Oaxaca: Virtual Platform “Femicidal Violence” Launched

Launch of virtual platform “Femicidal Violence in Oaxaca” (@Consorcio)

On December 4th, “given the silence of the governor, impunity, corruption and incompetence of a Secretariat of Women created as a white elephant by this government, as well as public officials who are in charge of the procurement of justice”, members of the Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equity, Oaxaca presented the virtual platform “Femicidal Violence in Oaxaca”, where you can consult the cases of girls and women who were victims of violence from 2016 to date.

During a conference, the Consortium denounced that the femicide figures have increased by 30% during the first year of Alejandro Murat as governor, which makes Oaxaca one of the 11 most dangerous states in the country for women.

Faced with this situation, they invited citizens to generate “processes of organization that prevent women from losing their lives because of sexist and patriarchal violence. We know that there is still a long way to go but with the creation of this microsite of femicide and femicidal violence in Oaxaca we want to help to build a society [that is] conscious and vigilant of its rights “.

They also urged “the Judicial Branch of the State not to delay the issuance of arrest warrants against the aggressors, as well as to immediately incorporate a gender perspective in its actions, expedite the issuance of condemnatory sentences and dismiss administrators of justice who operate without a gender perspective”; and, “to the Congress of the State to cite the appearances of each and every one of the officials who are involved in the matter, and also direct communication with CONAVIM to inform them about the cause of the delay for the issuance of the Gender Alert in Oaxaca.”

 For more information in Spanish:

Portal Violencia Feminicia en Oaxaca (Consorcio Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca)

COMUNICADO| 120 feminicidios en el primer año de gobierno de Alejandro Murat, el más violento para las mujeres y niñas en la historia de Oaxaca. (Consorcio Parlamentario y la Equidad Oaxaca, 4 de diciembre de 2017))

Primer año de Murat, el más violento contra mujeres en la historia de Oaxaca: Consorcio para el Diálogo (Proceso, 4 de diciembre de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

ENFOQUE: Alertas de violencia de género: entender el problema para poder atenderlo (3 de septiembre de 2017)

Nacional/Internacional: Se lanza la campaña 16 días de activismo contra la violencia hacia las mujeres (30 de noviembre de 2017)

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National/International: PBI Publishes “Defending Life” Report

(@PBI)

Peace Brigades International (PBI) published a new publication “Defending Life: People who Defend Land, Territory and the Environment at Risk”, which collects testimonies and analysis that highlight the same reality: the extreme vulnerability of the defenders of the land and the environment in Mexico and the world.

For more information in Spanish:

Defender la Vida: personas defensoras de la tierra, el territorio y el medioambiente en riesgo (PBI, noviembre de 2017)

Defensor ambiental, labor de alto riesgo (El Universal, 6 de diciembre de 2017)

México debe actuar urgentemente para proteger a las personas defensoras del medio ambiente (Global Witness, 6 de diciembre de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ: 

Oaxaca: V Encuentro de defensores y defensoras Comunitarias (29 de noviembre de 2017)

Nacional : informes de organizaciones de derechos humanos contrastan con avances señalados en el Quinto Informe de Gobierno (7 de septiembre de 2017)

México: Amnistía Internacional presenta nueva campaña mundial en contra de la ola de ataques a defensores y defensoras (30 de mayo de 2017)

Nacional: Relator Especial de la ONU visita a México para evaluar la situación de Derechos Humanos (1 de febrero de 2017)

Chiapas: MODEVITE Mobilizes in Defense of Mother Earth and Self-Determination

Authorities from La Candelaria, Municipality of San Cristobal de Las Casas. Photo @: SIPAZ

On November 20th, thousands of indigenous people grouped in the Movement in Defense of Life and the Territory (Modevite in its Spanish acronym) mobilized in 11 municipalities and an ejido of Chiapas in defense of Mother Earth, for a dignified life and to demand respect for the free self-determination of indigenous peoples. In a statement, they explained: “We are one people who today want to express ourselves in each of the 12 fronts where we are. We denounce the constant threat of transnational extractive megaprojects and demand our right to the self-determination of peoples, in order to change the outdated and oppressive system that governs us.”

The event was called on 107 years of the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, and stressed that “the marginalization and misery of our peoples persist; violence is the daily bread and insecurity is what is breathed in the environment. Coupled with this, the colorful circus of political parties divides us, and they take advantage of our poverty” while governments at all levels “are accomplices of dispossession, abuses, violence and injustice.”

For this reason they propose “creating another system that promotes the community rather than individuality, that looks at the earth as a Mother and not as merchandise, that embraces the cultural diversity rooted in the spirituality of our ancestors to make way for the reconstruction of the fabric of social community”. They intend to promote “community governments that renew social relations among indigenous peoples, mestizos, diverse religions, adults and youth; community governments that renew politics by exercising the right to elect the authorities according to the indigenous normative systems of each people, to combat corruption and division of bad governments and thus ensure the defense of our Mother Earth and community harmony.”

More specifically, they asked the authorities to respond positively to the requests presented by the Community Government Commissions of the municipalities of Chilon and Sitala to the Electoral and Citizen Participation Institute (IEPC in tis Spanish acronym) of Chiapas, on November 17th for that they can govern themselves according to their own indigenous normative system.

For more information in Spanish:

Indígenas de Chiapas denuncian amenaza constante de megaproyectos y ambición de trasnacionales (Proceso 20 de noviembre de 2017)

MODEVITE se expresa en sus 12 frentes y afirma su apoyo a los municipios de Chilón y Sitalá en su búsqueda del gobierno comunitario (MODEVITE 20 de noviembre de 2017)

Pronunciamiento de las Comisiones de Gobierno Comunitario de Chilón y Sitalá (Boletín de prensa del MODEVITE 18 de noviembre de 2017)

Comisiones de Sitalá y Chilón exigen al IEPC respetar su derecho al Gobierno Comunitario, sin partidos políticos (Anuncio de Conferencia de prensa del MODEVITE 17 de noviembre de 2017)

Para más información de SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Pronunciamiento de MOVEDITE ante las campañas políticas anticipadas (22 de agosto de 2017)

Chiapas : Culmina peregrinación de 12 días del Movimiento de Defensa de la Vida y el Territorio en San Cristóbal de Las Casas (29 de noviembre de 2016)

Chiapas/International: The Zoque Believing People to Receive 2017 Nobel Peace Prize

Photo:@Chiapas Denuncia Pública

On October 18th, 2017, a press conference was held in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, to announce that the Indigenous Movement of the Zoque Believing People in Defense of Life and the Earth (ZODEVITE in its Spanish acronym) will receive the 2017 International Peace Prize. from the hands of the international organization Pax Christi, on October 29th in Rome, Italy.

In its press release the Zoque Believing People recognized that this peaceful movement is a call to stop the crisis of our civilization that threatens our world: “The Zoque peoples have declared themselves in permanent defense of our territories so that the different ways of life (human, animal and nature) are respected and revalued for the survival of humanity “

Their way of seeing this reality has been worthy of this award: “extractive megaprojects represent death and devastation for land and life, which is generated from above, that is, by the interests of transnational companies in their desire to accumulate material riches that only bring environmental, economic and political problems.”

They pointed out that: “For a decade now, have been trying to install mining, hydroelectric, geothermal and hydrocarbon extraction projects our Zoques in Chiapas that threaten to destroy a large part of the biocultural heritage, especially symbolic places such as the Chichonal Volcano – the house of the Piogba chuwe – and the mist mountains of Rayon and Tapalapa, but mainly large areas of corn crops, where the Zoques sustain their life, their cosmovision and love for the land are at risk because of the tender and concession of more than 160,000 hectares of land to private and foreign companies from several countries “.

This award “represents an encouragement in our journey and recognition of children, women, men and elderly Zoques who have decided to raise their voices to show the world their indignation and deep love for the land, which commits us to continue building the resistance of indigenous peoples, but it is also a message of peace and hope for all those peoples of Latin America who fight for life, water, land and territory.”

For more information in Spanish:

El Premio Internacional de Paz representa un aliento en nuestro caminar: Pueblo Creyente Zoque. (Chiapas Denuncia Pública, 18 de octubre de 2017)

Pueblo Zoque en Defensa de la Vida recibirá Premio Internacional de Paz. (CDH fray Bartolomé de las Casas, 5 de octubre de 2017)

Por qué el Pueblo Creyente Zoque marcha a favor del Agua, la Tierra y la Vida. (Otros Mundos Chiapas, 19 de junio de 2017

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: El pueblo Zoque se está movilizando contra los mega-proyectos en Chiapas. (29 de junio de 2017)

Chiapas: machan ejidos y comunidades de la zona zoque contra los proyectos extractivos. (3 de mayo de 2017)

Chiapas: Libre activista zoque, Silvia Juárez Juárez. (4 de julio de 2017)

San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, October 12th, 2017.

Joint communiqué.

International accompaniment and observation of human rights

The Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights, (Frayba) and the International Peace Service (SIPAZ) report that they will be accompanying the caravan organized in the framework of the tour of the National Indigenous Congress and the Indigenous Council of Government, which will take place from October 13th to 19th of this year in the state of Chiapas according to the following announced program:

Friday, October 13th, 2017.- Start of caravan to Las Margaritas.

Saturday, October 14th, 2017.- Village of Guadalupe Tepeyac.

Sunday, October 15th, 2017.- Morelia Caracol.

Monday, October 16th, 2017.- La Garrucha Caracol.

Tuesday October 17th, 2017 .- Roberto Barrios Caracol.

Wednesday, October 18th, 2017.- Palenque.

Thursday October 19th, 2017.- Oventik Caracol.

The objective of the accompaniment will be to provide a presence for observation and documentation for the respect of human rights in the course of the caravan and in the planned events. Regrettably, in the face of the denunciations made by the National Indigenous Congress (CNI in its Spanish acronym) in recent months, which have included threats, attacks and aggressions, we see this deterrent presence as necessary. We consider it important that these activities be carried out with peace of mind, as part of a peaceful organizational effort aimed at defending the rights of indigenous peoples in the country.

The present communiqué is to inform the Mexican authorities and international human rights bodies, so that in their area of ​​competence, they provide guarantees of protection to the caravan, which we reiterate, is a civil and peaceful action.

In the same way, we ask for guarantees of respect and protection of the integrity and safety of the members of the caravan, the right to life, and individual and collective rights and freedoms, guaranteeing in the immediate future the necessary conditions to carry out the caravan, without police accompaniment being considered in the activities.

The members of SIPAZ will be present in the activities wearing vests with the organization logo and the text ‘international observer’.

The members of the Frayba will be accompanying the Caravan as human rights observers.

See: https://www.congresonacionalindigena.org/

We call for permanent accompaniment by international human rights organizations.

We call for national and international solidarity to demand the Mexican State in its three levels of government:

1.- Guarantee the work of human rights defenders in Mexico.

2.- Immediately adopt appropriate measures to guarantee the safety and physical integrity of the members of the Caravan of the National Indigenous Congress as well as the Indigenous Council of Government.

3.- Ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9th, 1998.

4.- In general, ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards ratified by Mexico.

We declare that we will be attentive at all points of the tour, with the aim of ensuring respect for human rights and documenting any security incident.

This communiqué has been sent to the authorities of the Mexican State, as well as to international human rights bodies.

For more information:

Congreso Nacional Indígena (CNI)

Este sábado se registra Marichuy, la aspirante presidencial zapatista (El Proceso, 6 de octubre de 2017)

La aspirante indígena a la presidencia de México rechaza dinero público para su campaña (El País, 9 de octubre de 2017)

Para más información en ingles:

Mexico’s Indigenous Congress: Decolonising politics (Al Jazeera, 27 de septiembre de 2017)

Zapatista-Backed Indigenous Woman Registers to Run for Mexican Presidency (teleSUR, 7 de octubre de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas/Nacional : Candidata presidencial “no es decisión de una persona” (Subcomandante Moíses) (15 de noviembre de 2016)

Chiapas / Nacional : CNI y EZLN realizarán consulta para nombrar a una candidata indígena hacia las elecciones presidenciales de 2018 (15 de octubre de 2016)

Guerrero: ‘Alert’ Declared to Protect Human Rights Defenders

On September 11th, the National Network of Civil Organisms for Human Rights “All Rights for All” (Red TDT in Spanish) announced the launch of an Alert for human rights defenders in Guerrero. The purpose of this alert is to take actions that especially protect the organizations that are part of the TDT Network in that state: the Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon Regional Center for Defense of Human Rights, (Chilapa), the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center (Tlapa), as well as the Collective Against Torture and Impunity.

As the first action of this alert, a civil observation mission will be held in Chilapa and Chilpancingo on September 19th and 20th. According to Proceso magazine, this mission aims to have dialogue with victims of human rights violations, to note the difficulties that human rights defenders live on a daily basis in that area and to visit places that have experienced forced displacement.

The TDT Network stated that, “facing State inaction, civil society is obliged to generate follow-up and visibility actions, in order to protect individuals and groups that defend human rights.” It reported, however, that it hopes to have a “high level” meeting with Governor Hector Astudillo, members of his cabinet and mayors from different municipalities affected by violence.

 For more information in Spanish:

ONG documentarán atropellos en Guerrero (La Jornada, 18 de septiembre de 2017)

SE REALIZARÁ LA PRIMERA MISIÓN CIVIL DE OBSERVACIÓN A CHILAPA (Centro de derechos humanos Tlachinollan, 17 de septiembre de 2017)

Ante el desastre de la seguridad; la defensa comunitaria (Centro de derechos humanos Tlachinollan, 18 de septiembre de 2017)

Organizaciones emiten alerta para proteger a activistas en Guerrero (La Jornada, 11 de septiembre de 2017)

Ponen en marcha “Alerta” para proteger a defensores de derechos humanos en Guerrero (Proceso, 11 de septiembre de 2017)

Alerta Defensa DH | Red TDT declara Alerta para personas defensoras del Estado de Guerrero y anuncia Misión de Observación (RedTDT, 10 de septiembre de 2017)

Chiapas: EZLN Sixth Commission Announces Tour Program for Indigenous Council of Government

Photo: @ Letra Roja

On September 15th, the EZLN Sixth Commission convened the start of the Indigenous Council of Government tour in Chiapas for October 14th, 2017. The Council’s spokesperson is Maria de Jesus Patricio, a possible independent candidate for the 2018 presidency. The events will take place

“in the framework of the National Working Assembly between the Indigenous Council of Government and the peoples who make up the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) to be held at CIDECI, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, October 12, 13, and 19, 2017.”

 The communiqué indicates that from October 14th to 19th, 2017, they will visit four caracoles, the town of Guadalupe Tepeyac and the municipality of Palenque for “a series of events to greet the Indigenous Council Of Government—the voice, ear, and heart of the indigenous peoples of the CNI.”

According to the schedule published last Friday the events will be held according to the following order:

“Saturday, October 14th, 2017: Community of Guadalupe Tepeyac, MAREZ (Zapatista Autonomous Municipality in Rebellion) of “San Pedro de Michoacan.” Time undetermined, as it depends on how much time it takes to get from CIDECI to Guadalupe Tepeyac. The CIG delegation will stay there overnight.

Sunday, October 15th, 2017: Caracol of Morelia, MAREZ of “17 de Noviembre,” Tzotz Choj zone.  Time undetermined, as it depends on how much time it takes to get from Guadalupe Tepeyac to the caracol of Morelia. The CIG delegation will stay there overnight.

Monday, October 16th, 2017: Caracol of Garrucha, MAREZ of “Francisco Gómez,” Selva Tzeltal zone. Time undetermined, as it depends on how much time it takes to get from the caracol of Morelia to the caracol of Garrucha. The CIG delegation will stay there overnight.

Tuesday, October 17th, 2017: Caracol of Roberto Barrios, MAREZ of “Trabajo,” northern zone of Chiapas. Time undetermined, as it depends on how much time it takes to get from the caracol of Garrucha to the caracol of Roberto Barrios. The CIG delegation will stay there overnight.

Wednesday, October 18th, 2017: Bad government municipality of Palenque, Chiapas. 10:00am. Travel to CIDECI in San Cristobal de Las Casas. The CIG will stay overnight at CIDECI.

Thursday, October 19, 2017. Caracol of Oventik, MAREZ of “San Andrés Sakamch’en de los Pobres,” Highlands zone of Chiapas. Return to CIDECI where the work of the assembly concludes.”

 For more information in Spanish:

Programa de la gira del Consejo Indígena de Gobierno en Chiapas, del 14 al 19 de Octubre del 2017 (Enlace Zapatista, 15 de septiembre del 2017)

María de Jesús Patricio realizará gira por Chiapas (La Jornada, 16 de septiembre del 2017)

Candidata zapatista prepara gira por Chiapas en octubre (SDPnoticias.com, 16 de septiembre del 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional / Chiapas : El CNI conforma su Concejo Indígena de Gobierno y elige a su vocera (31 de mayo del 2017)

Chiapas/Nacional : Candidata presidencial “no es decisión de una persona” (Subcomandante Moíses) (15 de noviembre del 2017)

Chiapas / Nacional : CNI y EZLN realizarán consulta para nombrar a una candidata indígena hacia las elecciones presidenciales de 2018 (15 de octubre del 2016)