Escalating harassment in Oaxaca, Mexico over mega-wind farm development 

8th October 2012

Declaration against escalating harassment in San Dionisio del Mar, Oaxaca, Mexico

To All Social and Indigenous Peoples Organizations

To All Those in Solidarity with the Struggle of Indigenous Peoples

To the International and Mexican Media
With this communique, we denounce the escalating violence and harassment against members of the Ikojts community, who are opposing the imposition of the San Dionisio windpark megaproject in Oaxaca, Mexico.

These actions are being undertaken by leaders from the PRI [political party], Jorge Castellanos and Ernesto Juárez, who are using violence and aggressions to ensure that construction on the windpark can get underway.

On the 29th September a group of 20 people tried to attack members of the community who oppose the project, in the zone of El Faro. The attack was led by San Dionisio’s municipal agent Pueblo Viejo (who had received a new truck from the little know Municipal President Miguel Castellanos). The community members managed to avoid further confrontation, as our protest has been, and remains, non-violent from our side.

Following this, on the 30th September, at about 11 pm comrade Isaul Celaya and two other community members returned to their homes after having participated in an assembly, were attacked by a truck being driven by Jorge Castellanos; they were able to survive the attack.

Then, on the 6th October, during the night, a group of people from PRI marched through the streets of San Dionisio del Mar, and publically threatened several community members, as well as other comrades from the movement, Bettina Cruz Velazquez and Carlos Beas Torres. Furthermore, they affirmed that they would use any means necessary in order to be able to begin work on the wind farm on 9th October. They also vowed to use force to block the Caravan for Solidarity with the Resistance of the Ikjots People, which is scheduled to entering the zone on the 10th October.

Faced with this escalation of violence, and faced with the imminence of an attack on our protest site [plantón] which we have set up at the Municipal Palace [Town Hall], we met yesterday and resolved not to leave for Mexico City, where we were planning to demonstrate in front of the Interamerican Development Bank. However, we will still carry out this action, and we will reissue a call for it in the next few days.

Despite this climate of violence and threats, we confirm that the Solidarity Caravan will still be undertaken as planned. Several national and international media have confirmed their participation, as have social and indigenous organizations and Human Rights Groups from Oaxaca and around the country. Several neighbouring communities, such as the people of Chimalapa and young people from the movement Yosoy132, will also send representatives.

We blame any violence that may occur against us on Jorge Castellanos and Ernesto Juárez, as well as on their sponsoring company, Mareña Renovable.

No to the destruction of our Land!
No to the megaprojects which are killing our People!

Signed:

Asamblea General de Comuneros de San Dionisio del Mar (General Assembly of Community Members of San Dionisio del Mar)
Asamblea de Pueblos Indígenas del Istmo de Tehuantepec en Defensa de la Tierra y el Territorio (Assembly of Indigenous Peoples of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Defense of the Land and Territory)

Unión de Comunidades Indígenas de la Zona Norte del Istmo (Union of Inigenous Communities in the Northern Zone of the Isthmus)

Red Nacional de Resistencia Civil contra las Altas tarifas Eléctricas (National Network of Civil Resistence Against High Electricity Fees)

Frente del Istmo contra la Imposición (Isthmus Front Against the Imposition)

Maiz-Oaxaca
Radio Huave de San Francisco del Mar.
Frente Regional de Pueblos Indigenas del bajo Mixe-Choapa (Regional Front of Indigenous People in the Mixe-Choapa Region)
Radio Las Voces de los Pueblos (Radio of the Peoples’ Voices)
Radio Totopo