Background information
On Saturday the 18th of August 2007, the Federal Government of Mexico and the State Government of Chiapas, in a coordinated military and police operation, forcibly evicted 39 indigenous tseltal inhabitants (including 26 children) of the communities Nuevo San Manuel (also known as Nuevo Salvador Allende) and Buen Samaritano, both belonging to the muncipality of Ocosingo, located within the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. Buen Samaritano has existed for 12 years and the settlement of Nuevo San Manuel for at least 8 years.
According to testimonies from the displaced families, at around 8am several helicopters arrived, from which armed agents were lowered, who began to force people out of their homes in a violent manner without previous warning, presentation of any documents, or any explanations. They simply made the families climb into the helicopter without letting them take any of their belongings or disclosing where they were being taken. Six men have been detained in “El Amate” prison (CERESO 14), located more than four hours away, accused of attacks against state ecological property and robbery.
The relocation
On 6 September, the evicted families, initially hosted in a former brothel near a garbage dump in the outsides of the municipality of La Trinitaria, were temporarily relocated to Ocosingo. The designated place is a shed, normally used as a warehouse, belonging to the ARIC (Indingenous and Farmers Rural Association). At the moment of the relocation, the shed did not have electricity, nor did it have adecuate toilets. Moreover, it is a very humid place (rain water drips from the roof) that does not allow for a minimum level of privacy for the families.
SIPAZ accompanied the relocation and keeps monitoring the situation.
Photos of the relocation
Relevant documents:
Communiqué by the Network for Peace (Red por la Paz)
Video interview shot by SIPAZ in La Trinitaria
(Audio in Spanish, English translation available here)
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