Mexico
25.06.02
Urgent Interventions
Mexico: military harassment of the Masohá Shucjá and El Limar communities
Case MEX 250602
Harassment of communities in Chiapas
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent action regarding the following situation in Mexico.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed about the harassment and threatening behaviour by members of the Base of Mixed Operations (BOM), against the population of the communities of Masohá Shucjá, and of El Limar, in the municipality of Tila, state of Chiapas.
According to reliable sources, on June 23 2002, at about 4.45 pm, two vehicles that belonged to the federal army (one to the department of Public Security of the state of Chiapas, and the other to BOM, a white Chevrolet pickup, without number plates) opened fire, using a submachine gun, on a bridge located 300 meters from the village where the community Masohá Shucjá lives. They continued firing once within the living area. After these events, the reports state, the members of the community found bullet shells on the bridge and near the community’s living area.
According to the reports, thirty minutes after this first episode, the BOM returned, this time two military officers, a Captain identified as Vicente Ambríz Ronces and the discharged soldier Luis Enrique Caballero, now official of the Public Ministry of State, drove up in cars, presumably (according to later reports) to investigate what had happened. The members of the community, fearing reprisals but upset about the events, asked the Captain whether it had been them who had fired against the population. During some time, the two officials tried to ignore the events, however given the evidence, they had no choice but to admit that there had been intimidation, apologising to the local people and asking them to forget about it. They explained that that the soldiers had only wanted to go out hunting iguanas and that the captain had lost control of his men. (“sólo querían cazar una iguana y que el Capitán no podía controlar a su gente”).
According to the information, these explanations only incited further concern among the local people, who are still troubled by the memory of the violence in the Northern Area during years of 1995 to 1997. They are also troubled by the daily patrols and acts of intimidation of the BOM detachment in El Limar that is located not far away, also within the municipality of Tila. These actions by the military are particularly disconcerting in the light of the State government’s policy of reconciliation towards the native Indian populations. Despite the federal government’s attention to questions of human rights, military activity in the region increases daily, creating fear and constant anxiety among the population.
The international Secretariat of the OMCT condemns in particular the harassment of the civil population of the Masoja Shucjá and the El Limar communities, and in general that of the native Indian populations of the State of Chiapas who are victims of state operations against contra-insurgency. The OMCT also shares the fear of Mexican human rights organisations for the physical and psychological well-being of the inhabitants of the aforementioned communities.
Action Requested:
Please write to the authorities in Mexico urging them to:
§ take immediate action to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the members of the Masoja Shucjá and El Limar communities and in general that of all native Indian communities of the state of Chiapas.
§ order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances described above and guarantee that those responsible are brought to trial and that the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions are applied as provided by law;
§ guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country, in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, particularly the American Convention for Human Rights and the International Pact for Civil and Political rights, both ratified by Mexico.
Addresses:
· Doctor Vicente Fox Quezada, Presidente de la República Mexicana, México Distrito Federal, Fax: (+52 5) 516 58 37, (+52 5) 515 57 29, Email: radio@presidencia.gob.mx sprivada@presidencia.gob.mx
· Secretaría de Gobernación ( Ministerio del Interior) Licenciado Santiago Creel Miranda; Tel: (+525) 535 56 86; e-mail: santiagocreel@compuserve.com, segob@rtn.net.mx (+52 5) 703 21 71
· Gral. Rafael Macedo de la Concha; Procurador general de la República; Av. Reforma Esquina Violeta, México, D. F. CP 06300 Fax: (+52 5) 346 09 04 ; Email : ofproc@pgr.gob.mx
· Dr. José Luis Sobenares Fernández, Presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Periféco Sur 3469, Col. San Jeronimo Lidice, CP 10200 México / Df México, Fax: (+52 5) 681 71 99, (+52 5) 681 92 39
· Emb. Mariclaire Acosta Urquidi, Embajadora Especial de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, Fax : +52 5327 30 45, Email : macosta@sre.gob.mx
Please also write to the diplomatic representative of Mexico in your country.
Geneva, 25 June 2002
Kindly inform the OMCT of any action you have undertaken indicating the appeal code in your response.
Harassment of communities in Chiapas
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent action regarding the following situation in Mexico.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed about the harassment and threatening behaviour by members of the Base of Mixed Operations (BOM), against the population of the communities of Masohá Shucjá, and of El Limar, in the municipality of Tila, state of Chiapas.
According to reliable sources, on June 23 2002, at about 4.45 pm, two vehicles that belonged to the federal army (one to the department of Public Security of the state of Chiapas, and the other to BOM, a white Chevrolet pickup, without number plates) opened fire, using a submachine gun, on a bridge located 300 meters from the village where the community Masohá Shucjá lives. They continued firing once within the living area. After these events, the reports state, the members of the community found bullet shells on the bridge and near the community’s living area.
According to the reports, thirty minutes after this first episode, the BOM returned, this time two military officers, a Captain identified as Vicente Ambríz Ronces and the discharged soldier Luis Enrique Caballero, now official of the Public Ministry of State, drove up in cars, presumably (according to later reports) to investigate what had happened. The members of the community, fearing reprisals but upset about the events, asked the Captain whether it had been them who had fired against the population. During some time, the two officials tried to ignore the events, however given the evidence, they had no choice but to admit that there had been intimidation, apologising to the local people and asking them to forget about it. They explained that that the soldiers had only wanted to go out hunting iguanas and that the captain had lost control of his men. (“sólo querían cazar una iguana y que el Capitán no podía controlar a su gente”).
According to the information, these explanations only incited further concern among the local people, who are still troubled by the memory of the violence in the Northern Area during years of 1995 to 1997. They are also troubled by the daily patrols and acts of intimidation of the BOM detachment in El Limar that is located not far away, also within the municipality of Tila. These actions by the military are particularly disconcerting in the light of the State government’s policy of reconciliation towards the native Indian populations. Despite the federal government’s attention to questions of human rights, military activity in the region increases daily, creating fear and constant anxiety among the population.
The international Secretariat of the OMCT condemns in particular the harassment of the civil population of the Masoja Shucjá and the El Limar communities, and in general that of the native Indian populations of the State of Chiapas who are victims of state operations against contra-insurgency. The OMCT also shares the fear of Mexican human rights organisations for the physical and psychological well-being of the inhabitants of the aforementioned communities.
Action Requested:
Please write to the authorities in Mexico urging them to:
§ take immediate action to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the members of the Masoja Shucjá and El Limar communities and in general that of all native Indian communities of the state of Chiapas.
§ order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances described above and guarantee that those responsible are brought to trial and that the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions are applied as provided by law;
§ guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country, in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, particularly the American Convention for Human Rights and the International Pact for Civil and Political rights, both ratified by Mexico.
Addresses:
· Doctor Vicente Fox Quezada, Presidente de la República Mexicana, México Distrito Federal, Fax: (+52 5) 516 58 37, (+52 5) 515 57 29, Email: radio@presidencia.gob.mx sprivada@presidencia.gob.mx
· Secretaría de Gobernación ( Ministerio del Interior) Licenciado Santiago Creel Miranda; Tel: (+525) 535 56 86; e-mail: santiagocreel@compuserve.com, segob@rtn.net.mx (+52 5) 703 21 71
· Gral. Rafael Macedo de la Concha; Procurador general de la República; Av. Reforma Esquina Violeta, México, D. F. CP 06300 Fax: (+52 5) 346 09 04 ; Email : ofproc@pgr.gob.mx
· Dr. José Luis Sobenares Fernández, Presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Periféco Sur 3469, Col. San Jeronimo Lidice, CP 10200 México / Df México, Fax: (+52 5) 681 71 99, (+52 5) 681 92 39
· Emb. Mariclaire Acosta Urquidi, Embajadora Especial de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, Fax : +52 5327 30 45, Email : macosta@sre.gob.mx
Please also write to the diplomatic representative of Mexico in your country.
Geneva, 25 June 2002
Kindly inform the OMCT of any action you have undertaken indicating the appeal code in your response.