Central America and Caribbean

By Cyril Mychalejko
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1637/1/

A Canadian mining company intends to sue El Salvador's government for several hundred million dollars if it is not granted permission to open a widely unpopular gold and silver mine that scientists warn would have devastating effects on local water supplies.

Pacific Rim Mining Corp., using its Nevada-based subsidiary Pac Rim Cayman LLC, filed a Notice of Intent on Dec. 9 through provisions in the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that allow transnational corporations to sue governments over laws and decisions that often put public interests ahead of corporate profits.  read more »

1. Multiple politicians killed in lead-up to primary elections
2. Lucrative kidnapping wave continues unabated
3. Women’s groups launch gender-violence awareness campaign as murder rates remain high
4. Zelaya seeks to regulate media
5. Government allegedly hides poverty rates for political motives
6. Crucial transparency law component still awaits passage
7. Other news in brief…

1. Multiple politicians killed in lead-up to primary elections  read more »

An evocative vision of a nation and its tragic civil conflict, IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE is the record of four filmmakers who secretly
entered El Salvador, marched with a guerrilla column across the troubled country, and followed it into combat against government forces in San Salvador.

The civil war is given a personal dimension as we meet the insurgents and their supporters - a guerrilla commander, a 12 year old messenger, a peasant family victimized by right wing death squads, and Charlie Clements, an American doctor working with the rebels.

This is from the listserve of an organization named  May I Speak Freely www.mayispeakfreely.org/     It isfantastic that there is finally an organization focussing on issues in Honduras. Please check them out!  -Rick  read more »

24 Oct 2008 a-infos

In recent days, there has been an escalation of state repression in
Oaxaca specifically directed at our companer@s in the APPO (Asamblea
Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca/Popular Assembly of the People of
Oaxaca), CIPO-RFM* (Consejo Indigena de Popular de Oaxaca-Ricardo
Flores Magon/Council of Indigenous Peoples of Oaxaca) and other
organizations of resistance. ---- Last Thursday, the Mexican state
arrested Juan Manuel Martínez Moreno, an activist with the APPO, outrageously charging him as the author of Brad Will’s murder, and fellow activist Octavio Perez Perez for covering up the crime. There is video
evidence that agents of the state, affiliated with Governor Ruiz Ortiz,  read more »

by Kristin Bricker - October 17, 2008 Narcosphere

Mexican federal police arrested five Oaxacan activists on Thursday afternoon. At least two were arrested for supposedly murdering US citizen and Indymedia journalist Brad Will on October 27, 2006.  read more »

by Kristin Bricker - October 9, 2008 Narcosphere 

State police summarily executed three peasants in front of a child

The Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center (Frayba) issued a press release on denouncing the October 4 police operation in Chincultik that left six peasants dead, 17 wounded, and 36 detained. Of the wounded, ten were beaten and six were shot. Three men were gravely injured: one was transfered to a hospital in Mexico City, and the other to a hospital in the Chiapas capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez.  read more »

It has been almost one month since Hurricane Ike left Cuba after wreaking havoc and destroying homes and social facilities.

People all over Cuba are now in the process of a massive reconstruction effort, rebuilding infrastructure and restoring vital services. Pastors for Peace is organizing a Construction Brigade of skilled workers to join with Cuban workers in this historic reconstruction effort.  read more »

July 3, 2008

Pastors for Peace Caravan Threatened With Arrest for Exercising Their Right to Protest

Despite previous agreements, federal agents seized 31 computers from the
Pastors for Peace as they attempted to cross Pharr International Bridge
early this morning at the US-Mexico border.

The U.S. government has forced the issue by turning back on previous
actions and agreements" said Rev. Lucius Walker, Executive Director of
IFCO/Pastors for Peace. " They have intentionally provoked and harass us
he continued.

"We will not be intimidated. We have made every effort to be cooperative
and they have responded with aggression. These computers are the same  read more »

On June 4, 2008 some 200 Mexican troops and police engaged in aggressive actions against Zapatistas in the Patiwitz Canyon of the Lacandon Jungle. Specifically the heavily armed military / police convoy entered the corn and banana fields surrounding Zapatista communities. This threat to the communities' only food supplies provoked a desperate response by Mayan boys and girls, women, and men.  read more »