/* Written 10:52 PM Feb 28, 1995 by peacejustice in igc:nfn.tempforest */
/* ---------- "MEXICAN CONSULATE (AUS) OCCUPIED" ---------- */
From: Peace and Justice Coalition <peacejustice>
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
RE: ACTION AT MEXICAN CONSULATE IN SUPPORT OF
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE SIERRA MADRES AND THE
ZAPATISTA ARMY IN CHIAPAS.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1994
Today 15 activists from a coalition of social justice/environmental
groups staged a 2 hour occupation of the Mexican consulate in
Carnegie, a suburb in outer eastern Melbourne. Response to the
occupation was intense with the Victorian police sending 25 officers
to the consul, as well as the federal government sending a couple of
Protective Service Officers.
Consul staff were not present, yet a phone call to the Mexican
Ambassador in Canberra arranged by the Australian Protective
Services (The security group that polices all embassies in Australia)
was arranged to diffuse tension. Anthony Amis from Native Forest
Network Melbourne and Ambassador Enrique Buj Flores held a 15
minute conservation about issues raised by the protesters. The
Ambassador has agreed to meet with delegates from the protest
group in the near future and was not impressed when told that if the
situation in Chiapas and the Sierra Madres worsens, activists in
Australia will be further demonstrating at Mexican embassies,
consulates and trade organizations. "The Mexican Government will
not be pressured by any group," Flores stated.
Activists left the consulate peacefully, feeling that their point had
been made, but vowing to return. The action was filmed by film
crews from Channel 7 and Channel 10, but alas neither showed
footage of the action on their news bulletins. Reporters at the scene
seemed hopelessly ignorant of events in Mexico and there is a lot of
work to be done with both the Australian media and Australian
public about these issues. Any updates from North America would
be gladly appreciated.
Representatives of the following groups attended the action: Native
Forest Network Melbourne, Industrial Workers of the World, Earth
First!, and the Barricade Collective.
We are pushing for the meeting with the Mexican Ambassador in the
next three weeks and although such meetings rarely culminate into
anything worthwhile we feel that a meeting will be a chance to
increase international pressure on the Mexican government. The last
thing they want is international exposure about their corrupt
dictatorship! Any information anyone can send us would be
welcomed as Mexican trade boycotts are being looked into.
Although activists are dissapointed at the lack of media attention
about this issue we feel that today's action is the first step towards
Australians gaining a deeper understanding about indigenous issues
in Mexico. We are also sure that both the Mexican and Australian
governments will not be impressed that these issues have support
amongst activist networks in Australia.
In solidarity with the EZLN and the Tarahumara and Tepehuan. For
further information contact Native Forest Network-Melbourne.
Ph: (03)419 8700, FAX: (03)416 2081, E-mail:
foefitzroy@peg.apc.org
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