Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Update: Mohawks Kahentinetha and Katenies beaten by gang of border officers
By Brenda Norrell
Human Rights Editor
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report at the Hague
www.unobserver.com
AKWESASNE -- Mohawk grandmothers Kahentinetha Horn and Katenies were in custody at the US/Canadian border on Saturday, June 14, 2008, when the two women were handcuffed and beaten by gangs of officers and border patrol agents. Eight officers beat Kahentinetha, 68, and five officers beat Katenies. Kahentinetha, publisher of Mohawk Nation News, suffered a heart attack and is in a Canadian hospital. Katenies was released from jail Monday evening and is in seclusion. Katenies, in a telephone interview on Tuesday afternoon, described the police attack on the women at the border. Katenies said the women were returning to Canada from a visit in the US, when they were stopped at the border. After the women showed their Haudenosaunee identification, they were told the IDs were not sufficient and they were detained.
Katenies was told she had an earlier warrant. She had refused to recognize the authority of the Canadian government over her. In the earlier case she had stopped at a border check and was granted permission to pass, but border agents later claimed she was not cleared to pass. When she refused to recognize the authority of the Canadian government over her, a warrant resulted.
On Saturday, when Katenies refused to get out of the car, five huge Canadian officers and border agents jumped on her, dragged her out and threw her to the concrete, grinding her chin into the concrete.
"I went down so fast, they had knees in my back and kidneys. They were like a football team on me and they acted like they had no boundaries."
"They told me if I didn't cooperate, they would break my arms."
As officers attacked Katenies, Kahentinetha was on her cell phone calling family members and authorities for help. When Kahentinetha refused to hang up, eight officers attacked her.
Katenies was placed in a cell and could hear the officers bring in Kahentinetha. Katenies could hear Kahentinetha yelling for them to loosen the handcuffs. By the screams of pain, Katenies said it sounded like the police were continuing to tighten the handcuffs as Kahentinetha cried out.
Kahentinetha was handcuffed in a stress hold. The handcuffs cut off Kahentinetha's circulation and she suffered a heart attack.
A family member arrived at the same time and was able to get an ambulance immediately for Kahentinetha and she was transported to a hospital.
Katenies was transported to jail in Cornwall, where she remained from Saturday until Monday evening. Katenies said the two women were not charged, but were told they would be charged later.
Kahentinetha remains in the hospital, with family present, and her condition is not known.
A member of the Mohawk Warrior Society said, "They did this because we have the greatest weapon, the truth, and what Kahentinetha writes is the truth. They are terrified of the truth. What they are trying to do is provoke the Mohawks." He said ultimately what they want is to provoke the Mohawks into a confrontation so the Mohawks who are resisting will be shot and killed. He said the plan was to assassinate Kahentinetha.
www.mohawknationnews.com
Human Rights Editor
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report at the Hague
www.unobserver.com
AKWESASNE -- Mohawk grandmothers Kahentinetha Horn and Katenies were in custody at the US/Canadian border on Saturday, June 14, 2008, when the two women were handcuffed and beaten by gangs of officers and border patrol agents. Eight officers beat Kahentinetha, 68, and five officers beat Katenies. Kahentinetha, publisher of Mohawk Nation News, suffered a heart attack and is in a Canadian hospital. Katenies was released from jail Monday evening and is in seclusion. Katenies, in a telephone interview on Tuesday afternoon, described the police attack on the women at the border. Katenies said the women were returning to Canada from a visit in the US, when they were stopped at the border. After the women showed their Haudenosaunee identification, they were told the IDs were not sufficient and they were detained.
Katenies was told she had an earlier warrant. She had refused to recognize the authority of the Canadian government over her. In the earlier case she had stopped at a border check and was granted permission to pass, but border agents later claimed she was not cleared to pass. When she refused to recognize the authority of the Canadian government over her, a warrant resulted.
On Saturday, when Katenies refused to get out of the car, five huge Canadian officers and border agents jumped on her, dragged her out and threw her to the concrete, grinding her chin into the concrete.
"I went down so fast, they had knees in my back and kidneys. They were like a football team on me and they acted like they had no boundaries."
"They told me if I didn't cooperate, they would break my arms."
As officers attacked Katenies, Kahentinetha was on her cell phone calling family members and authorities for help. When Kahentinetha refused to hang up, eight officers attacked her.
Katenies was placed in a cell and could hear the officers bring in Kahentinetha. Katenies could hear Kahentinetha yelling for them to loosen the handcuffs. By the screams of pain, Katenies said it sounded like the police were continuing to tighten the handcuffs as Kahentinetha cried out.
Kahentinetha was handcuffed in a stress hold. The handcuffs cut off Kahentinetha's circulation and she suffered a heart attack.
A family member arrived at the same time and was able to get an ambulance immediately for Kahentinetha and she was transported to a hospital.
Katenies was transported to jail in Cornwall, where she remained from Saturday until Monday evening. Katenies said the two women were not charged, but were told they would be charged later.
Kahentinetha remains in the hospital, with family present, and her condition is not known.
A member of the Mohawk Warrior Society said, "They did this because we have the greatest weapon, the truth, and what Kahentinetha writes is the truth. They are terrified of the truth. What they are trying to do is provoke the Mohawks." He said ultimately what they want is to provoke the Mohawks into a confrontation so the Mohawks who are resisting will be shot and killed. He said the plan was to assassinate Kahentinetha.
www.mohawknationnews.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Urgent Zapatista communique following repulsion of Mexican Army troops
Urgent Zapatista communique following repulsion of Mexican Army troops by a Zapatista village on June 4, 2008. Escalation is feared. The following is a communique by the Zapatista Good government Council in La Garrucha.
The Road to the Future Good Government Council denounces the military incursion of 200 soldiers, along with local, state and judicial police into the Zapatista towns Hermenegildo Galeana and San Alejandro, in La Garrucha Caracol.
Please stay alert for a global call out for action in solidarity with the EZLN!!
TOWARDS A NEW DAWN
RESISTANCE CARACOL
ROAD TO THE FUTURE
GOOD GOVERNMENT COUNCIL
CHIAPAS, MÉXICO
JUNE 4, 2008
DENUNCIATION
ACT OF PROVOCATION
From the Road to the Future Good Government Council (Junta de Buen Gobierno El Camino del Futuro)
To the people of Mexico and the world, to the comrades in the Other Campaign in Mexico and the world, to the national and international news media, to human rights defenders, to the honest non-governmental organizations
The Road to the Future Good Government Council makes the following denunciation:
1. A column was sighted consisting of a military convoy and public safety police, municipal police, and judicial agents at 9:00 in the morning southeastern time; there were 2 big trucks and 3 small trucks of soldiers, 2 public safety trucks, 2 municipal police trucks, an anti-riot tank, and a truckload of judicial agents.
2. All in all there were around 200 provocateurs.
3. Before entering the town of Garrucha, the headquarters of the Caracol, about 30 meters from the edge of the town, 3 trucks from the convoy stopped and 4 soldiers got out of a truck as if to outflank the town of Garrucha by using the road to our collective cornfield. The people reacted and organized themselves to eject the convoy. The soldiers immediately got back in their truck and continued along the road. Those in front were intimidating the people, taking photos and filming them as they waited for the other provocateurs.
4. Arriving at the spot where the soldiers from Patiwitz were stationed, another military convoy joined the column, which continued on its way to engage in another provocation.
5. They arrived at Rancho Alegre, a community known as Chapuyil.
6. They got out of the trucks and headed for the town of Hermenegildo Galeana, where all the people are Zapatista support bases, accusing the townspeople of growing marijuana in their fields.
7. People throughout the Zapatista area of Garrucha, including the autonomous authorities, are witness to the fact that no such fields exist. The Zapatistas here work in their cornfields and banana plantations. They are willing to struggle for freedom, justice, and democracy and resist any provocation whatsoever.
8. Around 100 soldiers, 10 public security police, and 4 judicial agents headed for the town of Galeana. All the repressors painted their faces to confuse people and to avoid being recognized in the hill country. They walked for a while on the road and then went into the hills on their way to the town.
9. The federal column was guided by a person named Feliciano Román Ruiz, who is known to be from the Ocosingo municipal police.
10. The townspeople of Galeana --men, women, girls, and boys—organized themselves to eject the troops, come what may.
11. They met up with the troops in the middle of the road and the melee began. All the Zapatista women, men, boys, and girls told the soldiers in no uncertain terms, "Go back to where you came from, you aren't needed here. We want freedom, justice, and democracy --not soldiers."
12. The soldiers said, "We came here because we know there's marijuana here and we're going on ahead come hell or high water." That's when the people took out their machetes, shovels, rocks, slingshots, ropes and whatever was at hand, and drove them back.
13. The soldiers said, "Well, this time we're not going any further, but we'll be back in two weeks and we're going in there come hell or high water."
14. They took another road down to the village of Zapatista support bases called San Alejandro where 9 vehicles with 40 soldiers and 10 policemen were waiting for them.
15. On their way down, they trampled the cornfield, which is the town's only food source.
16. In the Zapatista town of San Alejandro, the 60 repressive agents took up their positions, ready for a confrontation.
17. The people reacted and used everything at hand to drive back the federal forces.
18. Soldiers from Toniná, Patiwitz, and San Quintín participated in the confrontation.
19. People of Mexico and the world, we want to tell you that it won't be long before another confrontation occurs, provoked by Calderón and Juan Sabines and Carlos Leonel Solórzano, the municipal president of Ocosingo, who'll call out their dogs from all the forces of repression. We are not drug dealers. As you know, we are brothers and sisters of Mexico and the world. It's clear that they're coming for us Zapatistas. All three levels of the bad government are coming after us, and we're ready to resist them if that's what's necessary, just as our slogan says: We'll live for our homeland or die for freedom.
20. People of Mexico and the world, you know that our struggle is a peaceful, political one. As it says in the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, it's a peaceful, political struggle known as the Other Campaign. Just look where the violent provocation is coming from.
21. Comrades of the Other Campaign in Mexico and other countries, we ask you to be on the alert because the soldiers said they'll be back in two weeks. We don't want war. We want peace with justice and dignity. But we have no other choice than to defend ourselves, resist them, and eject them when they come looking for a confrontation with us in the towns of the Zapatista support bases.
22. All we can tell you is to look and see where the provocation is coming from. We're now informing you of what's going on, hopefully in time.
That's all we have to say.
RESPECTFULLY YOURS,
La Junta de Buen Gobierno
Elena Gordillo Clara Claribel Pérez López
Freddy Rodríguez López Rolando Ruiz Hernández
The Road to the Future Good Government Council denounces the military incursion of 200 soldiers, along with local, state and judicial police into the Zapatista towns Hermenegildo Galeana and San Alejandro, in La Garrucha Caracol.
Please stay alert for a global call out for action in solidarity with the EZLN!!
TOWARDS A NEW DAWN
RESISTANCE CARACOL
ROAD TO THE FUTURE
GOOD GOVERNMENT COUNCIL
CHIAPAS, MÉXICO
JUNE 4, 2008
DENUNCIATION
ACT OF PROVOCATION
From the Road to the Future Good Government Council (Junta de Buen Gobierno El Camino del Futuro)
To the people of Mexico and the world, to the comrades in the Other Campaign in Mexico and the world, to the national and international news media, to human rights defenders, to the honest non-governmental organizations
The Road to the Future Good Government Council makes the following denunciation:
1. A column was sighted consisting of a military convoy and public safety police, municipal police, and judicial agents at 9:00 in the morning southeastern time; there were 2 big trucks and 3 small trucks of soldiers, 2 public safety trucks, 2 municipal police trucks, an anti-riot tank, and a truckload of judicial agents.
2. All in all there were around 200 provocateurs.
3. Before entering the town of Garrucha, the headquarters of the Caracol, about 30 meters from the edge of the town, 3 trucks from the convoy stopped and 4 soldiers got out of a truck as if to outflank the town of Garrucha by using the road to our collective cornfield. The people reacted and organized themselves to eject the convoy. The soldiers immediately got back in their truck and continued along the road. Those in front were intimidating the people, taking photos and filming them as they waited for the other provocateurs.
4. Arriving at the spot where the soldiers from Patiwitz were stationed, another military convoy joined the column, which continued on its way to engage in another provocation.
5. They arrived at Rancho Alegre, a community known as Chapuyil.
6. They got out of the trucks and headed for the town of Hermenegildo Galeana, where all the people are Zapatista support bases, accusing the townspeople of growing marijuana in their fields.
7. People throughout the Zapatista area of Garrucha, including the autonomous authorities, are witness to the fact that no such fields exist. The Zapatistas here work in their cornfields and banana plantations. They are willing to struggle for freedom, justice, and democracy and resist any provocation whatsoever.
8. Around 100 soldiers, 10 public security police, and 4 judicial agents headed for the town of Galeana. All the repressors painted their faces to confuse people and to avoid being recognized in the hill country. They walked for a while on the road and then went into the hills on their way to the town.
9. The federal column was guided by a person named Feliciano Román Ruiz, who is known to be from the Ocosingo municipal police.
10. The townspeople of Galeana --men, women, girls, and boys—organized themselves to eject the troops, come what may.
11. They met up with the troops in the middle of the road and the melee began. All the Zapatista women, men, boys, and girls told the soldiers in no uncertain terms, "Go back to where you came from, you aren't needed here. We want freedom, justice, and democracy --not soldiers."
12. The soldiers said, "We came here because we know there's marijuana here and we're going on ahead come hell or high water." That's when the people took out their machetes, shovels, rocks, slingshots, ropes and whatever was at hand, and drove them back.
13. The soldiers said, "Well, this time we're not going any further, but we'll be back in two weeks and we're going in there come hell or high water."
14. They took another road down to the village of Zapatista support bases called San Alejandro where 9 vehicles with 40 soldiers and 10 policemen were waiting for them.
15. On their way down, they trampled the cornfield, which is the town's only food source.
16. In the Zapatista town of San Alejandro, the 60 repressive agents took up their positions, ready for a confrontation.
17. The people reacted and used everything at hand to drive back the federal forces.
18. Soldiers from Toniná, Patiwitz, and San Quintín participated in the confrontation.
19. People of Mexico and the world, we want to tell you that it won't be long before another confrontation occurs, provoked by Calderón and Juan Sabines and Carlos Leonel Solórzano, the municipal president of Ocosingo, who'll call out their dogs from all the forces of repression. We are not drug dealers. As you know, we are brothers and sisters of Mexico and the world. It's clear that they're coming for us Zapatistas. All three levels of the bad government are coming after us, and we're ready to resist them if that's what's necessary, just as our slogan says: We'll live for our homeland or die for freedom.
20. People of Mexico and the world, you know that our struggle is a peaceful, political one. As it says in the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, it's a peaceful, political struggle known as the Other Campaign. Just look where the violent provocation is coming from.
21. Comrades of the Other Campaign in Mexico and other countries, we ask you to be on the alert because the soldiers said they'll be back in two weeks. We don't want war. We want peace with justice and dignity. But we have no other choice than to defend ourselves, resist them, and eject them when they come looking for a confrontation with us in the towns of the Zapatista support bases.
22. All we can tell you is to look and see where the provocation is coming from. We're now informing you of what's going on, hopefully in time.
That's all we have to say.
RESPECTFULLY YOURS,
La Junta de Buen Gobierno
Elena Gordillo Clara Claribel Pérez López
Freddy Rodríguez López Rolando Ruiz Hernández
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)