Letter in Support of the People of Oaxaca

As fellow media makers and artists, we are writing to honor the memory of independent journalist, filmmaker, and respected activist Brad Will, who was brutally murdered while filming the grassroots popular movement in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Along with Brad, six other people were killed this past week by officials of the illegitimate government of Ulises Ruiz and the federal forces that are now occupying Oaxaca. Among them were: Emilio Alonso Fabián (professor), José Alberto López Bernal (nurse), Fidel Sánchez García (construction worker) and Esteban Zurita López.

We are extremely alarmed to see that rather than cracking down on the violent paramilitaries who have been launching regular attacks on the people of Oaxaca, President Vicente Fox is using these murders as a pretext for escalating violence against the popular grassroots organization of the people of Oaxaca.

In solidarity with the people of Oaxaca, we add our voices to these demands:

Ulises Ruiz out of Oaxaca!

Immediate withdrawal of the occupying federal forces from Oaxaca!

Immediate and unconditional freedom for all detainees!

Justice for all murdered compañeros and punishment of guilty parties on all levels!

We make these demands in support of the Oaxacan people's efforts to establish a popular government that recognizes local traditions and values.

JUSTICE, FREEDOM, AND DEMOCRACY FOR THE PEOPLE OF OAXACA!

Michael Albert
Tariq Ali
Anthony Arnove
Stanley Aronowitz
Daniel Berger
John Berger
Noam Chomsky
Mike Davis
Roisin Davis
Bernadine Dohrn
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Eve Ensler
Gustavo Esteva
Eduardo Galeano
Danny Glover
David Graeber
Michael Hardt
Sonali Kolhatkar
Naomi Klein
Anna Lappe
Anthony Lappe
Camilo Mejía
Alessandra Moctezuma
Michael Moore
Mira Nair
Antonio Negri
Oscar Olivera
Francis Fox Piven
John Pilger
Katha Pollitt
Arundhati Roy
Jeremy Scahill
Danny Schechter
Wallace Shawn
Starhawk
Gloria Steinem
Jonathan Tasini
Alice Walker
Howard Zinn

Please add your name to this this petition.

Websites:
www.friendsofbradwill.org
www.narconews.com
www.indymedia.org