going to be realized should be made clear. Without this WDDM with its present rules and regulations will end up as one more political party. The values that Eric has clearly explained, which should guide WDDM, will remain just on paper.
Pushing this issue under the carpet is not going to help.
PVR
Yes Antonio, I am aiming to a Direct Democracy which is the peoples initial method of controlling government. Yes the people need structure to develop initiatives and petitions they agree upon to tell government what their community is demanding.
Bruce
Thanks for your agreement.
Yet unfortunately, you want to set up a (top-down led) bureaucratic
"infrastructure" to be the core point of (direct) democracy. In other
words, you seem like you're aiming at a kind of directed democracy.
antonio
Bruce Eggum ha scritto:
Yes Antonio, I agree with your statement " I would suggest
Democracy is a society where the people (not the bureaucrats!) have the
first say --and the last say, in respect of local laws."
That is why "the people" need an infrastructure to discuss and develop
their community's laws and needs so they can be united and petition
[demand] government do what they want done. Unless the people vote
democratically and make decisions, those decisions will be made for
them. It is a matter of the people taking responsibility and exercising
their power.
Regards, Bruce
ps - we people are not bureaucrats, that is government agencies.
On 6/3/07, Antonio
Rossin <
rossin(at)tin.it> wrote:
VPR,
and others,
The difficulties WDDM faced these years, have not been overcome still.
These difficulties are still up, caused by some members who want to get
(direct) democracy being turned into a bureaucratic organization.
Anyway, their attempts to rule democracy by a bureaucratic board seem
to have revealed a flop, so late, because of the refusal of members
inside - and the member inside I dare say - to keep on being ruled by the usual
bureaucratic power-seekers' class.
That is, in reply to the question: "What the Hell is Democracy", I
would suggest Democracy is a society where the people (not the bureaucrats!)
have the first say --and the last say, in respect of local laws.
antonio
--
Bruce Eggum
Gresham Wisconsin, USA
http://www.doinggovernment.com/
Check out my Blog too
http://bruceeggum.blogster.com/