Washington, DC Advocacy Trip a Success for Friends of Brad Will!

Planning to Stop 'Plan Mexico'

While Friends of Brad Will joined Brad's family in D.C. to lobby for
justice for his murder and for other people murdered in Oaxaca, Atenco
and elsewhere, the Mexican authorities which Bush would like to lavish
with 'drug war' money were busy arresting activists and mourners in
Oaxaca.

Here is the report on our convergence on D.C.

see: www.friendsofbradwill.org

The Friends of Brad Will advocacy trip on November 1st and 2nd to
Washington, DC was a great success, thanks to our nation-wide network.
Over 100 people took part in the wide spectrum of activities, events
and lobbying that we organized to coincide with Dia de los Muertos
commemoration. Our efforts gained in impact and poignancy, having
family of Brad with us.

The two day whirlwind trip was slated to continue the effort to
achieve justice in the murder of U.S. Journalist and activist Brad
Will, end the impunity for human rights violations in Oaxaca and
elsewhere and stop the proposed funding of a Bush/Calderon 'Plan
Mexico' that would have disastrous consequences for the Mexican
people.

Besides a full schedule of daily briefing and lobbying on the "Hill",
we conducted a press conference, organized a panel discussion with
leading advocates, and held a demonstration.

We met with over 15 Congress Members and their staffs, mostly on the
House Foreign Affairs committee. There were a variety of supportive
responses by Congress people and we will be building on the unifying
themes shared by Democrats and Republican alike, including that:

'Plan Mexico' was formed without input or consultation from Congress,
it needs to be pealed off from the Iraq Appropriations Bill and
considered as a stand alone item, and human rights concerns must take
precedence over unaccountable militarization that would insert
Blackwater-style mercenaries and practices into Mexico.

Most were familiar with the details of Brad Will, human rights
violations in Mexico, and the fact that Mexico is second only to Iraq
in danger to reporters. Although
they are hearing us, many expressed clearly a need for reinforcement
from the grassroots. In response to this request, we suggested that
there should be no problem among
our network to give them a much needed boost now for the week
preceding the November 14th 2PM hearing to consider 'Plan Mexico'.
(see below)

We held a press conference in front of the Embassy of Mexico and met
with high-level staff who emerged to see what the crowd was all about.
One evening we organized
a panel discussion with Amnesty International (
www.amnestyusa.org/), Global
Exchange ( www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/mexico/),
National Lawyers Guild ( nlg.org/), Beehive Collective (
www.beehivecollective.org/) and others. Parallels were made
with 'Plan Colombia' and the verified deleterious impacts, which that
militarization package has wrought. Military suppression and
ecological devastation have gone hand in hand with "free trade" and
corporate exploitation, according to the stunning poster by the
Beehive Collective.

The culmination of the trip was a procession and demonstration in
front of the Mexican Cultural Institute where a Frida Kahlo exhibition
and celebration brought hundreds of the DC cognoscenti; artists,
writers and people interested in Mexican politics and culture were in
attendance. We gave out 1000 info/action fliers to seriously
interested people. We seemed like a welcoming part of the gala event
with the puppets, banners and a skull hat worn by one participant. The
highlight was when the DC Critical Mass ride arrived, stopping their
ride at the Mexican Consulate ( cm-dc.mahost.org/) and joining
our efforts against Plan Mexico and for Brad and others murdered.
critical-mass-joins-fobw.jpg

ACTION: Plan Mexico should be opposed by those with the power to do
so; that means, US. U.S. taxpayers and activists in a privileged place
to talk to Congress and make our voices heard. Go to
www.friendsofbradwill.org/category/plan-mexico/ for next ACTION
steps to stop Plan Mexico.

A cool audio/radio piece from Critical Mass in D.C.. About 100 riders
joined a dozen or so advocates for a rally at the Mexican Embassy on
November 2nd for Day of the Dead.

Check it out:

dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/141453/index.php

Thanks.

See you all in D.C. on November 14th to Stop Plan Mexico and demand
justice for Brad Will.

Many thanks to the Human Rights Committee at St. Mark's Church in
Adams Morgan, D.C. for joining FoBW for advocacy efforts and meetings
with Congress people. Their questioning of Plan Mexico will be due to
your work and that of our entire network.

Special thanks to Ms. Sanchez and her 4th grade class for their
interest in Oaxaca and stopping Plan Mexico!

And to our friends at the NLG!

And to the DC crew!