A seriously urgent call for mobilization, solidarity and attentiveness

From: "irlandesa"
To:
Subject: A seriously urgent call for mobilization, solidarity and attentiveness Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 09:23:24 -0700
Originally published in Spanish by Enlace Civil, A.C.
Translated by irlandesa [Note: The following is an exceedingly important and impassioned call for solidarity and attentiveness regarding the current conditions in Chiapas. It is, in addition, an extremely useful summary and analysis of the latest incidents - irl]

From: Enlace Civil, A.C. enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org
Date: Wednesday, August 21 2002 15:19:38 -0500
San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas
August 21, 2002.
To National and International Civil Society.
To the National Indigenous Congress.
To Non-Governmental Human Rights Organizations.
To the National and International Press.

The following is an URGENT call in order to demonstrate the worsening of tension in the state of Chiapas. The various conflicts which have been systematically breaking out against EZLN support bases and Autonomous Municipalities, and which are clearly part of a predetermined pattern, have led us to emphatically denounce that the Low Intensity War - which is being orchestrated by the state and federal governments - is posing a grave danger to peace in our state and in all of Mexico. Looking at the latest events in their broad context, and analyzing the active role being taken by paramilitary groups in those events, is sufficient for demonstrating the above: 1. July 31, in La Culebra ejido, Ricardo Flores Magón Autonomous Municipality. Paramilitary attack against seven EZLN Support Bases, leaving several zapatistas wounded. The attackers were 40 men who were carrying handguns and machetes from the community of San Antonio Escobar and who belong to the PRI OPDIC organization, which was founded by current local PRI Deputy Pedro Chulín, who is better known as the head of the MIRA paramilitary group. 2. August 7, in the 6 de Agosto new town center, 17 de Noviembre Autonomous Municipality. Assassination of zapatista José López Santiz, with eight shots from a 16 caliber shotgun, by Baltasar Alfonso Utrilla, Benjamín Montoya Oceguera and Humberto Castellanos, who are currently fugitives. The latter, who is a multi-party councilor in Altamirano, also threatened to kill the victim's children, who are 10 and 11 years old. As denounced at the time, this crime was clearly covered up on the direct orders of a Public Ministry agent and by the municipal president of Altamirano, Armando Pinto Kanter, who engaged in a series of illegal acts for the purpose of allowing this cowardly act to go unpunished. 3. August 10, in the community of Palestina in the Ricardo Flores Magón Autonomous Municipality. Illegal detention of zapatista Jerónimo Gómez Moreno, from the Chamizal ejido, by the Palestina Auxiliary Agent, who took him to the San Antonio Escobar community jail. There he was told by the agent and the police commander that he was being detained for being a Zapatista Support Base, on the request of Julio Gómez López, the ejidal Commissioner of the latter community and leader of the paramilitaries who are operating in that area with the official support of the police stationed in Palestina. The illegally detained person managed to escape, and both he and his family are currently receiving threats. 4. August 18, in the predio where the Majomut sand bank is located, belonging to the San Pedro Polhó Autonomous Municipality. Physical attack, death threat and unfounded accusation against zapatista Mariano Pérez Gómez by 30 PRI and Cardenista affiliated persons, headed by Antonio Pérez Santiz, Mariano Hernández Pérez, Gilberto Gómez Pérez and Pedro Mariano Arias Pérez. The latter is the president of the Community Property Commission of the municipality of Chenalhó. These four persons have been clearly identified as being in charge of organizing paramilitary groups, with an agreement with the municipal president of Chenalhó, Armando Vázquez Pérez. 5. August 19, at the Quexil crossroads in the town of Nuevo Guadalupe. San Manuel Autonomous Municipality. More than 200 persons from the above-mentioned paramilitary organization OPDIC, who were in 22 vehicles and coming from Taniperla, Monte Líbano, Perla de Acapulco and Peña Limonar, attacked EZLN support bases with pistols, rifles, machetes and rocks. In addition to thefts from houses and several persons with minor wounds, this attack left four zapatistas seriously wounded by gunshot: Marcos Méndez Sánchez, with one gunshot from a 22 caliber weapon in the stomach; Felipe Gómez Sánchez, with one gunshot to the shoulder and another in the back; Juan Méndez Sánchez, one shot in the arm; Francisco Méndez Vázquez, one shot in the foot and various injuries to his head. During this action, three zapatistas were also kidnapped, two of whom managed to escape, and the other was beaten, arbitrarily detained and taken to the State Prosecutor's Office in Ocosingo, where he was interrogated, then transferred to the public jail, and, lastly, taken to the Prosecutor's Office again. The above-mentioned incidents, added to the increase in military troops and the transporting of explosive materials inside the conflict zone, as well as other actions which have been taking place in recent months, are a clear signal for alarm and for calling on national and international Civil Society to mobilize in repudiation of these acts and to DEMAND JUSTICE. We are holding the federal and state governments directly responsible, in the persons of Vicente Fox Quesada and Pablo Salazar Mendiguchía respectively, for this climate of violence and impunity which continues to harbor the paramilitary groups which exist in the state of Chiapas, through their false "reconciliation policies" and without serving justice, WITHOUT JUSTICE THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY!!! RESPECT FOR THE AUTONOMOUS MUNICIPALITIES!!! LEGAL PUNISHMENT FOR PARAMILITARY GROUPS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO SPONSOR THEM!!!

CAPISE, A.C. (Center for Political Analysis and Social and Economic Research)
CDHFBC (Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Human Rights Center)
CIEPAC (Center for Economic and Political Research for Community Action) Regional Coordinators of Chiapas for Civil Society in Resistance of: Los Altos, North-Selva, Marqués de Comillas, Border, Coast, Center and Tacaná Border
Enlace Civil, A.C.
Jolom Mayaetik, S.C.
K'inal Antzetik, A.C.
Parejo S'cotol
Network of Community Human Rights Defenders