APPO Asks Pope Mediating Oaxaca Conflict (Prensa Latina)

[struggle4progress]

Mexico, Nov 23 (Prensa Latina) ... Representatives from that organization met with papal nuncio Guiseppe Bertello ...

Even if Bertello rejected violence and actions by the Preventive Federal Police (PFP), deployed since October 29 in the Oaxaca capital, he avoided to support ousting the local executive due to his diplomatic post.

According to reports, the APPO letter, addressed to Benedict XVI, states that governor Ruiz violates main human rights in Oaxaca and .... that since May 22, when the protest started with magisterial demands to date, there have been 17 dead, over 50 people disappeared and 60 are under arrest, in addition to cases of sexual abuse on women, after the entrance of the PFP forces in Oaxaca city.

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B06ACB558-C3D3-4F55-84DB-AD51BF89C4B3%7D&language=EN

[last1standing]

1. Why would anyone want help from that fascist prick?

n/t

[IntiRaymi]

2. Because that fascist prick is influential.

As crappy as that situation is.

[struggle4progress]

3. It's a Catholic country and there's a history of Catholic social teaching.

[Peace Patriot]

4. The Pope and the Church haven't been all that friendly to the global

corporate predator agenda. Their teachings on (and obsession with) women's rights aside, their social justice teachings have been pretty good, as a matter of fact. APPO'S policies (mainly justice for the poor) and methods of achieving it (peaceful, non-violent action) are quite in line with Church teachings. Further, there was a dispute in Oaxaca between two Church leaders there--the bishop or archbishop, and another Church officer--regarding granting asylum to APPO leaders, whose actions have been ENTIRELY PEACEFUL, and who are being hunted by Gov. Ruiz's fascist death squads and Fox/Calderon's federal army. The appeal to the Papal Legate may be intended to get around this dispute, and get some protection for these leaders.

The Church--including its priests, nuns and hierarchy, and rank and file members--should not be dismissed categorically as fascist. Please remember that it was an archbishop who was slain on his altar in El Salvador, by U.S.-back death squads--for his advocacy for the poor. Several nuns were also raped and slain. During the Vietnam war, Jesuit priests were among the leaders of the antiwar movement--one of them, Fr. Dan Berrigan, was at one point "wanted' by the FBI for burning Draft records. There is a large "leftist" contingent within the church, that is sometimes supported by the hierarchy and sometimes not. And when it comes to saving lives, and achieving justice for the poor, we progressives need all the help we can get.