The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Election update....

Here is a report of the current situation in parts of Oaxaca from proceso.com.mx
As election day progresses in the State, the magisterial actions increase.

In Juchitán burned eight ballot, four others in Miahuatlán and two in Chahuites, which added 32 burned boxes as part of the boycott that section 22 of the National Union of education workers (SNTE-CNTE).

In the District of Teotitlán de Flores Magón, teachers carried out around 15 blockades in roads 135 and 182 to prevent that they advance the federal security forces, while in Santa Cruz Acatepec established roadblocks with trees and burned tires.

Last night teachers, to vacate the District Council of the INE, set up a barricade with a truck of the line buses together to set fire.

He was reported in Huautla de Jimenez is not allowed the entry of the Federal and at the time the polling stations have not been installed.

While in the District of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Diaz were burned four ballot boxes, a front of the Municipal Palace and other cruise of this population of the Southern Highlands.

While emergency bodies report that in Nochixtlán, Huajuapan and Tuxtepec, teachers carried out simultaneous marches as he remembered his State Assembl
Urgent Appeal.  A very important read.
Today, as elections take place, there have been reports of ballot burning in areas of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas and elsewhere in the country. As organizations and groups working in these areas, we denounce the decision to carry on with elections in the context of current political and social conditions.
We remember that Oaxaca already experienced large-scale mobilizations and social protests in 2006, which were violently repressed by the federal police. The arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial executions, torture, and other human rights violations that were committed in 2006 are still unpunished.
Because of this, we, civil society organizations in Oaxaca, fear a replay of similar events, with the aggravating circumstance of military presence on the streets, as if social mobilization were analogous to organized crime. We believe that elections that take place within a militarized context do not have the necessary legitimacy.
We issue an URGENT APPEAL to international civil society, human rights organizations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico, and foreign embassies, to demand that the military return to their barracks since they are carrying out public security duties that are outside of their jurisdiction. Also, we urge them to call on the federal government to prioritize dialogue and conciliation above the use of force

4 comments:

Unknown said...

So sad to see how bad it is getting. We are on the verge of cancelling our trip. Not good. We have cooking sessions arranged with El Sabor Zapoteca and with Rodolfo Castellanos of Origen as well as language classes and the myriad of other artisan villages, foods, and experiences we were looking forward to. We will give it one more day and evaluate tomorrow.

Christopher Stowens said...

Let's see how things are today, the day after. I still would not cancel.

Unknown said...

We are waiting to take any action. Word from the language school we are scheduled to enroll is that things are quiet where they are at so far today. As an outsider I won't opine on the politics of the situation, but will remain hopeful for our trip and for the people and economy of Oaxaca.

Unknown said...

We are waiting to take any action. Word from the language school we are scheduled to enroll is that things are quiet where they are at so far today. As an outsider I won't opine on the politics of the situation, but will remain hopeful for our trip and for the people and economy of Oaxaca.