I received the following email from George Salzman yesterday:
Oaxaca, 3 May 2007
Friends,
I fully endorse this call for support of popular radio in Oaxaca from Tonee Mello, who initiated the Oaxaca Study-Action Group with me in December 2005. Here’s Tonee’s message:Subject: [oaxacastudyactiongroup] APPEAL
From: Tonee Mello
Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 17:02:55 -0700 (PDT)
To: oaxacastudyactiongroup@xxxxxxxxx.comMis Amigos,
Mid afternoon on May 1, Labor Day, students took over the radio station at the Autonomous University Benito Juarez of Oaxaca. They explained that they intended to give ample coverage to the labor day events, which included a march by the Popular Assembly Movement.
By seven o’clock that night, government supporters were already hard at work jamming the university signal. By 10:00 the students were no longer audible.
The fear of the government is that the public hear honest news, news of real events that affect the lives of people without money and power, in towns lacking any access to newspapers. Their only source of news is government controlled corporate television.
The only available remedy is community radio. Right now, young Oaxaqueños are working to put on the air as many community radio facilities as the communities can afford. The technical support project for them is completely Oaxaqueño in staff and muscle. It’s controlled and managed at the base, in a system of democratic participation. But the funding comes in part from people like you.
This is the moment to show Oaxaca communities that they are not alone in wanting access to the truth as it relates to them in their towns and villages.
Your donation, of any amount, will help to maintain the vital training and technical support provided by Servicios de Comunicación de Oaxaca
. If you want the address to send money, drop a line to Jean Rodriguez, wabob(at)earthlink.net
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