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ACTION Needed Immediately
The US Embassy in Mexico City has refused to issue visas to and has seized the letter of invitation to the representatives of AZACHIS, the traditional leaders of the Zapotec and Chinantec Indians of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico.
We need you to call your Congressional representatives AT ONCE to request that they contact the US Embassy in Mexico City and demand that they issue travel visas to Alvaro Vázquez Juárez and Fernando Hernández Mata, representatives of La Asamblea de Autoridades Zapotecas y Chinantecas de la Sierra (AZACHIS). In the Seattle area call Patty Murray at (206)553-5545, Slade Gorton (425)451-0103, Jim McDermott at (206)553-7170, Jennifer Dunn (425)450-0161 and/or Rick White at (425)640-0233.
Vázquez and Hernández had an appointment on Tuesday morning (11/16) to get their visas as requested by the University of Washington's Human Rights and Education Research Network. Embassy officials refused to issue the visas and seized their formal letter of invitation. Their flight (prepaid round-trip) is scheduled to leave Mexico City at 7: Thursday 18 November, immediate action is required.
The irony of the situation should not be overlooked. While US trade representatives and businesses are touting the "liberalization" of trade as a means of encouraging democracy and benefitting people in undeveloped and poor areas like the mountains of Oaxaca, the US State Department is blocking the flow of information and dialog that one expects in a democratic society . AZACHIS has been actively promoting development and trade in the Sierra with the understanding that such trade and development should benefit the people who have lived their for thousands of years. They have been invited to Seattle for legitimate academic purposes and had no plans to engage in any disruptive activities. AZACHIS itinerary included two addresses at the University of Washington, a presentation at the Indian Heritage High School, participation in an auction fundraiser for Casa Latina, discussions with
civil rights leader Jack Odell, a reception with members of the Labor Party and labor leaders from around the world, meetings with leaders of the Nisqually nation and United Indians of All Tribes and a discussion of traditional Zapotec medical arts with representatives of John Bastyr Medical School.