Chiapas: Residents of Chiapa de Corzo Reject EPN’s Visit on International Day of Indigenous Peoples

Photo@ proceso.com.mx

On August 7th, President Enrique Peña Nieto arrived in Chiapa de Corzo along with the governor of Chiapas Manuel Velasco Suarez, to commemorate “International Day of Indigenous Peoples.”

According to Aristegui News: “From a day before their arrival, the inhabitants of Chiapa de Corzo expressed their rejection of the visit of the President and declared him ‘persona non grata.'”

“The heroic Chiapa de Corzo does not receive traitors and we consider that Peña Nieto is a traitor to the country because he has reformed the laws against the Mexican people, given up its natural resources, delivered the oil, energy, and will continue to deliver our people (…) we do not want a traitor sellout and murderer.”

According to Angeles Mariscal, a journalist Aristegui News: “Chiapacorceños congregated in the central square of the municipality. They carried banners of rejection for Peña, and walked around the site playing traditional drums and flutes. Riot police surrounded the demonstrators to prevent them from reaching the venue, a sports center.”

Due to this, the planned speeches by both Enrique Peña Nieto and Governor Manuel Velasco were shortened, however, both gave importance to the introduction of Special Economic Zones, which according to Aristegui News is a “project which seeks the investment of private initiative to exploit the natural resources of Chiapas through economic incentives.”

The governor of Chiapas also said, “that this economic policy that now only contemplates the Soconusco zone of Chiapas, must be replicated in the indigenous region.”

He then gave some scholarships to young people and ended his visit and returned to Mexico City.

For more information in Spanish:

Habitantes de Chiapa de Corzo declaran “non grato” a Peña Nieto y policía los reprime. (Aristegui Noticias, 8 de agosto de 2017)

Enfrentamientos por visita de EPN a Chiapas. (La Jornada, 7 de agosto de 2017)

Previo a su visita, declaran a Peña Nieto “persona non grata” en Chiapa de Corzo. (Proceso, 7 de agosto de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas : denuncian criminalización de defensores de la Madre Tierra en zona zoque

México/Nacional: Diputados aprueban Ley Federal de Zonas Económicas Especiales

Oaxaca: Se amparan pueblos del Istmo contra Zona Económica Especial (ZEE)

Chiapas: Las Abejas de Acteal “Roots, Memory and Hope” Tour

First day in Acteal.  Photo: @Sipaz

On July 18th and 19th, as part of its “Acteal, Roots, Memory and Hope Campaign”, Las Abejas de Acteal toured the communities of Acteal and Nuevo Yibeljo to publicize their path as survivors and Victims of the Acteal Massacre and as members of the organization.

“The aim of this campaign, in the framework of the 20 years of struggle against impunity in the Acteal massacre and the 25 years of organization and resistance, and the walk of Las Abejas, is to raise awareness among children, young people, men, women, the elderly, so that our people may continue to walk in the struggle to seek peace, justice and the good life of for society. And make it clear, to never surrender to the programs and projects of bad government that only brings death.”

They shared the history of the foundation of Las Abejas and testimony of some survivors about how the massacre happened on December 22nd, 1997, “implemented by the 3 levels of government, it is a state crime.”

The different working groups such as the choir of Acteal, health promoters, women artisans, communication, theater, savings bank, education, also participated where they gave their different tasks.

The next tour is scheduled for early August.

 For more information in Spanish:

Para seguir trabajando con nuestra campaña, Acteal: Raíz, Memoria y Esperanza. (Las Abejas de Acteal)

 For more information SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Comunicado de Las Abejas de Acteal en el marco de la conmemoración mensual de la masacre

Chiapas: lanzamiento de la campaña Acteal: Raíz, Memoria y Esperanza

Chiapas: Conmemoración de los 19 años de la masacre de Acteal

 

Guerrero: Injunction Granted to Me’Phaa Community against Mining in Guerrero

Members of the San Miguel de Progreso Commission. Photo@: Tlachinollan

On June 28th, the Me’Phaa community of San Miguel del Progreso – “Juba Wajiín” – were granted an injunction against the Declaration of Land Freedom, which considered their territory free for mining activity. According to the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center (Tlachinollan), the injunction and protection by Federal Justice were granted to the Community of San Miguel del Progreso, as there was essentially foundation for the claim of violation, and therefore non-compliance with the constitutional and conventional obligation of the Mexican State to respect the rights of this indigenous-agrarian community Me’phaa de La Montaña de Guerrero was demonstrated.

It should be remembered that this is the second injunction granted to the community of San Miguel del Progreso – “Juba Wajiín” – against the mining threat in their territory. The first judgment of injunction against mining concessions was notified on February 12th, 2014. The challenge of that historic ruling brought the case before the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN in its Spanish acronym).

Tlachinollan considers that this injunction “is an unprecedented achievement for the indigenous community and a recognition of the tireless and millennial struggle of the Me’phaa community of San Miguel del Progreso and the Regional Council of Agricultural Authorities of Montaña de Guerrero in the defense of their territory and their life in the face of the threat posed by open pit mining, which also encourages them to continue to organize locally and regionally.”

For more information in Spanish:

Júba Wajiín: Un rayo contra las mineras (Centro de derechos Humanos de la Montaña, a 17 de julio de 2017)

Otorgan amparo a comunidad Me’Phaa contra la explotación minera en Guerrero (Proceso, a 11 de julio de 2017)

Comunidad Me’Phaa de San Miguel del Progreso gana amparo contra Declaratoria de Libertad de Terrenos (Centro de derechos Humanos de la Montaña, a 11 de julio de 2017)

Otorgan amparo a comunidad me´phaa ante explotación minera (La Jornada, a 11 de julio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero: San Miguel del Progreso exige resolución del amparo 429/2016 (24 de abril de 2017)

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)

Guerrero: Right to Elect Authorities by Traditions and Customs in Ayutla de los Libres Recognized

Inhabitants approve of the consultation El Paraiso, Photo@: Resumen Latinoamericano

After more than five years of struggle, the municipality of Ayutla de los Libres in the state of Guerrero got the local government to recognize their right to choose authorities according to traditions and customs, whose promoters faced a climate of intimidation from a range of political parties.

According to La Jornada, the scheme of traditions and customs establishes that each neighborhood of the 140 communities in the municipality elects two representatives – a man and a woman – who in turn form part of an assembly that appoints officials of the new government, their duties and how the budget should be used.

The new community government of Ayutla will take office in July 2018.

For more information in Spanish:

Reconocen a Ayutla de los Libres derecho de elegir autoridades mediante usos y costumbres (La Jornada, a 17 de junio de 2017)

México: La localidad de Ayutla de los Libres, en Guerrero, se regirá sin partidos políticos en julio de 2018; es hora de que los pueblos se gobiernen (Resumen Latinoamericano, 15 de junio de 2017)

 

Oaxaca: Campaign against SEZ Announced

Special Economic Zones (@Proceso)

On June 22nd, during the forum “Special Economic Zones and Implications in Community Life and the Environment”, about 250 participants from 50 civil and social organizations expressed their rejection of “the implementation of the SEZs in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca and elsewhere in the state.”

Participants pointed out that SEZs are intended to generate employment but through the implementation of mining, wind, and gas mega-projects, among others, which would end the communal life of indigenous peoples. Furthermore, they denounced that they promote extralegal and paramilitary violence and are the spearhead of the extractive and predatory industries that today are covered under the laws of the SEZs that benefit them.

They also pledged “to implement a massive campaign of counter information on SEZs and megaprojects, and to hold regional and state forums to strengthen the defense of our territories.”

For more information in Spanish: 

Anuncian campaña contra las ZEE (El Sol del Istmo, 28 de junio de 2017)

Advierten “nueva oleada de devastación” en Oaxaca con la creación de las Zonas Económicas Especiales (Proceso, 27 de junio de 2017)

Declaratoria del foro: “Zonas Economicas Especiales y las implicaciones en la vida comunitaria y al medio ambiente” (EDUCA, 26 de junio de 2017)

Con las Zonas Económicas Especiales se avista una nueva devastación para Oaxaca (Regeneración, 28 de junio de 2017)

El capital internacional y la élite política mexicana se ciernen sobre el territorio Oaxaqueño con avaricia, avidez y rapacidad (Activista, 28 de junio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional: El Senado aprueba la Ley Federal de Zonas Económicas Especiales (ZEE) (15 de abril de 2016)

México / Nacional: Diputados aprueban Ley Federal de Zonas Económicas Especiales (18 de diciembre 2015)

Oaxaca: comunidades del Istmo presentan amparo ante la ZEE (noviembre de 2016)

Chiapas: Zoque People Mobilizing against Mega-projects in Chiapas

The movement declared itself against extractivist projects, “which put the social, environmental and cultural life of the 60,000 Zoque speakers at risk.” Photo: @Sipaz

On June 22nd, the indigenous movement of the Zoque Believing People in Defense of Life and the Earth organized a pilgrimage in Tuxtla Gutierrez, in which about six thousand people from 3 zones, members of civil society as well as priests of the Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutierrez and the diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas participated, according to La Jornada.

Participants denounced that the energy reform approved in 2013 along with ten other constitutional reforms “constitute a serious threat of dispossession of indigenous peoples’ lands”, as only their proponents would benefit from them.

In this case, the International Public Bidding known as Round 2.2 involves “the concession of 12 natural gas and oil extraction wells in the coastal states of the Gulf of Mexico and Southeastern Basin, which is composed of 12 blocks, two of which have an impact on the state of Chiapas. A total of 84,500 hectares of land in nine municipalities in northern Chiapas would be used for the extraction of natural gas through dispossession and environmental contamination of Zoque territory.”

Blocks 10 and 11 in Chiapas would affect the municipalities of Tecpatan, Francisco Leon, Ostuacan, the town of Chapultenango, Ixtacomitan, Ixtapangajoya, Pichucalco, Solosuchiapa, Sunuapa and even Teapa (Tabasco) in order to obtain moist gas, light oil and super light oil.

Photo: @Sipaz

In March 2017, representatives of the movement reported a series of irregularities in the bidding process awarded by the Federal Government’s Energy Secretariat (SENER in its Spanish acronym), because all the affected communities were not consulted and there were no translators in their maternal Zoque language and neither has an Environmental Impact Statement been presented as required by law.

According to the movement, the specific risks would be “excessive use of water, migratory movements, contamination of soil, air and springs, loss of biodiversity, environmental imbalance, reduction of food production, damage to property and public health.”

 The movement stated that they are proceeding “to make the corresponding complaints before the national and international courts over omission in the absence of the presentation of the corresponding Environmental Impact Statement, as well as by the faults that are being committed in the process prior, free and informed consultation.”

Equally, the National Indigenous Congress (CNI in its Spanish acronym) said that “we salute the mobilization and organization undertaken from below for respect for what is theirs … to resist and to repudiate in an organized manner the so-called Round 2.2 on their ancestral territory with which the capitalists plan the extermination of the peoples of the north of Chiapas.”

Photo: @Sipaz

For more information in Spanish:

Pagina facebook del movimiento

Comunidades zoques resisten a proyectos de despojo (Chiapas Denuncia, a 22 de Junio 2017)

Marchan 6 mil personas en Chiapas en rechazo a explotación de hidrocarburos (La Jornada, a 23 de Junio 2017)

“Alto al despojo, destrucción y muerte”: Pueblo Zoque ante Ronda 2.2 de la SENER que ofrece su territorio al mejor postor (Desinformémonos, a 23 de Junio 2017)

Pronunciamiento del Congreso Nacional Indígena en apoyo y solidaridad con la lucha del pueblo Zoque y por la libertad de Luis Fernando Sotelo (Enlace Zapatista, a 23 de Junio 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: machan ejidos y comunidades de la zona zoque contra los proyectos extractivos

Chiapas: Libre activista zoque, Silvia Juárez Juárez

Chiapas : denuncian criminalización de defensores de la Madre Tierra en zona zoque

Chiapas : comunidades zoques se oponen a extracción de hidrocarburos en el norte de Chiapas

 

Chiapas: The Center for Women’s Rights Denounces Lack of Due Process and Access to Justice in Cases of Violence against Women and Femicides

Photo: @CDMCH

On June 26th, 2017, the Center for Women’s Rights of Chiapas (CDMCH in its Spanish acronym), announced that the state government has failed both to implement the urgent measures and the basic agreements taken in the different sessions of the Inter-Institutional and Multidisciplinary Group, established since the Declaration of a Gender Violence Alert of (GVA) in Chiapas, more than half a year ago now. It is worth mentioning that on November 18th, 2016, the GVA was declared in the state of Chiapas.

 The CDMCH stated that, “We denounce in particular the most recurring acts and omissions that we continue to document in our day-to-day work as Rights Defenders before the bodies responsible for procuring and administering justice in Chiapas.”

Specifically, they showed “Omission by the Operators of the system to their duty to preserve the life, physical integrity, rights and interests of women in situations of violence” as well as “Omission in the application of the Protocol of Operative and Technical Action in the Investigation of the crimes of homicide and femicide.”

The Center for Women’s Rights in Chiapas reported that “These patterns of action and omission are just some of the most common that we observe in a systematically, directly by the cases that we have accompanied we have documented these faults in prosecutors such as Bachajon, Yajalon, Ocosingo and San Cristobal; similarly in other Districts, without the Indigenous Public Prosecution taking on the responsibility conferred, we document negligent attention to indigenous people of municipalities such as Salto de Agua, Palenque, Margaritas and Teopisca.”

 Therefore, the CDMCH assured that “we will remain vigilant to the actions that the State implements to meet its obligation to safeguard the life and integrity of women in the state.”

For more information in Spanish:

Omisiones ante Alerta de Violencia de Género en Chiapas (26 de junio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Centro de Derechos de la mujer de Chiapas denuncia amenazas (8 de diciembre de 2015)

Guerrero : emiten Alerta de Género en 8 estados (24 de junio de 2017)