Guerrero: Tlachinollan Responds to CDI Accusations of Misappropriation of Funds

In a press release published on June 12th, the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center denied the claims of the head of the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI in its Spanish acronym), Lenin Carbajal Cabrera, in the sense that the organization would be implicated in misappropriation of public resources destined to indigenous communities of Guerrero Mountain, after the effects of the hurricanes Ingrid and Manuel in 2013.

Carbajal Cabrera publicly stated that there are no longer funds to support the 16,000 indigenous people affected and that the census that Tlachinollan manages includes officials and people who would not need social assistance.

Tlachinollan, which has accompanied the Council of Affected Communities of the Mountain, denied these allegations and stated that, “the Mexican authorities use slander and defamation against defenders who are uncomfortable for [for those in] power, because they highlight the omissions of the State and defend the human rights of those who have least. ” The Council of Communities for its part denounced that “it is inadmissible that an official who is said to represent the indigenous peoples centers his attack against the same communities that have been defrauded by public officials and construction companies, that after more than four years have not completed the works programmed to become accomplices of this millionaire heist. Now it turns out that they want to audit the poor families of the Mountain and we made to look like fraudsters that handle false data and that we are getting profits of millions from a program of staple grains, whose resources are managed and operated by the same CDI. “

 For more information in Spanish:

Acusa la CDI a Abel Barrera de desviar recursos del Programa Alimentario en la Montaña (Transfondo Informativo, 12 de junio de 2017)

COMUNICADO | ¿Quiénes defraudan y traicionan al pueblo? (Consejo de Comunidades de la Montaña, 13 de junio de 2017)

No desviamos fondos federales de afectados por tormentas: Tlachinollan (Contralínea, 14 de junio de 2017)

 For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero: movilización masiva para garantizar los derechos básicos en la Montaña (7 de febrero de 2017)

Guerrero: Se logra acuerdo para implementación de un programa de abastecimiento de granos básicos para los damnificados de la Montaña (22 de febrero 2014)
Guerrero: Damnificados de la Montaña realizan “Peregrinación del Hambre” por falta de apoyo gubernamental (5 de febrero de 2014)
Guerrero: Damnificados de las tormentas migran para poder subsistir (22 de octubre de 2013)

Guerrero: Attack on Proceso Correspondent

Ezequiel Flores Contreras (@Desinformémonos)

For the seventh time in four years since May 2013, Ezequiel Flores Contreras, the correspondent of Proceso in Guerrero, has been victim of intimidation by unknown and allegedly armed individuals who were in a green car on the night of June 9th. It was also reported that, the day before, people aboard the same vehicle were asking “where the Proceso correspondent lived.” It is worth noting that Ezequiel Flores mainly covers corruption, narco-politics, social conflicts and human rights in the state.

In response to the events, Flores Contreras requested support from the Human Rights and Journalists Protection Mechanism of the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB in its Spanish acronym), of which the journalist is already a beneficiary due to past attacks. According to the same journalist, “the federal authorities took approximately two hours to go to his home and protect the reporter, due to a lack of effective communication between the Mechanism and members of the Federal Police in the state. It was because of the delay that he had to look directly to the officials of the Federal Public Security Secretariat in Guerrero, who finally escorted him to his home.”

ARTICLE 19 has called on the SEGOB Protection Mechanism to carry out the “necessary measures to ensure the journalist’s safety in a prompt manner and according to the risk he faces. The lack of response and attention in time and form put the safety of Flores Contreras and other journalists at risk.” Furthermore, it demanded that the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Attention to Crimes Committed against the Freedom of Expression (FEADLE in its Spanish acronym), investigate crimes committed against Flores Conteras, possibly in connection with his journalistic work.

For more information in Spanish:

Corresponsal de Proceso en Guerrero denuncia actos de hostigamiento en su contra (Proceso, 11 de junio de 2017)

Continúan agresiones contra corresponsal de Proceso, en Guerrero (Artículo 19, 11 de junio de 2017)

Continúa hostigamiento a corresponsal de Proceso en Guerrero: Artículo 19 (Desinformémonos, 12 de junio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero : Atacan a balazos a comunicadora originaria de Xochistlahuaca en Ometepec (5 de junio de 2017)

Nacional/Guerrero: Siguen ataques y homicidios de periodistas y defensores de Derechos Humanos (19 de mayo de 2017)

Guerrero : asesinan al periodista Cecilio Pineda (6 de marzo de 2017)

Guerrero: Extrajudicial Killing of Attorney and Leader of MORENA in Tixtla

Eduardo Catarino Dircio’s wife (Photo @Radio Alborada de Tixtla)

On June 4th, a chase and fighting between groups of armed civilians and state police in Tixtla left a toll of two dead civilians, lawyer Eduardo Catarino Dircio and a suspected member of organized crime, as well as two seriously injured state police officers.

According to his relatives, the 45-year-old lawyer and leader of MORENA in the city, was executed extrajudicially by policemen inside his home and then “they planted a weapon”. They also denounced that “he did not die immediately and agonized for several minutes, even when the police prevented him from being helped, without calling an ambulance to attend to him. After dying, and according to the testimony of Hilda Vazquez [his wife], a firearm of exclusive use of the army was placed on the body of Lic. Eduardo Catarino, in full view of two minors, a daughter and nephew and the impotence of Hilda who were threatened so as not to help.”

In a bulletin, the Jose Maria Morelos y Pavón Regional Center for the Defense of Human Rights and the Collective against Torture and Impunity (CCTI in its Spanish acronym) stated that “the government of the State has not arrested anybody responsible for the extrajudicial killing of Eduardo Catarino Dircio; the State Human Rights Commission has not asked the State Government for precautionary measures for the Catarino Cipriano family, who, by publicly denouncing the extrajudicial and summary execution of Eduardo Catarino Dircio, as well as threats and verbal aggression against relatives and witnesses are in a high risk situation. The situation is aggravated because the spokesman of the state in an effort to hide the facts, in his statements pointing to Lic. Eduardo Catarino Dircio criminalizes him by identifying him as a “hitman”. Such criminalization is an additional grievance for the family, their Tixtla compañeros and lawyers from Guerrero.”

In their bulletin, the two civil organizations indicated that their concern “goes beyond what has happened to this extrajudicial killing that should not go unpunished: we are concerned about the lack of sensitivity of those who are in charge of safeguarding the safety of all citizens of Guerrero; (…) we are concerned that despite the militarization in several violent points of the state such as Chilpancingo, Tixtla and Chilapa, executions and murders continue to occur every day; that the police and army elements continue to give motives to generate distrust among the citizens, for that reason once again we reject the Law of Internal Security.”

 For more information in Spanish:

Denuncian ejecución extrajudicial de abogado de Morena en Guerrero (Proceso, 4 de junio de 2017)

Balacera en Tixtla; acusan a policías estatales de matar a líder de MORENA (El Sur, 5 de junio de 2017)

El abogado asesinado no era un sicario sino un hombre intachable, dice el alcalde de Tixtla (6 de junio de 2017)

La probable ejecución extrajudicial y sumaria del Lic. Eduardo Catarino Dircio debe ser investigada y sus perpetradores llevados ante la justicia. (Boletín del Centro Regional de Defensa de Derechos Humanos “José Ma. Morelos y Pavón” A. C., y del Colectivo Contra la Tortura y la Impunidad A. C., 6 de junio de 2017)

El abogado asesinado por policías en Tixtla no era sicario, se retracta el gobierno (El Sur, 6 de junio de 2017)

Asesinan a militante de Morena en Guerrero; partido acusa ejecución policial, gobierno lo niega

(Animal Político, 6 de junio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero: Levantan en Tixtla a integrante de la CRAC-PC (25 de noviembre de 2016)

Guerrero: Xochistlahuaca Reporter Shot at in Ometepec

Marcela de Jesus Natalia (Photo @Radio Zócalo)

On the morning of June 3rd, the radio and television announcer from Guerrero (RTG), Marcela de Jesus Natalia, an indigenous Amuzga native of Xochistlahuaca and reporter with Guerrero Radio and Television (RTG in its Spanish acronym), was shot at when she left the radio station in the municipality of Ometepec. She was injured by a bullet and is in a serious condition.

Journalists from the state condemned this “new attack on journalists” and demanded that the State Attorney General’s Office find immediate results, as well as a thorough investigation and punishment of the perpetrators of the attack.

They denounced in a public letter that, “in this climate of violence that prevails in Guerrero, the ineffectiveness of the institutions leaves all the citizens of Guerrero in total defenselessness. Anything can happen in Guerrero because the crimes go unpunished, so it is urgent that the investigating authorities give results.”

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) requested the Secretary General of Guerrero to implement precautionary measures to safeguard the integrity, personal safety and life of Marcela de la Cruz Natalia and her family, as well as guarding the facilities of RTG Of Guerrero, and provide protection to those who work there.

 For more information in Spanish:

Condenan periodistas guerrerenses atentado contra locutora amuzga (Radio Fórmula, 3 de junio de 2017)

Atacan a balazos a locutora de habla ñomndaa. Está grave, informe Ssa (Sur de Acapulco, 4 de junio de 2017)

Atacan a balazos a locutora en el municipio de Ometepec, en Guerrero (Animal Político, 4 de junio de 2017)

Grave, locutora indígena que fue tiroteada ayer en Guerrero (La Jornada, 4 de junio de 2017)

Marcela de Jesús, comunicadora baleada en Ometepec, se encuentra grave: SSA de Guerrero (Desinformémonos, 4 de junio de 2016)

 For more information from SIPAZ :

Nacional/Guerrero: Siguen ataques y homicidios de periodistas y defensores de Derechos Humanos (19 de mayo de 2017)

Guerrero : asesinan al periodista Cecilio Pineda (6 de marzo de 2017)
Guerrero: Asesinaron a periodista en Taxco (26 de abril de 2016)

 

National/Guerrero: Attacks and Murders of Journalists and Human Rights Defenders Continue

Photo @ InfoLibre

In the month of May, just as in April, several journalists and human rights defenders were victims of attacks and murders for their activities.

On May 10th, Mothers’ Day, Miriam Elizabeth Rodriguez Martinez, was gunned down by gunmen at her home. After the kidnapping of her daughter, she had founded a group to search for missing persons in Tamaulipas.

On May 13th, seven journalists were ambushed by a group of about 100 armed men. They covered the operation that federal and state authorities initiated in San Miguel Totolapan, in the Tierra Caliente region of Guerrero. They were stripped of their work equipment, cell phones and one of their units by the gunmen, who according to La Jornada, beat them and warned that if they did not hand over their belongings they would burn them with along with everything and their vehicles.

On May 15th, journalist Javier Valdez, a correspondent for La Jornada, was murdered in the capital of Sinaloa. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, David Kaye, and the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Edison Lanza, demanded concrete results from the Special Prosecutor’s Office Of Crimes Against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE in its Spanish acronym) on the investigations into the murder of Javier Valdez.

In his preliminary report, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Defenders and Journalists said that Mexico has become one of the most dangerous countries to practice journalism.

For more information in Spanish:

ONU y CIDH urgen a México frenar ataques a periodistas (Milenio, 18 de mayo de 2017)

La violencia que no cesa, la protección que no alcanza(La Jornada, 16 de mayo 2017)

Grupo armado ataca a siete periodistas en Guerrero (La Jornada, 13 de mayo 2017)

Autoridades dejaron a su suerte a activista ejecutada en Tamaulipas (La Jornada, 12 de mayo 2017)

Hombres armados atacan a periodistas y les quitan su equipo de trabajo en Guerrero (Animal politico, 14 de mayo 2017)

Carta urgente para la protección de los periodistas en Guerrero (Centro de derechos humanos de la montaña Tlachinollan,18 de mayo 2017)

 For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero : asesinan al periodista Cecilio Pineda (6 de marzo de 2017)

Guerrero: Asesinaron a periodista en Taxco (26 de abril de 2016)

 

Guerrero/National: Federal Police Use Tear Gas on Parents of the 43

Father of one of the “43” fater being sprayed with tear gas. Photo@: Tlachinollan

On April 25th, one day before the the completion of 31 months since the forced disappearance of the 43 student teachers from the Raul Isidro Burgos Normal Rural School in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, their relatives were violently evicted by the Federal Police from the facilities of the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) with tear gas cannisters. They were waiting to be met by the Secretary of the Interior, Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, to find out and demand advances in the investigations that aim to reveal the whereabouts of the students, as well as the research lines marked by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (IGIE). Five parents were injured by the effects of tear gas ccording to the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center. Their eyesight and other organs could be at risk according to early medical reports. Tlachinollan denounced that, “in addition to facing the forced disappearance of their children, they face the absence of access to justice and knowledge of the truth.”

It is worth mentioning that during its second official visit to Mexico held from April 19th to 21st, 2017, the Follow-up Mechanism on the Ayotzinapa case noted “the lack of speed in reaching conclusions, both in the search activities and in the effective elucidation of the different lines of research identified by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (IGIE).” The Monitoring Mechanism also stated that “the issuance of public statements by high authorities validating the hypothesis that the 43 students were incinerated in the municipal garbage dump in Cocula is of concern to the Commission”, since the IGIE of the Inter-American Commission itself concluded in its first report that “the minimum fire necessary for the incineration of 43 bodies was not scientifically possible given the evidence found.”

 For more information in Spanish:

Rocían con gas lacrimógeno a padres de normalistas frente a la Secretaría de Gobernación (Animal Politico, 25 de abril de 2017)

Ayotzinapa: La luz que no se apaga (Centro de Derechos Humanos de la montaña Tlachinollan, 24 de abril de 2017)

Vocación represora desaparece 43 y agrede a los padres de familia (Centro de Derechos Humanos de la montaña Tlachinollan, 25 de abril de 2017)

Reprueban ONG agresión contra padres y madres de Ayotzinapa Centro de Derechos Humanos de la montaña Tlachinollan, 24 de abril de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero/ Nacional: Madres y padres de los 43 consideran no acudir a la reunión con la PGR y la CIDH (20 de abril de 2017)

Guerrero : padres de los 43 participan en audiencia de la CIDH (22 de marzo de 2017)

Guerrero: San Miguel del Progreso Demands Resolution to Injunction 429/2016

Photo @: CentroProDh

On April 19, the Me’phaa Indigenous Agrarian Community of San Miguel del Progreso on Guerrero Mountain called for injunction 429/2016 to be resolved in accordance with the highest international standards regarding the collective rights of indigenous peoples.

It should be remembered that in November 2015, the Secretary of the Economy, without prior consultation with the Me’phaa indigenous people, issued a declaration that would allow mining concessions to be obtained from the highest bidder, whether national or international, in over 80% of the territory of San Miguel del Progreso.

In December 2015, the indigenous-agrarian community of San Miguel del Progreso filed for an injunction against this declaration for violating its collective right to consultation, territorial property and the integral protection of indigenous lands.

In the months of July and December 2016, anthropological surveys were carried out that confirmed the irreversible agrarian and indigenous nature of the Community of San Miguel del Progreso and that the release of more than 80% of its territory would put the continuity, viability and sustainability of the community in danger.

On March 31, the constitutional hearing corresponding to injunction 429/2016 was held, and for this reason the community of San Miguel del Progreso is waiting for the declaration to be ruled as being without effect.

For more information in Spanish:
Territorio sagrado no concesionado (Centro de derechos Humanos de la Montaña (Tlachinollan, 19 de abril de 2017)
Respaldan organizaciones la demanda de amparo de San Miguel del Progreso contra las minas (El Sur de Acapulco, 20 de abril de 2017)
San Miguel del Progreso exige suspensión de la declaratoria de libertad del terreno para minería (CentroProdh, 21 de abril de 2017)
For more information from SIPAZ:
Guerrero: San Miguel del Progreso exige se determine inconstitucionalidad de Ley Minera (20 de mayo de 2016)
Guerrero: Comunidad indígena pide a la SCJN revisión de la Ley Minera (2 de julio de 2014)