Oaxacan Teachers Face Up to Leftist Intimidation, Vote 2nd Time to Return to Classes (Translation)

El Universal ( Mexico City ) ^ | October 26, 2006 | Jorge Octavio Ochoa ( translated by self )

[StJacques]

Return to classes approved in Oaxaca

During the consultation of Section 22 of the SNTE, 31,078 teachers voted "yes" and 20,387 made theirs "no." The tentative date for the return to the classrooms will be next Monday

Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondent
El Universal (Mexico City)
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
Thursday 26 October 2006

4:04 p.m.  After eight hours of waiting and in absence of union leader Enrique Rueda Pacheco, today the wishes of the assembly of Section 22 of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) made known the official result of its consultation on the return to classes.

From the outskirts of the enclosure one could hear that 31,078 teachers voted "yes" to the return to classes and 20,387 made theirs "no." The tentative date for the reopening of classes will be next Monday.

The union assembly began around 2:45 p.m. and at approximately 3:30 it made the result known.

In these moments a rough debate developed among the union delegates.

The breakdown of the result of the consultation is the following: 24,440 teachers prounounced themselves for returning to classes the 30th of October; 38 proposed the 31st of October; 2,330 the 6th of November; 139 the 13th of November; 137 the 15th of November; 146 the 20th of November; 68 the 21st of November; and 15 the 4th of December.

Meanwhile, 16,920 teachers voted to return to classes five days after the fall of [Oaxacan Governor] Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.

Those who inclined in their voting in favor [of returning to classes], according to initial reports, were the regions of Misteca, Cuenca, and Istmo.

[StJacques]

Well; this is the second time in the last week that the teacher's union has voted to return to classes. In an earlier thread, we discussed the results of their voting last Saturday in favor of a return to work and how APPO (The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca) had intimidated them into holding another vote. This time the intimidation was even worse. There are some disturbing reports coming out in the Mexican press. Last night shots were fired in the vicinity of the teacher's hotel, and today there were reports of at least 11 shots fired. Additionally, a local bus was hijacked today by masked men, the trademark of APPO activists, and driven to the side of the teacher's hotel and set afire. The atmosphere surrounding the teacher's union meeting has been anything but peaceful. But the teacher's have split with APPO, or at least a majority of them have, and voted to return to classes. Please take note of the fact that Enrique Rueda Pacheco, the leader of the local teacher's union section, was not present. There have been threats made against him and I suspect he was not in attendance out of fear for his life. This is how APPO operates.

We will now have to wait and see what comes of the APPO threat against the Oaxacan government which was issued this week as an ultimatum for Governor Ulises Ruiz to resign "or else." Just what "or else" means is unclear but APPO activists have been welding the gates of local schools shut and seizing state government offices, forcing employees to leave, in preparation for some kind of action.

I do not expect APPO to peacefully accept the decision of the teacher's union to end its strike. We'll have to wait and see.

One final comment; for anyone wishing to see the very best news on the situation in Oaxaca I would like to recommend the blogger's site http://www.markinmexico.blogspot.com. Whoever "Mark" is, his reporting has been a treasure. There is some great stuff on that site.

[StJacques]

A Mexican Left Watch ping for you all.

Anyone wishing to be added to the ping list may contact me via Freepmail or post within this thread.

[Dog Gone]

Thanks for the update.

[Graymatter]

Thank you for keeping us informed on these events, StJacques. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

[norton]

Thanks, good link as well.

[Alia]

Thank you for the update. The photos at the blog you cite are alarming. I'm in great respect for the teachers who are standing up and against the thuggery of the APPO.

[kidd]

Good news.

Even amongst extremists, there are extremists. Hopefully these teachers will realize that they were not the objective of the strike, just a means of a different objective (they were used).