On the 6 of january 2008, la voz del amate´s 2nd anniversary was celebrated inside el Amate Penitentiary in Cintalapa, Chiapas. More than 30 mexican and international comrades had the opportunity to enter the prison in order to acompany this celebration of struggle and resistence which was named publically by our comrades on the 5th of january 2006, when they built a protest camp within the Amate prison and took on the name as a collective “la voz del amate”.
Our comrades “the voice of el amate” o “la voz del amate”, adherentes to the other campaign, without a doubt uphold a unique resistence in the world. Their work is an example for all anticapitalist struggles.
In the event there was music, and messages of rebellion and solidarity that other comrades such as David Venegas, Pedro Castillo, Isabel Almaraz and the Loxicha prisoners from Ixcotel Penetentiary in Oaxaca, and others from Mexico City and other states and countries such as the Mexico Australia Solidarity Network.
The voices of family members also took their turn in demanding freedom and an inmediate end to the injustice which they as wives, children, brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers suffer alongside those who are currently prisoners. The message from fellow prisoners “the voice of los llanos”, from San Cristobal de las Casas Prison 5 was especially moving, given that the collective “la voz de los llanos” grew from the example given by “la voz del amate”. Both organizations adherents to the other campaign, coexist despite distance, despite prison walls, each suffering not only the injustice of being held prisoner for political motives but also the beatings and torture that they have been publically denouncing.
The anniversary reaffirms the conviction and struggle to continue fighting for a world of true justice, freedom and democracy, even from jail, which makes clear that the existence of political prisoners is a reflection of the huge injustice inflicted upon indigenous communities all over the world.
The act was an important opportunity to exchange ideas and build fraternity between activists regardless of prison walls. It is crucial that we remember that these comrades have been sentenced to upto 11 years, some have already served 8 years and all are innocent of the charges laid against them.
We also believe that it is the responsability of all comrades, that together the collectives, organizations and individuals in the Other Campaign demand the immediate freedom of the political prisoners “la voz del Amate” and that we always include them in the decisions we make when taking steps forward.
