@SIPAZ
On Sunday 14 August in Mexico City the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity carried out a silent march called “Steps for Peace.” According to different sources, some 3,000 individuals left the Museum of Anthropology at 11:30am carrying banners that denounced the excesses of the war on drugs launched by President Calderón. A bit before 1pm, they arrived at the official residence of Los Pinos, this being the first stop to demand that the National Security Law not be approved. In front of the new headquarters of the Senate of the Republic, Julián le Barón gave a speech emphasizing that one cannot wait for government to change society, but rather that the people themselves must take this initiative. Touching on Mexican identity, he noted that we “are all Quetzalcóatl,” and in this sense requested a larger citizens’ participation to halt violence. Later the poet Javier Sicilia stressed that “our movement is for peace, and this is not possible without dialogue.” For this reason, he announced that “in light of the reason and simulations of the legislators,” dialogue will be opened with the Legislative Branch on 17 August.
For more information (in Spanish):
Reinicia el miércoles diálogo con Congreso: Sicilia (La Jornada, 14 August)
Reanudará Sicilia el miércoles diálogo con legisladores (La Jornada, 14 August)
Movimiento por la Paz reúne a mil 800 en el Senado (El Universal, 14 August)
Encabeza Sicilia “Marcha Silenciosa por la Paz” hacia Los Pinos (Proceso, 14 August)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Chiapas: Las Abejas of Acteal welcome Javier Sicilia’s Pact for Peace (1 July 2011)
Mexico: The Citizens’ Pact is signed in Juarez (21 June 2011)
Mexico: Beginning of the caravan for peace from Cuernavaca to Ciudad Juárez (9 June 2011)
Mexico: Marches for Peace and Justice with Dignity (12 May 2011)
Chiapas: Communiqué by the EZLN: For reflective criticism, individuals and collectives (15 April 2011)
Mexico: National march “We are fed up” (14 April 2011)
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