El Bosque, Chiapas, June 6, 2012.

Movement of the People of El Bosque,
For the freedom of Alberto Gomez Pátishtan.

From the community of El Bosque, Chiapas, the birthplace of Professor Alberto Gomez Pátishtan, we thank you very much with all our hearts for the support and solidarity of thousands of compañeros and compañeras who have joined the movement for the freedom of our brother Alberto Pátishtan.

As the Movement of the People of El Bosque, Chiapas, we support the call for the second week of worldwide struggle for the freedom of the political prisoners in Chiapas: Alberto Pátishtan and Francisco Sántiz López (from 8 to 15 June).

We would like to send greetings to the compañeros:

-To the Movement for Justice in El Barrio, New York
-Human Rights Defenders
-International Organizations
-Collectives
-And to all our brothers and sisters throughout the world.

Freedom for Political Prisoners!

The Movement of the People of El Bosque is with you both here and there.

“They are two justices for two opposed worlds. One day our justice shall judge those from above…”:

From Uruguay, Raúl Zibechi issues his support for the “Second Week” in new letter

Compañeras and compañeros:

On behalf of all the immigrant members of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York, we send you affectionate greetings.

In many corners of Mother Earth, the multiple actions planned as part of the “Second Week of Worldwide Struggle for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López: Bringing Down the Prison Walls!” begin today and last until next Friday, June 15. It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to this second phase in our struggle to free our compañeros, unjust prisoners and hostages of the ambitions of the capitalists and their bad government of Mexico.

To begin this week, we wish to share with you a profound and powerful letter that our Uruguayan comrade, Raúl Zibechi, has written for this occasion. The letter tears apart the unjust punitive logic of those from above and reveals the existence of the two “justice” systems of inequality between those from above and us, those from below. The full text of this moving letter is attached below.

During the following seven days, our dignities will manifest in sync and stronger than ever, echoing the just call that now has a global reach and historical resonance.

More so, we send you once again the most recent message from our sisters and brothers of the Zapatista Good Government Council of Oventic. In this message, our compas demand that the three levels of bad government in Mexico immediately release our compañero Francisco Sántiz López, who has been imprisoned for six months and is a member of the Zapatista support base. The full message is available here:

For more information regarding the history of this national and international struggle, see the video, “Bringing Down the Prison Walls!: The Fight for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López available here:

We ask that you all please circulate widely the letter and the videos—because the only remedy to the bad government’s lies is the true word touching new hearts of our people.

Our thanks go out to all those who are set to mobilize their honorable efforts to achieve the fulfillment of our shared demand. We want to remind you as well to please keep us all abreast of the activities you are carrying out by sending us updates and chronicles. You may do so via:

Movimientoporjusticiadelbarrio@yahoo.com

With love and solidarity,

From El Barrio, New York.

Movement for Justice in El Barrio
The Other Campaign New York.

To the compañeros of Movement for Justice in El Barrio:
To the Worldwide Struggle Campaign for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López:

“The color of the jail cell is the marking on the body of the place that was ocupied in history,” states the compañera Rita Laura Segato.

Those from above are criminalizing the place occupied by the people who are the color of the earth. That is the justice of the State and the bad government. A “justice” that imprisons the children of Pachamama and those who defend and care for her, but rewards with freedom those who destroy her in order to turn her into a commodity.

The international campaign to free Patishtán and Sántiz López is revealing the true reasons behind their imprisonment. When those from below stand up, when the poor of the world speak out and organize, they are systematically labelled “terrorists” and “violent” and are turned into the targets of defamation campaigns, with all the machinery of repression thrown upon them.

When those from above steal public resources, when bankers appropriate the money and labor of everyone else, they are rewarded with positions in the bad governments and utilize state money to save their dirty businesses.

These are not errors or abnormalities, but rather the true notion of justice held by the State: To protect those from above and condemn those from below. In this world two forms of justice exist: One for the governments and one for the people. The former is implemented by rich, white men who are protected by armed guards, and who hide in palaces to make decisions. The latter is community justice that is decided in assemblies of common people–the people who are the color of the earth–whereby every can debate because neither lawyers nor experts are required to distinguish between good and bad.

They are two justices for two opposed worlds. One day our justice shall judge those from above; and on that day, they shall be condemned to live off their work, to care for the common good. They shall be condemned to live as we, the 99% of humanity, do.

That day, which is not far off, we will remember our brothers, Patishtán and Sántiz López, as two of the many midwives who made the birth of a new world possible.

Raúl Zibechi
Montevideo, June 7, 2012.

Message by the Good Government Council of Oventic in audio:
(Descarga aquí)  

Message by the Movement for Justice in El Barrio:
(Descarga aquí)  
(Continuar leyendo…)

Call to Action
“SECOND WEEK OF WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF PATISHTÁN AND SANTIZ LOPEZ: BRINGING DOWN THE PRISON WALLS”

From Friday, June 8th to Friday, June 15th of this year.

May 24, 2012

To our sisters and brothers, the family members and allies of Alberto Patishtán Gomez:
To our sisters and brothers, the family members and allies of Francisco Sántiz López:
To our Zapatista sisters and brothers:
To our compañer@s of The Other Campaign:
To our compañer@s of the Zezta Internazional:
To our compañer@s, adherents of the International Campaign in Defense of El Barrio and all our allies from around the world:
To the Civil Society in Mexico and in the world:

The following is an urgent call to action from Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York, to realize the:

“SECOND WEEK OF WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF PATISHTÁN AND SANTIZ LOPEZ: BRINGING DOWN THE PRISON WALLS”

To take place from Friday, June 8th to Friday, June 15th of this year.

Compañeras y compañeros:

From our corner of the world, El Barrio, New York:

We greet you with much affection and high spirits.

We greet you with much emotion running through our veins.

We greet you with much rage that gives pulse to our brown and dignified heart.

We greet you with fury. With anxiety. With yearning. With pain.

We, the women and men Mexican immigrants, who form Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York, would like to share with you this urgent proposal:

By way of the following words we issue our humble hope: That together we may begin the second – and hopefully, final – phase of our, now global and historical, struggle for freedom and justice for our brothers, the indigenous political prisoners, Alberto Patishtán Gómez, adherent to The Other Campaign, and Francisco Sántiz López, member of the EZLN Support Base.

Day in and day out, this struggle continues to grow, to expand, and to touch the innumerable hearts and dreams of so many honest and dignified people of our planet.

This struggle emerges and runs with the previous support given to the “Week of Worldwide Struggle for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López: Bringing Down the Prison Walls!” from our Zapatista sisters and brothers of the Junta de Buen Gobierno (Good Government Council) and from the families of Francisco and Alberto. Their messages of support and a brief history on the two cases appear in the documentary “Brining Down the Prison Walls: The Struggle for Patishtán and Sántiz López”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj0lUahDzTs

Today, this struggle has guided us to a plateau—one which demonstrates that its reach is now global, as it encompasses lands near and far that have joined the call to free our beloved comrades, Francisco Sántiz López and Alberto Patishtán Gómez, and to fight against the unjust system of repression and destruction from which their incarceration stems.

They, you, we have received the voice and dream of our two brothers and their peoples. We have received them and as a consequence, we have become their own.

Today we can see with sober eyes that in all parts of Chiapas and in all of Mexico, in South Africa, in Brazil, in England, in Scotland, in New Zealand, in Argentina, in Austria, in Switzerland, in Spain, in the U.S.: the people are concerned, the people are rising for Patishtán and Sántiz López.

In addition, during these past few days, we have seen that the mobilizations we carried out during the “Week of Worldwide Struggle for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López” have produced certain cracks in the prison walls.

One of these cracks is illustrated by the reaction of the bad government of the repressor Juan Sabines, bad governor of the state of Chiapas, who recently responded regarding the case of Sántiz López.

This response left his mouth – filthy as it is from so much deceit – like a fly: Complete deception.

But it is a sign that the bad government feels obligated to speak on the matter, and it is a symptom that the bad government is weakening. Now the whole world is watching.

Compañeras and compañeros:

In light of this, now more than ever, we must exploit its obvious and exposed weakness and continue organizing; we must increase the pressure, so that the bad government may obey the will of the dignified people and that these walls disintegrate.

In spite of the horrific conditions, our brothers Alberto and Francisco continue to fight from the inside. Their cries of dignity still reach us here.

We cannot wait any longer: OUR PRISONERS OUT NOW!!!

Our campaign shall continue.

For this reason, we ask you once more to join us in demanding that the bad powers of Mexico, in particular the repressor Pres. Felipe Calderón and the repressor Gov. Juan Sabines, immediately release our compañeros Alberto Patishtán Gómez and Francisco Sántiz López.

This time with more people, more countries, more communities, more screams, more determination to set our brothers free.

To this end, we propose the following:

o That together we unite our forces and organize actions – from our particular locations and respective forms of struggle – such as demonstrations, marches, informative street actions, fliering, public forums, theatre, teach-ins, and any other activity to realize the

“SECOND WEEK OF WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF PATISHTÁN AND SÁNTIZ LÓPEZ: BRINGING DOWN THE PRISON WALLS”

From Friday, June 8th to Friday, June 15th of this year.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you accept our proposal and will participate. You may communicate with us via e-mail at: movimientoporjusticiadelbarrio@yahoo.com

We would like to thank those who participated in the first Week of Worldwide Struggle, and thank in advance those who will participate in this second week. We believe that we find ourselves in a strategic moment—one that now requires more voices echoing the dignified call for freedom and justice.

Together with will achieve, without a doubt, what our compas deserve.

ONCE MORE TO FREE PATISHTÁN!
ONCE MORE TO FREE SÁNTIZ LÓPEZ!
ALBERTO, HOLD ON, THE PEOPLE ARE RISING UP!
FRANCISCO, HOLD ON, THE PEOPLE ARE RISING UP!
LET’S BRING DOWN THESE PRISON WALLS!

Our embraces of love and solidarity.

From El Barrio, New York:

Movement for Justice in El Barrio
The Other Campaign New York

Three organizations from the city of Wellington, New Zealand, presented a letter this past Wednesday, May 23 to the Mexican ambassador in that country

Read the letter below:

---

Sra. Licenciada Rosaura Leonora Rueda Gutierrez
Embassy of Mexico
Amp.Chambers Level 2/187 Featherston Street
Lambton 6011, Wellington New Zealand

Dear Ambassador,

We the undersigned, from Wellington New Zealand, view with deep concern and anger how people in Mexico who are organizing to struggle for and defend their rights are punished with imprisonment.
Governments lock them away trying to condemn them to oblivion, silence and submission. But their voices and their example reach us loudly and clearly from the prisons – through the voices of our brothers Alberto Patishtán and Francisco Sántiz Lopez.

We know that they are not guilty because they are committed social activists whose innocence has been documented by human rights centres and defenders.

Alberto Patishtan has been imprisoned since 2000. Prison has become his base of struggle, where he has not only borne his punishment with dignity, but also organized many other political prisoners to attain their freedom. As a result, he has been sent to different prisons. He was transferred to his current location, in Guasave, Sinaloa, as punishment for his participation in the latest hunger strike, which was undertaken in Chiapas in 2011. We know that Alberto Patishtan has become a symbolic figure for social movements in Chiapas, Mexico and the world. We also know that because of his dignified rebellion, the Mexican state affords him special brutality.

Francisco Lopez Sántiz has committed the crime of being a Base of Support for the EZLN. This is the reason that he is in prison, not for the crime he is alleged to have committed in December 2011 in Banavil, Tenejapa. This is proven by the fact that Francisco was not even at the scene of the crime, as has been amply demonstrated.

For these reasons we demand immediate and unconditional liberty for Alberto Patishtan, Francisco Sántiz and all political prisoners in Chiapas and Mexico. Prison, repression and impunity cannot and must not continue to rule in Mexico.

Yours faithfully

Wellington Zapatista Solidarity Committee
¡Oye Latino! on Wellington Access Radio
Latin American Solidarity Committee

* Brazil’s MST joins the demand for his release and that of Francisco Santiz López

* Mexican immigrants take the petition to the General Consul in New York City

Andrés Núñez, former compañero in prison of professor Alberto Patishtán Gómez, during a fórum for his liberation in San Cristóbal de Las Casas on the 12th May. Photo: Moysés Zúñiga Santiago

By: Hermann Bellinghausen,
Periódico La Jornada

San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, May 23, 2012

“If the Mexican government does not want to be judged in international courts for crimes against the population and the popular movements” it must free Professor Alberto Patishtán Gómez and the Zapatista Francisco Santiz López, “as an immediate matter”, declared Rafael Vilas Boas in the name of the Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement (Movimiento de Trabajadores Sin Tierra de Brasil, MST), at the end of the worldwide week for the freedom of the two indigenous men.

Meanwhile, Mexican immigrants from the Movement for Justice in El Barrio, from the Other Campaign in New York, stormed into the General Consulate of Mexico in that city on Monday, with the same demand. Despite the initial refusal to attend to them by consular personnel, who even closed the installations full of “countrymen”, the Consul finally listened to them and “behind him a large banner was unfolded that repeated our demand: ‘justice and freedom for Alberto and Francisco.’” Before a “profound silence” from the public, “we echoed the dignified call originating from Chiapas for our two prisoners”, says the New York movement, convoker of the worldwide week.

In the MST’s videotaped message, Vila Boas says that if Patishtán remains imprisoned, “it is because he is very competent, the work that he was doing was very good, and not criminal”. He is not “an enemy, but a pride for the country”, he adds. “If Mexico wants to be a democracy it is necessary to free the professor.”

With respect to Santiz López, he maintains: “The MST has a relationship of admiration and respect for the Zapatista movement, which is opposed to a model of political representation which is not in the interest of the great mass of the population. The compañero was collaborating in the organization of society, [therefore] he cannot be considered a criminal. He is a hero.” The Brazilian spokesperson considered it necessary “for Mexican society to make the distinction between a criminal action and grassroots organising”.

This morning, the Platform in Solidarity with Chiapas and Guatemala and the Centre for Documentation on Zapatismo delivered a letter for the Ambassador at the Mexican Embassy in Spain with the pronouncement in favour of the freedom of the two indigenous men, issued at the Global May Forum (Foro del Mayo Global) that took place at the weekend.

Other actions were carried out in the Parque del Retiro in Madrid and in Barcelona. In the Mexican capital, Other Campaign collectives held a Sunday meeting for several hours in the Bellas Artes (Fine Arts) esplanade demanding freedom for Patishtán, “a prisoner of conscience arbitrarily transferred to a high-security prison in Guasave, Sinaloa,” and for Santiz López, “detained and blamed for being a Zapatista support base.” They demanded “justice and voice to the silence that met the hunger strike and fast, which was valiantly maintained in 2011 by the following Chiapas prisoners: Pedro López Jiménez, Rosario Díaz Méndez, José Díaz López, Alfredo López Jiménez, Alejandro Díaz Santiz and Juan Díaz López, Andrés Núñez Hernández and Rosa López Díaz, Juan Collazo Jiménez and Enrique Gómez Hernández.”

Members of the Las Abejas group, meanwhile, declared this Tuesday in Acteal (Chenalhó) that “the governments try to disorganize and sow fear and terror in the independent organizations, social movements and collectives that are not in agreement with the system that is being exercised in Mexico, and with that strategy they have incarcerated Patishtán ever since 2000, falsely accused of participating in the homicide of seven police.” They demanded his freedom and the freedom of the “compañero” Santiz López, support base of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional), “arbitrarily incarcerated since December 4 [2011], accused of acts that happened in the community of Banavil (Tenejapa).”

Upon concluding the week of worldwide actions and protests, the New York-based Movement for Justice in El Barrio stated: “There remains a lot of work for us to do, as our two prisoners remain unjustly imprisoned.”

---

Originally Published in Spanish by La Jornada
Thursday, May 24, 2012
En español: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2012/05/24/politica/025n1pol

English translation by the Chiapas Support Committee for the:
International Zapatista Translation Service, a collaboration of the:
Chiapas Support Committee, California
Wellington Zapatista Support Group
UK Zapatista Solidarity Network

With additional English translation provided by
Movement for Justice in El Barrio

This past May 19th, as part of the “Spring Celebrations” of Ateneu l’ Harmonia de Sant Andreu de Palomar, and organized as part of the “Week of Worldwide Struggle for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López: bringing down the prison walls‏”. Several collectives joined forces and our work to create a solidarity video.

The people of Sant Andreu, are in solidarity and send all of our support to the political prisoners Alberto Patishtán y Francisco Sántiz and we demand their immediate liberation. We also send our support and solidarity to the Zapatista communities in resistance and the bases of support of the EZLN.

The video was made possible thanks to the solidarity work and coordination of:

La Batonera de Sant Andreu
Els Diables de Sant Andreu
Assamblea Sant Andreu Indigna’t
Edpac. Educació per a l’Acció Crítica
L’ Adhesiva, Espai de Trobada i Acció.

We appreciate the initiative of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York.

We take this opportunity to also send solidarity embraces to all groups, from below and to the left, that organize, fight and resist everyday to construct a better world that we hold in our hearts. The solidarity amongst all dignified peoples will always be our strength.

Solidarity embraces,

L’Adhesiva,
Espai de Trobada i Acció.
Barcelona,
Maig de 2012.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Mexican Spanish. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

En este tiempo de lluvia que mucho moja el suelo, hace que las plantas en nuestros campos enverdezcan, rejuvenezcan, y que las semillas que están en la Tierra germinen para dar vida y sustento a nuestros pueblos y comunidades. Del mismo modo es también nuestro caminar en este proceso de lucha por la construcción de Paz con Justicia y Dignidad, porque la constante violación a los derechos humanos que ejerce el estado mexicano en contra de los lideres de movimientos sociales, hace que la memoria que tenemos de nuestros mártires lo tengamos muy presente y la indignación por la impunidad que se vive de ella, nos anima como organización y sobrevivientes de la masacre a seguir firmes en nuestra lucha pacifican haciendo que sea diaria la exigencia de justicia por el llamado caso Acteal para seguir dando luz y esperanza a los pueblos y organizaciones victimas de injusticia.

• Justicia para los autores materiales e intelectuales de la masacre de Acteal.
• La liberación inmediata e incondicional del compañero Alberto Patishtan y del compañero Francisco Santis López.
• Justicia para los responsables de la emboscada en contra de Javier Pérez Jiménez.
• Castigo al responsable de las amenazas en contra de Padre Gabriel y Guadalupe Espinoza.
• La cancelación definitiva e inmediata de la presa el Zapotillo.

____________________________ Porfirio Arias Hernández Presidente. Mesa Directiva	______________________________ Enrique Perez Santis Vicepresidente
____________________________ Victorio Santis Gómez Secretario Gral.	______________________________ Javier Pérez Gutiérrez Subsecretario
____________________________ Benjamín Pérez Pérez Tesorero	______________________________ Manuel Pérez Gómez Subtesorero.

Final update on the
“WEEK OF WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE FOR THE LIBERATION OF PATISHTÁN AND SÁNTIZ LÓPEZ: BRINGING DOWN THE PRISON WALLS”

May 15 – May 22 of this year.

May 22, 2012

o The Landless Workers Movement (MST) of Brazil supports Patishtán and Sántiz López through new video message: “If it does not wish to be judged for crimes against its population, the Mexican Government must release the two prisoners”

To our sisters and brothers, the family members and allies of Alberto Patishtán Gómez:
To our sisters and brothers, the family members and allies of Francisco Sántiz López:
To our Zapatista sisters and brothers:
To our compañer@s of The Other Campaign:
To our compañer@s of the Zezta Internazional:
To our compañer@s, adherents of the International Campaign in Defense of El Barrio and all our allies from around the world:
To the Civil Society in Mexico and in the world:

Compañeras and compañeros:

Receive an enormous embrace from El Barrio, Nueva York. Today being the closing day, here we share with you the seventh and final update on the “Week of Worldwide Struggle for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López: Bringing Down the Prison Walls.”

We have received, and will circulate herein, a new video message from our compas of the Landless Workers Movement (Movimento Sem Terra) of Brazil, as part of the global actions executed during the Week of Worldwide Action. In this video, Rafael, a representative of MST, explains to us the reasons behind their support and solidarity for the two political prisoners of Chiapas and the national and international struggle for their liberation. Our Brazilian comrade states that with regards to Alberto’s case, popular education and learning must be nourished in order to have real democracy, and therefore, those who do so must be defended. Punishing educators would constitute a grave error against this goal and represent an irrational and unjust act. He adds, moreover, that the fact that Alberto has already spent 12 years in prison speaks to his abilities and demonstrates that he has indeed done “excellent work” for his people and against the interests of the capitalists and their political lackeys. Concerning Francisco, our compa from the MST states that his movement has a “relationship of admiration and respect” for the Zapatistas. He goes on to suggest that unjust and arbitrary incarceration can be regarded as a crime against the population and democracy. There exists much truth in his words and for this reason, we are happy to be able to share with you the full message here:

Although this particular week of struggle ends today, there still remains much work to be done, as our two prisoners remain unjustly imprisoned.

Their physical bodies remain stuck in disgusting cells for crimes that they did not commit, while those who do harm to our people and our Mother Earth, continue to enjoy impunity and the wealth that they have robbed violently from us.

It sickens us. It enrages us. It causes us agony. It fills us full of emotion and strength to tear down the walls that confine them.

We view them as our prisoners, our brothers.

And it has occurred to us that Alberto and Francisco’s dreams are very similar to our own, as migrants. The true “American dream” of any immigrant is being able to be back in their community with their family.

We share this same dream, this same yearning, and we shall soon make them reality.

It is our hope that these global actions have given all of us, and in particular, Francisco, Alberto, and their people, more energy, more determination and strength to continue fighting for that freedom that we have always sought.

To close the Week of Worldwide Struggle, we resend you our video on the week here:

As always, we ask that you please share the films with all of your contacts and social networks, so that the truth, wisdom, and hope of these messages, as well as the already global and historical demand for the release of Alberto and Francisco, may reach every corner of our world.

The pressure and demand for the freedom of Alberto Patishtán and Sántiz López now has a global reach. Today more than ever we must keep it alive.

We want to thank all the people of good heart who participated in the “Week of Worldwide Struggle for the Liberation of Patishtán and Sántiz López: Bringing Down the Prison Walls,” by taking action and disseminating our convocation and all the video messages—since the true word and knowledge are essential to the struggle for justice, democracy, and dignity.

That said, due to all of our collective efforts, some day soon, we will see them free and our dreams realized.

We continue, compas.

¡ALBERTO, HOLD ON, THE PEOPLE ARE RISING UP!
¡FRANCISCO, HOLD ON, THE PEOPLE ARE RISING UP!
¡BRING DOWN THESE PRISON WALLS!
¡FREE OUR PRISONERS NOW!!!

With love and solidarity,

Movement for Justice in El Barrio
The Other Campaign New York