Friends of Brad Will

Altar For Brad in Chiapas

Plan Colombia: A model for Plan Mexico?

Where are the Colombia experts monitoring Plan Colombia for human rights abuses (e.g. what happened to those labor activists and why are those unemployed people being killed by the hundreds?)?

Not to mention 4 million Internally Displaced People too scared to tell U.S. government backed paramilitaries tied to Colombian government and powerful landholders (cattle ranchers et al) to return their land.

Clear that inside-the-beltway p.r. has infected some human rights organizations’ analysis and ACTIONS.

Here’s a recent biopsy of Colombian democracy after 8 years of ‘aid’ from the U.S. under Plan Colombia.

And keep in mind that Plan Mexico includes a significant amount of money for intelligence gathering. And that investigations of members of the Colombian military/government for systematic human rights abuses have dragged on for years, inconclusively:

Colombia’s intelligence chief steps down

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ac7ba574-a174-11dd-82fd-000077b07658.html

Colombia’s intelligence chief has stepped down after acknowledging her agents secretly spied on left-wing political opponents of President Alvaro Uribe, in the latest surveillance scandal to tarnish his administration.
Read more »

BRAD WILL: STILL DEAD – AND KICKING

Blindman’s Buff #228 by JOHN ROSS
Contact: 011-5255-5518-1213 X102 and johnross@igc.org

Excerpt of this excellent piece: “Then five local cops in civilian dress appeared at the head of the street about 35 to 50 meters away and turned their weapons on the APPO supporters milling around outside the compound. When the plainclothes police began to fire, Brad turned towards them, still filming. A .38 caliber slug caught him square in the chest. The impact caused him to drop his video camera and swerve to the left where a second bullet smashed into his right side destroying vital organs. Mortally wounded, Brad Will slid down to the sidewalk as the bullets continued to explode around him.”

AS THE DAYS OF THE DEAD DAWN OVER MEXICO, BRAD WILL IS STILL DEAD – AND KICKING!

MEXICO CITY (Oct. 31st) – The Dias de los Muertos, (November 1st & 2nd ) when Mexicans celebrate those who have passed on to Mictlan, are upon us again and Brad Will, the U.S. photo-journalist murdered at the height of the Oaxaca rebellion two years ago, is still dead – although his spirit keeps kicking. Read more »

Coverage of Brad Will Memorial Actions 10/27/08

On Monday October 27th 2008, the 2nd anniversary of Brad’s murder, Friends of Brad Will in Mexico, New York, Houston, San Francisco, and Portland held press conferences and rallies to publicize our cause and our new demands.

In New York, Free Speech Radio News covered the hunger strike and protest. Photos are online at nyc.indymedia.org.

In Houston, activists met with press and representatives from the Consulate. Read: Houston Indymedia coverage, hear: KPFT radio news coverage.

In San Francisco, Friends of Brad Will gathered at the Mexican Consulate to remember Brad and the people of Oaxaca and issued a statement of demands to the Mexican Consulate. Coverage on indybay.

In Portland, The Friends of Brad Will, along with supporters of Oaxaca, gathered in front of the Mexican Consulate to call for justice in the case of Brad Will’s murder by Mexican paramilitaries, and justice for the people of Oaxaca. Coverage on Portland Indymedia.

In Mexico, actions were covered in El Universal (in Spanish), and the LA Times blog.

In Uruguay, activists issued a solidarity statement (in Spanish).

photos
Houston:
San Francisco:
New York:
Portland:

Reporters Without Borders condemns impunity and framing of activists by Mexican Government

English (Spanish translation below)
October 24, 2008
Press Release
Reporters Without Borders

Federal Authorities Opt for Impunity in Brad Will and Robert Mora Murders

Reporters Without Borders is outraged by the Mexican federal justice ministry’s response to a recent recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) regarding the October 2006 fatal shooting of US cameraman Brad Will of the Indymedia agency in the southern city of Oaxaca (see 2 October release).

Not only has the ministry ignored the serious irregularities in the Will murder investigation but, on 22 October, a judge announced the indictment and imminent trial of three supporters of the grass-roots Popular Assembly of Oaxaca Peoples (APPO), two of whom have been freed on bail. Arrest orders were also issued for seven witnesses on a charge concealing a crime. Will was covering the APPO’s demonstrations against the Oaxaca state government at the time of his death. Read more »

Portions of the CNDH report (sept. 26th) on Federal and State investigations into Brad Will’s murder

Following are key portions of the CNDH report (sept. 26th) on Federal and State investigations into Brad Will’s murder, mostly from sections entitled “Observations”, and a little bit from “Sintesis”
- translated by Jill F.

The National Human Rights Commission has analyzed the facts and evidence included in Case 2006/4886/5/Q and determines that the public authorities of the Oaxacan State Attorney General’s office, as well as those in the Federal Attorney General’s office who were responsible for overseeing the proceedings 11/FEADP/07 found in the office of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes Against Journalists, violated the fundamental rights of legality and judicial security. Read more »

Monday 10/27: Press Conferences in SF, Houston, Portland and New York on the 2nd Anniversary of Brad's Murder

New York City
Gathering in remembrance: noon, Press conference: 12:30 pm
Mexican Consulate
27 East 39th Street in Manhattan, between Madison and Park .
call in support and voice our demands: Phone: (212) 217-6400 Fax: (212) 217-6493
——————–
Houston
10:30 am: Mexican Consulate 4506 Caroline, Houston TX 77004
call in support and voice our demands: phone: (713) 271 – 6800 Fax: (713) 271 – 3201
Nick Cooper and members of the Community speak: Brad Will’s Killers Remain At Large and Innocent Activists Are Being Charged in His Death

——————-
Portland
10:00 – 11:30am: Mexican Consulate, 1234 SW Morrison St.,
Demand justice for his companeros charged with his murder!
—————
San Francisco
3pm: Mexican Consulate, 532 Folsom St
Call 917-991-2415 for more information
Friends of Brad Will will be gathering to remember Brad and the people of Oaxaca and to issue a statement of demands.

Recommendations in Report by Mexican National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) on State and Federal Investigations into Brad Will's murder

Ed. this is a strong statement, well-worth the read for briefings to U.S. govt. reps. RJ

http://www.cndh.org.mx/recomen/2008/050.html
Recommendation 050/2008

National Human Rights Commission issued on September 26, 2008
Translated by Scott Campbell [Spanish original]

Summary: On October 27, 2006, Mr. Bradley Roland Will, video journalist for the business Indymedia, was deprived of life, and due to this, on the 28th of that month and year personnel from the National Commission went to the city of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, to gather pertinent information and documentation, in respect to the beginnings of preliminary investigation 1247/C.R./2006 by the Attorney General’s Office of the state of Oaxaca.

From the analysis of the facts and evidence that make up case file 2006/4886/5/Q, it was verified that the public servants of the Attorney General’s Office of the state of Oaxaca who participated in compiling preliminary investigation 1247/C.R./2006, as well as those in the Federal Attorney General’s Office charged with compiling enquiry 11/FEADP/07, based in the Special Prosecutor for Attention to Crimes Committed Against Journalists, violated fundamental rights of legality, of judicial security, of access to justice, according to information contained in articles 6; 14, second paragraph; 16, first paragraph; 17, second paragraph; 20, subsection B; 21, first paragraph; and 102, subsection A, second paragraph, of the Constitution of the United Mexican States, as well as 21 of the Constitution of the state of Oaxaca. Read more »

Mexico's National Human Rights Commission Blames Plan Mexico for APPO Arrests

From article: “According to Robert Jereski from Friends of Brad Will, his organization chose to oppose Plan Mexico outright instead of pushing for human rights conditions because “we saw what happened with Plan Colombia and those human rights conditions. These human rights conditions didn’t stop that country from becoming the worst country in the world for rights for labor activists, where hundreds have been assassinated by the government or government-supported paramilitaries. We saw how ineffective the conditions were, that [Plan Colombia] resulted in 4 million displaced people driven off of resource-rich land by the same thugs the US government has been supporting through the Uribe government and military. We had serious doubts about (the) value of human rights conditions.

The big players in human rights, however, remained silent throughout much of the debate over Plan Mexico. Human Rights Watch did not take a stance on the initiative until after it was passed. Amnesty International only weighed in publicly after the measure had passed both houses of congress. Its Mexico office circulated a letter calling US collaboration with Mexico “appropriate and timely” and simply requested that human rights conditions be included in the final version that would be sent to the president. ”

Posted by Kristin Bricker – October 24, 2008

Official human rights ombudsman says the government believed Plan Mexico funds were conditioned on resolving Brad Will case

The Mexican government’s human rights watchdog, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH in its Spanish initials) slammed the Federal Attorney General’s office (PGR) yesterday over the arrests of Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) supporters in the Brad Will murder case.

The PGR arrested three APPO supporters and has issued warrants for eight more in the Will case. José Luis Soberanes Fernández, the head of the CNDH, said that with the arrests, the PGR made the decision “to ignore the body of evidence that we sent it” regarding the case.

One principal component of the CNDH report that the PGR explicitly rejected was that Will was shot from a distance of 35-55 meters, not the 2 meters that the PGR claims. Despite the fact that a forensic video specialist hired by the Will family has found bullet streaks in the last two frames of Will’s video, and that anyone who shot Will at close range would have appeared in his video since he was shot head-on, the PGR maintains that the APPO supporters standing around Will were the ones who murdered him. Read more »

Excellent video on Brad's case and FoBW action at Senator Clinton's office

Link to Albert Covelli’s Video

Our Demands on the 2nd Anniversary of Brad's Death

Arrest the Killers
When Brad was killed, the people photographed firing guns at the
protesters were police, police commanders, and operatives and
bodyguards for the PRI party, including Pedro Carmona, Abel Santiago
Zarate aka “El Chino,” Juan Carlo Soriano aka “El Chapulin,” Commander
Manuel Aguilar Coello, and Juan Sumano. They are directly linked to
the corrupt Governor Ulises Ruiz, and we demand their arrest.

Drop False Charges, Release Political Prisoners
Since Brad’s death, Ulises Ruiz’ government has been attempting to
bring charges for Brad’s killing against Brad’s friends, APPO people,
witnesses, and those who risked their lives trying to get Brad to a
hospital. We join the National Commission on Human Rights, and
Reporters Without Borders in finding these attempts to be an absurd
and outrageous attempt to divert attention from the real killers. We
demand an end to this smokescreen and the punishment of innocent
people including Juan Manuel Martínez Moreno, Hugo Colmenares Leyva,
and Octavio Perez Perez.

No to Femicide
We join in solidarity with the friends and family of Marcella Sali
Grace Eiler, an international solidarity activist working with CIPO,
Colectivo Mujer Nueva and witnesses of Brad’s death, who was found
brutally raped and murdered September 25th in San Jose del Pacifico
in the state of Oaxaca. Her death is part of continued widespread violence
against women in Mexico, and a symptom of the failure of the Mexican
government to address it. As the Calderon government disregards human
rights and attempts to impose military control of everyday life, we
demand justice for all the victims of the femicide and an immediate
end to impunity for the rapes and murders of women throughout Mexico

No to Plan Mexico
A year almost to the day after Brad was murdered, the Bush
Administration announced the Merida Initiative (aka Plan Mexico),
providing at least $1.6 billion in US armament, training, and
resources to the same police and military forces that killed Brad and
many other activists and journalists in Mexico and Central America
under the pretense of stopping narco-trafficking. Already the weapons
have been used in massacres and repression of activists in Morelos and
Chiapas. Along with the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers, Tikkun,
Wespac, Witness for Peace, Cispes, and Jews for Racial and Economic
Justice, The Friends of Brad Will demand and end to the Merida
Initiative.

——————–

Detenga los Asesinos

Cuando se mataron a Brad, las personas que aparecen en las fotos, disparando pistolas contra las manifestantes, fueron la policía, los comandantes de la policía, y los operativos y las guardaespaldas del partido PRI, como Pedro Carmona, Able Santiago Zarate “El Chino,” Juan Carlo Soriano “El Chapulin,” Commander Manuel Aguilar Coello, y Juan Sumano. Son ellos quien tienen relaciones directos con el corrupto gobernador Ulises Ruiz. Exigimos su detención!

Retire los Cargos Falsos, Libere a los Prisioneros Políticos

Desde la muerte de Brad, el gobierno de Ulises Ruiz ha sido intentando traer cargas para el asesinato de Brad contra los amigos de Brad, la gente de la APPO, los testigos, y aquellos que se arriesgaron su vida tratando de llevarle a Brad al hospital. Unimos con la Comisión Nacional para Derechos Humanos y Periodistas Sin Fronteras en nuestro encuentro de que este intento es una manera absolutamente absurda e intolerable de desviar la atención lejos de los asesinatos verdaderos. Demandamos que se acabe con esta curtina de humo y el castigo de gente inocente como Juan Manuel Martínez Moreno, Hugo Colmenares Leyva, y Octavio Perez Perez.

Unimos en solidaridad con los amigos y la familia de Marcella Sali Grace Eiler, una activista de solidaridad international trabajando con CIPO, Colectivo de Mujer Nueva, y con los testigos de la muerte de Brad quien se descubrió violada brutalmente y asesinado el dia 26 de septiembre 2008 en San Jose del Pacífico en el estado de Oaxaca. Su muerte es una parte de la escalación de la violencia contra las mujeres en una época de acuerdos comericales y guerras de drogas. Demandamos que se acabe con el Tratado de Libre Comercio de Norteamérica (TLCAN), el Tratado de Libre Comercio de Centroamérica-República Dominicana-EEUU, y el Plan Puebla Panama (alias el Proyecto Mesoamérica), y los sistemas culturales y políticas que han permitido las violaciones y los asesinatos contra las mujeres.

No al Plan México

Casi un año al día después de que se mataron a Brad, la administración de Bush anunció la Iniciativa Merida alias Plan México, porporcionando por lo menos 1.6 billiones de dólares para el armamento de EEUU, la formación, y los recursos para la misma policía y fuerza militar que se mataron a Brad y otros activistas y periodistas en México y Centroamérica debajo de la pretensión de parar narco-traficantes. Las armas ya han sido usado en matanzas y represiones contra activistas en Morelos y Chiapas. Junto con el AFL-CIO, los Trabajadores Siderúrgico de los EEUU, Tikkun, Wespac, Testigos para Paz, Cispes, Judios para Justicia Económica y Racial, Los Amigos de Brad Will demandan que se acabe con la Iniciativa Merida.

A Hunger Strike at Clinton’s Office

By David Gonzalez for NY Times

Harry Bubbins likes to plant things. When his friend Bradley Will was shot dead covering antigovernment protests in Mexico nearly two years ago, he planted a tree in the South Bronx to honor the slain journalist. This week, days after the Mexican government arrested two leftist protesters in connection with Mr. Will’s murder, Mr. Bubbins is again planting things.

Himself, on a Midtown sidewalk.

In an admittedly extreme move to draw attention to what he — and numerous human rights groups — say is a cover-up by Mexican authorities, Mr. Bubbins is on a four-day hunger strike outside the Third Avenue office of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
More

Friends of Brad Will in Hunger Strike at Clinton Office

CALL U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton at her office:
(212) 688-6262 (see talking points/demands, below)
Harry Bubbins (hunger-striker) reports that she was in the office this a.m.
You don’t have to live in NY to make this crucial phone call!

Stop by the vigil at 780 Third Ave (between 48th & 49th St.) Manhattan

Friends of Brad Will are in their 2nd day of a 4-day round-the-clock vigil and Hunger Strike at Sen. Hillary Clinton’s office (no food, no drink, no water)

Remembering Brad Will (1970-2006)
New York journalist assassinated in Oaxaca, Mexico
by right-wing paramilitary death squads

Friends of Brad Will, including human rights advocates Robert Jereski and Harry Bubbins, will be engaging in a 4-day vigil and fast as part of an international “Week of Action and Remembrance” of our friend Brad Will, to call attention to the Mexican government’s cover-up of the U.S. journalist’s murder and in opposition to Senator Hillary Clinton’s support for U.S. funding for Mexico’s military operations under Plan Mexico (the “Merida Initiative”).

The vigil will last for 4 days and nights outside Senator Clinton’s office. It is calling on Sen. Clinton to order protection for witnesses who saw Mexican government paramilitaries shooting at demonstrators, including Brad Will, in Oaxaca, and who are currently being threatened by Mexican Authorities. Read more »

Hunger Strike in Remembrance of Brad Will

Members of the organization Friends of Brad Will are participating in a 4 day vigil and fast from October 21st until October 24th in front of Senator Hillary Clinton’s offices in New York, as part of an international “Week of Action in Remembrance” of their murdered friend Brad Will. The purpose of the action is to bring attention to the Mexican government’s cover-up of the U.S. journalist’s murder and to show opposition to Senator Clinton’s support for U.S. funding for Mexico’s military operations under Plan Mexico (the “Merida Initiative”) .

The action is taking place 24/7 in front of senator Clinton’s offices located at 780 Third Ave, Suite 2601(between 48th and 49th street & 3rd Avenue).

VIDEO INTERVIEW and B-ROLL Package:

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Democracy Now Headline October 22, 2008.

Friends of Brad Will Edit:

The Rule of Impunity: Mexican Government Ignores Overwhelming Evidence, Charges Oaxacan Activists with Brad Will’s Murder

By John Gibler

On October 27, 2006, Brad Will stood on Juarez Avenue in the municipality of Santa Lucia del Camino, Oaxaca, Mexico. He was filming a violent clash between armed, civilian-clad municipal police and officials and members of the Oaxaca Peoples’ Popular Assembly, or APPO

Brad, a longtime New York City activist and independent journalist, traveled to Oaxaca in early October 2006 to report on the protest movement led by the state teachers union that sought to oust governor Ulises Ruiz of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which had ruled Oaxaca with an iron fist for almost 80 years.

Brad stood amid the APPO protesters and other journalists, filming down the length of Juarez Avenue where armed officials were firing at the protesters. Brad was shot and fell to the ground, his camera still running, having recorded the sound of the shot that hit him. Brad was shot from straight on, just below the chest, and yet his killer does not appear in the camera frame at the moment of the gunshot. Brad died on the way to the hospital. He had been shot twice.

Two years later, on October 16, 2008, the Mexican federal government arrested two members of the APPO, charging Juan Manuel Martinez as the gunman and Octavio Perez with helping to cover up Brad’s murder (Perez was later released on bail). Federal police were still looking for other suspected accomplices, all members of the APPO who had tried to carry Brad to safety and save his life.

The arrests came after a series of human rights reports criticized the government’s investigation for failing to follow leads pointing to local officials who were widely photographed by the press shooting at APPO protesters on October 27, 2006.

“It is such a coverup,” said Kathy Will, Brad’s mother, in a telephone interview on learning of the arrests. “It is an insult to us and to all of the groups that have tried to help with a meaningful investigation.”

more

NY Times: Mexico Says U.S. Journalist Was Killed by a Protester

Would it have been too much for the Times to mention the fact that protestors/witnesses had identified then-current members of the Mexican government shooting at the protestors and that there was photographic evidence of this!?

After you read this piece, check out the excellent blog on Narcosphere of journalist Kristin Bricker for the real scoop.

The state and federal officials responsible for investigating the murder of Brad Will were strongly denounced by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) which declared that the federal and state attorneys general have violated ‘human rights, legality, judicial security and access to justice.’

Soberanes of the CNDH has also given the AGs a very short time frame to find and punish those who botched the investigation immediately after the murder and thereafter.

Well, at least they wrote about it. Really key for us to reach out to our Representatives to demand they speak out against this cover-up of Brad Will’s murder and the intimidation of witnesses.

Rob

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/world/americas/18mexico.html?_r=1&ref=worl
d&oref=slogin

Mexico Says U.S. Journalist Was Killed by a Protester
By ELISABETH MALKIN
Published: October 17, 2008

MEXICO CITY — Bradley Will, a journalist from New York City, was shot and killed at close range by an antigovernment protester during civil unrest in the state of Oaxaca two years ago, the Mexican authorities said Friday, a conclusion that was challenged by Mr. Will’s family and human rights groups.
Read more »

Hemispheric Conference on Militarization Opposes Merida Initiative, U.S. Military Bases

Hemispheric Conference Against Militarization Says No to Merida Initiative, U.S. Military Bases
For the meeting’s full declaration and demands, please visit:
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/5605

More than 800 representatives from organizations throughout the Americas made their way to the northern city of La Esperanza, Honduras to take a strong stand against the militarization of their nations and communities. Following three days of workshops, the participants read their final declaration in front of the gates of the U.S. Army Base at Palmerola, Honduras, just hours from the conference site.

The first demand on the list was to close down this and all U.S. military bases in Latin America and the Caribbean. By the end of the demonstration, the walls of the base sported hundreds of spray-painted messages and demands that contrasted sharply with their prison-like austerity.

The demilitarization conference also called for an immediate halt to the recently launched “Merida Initiative,” the Bush administration’s new Trojan horse for remilitarization of the region. Read more »

Two Interviews with Nick before and after his trip to Mexico for Friends of Brad Will

Nick Cooper went to Mexico City to receive an award for Brad and he was interviewed twice — once before his trip by a radio station in Phoenix, and also during his trip on KPFT Houston.

The National Council of Citizen Communicators Honor Brad Will in Mexico

On September 30th, 2008, in Mexico City,The National Council of Citizen Communicators (known for its Spanish initials CONACC) presented an award in the name of Brad Will. Nick Cooper of Friends of Brad Will attended the ceremony to accept the award in Brad’s name.

CONACC was founded on September 17, 2006 at the Journalists Club of Mexico, a day after the formal establishment of the Democratic National Convention. Initially the founding states were the Federal District and Durango with the later they were joined Sonora, Baja California, Yucatan, the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Nuevo León, Guerrero, the United States, Venezuela, Cuba, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Panama.

CONACC celebrated its second anniversary with the Ricardo Flores Magon award to reporters and “citizen communicators” for achievements in journalism, ethics, and commitment to the community. Other recipients included families, friends and suporters of those killed in the the 2006 police attack in Atenco, and families of those killed in the March cross-border raid by Colombian troops of a FARC encampment in Ecuador.

more coverage and audio in Spanish

Nick’s presentation in Spanish (English below): Es un gran privilegio el recibir este honor aquí, además es un privilegio mio que tengo suficientes recursos economicos-, y el apoyo de mucha gente para poder venir. Mil gracias a Robert, Lee, Hardy, Christine, Selina, Massoud, Dorinda, Julita, Patricia, Richard, Luis, Magdalena, y Alexander por la ayuda que me han dado. El privilegio desempeña un gran papel en la vida de gente como Brad Will y yo mismo, quienes tenemos suficiente para viajar, tener equipo, de llegar a un lugar, participar, aprender, hacer periodismo, y al final regresar a casa. Sin embargo, en octubre de 2006, Brad no fue capaz de salir de Oaxaca vivo y regresar a casa. Read more »

Mexican Human Rights Commission condemns Federal & State officials in Brad Will investigations

The state and federal officials responsible for investigating the murder of Brad Will were strongly denounced by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) which declared that the federal and state attorneys general have violated ‘human rights, legality, judicial security and access to justice.’

Soberanes of the CNDH has also given the AGs a very short time frame to find and punish those who botched the investigation immediately after the murder and thereafter.

Very strong stuff. Guess we’ll find out who prevails.

You can see the document of CNDH here: http://www.cndh.org.mx/recomen/recomen.asp

The document details many of the glaring omissions and irregularities by the Mexican government and the (Prosecutor General of the Republic (PGR) in the case of Brad Will’s murder. The CNDH finds the theory peddled by Lizbet Cana (Oaxacan State Prosecutor) and by the federal prosecutor that Brad was killed by APPO people standing near him absurd.

Mexican President Proposes Decriminalizing Some Drugs

Mexican President Proposes Decriminalizing Some Drugs

By ELISABETH MALKIN and MARC LACEY
Published: October 2, 2008

Nice first step for the Mexican President. But what’s needed is for that to be insisted on worldwide to destroy the market for organized criminals benefiting from the high returns of the illegal drug trade (i.e. the banks, the gun-runners and dealers, the military contractors, and the narco-gangs (working with military and police)).