On 1 June, the Subcomittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament demanded that the Mexican government guarantee the security of those participating in the second caravan that is slated to arrive today, 8 June, in San Juan Copala, Oaxaca. The Subcommittee asked the EU to protect the caravan, “holding responsible authorities from the state of Oaxaca and the federal government for the integrity of the human-rights defenders.”
Beyond the European deputies, several human-rights organizations have publicly aired their views on the caravan. These organizations include the Network of All Rights for All, together with other groups from several different countries.
Members of the Oaxacan autonomous municipality claimed that some 350 individuals had already signed up to participate in the “International and National Humanitarian Caravan Bety Cariño and Jyri Jaakkola.” They also reported a deterioration in the security-conditions of the region, considering that aggressions have been seen in La Sabana, Juxtlahuaca, and Yosoyuxi. On 20 May, in Yosoyuxi, Timoteo Alejandro Ramírez, Triqui leader and co-founder of the autonomous municipality, and his wife, Cleriberta Castro, were killed.
This will be the second attempt to bring humanitarian aid to San Juan Copala, following the first one that was attacked on 27 April by presumed members of the Union for the Welfare of the Triqui Region (UBISORT), an attack in which Alberta Cariño Trujillo and Jyri Jaakkola were killed.
For more information (in Spanish):
Euro-representatives request protection for caravan to San Juan Copala (La Jornada, 4 June)
Insecurity worsens in San Juan Copala; attacks reach other communities, it is claimed (La Jornada, 3 June)
The EU is asked to protect caravan to Oaxaca (Reforma, 1 June)
The Other Campaign joins humanitarian caravan that will visit Copala (La Jornada, 31 May)
Communiqué of the autonomous municipality of San Juan Copala (28 May)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Oaxaca: new information-update on San Juan Copala (29 May 2010)
Special bulletin: attack on observation-caravan in Oaxaca leaves 2 dead and 4 injured (3 May 2010)
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