Autonomous Organizations of Oaxaca Demand Freedom for Fredy García and an End to the Criminalization of Social Movements

On November 6, 2019, Fredy García Ramírez, of the Indigenous organization CODEDI, was detained in Oaxaca and charged with various fabricated crimes. This communique comes from the Council of Autonomous Oaxacan Organizations (COOA), demanding freedom for Fredy García and an end to the criminalization of social movements.

 

Council of Autonomous Oaxacan Organizations (COOA)

Oaxaca de Flores Magón, City of Resistance

November 11, 2019

The Indigenous organizations that make up the Council of Autonomous Oaxacan Organizations (COOA): APIIDTT (Asamblea de los Pueblos Indígenas del Istmo en Defensa de la Tierra y el Territorio), CINPA (Coordinadora Indígena Popular Autónoma), CODEDI (Comité por la Defensa de los Derechos Indígenas), OIDHO (Organizaciones Indias por los Derechos Humanos en Oaxaca), UCIO-EZ (Unión Campesina-Indígena de Oaxaca ‘Emiliano Zapata´), outraged by the increasing repression against our organizations and the Indigenous and popular movement in general, declare the following:

We vehemently reject the arbitrary detention and temporary disappearance of our compañero Fredy García Ramírez who is a member of CODEDI. Fredy has had crimes fabricated against him, in order to make him a hostage of the state in retaliation for the struggle of the communities of CODEDI. The autonomous struggle of CODEDI in the Coast and Southern Sierra Mountains of Oaxaca works in defense of Indigenous rights and territories against regional and political caciques, strong economic interests, and organized crime. As a result, nefarious forces seek to eradicate the organization and the autonomy of our communities.

We demand the immediate and unconditional freedom of the compañero Fredy and an end to the defamation campaign orchestrated by the highest spheres of state power.

The case of Fredy, CODEDI, and Santiago Xanica, is emblematic. It clearly demonstrates the strategies of men of power and money of the state and country. These men are currently unleashing a war against us as Indigenous people who not only defend our territories, but also the freedom of expression, organization, self-determination, natural heritage, biodiversity, survival and future of all Mexicans. The war has been unleashed because we daily oppose the looting of natural resources and the dispossession of entire regions by multinational corporations in nefarious alliance with state and federal governments of the “Fourth Destruction.” The looting and dispossession are carried out beneath the pretext of a false “development,” imposing megaprojects like the interoceanic corridor, the Integral Morelos Project, the poorly named Train Maya, and many others in our territories. These projects are being imposed through simulated consultations, without environmental impact studies, without a minimum worry for our people or our communal and social fabric, without considering our fundamental rights to life, health and a future for our children.

We are faced with extraordinary events that seek to convert an organization like CODEDI into criminals. This is an organization that has suffered five assassinations, three attempted assassinations, multiple atrocities and detentions with the most absolute impunity. Meanwhile, the true criminals, those who assassinate the compañeros of CODEDI, those who shoot with high caliber weapons against citizens of Xanica, those who abuse their uniforms to commit crimes and impose candidates to the municipal presidency, those who form regional criminal alliances to take away our municipal autonomy and our uses and customs, those who want to own the entire region of Huatulco for its natural resources, enjoy the protection of the state.

What happens in this region happens in others and threatens us all.

We thus make an urgent call for the construction of an alliance of the Indigenous and popular movement of Oaxaca and the country. It is urgent that we articulate ourselves in a broad democratic and combative manner, beyond our differences and diversities, to be able to resist and act in the face of the onslaught of the system that wants to annihilate us.

We reaffirm our conviction to continue with you all in the defense of our rights and territories, against extractive megaprojects of death and the dispossession of our regions.

Immediate and unconditional freedom for Fredy García Ramírez!

Justice for CODEDI!

End the criminalization of the social movement!

No to the megaprojects of death!

For the defense of our rights and territories, not one step back!

Oaxaca de Flores Magón

November 11, 2019

COOA