(en) Mexico City: An act for freedom of political prisoner Sebastian Alvaro Ramirez (ca)

The event highlighted the presence of political prisoners in the country and the
importance of solidarity to gain their freedom. ---- As part of the International Day
Against Political Imprisonment and Freedom Sebastian Alvaro Ramirez, was a
political-cultural on the esplanade of Fine Arts on Saturday October 27. Organized by the
Anarchist Black Cross of Mexico and the Network against Repression and for Solidarity, the
event highlighted the presence of political prisoners in the country and the importance of
solidarity in order to gain their freedom. ---- There was a phone call from Sebastian
Alvaro Ramirez in which greeted everyone present at the event and thanked their
solidarity. Also heard a prerecorded message from him. ---- Like many other political
prisoners, Alvaro is a social activist who has worked to "transform the conditions of
injustice, violence, poverty, illiteracy, discrimination and deprivation prevailing in the
country and the world."

For 16 years, he has been imprisoned for his organizational and social struggle in Oaxaca
Loxicha Region. You are now in the Central Prison of Ixcotel, sentenced to 29 years in
prison on charges of murder, terrorism, conspiracy, rebellion and possession of firearms.
Other Zapotec xiches of this region of poverty and marginalization those who have been in
prison all these years are Zechariah Garc?a L?pez, Jos? Justino Hernandez, Eleuterio
Hern?ndez Garc?a Agust?n Valencia Moon, Abraham Garc?a Ram?rez and Hern?ndez Enr?quez Fortino.

Adherent to the Other Campaign, Sebastian Alvaro Ramirez was a teacher from 1977 to 1986
and governor of San Agustin Loxicha education. In his recorded message, says communities
in the region "lacked the most basic services such as health centers, electricity,
classrooms and drinking water." He explains that "this is why we started to organize
ourselves civil and peaceful village by village."

After the military attack of the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR) against police and
military installations in the municipality of Santa Maria Huatulco on August 29, 1996, the
region suffered Loxicha and para-militarization and the imposition of a state of siege.
"The communities have undergone massive extrajudicial arrests, illegal searches,
extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual abuse, harassment,
death threats, criminal and other irregular human rights violations."

In his recorded testimony, says he was kidnapped Alvaro "between 10:00 and 10:30 am on
Monday, December 15, 1997 by a panel of the State Judicial Police." For eleven days was
disappeared and tortured physically and psychologically, "subjected to cruel, outrageous
and humiliating".

"The purpose of the torture was for me to accept being a member of the Popular
Revolutionary Army (EPR), which have agreed to the rank of major in the armed group. They
beat me for me to say from when I joined in secrecy, to tell them what were my activities
within the armed group, who told them of my countrymen and Oaxacan teachers belong to the
EPR ".

Alvaro did not give this information, but under torture, was forced to incriminate
himself, signing and putting their fingerprints on over one hundred sheets of paper. He
says: "My case is not unique in the state ... under torture, kidnapping and forced more
than a hundred indigenous Zapotec Region Loxicha to self blame of crimes never committed ..."

After a long legal process full of irregularities, Alvaro filed a direct protection to win
his release in October 2010. He says: "If the Mexican government imprisoned and condemned
me as a rebel, I have to leave because as rebellious freedom'm not attributable to the
killings and injuries committed an act of combat." Note that this is basically the same
argument with the former guerrillas and Jacobo Silva Nogales Ag?s Arena Gloria won their
freedom in 2009.

Starting in 2010, the campaign for freedom of Sebastian Alvaro Ramirez has attracted quite
international solidarity, and it is considered that a victory in his case could also
benefit other political prisoners Loxicha Region.

In the cultural political act on the esplanade of Fine Arts, the moderator Jaime also
emphasized the cases of other political prisoners of the Other Campaign, including Alberto
Patisht?n. He stated that "the confinement is terrible conditions in a maximum security
prison are even worse. And that's where Alberto sent Patisht?n, hoping that this action
will bend and ended the organization. But the Professor did not stop. It launched many
campaigns and fortunately today, Professor Alberto Patisht?n is back in prison # 5 of San
Cristobal de las Casas. He's back in his homeland. Now the task is to continue to organize
to get your freedom. "

"For us, this kind of activity we are doing in public spaces is the least we can do,
together with colleagues. Not that we and we are fighting for them. We are fighting for
their freedom. We are fighting with them. Many times the great engine for their freedom
comes from prisons. It's where the heart of this struggle. That's where the root, and the
root also of a new world in the fight, the courage, the dignity, and the hope of freedom
for the prisoners and political prisoners in Mexico and the world. "

It also said that with the efforts of the dams and campaigns and solidarity, freedom has
been achieved in many political prisoners. These include dozens of prisoners of
organizations Voice of Amate Amate and Solidarity of Chiapas, Victor Herrera Govea in
Mexico City and all prisoners of Atenco, some of whom tried to detain States for 30, 67 or
even 112 years.

Comrade Ivan, spoke from personal experience the importance of solidarity to the prisoners
of Atenco. When the repressive onslaught ordered by the federal government, state and
municipal unleashed against the community of San Salvador Atenco on May 3, 2006, Ivan was
one of the members of the Other Campaign who came to town for co were not alone , knowing
that when the fights are isolated, are more likely to be defeated.

After being tortured and taken to the Santiaguito prison, the prisoners and they realized
they had begun arriving relatives, colleagues raise the encampment outside the prison.
They sent messages and were yelling at 3 in the morning with the message "you are not
alone." I also spent letters and photos, bringing the news that people were mobilized in
Mexico City and in different parts of the country and the world. Although theoretically
knew they were not alone, these acts was reaffirmed and gave them strength.

Ivan said: "At the time we started to hear the screams outside the prison, reaffirm why we
were inside. And no matter how long we'd be there because it was worth it. We had gone out
of solidarity. We left because we were part of a movement to change our reality, then we
knew it was worth. And knowing this, one gets up and leaves no exhaust. Although the
prison is built to be breaks, knowing that there is solidarity, you can keep up and fight,
not only for your freedom, but for the goals you had before going to jail. Then when we
started to get out of prison, we knew it was because of this solidarity. People for four
years is not stopped even if the convictions and said many were going to be inside for
decades. When we left, the least I could do was join the efforts of solidarity with the
comrades who had been inside. This is very important for a movement, a movement that
forgets its prisoners is a movement doomed to fail ".

"For Alvaro, solidarity is also very important though is a different case. For a long time
it was very isolated. For a long time the case was very abandoned Loxicha. However, today
we are trying to raise their voices and prisoners Loxichas Alvaro. We can not forget them.
We can not let them inside. We have to keep fighting, yes to change our reality, to
achieve self owning our life, yes for freedom of fellow. "
S. Carolina Rosemary

From http://www.anarkismo.net/article/24185

Bron : a-infos-en@ainfos.ca