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Clajadep Weekly (for printing)
WEEKLY NEWS FROM THE RESISTANCE

CLAJADEP

07/July/2003

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This weekly news is published in the internet and printed for distribution for those without access to internet. It distributes news and activities from the resistance struggle of peoples against capital, in particular those that aim at the building of popular power. This weekly is distributed in four languages, Spanish, Portuguese, English and French and is sent to Latin America. USA, Canada and several European countries.
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Uruguay: Workers are evicted, but they occupy a city square. [29.06.03] Municipal workers ratified to continue in an indefinite strike; they set up a tent in a central city square. The main branch of the Municipality of Rocha was finally cleared at 9:00am of yesterday morning. No incidents were reported in the police operative that involved 40 police members, while several hundreds of people accompanied with chants the union members that had occupied the building. During the afternoon, around three hundred people participated of a new assembly in the Independencia city square. In that instance it was decided to occupy that public walk and to set up a tent.
Ecuador: Locals show their capacity. They occupied the Municipality to change the Mayor [01.07.03] PUYO About 300 people occupied yesterday morning the Municipality of Arajuno to demand the dismissal of the Mayor, who is accused of nepotism and of failure to address the needs of the population. No confrontations were reported from this action. The protestors took position at the main entrance of the municipal building to prevent de Mayor from entering the building, they stated they would remain there until the city councillors dismiss the Mayor.

Panama: 24 thousand public pension department workers continue on strike. Possible general strike [01.04.03] Administrative workers of CSS (Public Pension Service) announced that they would continue their strike, following their disapproval of the transfer of $25.9 millions. The leadership of the administrative workers of the CSS made a call for a general indefinite strike, after the board of that entity approved, six votes against five, an inter-institutional technical report that recommended the transfer of $25.9 millions for payment of wage and benefit increases. The National Association of Administrative Workers of CSS had demanded the government an extraordinary credit of $29.9 millions, and as a pressure measure, about 6 thousand employees maintained a strike since last week. Today, Tuesday morning, a general assembly of employees will take place to initiate a general strike to support the 24 thousand workers of the CSS.

Dominican Republic: With a hundred donkeys, popular organizations protest against price hikes and the IMF.
Confrontations with police leave several injured. [02.07.03] With the force of gunshots and tear gas bombs the police impeded yesterday that hundreds of protestors, some on donkeys, some on bicycles and others on foot, march from the Independencia Park to the national Palace as a signal of protest against the signing of an accord between the government and the International Monetary Fund -IMF. The march, organized by the National Unified Workers Central -CNTU-, the Broad Front of Popular Struggle -FALPO- and other union organizations, was interrupted by the police, who with the use of force opposed with the so-called "cordones policiales (police blocks)" the activist to continue their trajectory towards the National Palace. The tear gas bombs and the gunshots made by police agents dispersed the people that were standing around the area, including several children of Ciudad Nueva who, mounting their bicycles became victims of the gases. The action was called by the Coordinator of Popular Struggles.

Dominican Republic: Locals use home made bombs in protest against price hikes [02.07.03]
Tenares.- Popular organizations of this locality called this Tuesday for the realization of protests against the high cost of living, the high rates for electricity and the lack of drinkable water, as well as for the finishing of the highway that leads to San Francisco de Macorís. Rodolfo Rosario. Last night, in neighbourhoods and streets of this community, home made bombs exploded, tires were set ablaze and garbage thrown into the streets. Rosario, also a leader of FALPO, said that the protest are also against the latest hikes in prices of articles of wide consumption and against the black outs and the hikes on electricity rates.

Costa Rica: Human ring to defend water [02.07.03] A human ring will be formed this evening by the neighbours of the housing project La Giralda in Alajuela, to prevent that a business person close de waterway, and with that, to leave the population without the priced liquid. The neighbours of the housing project La Giralda in Alajuela, will gather today at one in the afternoon, at the water tank of the community to form a human ring to avoid that the owner of the construction company, proceed with a test of the waterway and with that to suspend the water service.
Panama: Movements of unemployed organize piquets and block highways [02.07.03] CUATRO ALTOS, Colón. - Over an hour of piquet action were organized yesterday by members of the new movement of unemployed of Nueva Nación at the millionaire construction project that is being executed in the area of Cuatro Altos in the Province of Colón. The unemployed workers during the protest that took place at 10:00am, forced the workers at the construction site to halt their work until being heard by those in charge of the site. The protestors, yelling "we want work", requested to be heard by those in charge of the millionaire project, because they need an opportunity to dignified and honest employment, said one of the leaders. On related actions, also the Unemployed Movement Reaction 3, Emancipation and Utradesco took part in protest actions closing for 40 minutes Street 16 at the entrance of the city of Colón minutes before the arrival of the head of the Nation, Mireya Moscoso to Colón.

Mexico: Violent incidents in two municipalities [03.07.03]Puebla, Pue., July 1st. At least 500 locals of the municipality of San Salvador El Seco burned this afternoon two cars and crushed a pick-up truck against the entrance of the city hall, during the protest where they demanded the firing of the Mayor, member of PRI, Guadalupe Hernandez Contreras, who they accuse of nepotism and miss appropriation of public funds. Last week a similar situation happened in the municipality of Cuautlancingo, where locals, dissatisfied with their Mayor burned 16 cars, between municipal police cars and motorcycles.
Paraguay: Mobilizations of the Homeless Movement [03.07.03] Around 2.000 homeless people of the department Central marched yesterday from Km.10 of the route Mcal. Estigarribia to the local of the Attorney, where they left a letter in which they state as a principal demand the release of the public defendant, lawyer Raúl Marín, and all other charged for the Marquetalia case. If the demands are not meet, the organizers have announced mobilizations in the entire country, for the coming 23rd of July. The march counted with the support of National Coordinating Table of Peasants (MCNOC).
Uruguay: Employees of CIMA discuss possible worker's control [04.07.03] This morning technical workers of CIMA could displace the authorities of the institution and take under "workers control" those premises. At the closing of this edition the workers were having a meeting in assembly analyzing that possibility. According to one of the leaders of the union, there was a majority position in favour of that measure and of a "radicalization" of the conflict. Union leadership sources assured to EL País that the authorities of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) announced that if a workers control take place they will intervene the institution with the aim at closing it.
Costa Rica: Port workers on strike [04.07.03] Moín y Limón (Limón). Port workers of Moín y Limón that yesterday paralysed work for 14 hours, have threatened further pressure measures if the Government does not negotiate with Aresep a wage increase for port workers. The strike action of yesterday impeded that at list five ships docked in pier Alemán (Limón) and two others in pier Moín. Also, dozens of containers loaded with goods were left on land. About 900 employees of Japdeva - of the 1,218 employees-, paralysed Moín from 4:00am in protest against the Regulatory Authority of Public Services (Aresep) reduction of port workers wages, on this past December 6. Also at 11:00am operations were halted in pier Alemán, in the centre of Limón. Last night, The Federation of Workers of Limón and other union groups of the Province guaranteed that they will paralyse the Province from Guápiles to Sixaola from Tuesday, if the Executive does not resolve the wages problem earlier.

Bolivia: Assembly of Guaranies Peoples block highway to pressure the Government [04.07.03] Guarany people closed traffic towards Camiri. The Assembly of Guarany Peoples (APG) have indicated they will not dismantle the blockade on the route Abapó-Camiri until they have on their hands the title of Originary Communal Land (TCO), announced by the Government. "With title on hand, or we will not withdraw from the road", affirmed Horacio Sanbaquill, representative of the Guarany people when consulted about the pressure measures that were initiated this past Tuesday over the rail road to Yacuiba and over the highway to Camiri. Close to a dozen trucks parked before the entrance to Charagua and a number of others trying to enter Santa Cruz from Camiri is the scene surrounding hundreds of guaranies who placed branches, trunks and some sticks on the dirt road, to impede vehicular traffic.

Panama: Thousands of teachers march in protest. Students and workers join the protest [04.07.03] Thousands of teachers of the Republic of Panamá Teachers Association marched towards the Presidency building in protest, principally, for the delay in the by-weekly wage payments. A delegation of leaders of teachers and professors handed a list of petitions at the end of the march in which they demand principally an explanation about the denunciation of miss handling of Education Insurance funds and of the horrible conditions facing a great number of education centres in the entire country. During the march, they were joined by union organizations, such as the Construction Workers Union (SUNTRACS), the National Workers Central of Panamá (CNTP) and university students, such as FER-29 and PAT (Thinkings of Transformational Action). At the same time Saúl Méndez, of SUNTRACS, announced that for the coming July 9th the workers organizations will realize a march in protest against the scale of minimum wage fixed by the Government and for other social vindications.