The Frente Indígena Oaxaqueño Binacional (Oaxacan Indigenous Binational Front or FIOB), founded fourteen years ago, has undergone changes in its membership in the past two years. The organization has expanded with the addition of new indigenous members, mainly migrants living in Baja California (Mexico) and California (United States), who come from the states of Guerrero, Hidalgo, and Michoacán, among others. These people have recognized our founding documents, our mission, our vision and our strategies for struggle to ensure a better future for our migrant and non-migrant communities on both sides of the border.
Because of the foregoing and respecting the highest authority of the organization, we held the Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB in Oaxaca on March 11-13, 2005. In attendance were 120 voting delegates, representing California, Baja California, and Oaxaca, who agreed upon and issued resolutions on the following:
Be It Resolved That --
First: To change the name of the organization to Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales (Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations, FIOB).
Second: The new members of FIOB¹s Binational Central Council for 2005-2008 are:
1. Rufino Domínguez Santos, General Coordinator (Mixtec)
2. Romualdo Juan Gutiérrez Cortés, Vice-General Coordinator (Mixtec)
3. Odilia Romero Hernández, Coordinator of Women (Zapotec)
4. Maura Díaz Pérez, Coordinator of Culture (Mixe)
5. Joselina Alvarado Paz, Human Development Coordinator (Mixtec)
6. Sergio Méndez Palma, Press and Publicity Coordinator (Mixtec)
7. Francisco Arzola Alfaro, State Coordinator for Oaxaca (Mixtec)
8. Lázaro Guzmán Aparicio, State Coordinator for Baja California (P¹urhépecha)
9. Jesús Estrada Velasco, State Coordinator for California (Mixtec)
10. Ernestino Sixto Chávez, Council of Principals (Mixtec).
The Binational Advisors are:
1. Gaspar Rivera Salgado, Sociologist (Mixtec)
2. Centolia Maldonado Vásquez, Community Leader (Mixtec)
3. Jonathan Fox, Academic
4. Ed Kissam, Researchers
5. David Bacon, Journalist
6. Fernando Melo, Anthropologist.
Continuing in the same indisputable form as before the change, and from today forward under the Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales (FIOB), are any and all relationships with government institutions, partnerships or collaborations with various non-governmental organizations, assets, and local, regional, state, and binational projects.
Declarations
First: Given the climate of insecurity and harassment existing in Oaxaca, the Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB calls for the immediate intervention of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz, governor of the state, to halt the wave of violence and repression against municipal leaders and those waging the social struggle.
Second: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB demands that the administration of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz open a dialogue and demonstrate tolerance toward social organizations so as to construct inclusive governance based on respect and plurality, as well as on freedom of expression.
Third: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB rejects bill HR 418, the Real ID Act of 2005, which is intended to prohibit states from issuing drivers¹ licenses to people without documents, or otherwise to use licenses as identity documents, as well as to continue the construction of the wall along the border between Mexico and the United States.
Fourth: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB disapproves of the temporary or ³guestworker² initiative proposed by George W. Bush, president of the United States, because it does not guarantee respect for labor and human rights. In its place, we call for general legalization.
Fifth: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB urgently calls for the Mexican Senate to immediately pass a law giving the vote to Mexicans living abroad; and it commends the Chamber of Deputies for having already passed that law.
Sixth: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB calls for the Mexican federal government to find an immediate solution to the demands by former braceros that their tax contributions to the U.S. government be returned to them.
Seventh: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB demands a stop to human and labor rights violations in the San Quintín (Baja California) agricultural fields, as well as elsewhere in the state, particularly, along the border.
Eighth: The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB calls on the municipal, state, and federal governments to address the needs of the indigenous peoples and communities living in Baja California.
Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico, March 13, 2005
“For respect to the rights of indigenous peoples”
The Fifth Binational General Assembly of the FIOB
Signed by the Moderators:
Francisco Arzola Alfaro President
Gaspar Rivera Salgado Vice President
Romualdo J. Gutiérrez Cortés Secretary
Serena Herrera Ambrosio Secretary
Centolia Maldonado Vásquez Recorder
Silviano Isaías Rosas Recorder