Friends of Brad Will

Excellent riposte to Washington Post Oaxaca coverage

Jill Freidberg has written an excellent denunciation of Ceci Connoly’s Washington Post article ‘describing’ the events in Oaxaca over the last year and a half.

The Washington Post piece mentions Brad but seriously distorts the context for his murder.

Freidberg ends her piece with the following observation:

‘As long as American travel writers continue to wring their hands over Oaxaca, implying that a non-violent social movement is to blame for the city’s lost charm, beauty and “authenticity,” while neglecting to educate readers about the true situation in this poorest of Mexican states, the discontent will continue to stir just below the surface, as it has done for 500 years.’

The entire piece can be found at Jill’s blog and here below.

Ironically, Ceci Connolly’s article “Oaxaca: One Year Later,” is published on Nov. 25th, 2007, exactly one year after thousands of federal police carried out some of the worst human rights abuses in recent Mexican history; detaining, torturing, and raping men, women, and children who had taken to the streets demanding social and economic justice.

But according to Ms. Connolly, what happened in Oaxaca, in 2006, was nothing more than “riots.”
Read more »

NYTimes Editorial: Remember the War on Drugs?

November 19, 2007
Editorial
Remember the War on Drugs?

It is good to see Mexico and the United States working together to battle the drug cartels that deliver hundreds of tons of illegal drugs to American consumers every year, killing more than 2,000 Mexicans annually along the way. Still, the Bush administration’s proposed $1.4 billion counternarcotics aid package falls far short of what is needed to confront the problem.
Read more »

Rights Concerns Cloud Regional Anti-Drug Plan

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Rights Concerns Cloud Regional Anti-Drug Plan

Charles Davis

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (IPS) – A 1.4-billion-dollar U.S. aid package to Mexico and Central American states aimed at combating drug trafficking and organised crime could backfire, the chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a hearing Wednesday.
Read more »

Contact Clinton! Stop 'Plan Mexico"!

Go to: http://clinton.senate.gov/contact/

Please write to Senator Clinton to urge her to speak out against the
expansion of the ‘drug war’ into Mexico. Tell her about the widespread
and serious human rights abuses committed by Mexican security
officials. Tell her lethal aid should not be extended on U.S.
taxpayers’ dime to a brutal security apparatus which give abusers of
human rights in the Mexican government with impunity.

Again, we need YOU to invest 1.5 minutes to email Hilary Clinton to demand:
Read more »

Good media coverage of Plan Mexico and Brad

Check these radio interviews out!

Congress Disrupted: No to Plan Mexico

Report written by member of Friends of Brad Will who attended the
recent hearing in D.C. on Plan Mexico. I believe the portion of the
transcript provided below here includes the correction – mentioned in
the report – of Assistant Secretary of State Shannon, at a moment in
his testimony where he tried to confute the issue/s/ of
narco-trafficking, organized crime and the murder of Brad.

Read more »

Two reports on Congressional hearing on Plan Mexico

with Supporters of Friends of Brad Will Participating and Mentioned

http://www.univision.com/contentroot/wirefeeds/noticias/7331500.html

Bush pide financiar plan Merida; congresistas preocupados

http://actualidad.terra.es/nacional/articulo/lideres_congreso_eeuu_iniciativ
a_merida_2015803.htm

Lederes del Congreso de EE.UU. muestran su escepticismo sobre la Iniciativa
Merida

De la masacre de Acteal a la Iniciativa Mérida – La Jornada

De la masacre de Acteal a la Iniciativa Mérida

Rafael Landerreche*

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2007/11/10/index.php?section=opinion&article=018a1pol

Las Abejas de Chenalhó es una organización que hace profesión de principios no violentos. Una y otra vez han declarado que no quieren venganza por la masacre de Acteal, pero que no cejarán en la exigencia de justicia, para que sucesos como ese no vuelvan a repetirse.

No podía ser más oportuno el momento para revisar algunas enseñanzas trágicas del caso Acteal, exactamente ahora que se cocina el acuerdo con el gobierno de Estados Unidos conocido oficialmente como Iniciativa Mérida.

Read more »

Steelworkers Oppose $500 Million 'Plan Mexico'

USW Opposes $500 Million ‘Plan Mexico’

Human and Labor Rights Must Be Protected before Mexican Government
Given Blank Check to Allegedly Fight Drug War

PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The United Steelworkers union announced today that it opposes handing Mexico what amounts to a blank check for $500 million for border enforcement of drug trafficking because it’s likely the American tax dollars will instead end up further undermining human and labor rights in Mexico.

USW International President Leo W. Gerard notified the chairmen of
Congressional committees and subcommittees handling the Bush
Administration’s request for the money that, at the very least,
hearings should be conducted before votes are taken so human rights
activists and trade unionists may testify to the violations that have
occurred under the administration of Mexican President Felipe Calderon
and his predecessor.

“Without fundamental institutional reforms in Mexico, and concrete
commitments on the part of the Mexican government to cease its
violations of labor and human rights, we believe that the money
requested by the Administration will serve to reinforce a pattern of
impunity,” Mr. Gerard wrote in his letter to the Congressional
leaders.
Read more »

Bush Asks for Funding to Escalate Mexico's Drug War

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/110107mexico.cfm

Bush Asks for Funding to Escalate Mexico’s Drug War
Thursday, November 1, 2007

Last week President Bush asked Congress to approve $500 million in aid for Mexico, the first chunk of a $1.4 billion drug war aid package. The money would go for police training, helicopters, surveillance planes, and other military and security endeavors.

This package would continue a failed pattern in which the U.S. responds to domestic demand for illicit drugs by trying to stop them in other countries. Tens of billions of dollars have been spent on supply-side drug control efforts over the last 30 years, yet illegal drugs remain readily available in the U.S.
Read more »

Washington, DC Advocacy Trip a Success for Friends of Brad Will!

Planning to Stop ‘Plan Mexico’

While Friends of Brad Will joined Brad’s family in D.C. to lobby for justice for his murder and for other people murdered in Oaxaca, Atenco and elsewhere, the Mexican authorities which Bush would like to lavish with ‘drug war’ money were busy arresting activists and mourners in Oaxaca.

Here is the report on our convergence on D.C.

The Friends of Brad Will advocacy trip on November 1st and 2nd to Washington, DC was a great success, thanks to our nation-wide network. Over 100 people took part in the wide spectrum of activities, events and lobbying that we organized to coincide with Dia de los Muertos commemoration. Our efforts gained in impact and poignancy, having family of Brad with us.

The two day whirlwind trip was slated to continue the effort to achieve justice in the murder of U.S. Journalist and activist Brad Will, end the impunity for human rights violations in Oaxaca and elsewhere and stop the proposed funding of a Bush/Calderon ‘Plan Mexico’ that would have disastrous consequences for the Mexican people.

Read more »

Plan Mexico demonstration photo

http://www.friendsofbradwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/church-groupbraddc.thumbnail.jpg

thanks!

Plan Mexico ACTION steps

Plan Mexico must be opposed by those with the power to do so; that means, US:

U.S. taxpayers and activists in a privileged place to talk to Congress and make our voices heard.

Immediate action: Contact and schedule local meetings with your congress people in San Francisco (Speaker of House of Rep. Pelosi), San Francisco and San Matteo plus (Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Tom Lantos), from Ossining, White Plains, Yonkers, to New Rochelle (Chair of Foreign Operations Appriopriations Subcommittee Nita Lowey). And your own Congressperson.

Or just drop by their district office (look up on their websites). If you can’t visit, at least call.

Tell them:
Read more »

Update (in Spanish) on investigation

El milenio, nov. 1, 2007

Historias de Nadie
16:55 | Brad Will
01-Noviembre-07
Hace un año mataron en Oaxaca a un joven soñador de los Estados Unidos que enviaba información alternativa a páginas de internet. Su crimen fue el número 20 que se cometió en un lapso de 4 meses en contra de opositores al Gobernador Ulises Ruíz Ortíz. Ninguno ha sido resuelto.

Los pistoleros que salieron a matar ese 27 de octubre de 2006 a las calles de Oaxaca, no eran tan sólo unos simples matones. Eran el gobierno. Son del gobierno todavía. Muchas cámaras los vieron con sus ametralladoras Uzi y sus pistolas 9 milímetros disparando la muerte. Muchos ojos los ven ahora despachando en sus oficinas gubernamentales.

En una de las refriegas provocadas por esos matones cayó muerto Brad. Hoy 2007 el gobierno anuncia que después de un año de investigar el crimen llegó a conclusión a la que interesadamente había llegado hace ya un año el Kaibil que se encargaba de la aplicación de la ley en Oaxaca: A Brad lo mataron a 50 centímetros de distancia, o sea alguien de la APPO. Una vez más la administración de Felipe Calderón respalda en los hechos a la de Ulises Ruíz Ortíz.

La PGR, al igual que el Kaibil hace un año, refritea la teoría del segundo disparo. Teoría que se desvanece con tan sólo ver la portada de MILENIO del 28 de octubre de 2006, en la cual aparece fotografiado el cuerpo de Brad con dos heridas de bala realizadas antes de ser subido al vehículo en el que según los ¿investigadores? recibió el disparo mortal.

Ni el gobierno de Oaxaca, ni la PGR investigaron con seriedad la muerte de Brad. A lo que dedicaron es a simular una investigación y a encubrir a la banda de paramilitares que todo mundo vio operar en esos días y meses en Oaxaca, y que hoy permanece en la impunidad, gobernando.

¿Qué les hace pensar que por repetir mil veces la misma mentira alguien les va a creer abajo?
diego.osorno@gmail.com

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Plan Mexico hearing of Foreign Affairs Committee

FULL COMMITTEE HEARING NOTICE
Committee on Foreign Affairs
U.S. House of Representatives
Tom Lantos (D-CA), Chairman
November 7, 2007

TO: MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

You are respectfully requested to attend an OPEN hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to be held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building:

DATE: Wednesday, November 14, 2007

TIME: 2:00 p.m.

SUBJECT: The Merida Initiative: Assessing Plans to Step Up our Security Cooperation with Mexico and Central America

WITNESS: The Honorable Thomas A. Shannon, Jr.
Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
U.S. Department of State

By Direction of the Chairman

The Committee on Foreign Affairs seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please call 202/225-5021 at least four business days in advance of the event, whenever practicable. Questions with regard to special accommodations in general (including availability of Committee materials in alternative formats and assistive listening devices) may be directed to the Committee.

“Plan Mexico” Claims its First Victims in the Murky Floodwaters of Tabasco

http://www.narconews.com/Issue47/article2868.html

“Plan Mexico” Claims its First Victims in the Murky Floodwaters of Tabasco
With an Entire State Under Water, Calderón Has Troops Searching Cars for Drugs Instead of Helping

By Greg Berger
Special to The Narco News Bulletin
November 1, 2007

Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco State, is currently underwater. The heaviest rains in memory have thrust the waters of at least seven rivers in the State above their banks. In many neighborhoods in the capital, rooftops are the only thing peeking out of the flooded waters from the Grijalva river, and in other barrios houses have sunk completely below the depths. Just like we saw in New Orleans in the days following Hurricane Katrina, countless lives have surely been swallowed by the muddy waters.

But just like the tragedy that struck in Louisiana, this disaster is not entirely natural. It is a tragic natural occurrence whose effects might have been mitigated if not for a Mexican government so dangerously prostrate to the Bush administration, that it signed away its most basic responsibilities to its citizens by agreeing to a 1.4 billion dollar package from the U.S. to “fight drugs” that has been dubbed “Plan Mexico.”

What, you may ask, is the connection between Plan Mexico and the heavy rainfall in the Mexican Southeast?
Read more »

Speakers at Plan Mexico Hearing Admit That Plan Will Not Curb Flow of Drugs to U.S.

[ed. Excellent rundown of recent hearing]

http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/80053/index.php

Speakers at Plan Mexico Hearing Admit That Plan Will Not Curb Flow of Drugs to U.S.
by Jennifer Truskowski
02 Nov 2007

While the Bush administration tries to rush the Senate to approve Plan Mexico before the end of the year, the costly plan remains vague and will unlikely achieve its stated goals.
November 2, 2007

On Thursday, October 25, in Washington, DC the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a hearing to discuss Plan Mexico, recently renamed the Merida Initiative in a PR attempt to distance this plan from the failed Plan Colombia, which hasn’t reduced the availability of drugs in the U.S., barely reduced the production of cocaine in Colombia, and devastated poor farmers whose food crops have been destroyed and who never received sufficient alternative aid. The Bush administration has still failed to make Plan Mexico details public to citizens or even the officials attending this hearing, which made the discussion almost pointless. Even the purpose of Plan Mexico was unclear. When Chairman Eliot Engel gave his opening speech he asked, “Is our goal to curb the amount of drugs entering the United States or is it to help Mexico and communities on the U.S.-Mexico border to improve their security?”
Read more »

Serious problems with Plan Mexico

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/507/bush_unveils_plan_mexico_anti_drug_aid_package

Ed. Although WOLA’s opposition to the package seems surprisingly tepid, the opposition is growing. . .

Drug War Chronicle – world’s leading drug policy newsletter (Issue #507, 10/26/07)

Bush Reveals Plan Mexico, Proposes $1.5 Billion Anti-Drug Aid Package

President Bush Tuesday formally requested $550 million from Congress for anti-drug assistance to Mexico and Central America next year. The funding request is only the first installment in a two- or three-year aid package that is expected to total some $1.4 billion. The funding was included in the president’s latest supplemental funding bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, this one’s overall tag set at $46 billion.
Read more »

Federal Govt. blames demonstrators for Brad's murder

The following article re. Federal Mexican govt. pinning Brad’s murder on demonstrators is from Milenio on 11-1-07 (with a rough English translation):
—————————————————————————————————————————

http://www.milenio.com/index.php/2007/11/01/141884/
El Ministerio Público aún no determina si los homicidas son de la APPO o “infiltrados”.

México.- Bradley Roland Will fue asesinado por una o más personas que se encontraban a menos de un metro de distancia de él. Lo anterior se desprende de la investigación que tiene en curso la Procuraduría General de la República sobre el caso y que se encuentra en proceso final.

A pesar de contar con indicios de quién o quiénes podrían ser los asesinos del estadunidense muerto a balazos el 27 de octubre de 2006, en el poblado de Santa Lucía del Camino, Oaxaca, la dependencia federal aún no tiene claro si los homicidas pertenecen a la Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO) o a un grupo que pudiera estar ligado al gobierno del estado, o si éstos eran “infiltrados”.

Autoridades de la citada dependencia revelaron a MILENIO que la Fiscalía Especial para Atención Cometidos contra Periodistas, que atrajo el caso el 19 de octubre del presente año y se encuentra con el número de averiguación previa 117/FEADP7/2007, está muy cerca de resolver el delito.

Sólo falta, comentaron, entre seis y siete por ciento de desahogo de pruebas periciales para confirmar el trabajo que se ha venido realizando y, posteriormente, que el agente del Ministerio Público proceda a ejercitar acción penal contra uno o más presuntos responsables, de acuerdo con las pruebas que se han podido recabar, las cuales son sólidas y garantizan un buen proceso ante la autoridad judicial.

Recordaron que desde el 4 de abril de 2007, fecha en que la procuraduría estatal declinó competencia, dejando el asunto en manos de la delegación de la PGR en Oaxaca, se han llevado a cabo 246 pruebas periciales y testimoniales.

A partir de esa base, se ha podido conocer que Bradley Will, quien laboraba para Indymedia en Nueva York, Estados Unidos, no recibió el primer balazo a una distancia de más de 30 metros, como se presumió en un principio, sino que fue asesinado por una o más personas que se hallaban a menos de un metro de distancia, cuando videogrababa el enfrentamiento entre simpatizantes de la APPO y policías municipales.

Informaron que los exámenes periciales practicados hasta este momento demuestran que el primer disparo fue hecho a 50 centímetros de distancia. Dicha afirmación, abundaron, se basa en la trayectoria de entrada de la bala y los rastros de pólvora que tenía en el cuerpo. El segundo balazo, continuaron, fue durante su traslado y terminó con su vida, pues provocó que se desangrara.

A pesar de tener varias evidencias, subrayaron las autoridades, la PGR todavía no tiene claro el móvil del crimen, aunque cuentan con varias hipótesis, a raíz del segundo disparo. Esto es, no saben si el segundo impacto se hizo de una forma accidental, equivocada o simplemente para rematarlo.

Para llegar a estas conclusiones, que aún no son definitivas, se tuvieron que allegar de diversos elementos que en un principio se extraviaron desde la Procuraduría General de Justicia de Oaxaca, entre ellos el vehículo en el que se trasladó a Brad, así como la ropa que llevaba puesta el día del incidente.

Otro elemento que echa abajo la teoría de que el disparo se hizo desde una distancia de más de 30 metros es que al momento de que Brad es herido, la videocámara con la que grababa no cayó al suelo, esto porque el cuerpo de la víctima “fue cachado” por algunos manifestantes que se encontraban a su alrededor.

Aunque ya tienen avances y se encuentran en un periodo de conclusiones, no se descarta que más personas sean citadas a declarar, todas en calidad de testigos, incluidos algunos periodistas tanto locales como de la Ciudad de México que presenciaron el asesinato de Bradley Will.

- Claves

Antecedentes

• Por su competencia, el asunto fue conocido en su momento por la Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado, quien como parte de la averiguación previa consigna a dos policías ministeriales que posteriormente son liberados por falta de elementos.

• En la presente investigación, a cargo de la PGR, no hay elementos que refieran que los policías dejados en libertad sean quienes abrieron fuego contra Bradley Will.

• La muerte de Brad provocó que organizaciones no gubernamentales ejercieran presión para que la Procuraduría General de la República atrajera el caso, lo cual sucedió en abril de este año.

• El 17 de octubre de 2006, Brad Will publicó su último artículo (en inglés) titulado Muerte en Oaxaca, en el que denunció el asesinato de Alejandro García Hernández en las barricadas instaladas por la APPO.

Rubén Mosso

———————————————————————–

Automatically translated text (Google):

05:26 | Murdered Brad to 50 cm, concludes the PGR

photo caption:
The cameraman died on October 27, 2006 in the village of Santa Lucia del Camino. Photo: Daniel Aguilar / Reuters / File

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has not yet determined whether the killers are of the APPO or “infiltrators”.

Mexico .- Will Bradley Roland was killed by one or more individuals who were at least one meter away from him. This is apparent from the current research the Attorney General on the case and is in the final process.

Despite having evidence of who or who might be the murderers of American shot dead on 27 October 2006 in the village of Santa Lucia del Camino, Oaxaca, the federal agency has not yet clear whether the killers belong to the People’s Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO), or a group that could be linked to the state government, or whether they were “infiltrators”.

Authorities cited the unit revealed that the SPO MILLENNIUM Care Roles against Journalists, which brought the case on October 19 this year and is now with the number of preliminary investigation 117/FEADP7/2007, is very close to resolving the crime.

The only thing lacking, commented, between six and seven per cent of submission of proof expert to confirm the work has been carried out and subsequently that the appropriate agent of Public Prosecutions to bring a criminal action against one or more alleged perpetrators, according to the tests that have been able to gather, which are sound and ensure a smooth proceeding before the judicial authority.

They recalled that since April 4, 2007, when the state attorney declined to competition, leaving the matter in the hands of the delegation of the RMP in Oaxaca, have been carried out 246 tests and expert testimonials.

From this basis, it has been known that Will Bradley, who worked for Indymedia in New York, United States, did not receive the first shot at a distance of more than 30 meters, as it was assumed at the outset, but was murdered one or more persons who were less than a meter distance when videogrababa confrontation between supporters of the APPO and municipal police.

They reported that the expert examinations carried out so far show that the first shot was made to 50 centimeters away. That, abounded, based on the trajectory of the bullet entry and traces of gunpowder that was in the body.

Despite having several evidences, stressed the authorities, the PGR still has no clear motive for the crime, although with several assumptions, as a result of the second shot. That is, they do not know if the second impact was an accidental, mistaken or simply to rematarlo.

To reach these conclusions, which are not yet final, which were donated by various elements that originally was lost from the Attorney-General’s Office of Oaxaca, including the vehicle they moved Brad, as well as clothing wearing putting the day of the incident.

Another element which lays down the theory that the shooting was done from a distance of more than 30 meters is that at the time that Brad is injured, the camcorder not recorded with which fell to the ground, because this body of the victim ” was cachado “by some demonstrators who were around her.

Although progress already have and are in a period of conclusions, it is not excluded that more people are summoned to testify, all as witnesses, including some journalists, both local and from Mexico City who witnessed the murder of Will Bradley.

- Key

Background

• For its jurisdiction, the matter was known at the time by the Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado, who as part of the preliminary investigation slogan ministerial two policemen who are then released for lack of elements.

• In the present investigation, in charge of the RMP, there are no elements that relate to the policemen left at liberty whoever fired Will Bradley.

• The death of Brad prompted NGOs exert pressure so that the Attorney General would attract the case, which happened in April this year.

• On October 17, 2006, Brad Will published his last article (in English) entitled Death in Oaxaca, which denounced the killing of Alejandro Garcia Hernandez in the barricades installed by the APPO.

Ruben Mosso

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www.BradWill.org
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