@Centro de Defensa de DDHH Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon
On November 11th, a press conference was held in Mexico City, “Forced Displacement in Mexico; Result of Impunity and an Unsolved Problem”, with displaced people from different states of Mexico, organized by the Prodh Center and the Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon Human Rights Defense Center. The reason for the conference was the violent and unjustifiable eviction of 18 families from Tlatempapa and 1800 people from Leonardo Bravo in Guerrero, which took place for the third time.
“We trusted a lot in the government, but we lost confidence, because the government itself helped and participated, like organized crime, so that we be dispossessed”, said one of the participants. “I call on Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to see the mines, because they displaced us so that they can exploit these minerals and take them to other countries.” Extractivism by transnational companies causes environmental contamination and forced displacement of indigenous communities in several states of Mexico. Displaced people and those attending the press conference expressed that “the government gives priority to other countries, it does not serve Mexicans, we are reprimanded by our own government.”
Since September 22nd, 2021, a commission of displaced families from the municipalities of Leonardo Bravo and Zitlala, Guerrero, have been holding a sit-in outside the Ministry of the Interior to demand compliance with the commitments made on April 7th in an inter-institutional meeting, where the lawyer Luciana Montaño, representing the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), promised that, in coordination with the Executive Commission for Attention to Federal Victims (CEAV), she would recognize the status of victims for all families who suffer forced internal displacement. For their part, the Government, Public Security and Citizen Services personnel committed to finding safe places to enable their relocation due to the impossibility of returning to their communities of origin. Until now, the status of victims has not been granted and there is no information on the progress made in terms of relocation.
It was reported that on November 1st, another community was displaced, “we no longer want words but that do their job and guarantee the safety of the victims”, said a member of the Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon Human Rights Defense Center. “That the internally displaced be recognized, a forced displacement as a result of impunity, organized crime and the lack of attention from the government”, said Avalado Gomez, a Tseltal from Ocosingo, Chiapas.
At the press conference, different human rights groups and organizations throughout the country stated that:
• There is an urgent need for a Law on forced displacement that recognizes the classification of the crime and the displaced persons as victims so that they can be cared for and guarantee compliance with the rights contained in the General Law on Victims.
• That the law clearly state that the responsibilities of the State authorities are: to guarantee due care, justice, reparation of damages and guarantees of non-repetition.
• In order to guarantee attention to the needs of displaced persons, their voice must be included in the formulation of laws and in all spaces for reflection.
They called on communities, collectives and organizations to join this organization and to jointly combat injustice, make the issue of displacement visible and demand its correct attention.
For more information in Spanish:
Conferencia de Prensa Desplazamiento Forzado en México; Consecuencia de la Impunidad y Problema sin Resolver (Centro de Defensa de DDHH José María Morelos y Pavón, 11 de noviembre de 2021)
Plantón de familias desplazadas de Guerrero en Gobernación (Red TDT, 30 de septiembre de 2021)
El desplazamiento forzado en México es consecuencia de la impunidad y omisión por parte del Estado (Serapaz, 11 de noviembre)
For more information from SIPAZ:
Oaxaca: Ataques armados en Atatlahuca deja 7 muertos y al menos 40 familias desplazadas (October 26, 2021)
Chiapas: More Displacement in Pantelho Due to Increase in Violence – Frayba (September 29, 2021)
Chiapas: Displaced Members of Las Abejas Return to Pantelho (August 31, 2021)
Chiapas/Guerrero: Forced Displacement from Organized Crime and Megaprojects (March 2, 2021)
Nacional/Internacional: Piden CIDH y ONU crear ley para atender a víctimas de desplazamiento forzado (April 18, 2019)
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