What They Didn't Tell Us
James Daria offers a first-hand perspective of the conditions in Oaxaca. In an exclusive interview, he shares his experience of Oaxaca as a reporter, unbiased by the government. On May 1, 2006, James as well as other reporters were arrested while photographing the events of the teachers' strike. He says he was beaten up, put into the back of a police truck, and then taken to jail. The police then proceeded to try and take his photographs away from him. James calls it, “the nature of the regime.” There is only one political party and repression is unrestrained for any person who rebels or who, like James, tries to uncover the truth. [5]
Photo by James Daria
The Unjustice of the Government
James says he did not want to be a journalist necessarily but since he saw a vast number of published articles that were extremely false he had a desire to report what he knew to be true. Many of the popular newspapers are controlled by the government as well as other forms of mass media.[6] The Narco News says of one incident in Atenco, Mexico “Atenco has exceeded the limits of earlier repressions in which there were indeed dead, tortured, disappeared, and imprisoned political opponents or social organizers.” This article also speaks to the unfathomable torture endured by those who have rebelled against the government. Women were raped in the back of police trucks and men and women alike were brutally beaten [7]. Even worse is the justice system. Influential government authorities have denied rights to those who have been tortured and raped and they claim that these events never even occurred. James Daria says those who complain to the government officials are harassed and silenced as the government is a huge bureaucracy where little is accomplished regarding social justice. Areas of the Mexican government work hard and work together to silence these opposition groups. [8]
Barricades
Photo by James Daria
The Oaxacan community has been successful in their attempts to barricade the state government. Due to escalating violent confrontations from the state government, Oaxacans decided to barricade the entire city at least at night. The government was sending out “death squads” in unmarked, black police cars with the orders to shoot at the barricades. After work many would go to their assigned locations to stand guard against the government. Community members consider the barricades non-violent forms of self defense. They would use rocks, sling shots and fireworks in attempt to keep the government away. The barricades accomplished several things for the Oaxacan community. For example, they were able to kick officials out of certain buildings so the government was unable to function. This worked well for a period of time but the government began to rent hotel rooms to conduct their business. The people also built a barricade around the radio station after the government tried to shut it down and steal essential equipment. The mass media played an extremely important role not only in the teacher’s strike but also in the barricades. When one sector was under strong attack community members went on the air to inform other groups of the need for their assistance. The ability of this community to grab hold of forms of mass communications was, and still is, a very influential way of “getting the word out.” [9]
Photo by James Daria
Taking a Step Further
Due to the intense corruption of the government it is very important to be able to discern what is true and what is false. Especially through the example of the justice system in which reported claims were not processed and those who were tortured were told nothing had ever really happened to them, we can see that the problem in Oaxaca is much bigger than the teacher’s strike for educational equity. It is a problem of social and political justice for hundreds of people.