Chiapas: Las Abejas in a Period of Action for Justice and Truth

During their Period of Action for Justice and Truth entitled “11 years of impunity in Acteal: how many more?,” the Civil Society of Las Abejas called upon the national press, the Other Campaign, and other organizations to participate in a period of fasting and prayer on June 9^th “at 7:00am in from the of the Supreme Court of the Nation” (SCJN). On June 7^th, members of Las Abejas caravanned to Mexico City to fast and pray in denouncement of the possible release of 14 persons tried and convicted on charges that they participated in the December 22^nd, 1997 massacre in Acteal. In addition, Las Abejas demanded the punishment of the ex-federal officials Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León, Emilio Chauyfet Chemot y general Enrique Cervantes, among others.

The women of Las Abejas spoke of Acteal as “the seed of consciousness to work for peace” in a communiqué. They continued that those detained have still not recognized that they were “guilty and accomplices”. It was they who “stole, burnt houses, and took corn and coffee, everything from out houses. They carried weapons, were accomplices to the massacre by helping buy the weapons that would kill our sisters.” Emphasizing the pain and suffering they have experienced as a result of the massacre, the women concluded their communiqué by reiterating their opposition to the liberation of the 14 paramilitaries because “we do not want them to kill us or anyone else again, because we have only spoken the truth and nothing more, and we will keep talking and demanding justice.”

Information circulating in the press indicates that the Supreme Court is going to announce its verdict concerning 12 of the inmates accused of participating in the Acteal massacre. A communiqué by the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center (CDHFBC) said that “it is absurd that due to the inefficiency of the justice system they will release the people responsible for this crime of the state.” Eleven years after the massacre, CDHFBC asserted that the tensions and the level of impunity in the Highlands of Chiapas have not gotten better—quite the contrary. Since 2008 the political climate in the Highlands has been building towards fear that a another Acteal [massacre] could happen.

For more information, please visit:

Por la Verdad y la Justicia “Acteal 11 años 5 meses y 17 días de impunidad ¿Cuántos más?” , Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (08/06/2009)

Pronunciamiento por la Justicia y la Verdad en relación a la masacre de Acteal, Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (08/06/2009)

Palabra de las mujeres de la sociedad civil de Las Abejas (08/06/2009)

Fotos de la conferencia en la Ciudad de México (08/06/2009)

Comunicado ante la SCJN, la sociedad civil Las Abejas (09/06/2009)

Escrito ante la SCJN, sociedad civil Las Abejas (09/06/2009)

Escrito a la Presidencia, sociedad civil Las Abejas (09/06/2009)

Mensaje a los ministros de la SCJN, sociedad civil Las Abejas (09/06/2009)

Carta de la Diocesis de SCLC a Las Abejas en la Ciudad de México (09/06/2009)

Fotos – Jornada de Las Abejas de Acteal ante la SCJN, Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (09/06/2009)

Accion Urgente: Riesgo de que liberen a paramilitares responsables de la masacre de Acteal, Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (20/04/2009)