Guerrero: Relatives Organize Protests 34 Months after Ayotzinapa Tragedy

March for Justice for Ayotzinapa student teachers. Photo@: SIPAZ

July 26, 2017, marked 34 months since the forced disappearance of 43 students from the Raul Isidro Burgos Normal School in Ayotzinapa and the violent death of three others.

In a statement entitled “Listen to my voice, 43”, the mothers and fathers of the disappeared declared that they were “firm and dignified in the struggle for the presentation of our children alive.” They stated, “We are not scared or discouraged by the threats, repression and lies of the government.” In a march on the Paseo de la Reforma they reiterated to the Attorney General’s Office (PGR in its Spanish acronym) their demand that they follow the four lines of investigation that would lead them to the whereabouts of their children: 1. the Mexican Army, 2. Huitzuco, 3. cell phones and 4. the transfer of drugs from Iguala to Chicago as a motive for the crime.

In the statement they also called for a massive participation in the “Listen to my voice 43” days of protest to be held from September 15th to 26th, in several states of the Country “for the presentation of the 43 alive and thousands more, for justice for the murdered, for the freedom of political prisoners, for the abrogation of structural reforms, against the dispossession of our lands and natural assets and against the rising cost of living.”

 For more information in Spanish:

Pronunciamiento Escucha mi voz 43 (Comité de Padres y Madres de los 43 y Comité Estudiantil Ricardo Flores Magón de la Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos de Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, a 26 de julio de 2017)

Padres de los 43 exigen al gobierno de Peña deje de sostener la “verdad histórica” (Proceso , a 26 de julio de 2017)

Padres de los 43 marchan en la CDMX (La Jornada en línea, a 26 de julio de 2017)

Gobierno y organismos internacionales silencian caso Ayotzinapa (TeleSur, a 26 de julio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero: Sesión de seguimiento de la CIDH del caso Ayotzinapa : avances nulos (10 de julio de 2017)

Guerrero / Chiapas: Llega la Caravana de Ayotzinapa a San Cristóbal de las Casas (3 de julio de 2017)

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)

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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: Follow-up Session of IACHR on Ayotzinapa Case Reports No Progress

Photo @ SIPAZ

On July 6th, the Ayotzinapa hearing was held at the 163rd session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Lima, Peru. The IACHR expressed its concern about poor progress.

According to the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center, the stagnation of the investigations, the use of technology to spy on victims and members of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (IGIE) and the inconsistencies of the historical truth were exposed, given that it was recognized that nine of the students’ phones were active after September 26, 2014.

Given this lack of progress, the relatives of Ayotzinapa informed the IACHR that they had to protest to demand truth and justice, but the response has been criminalization, threats, physical attacks, defamation campaigns and even spying. They also recalled that there are lines of investigation that the State agreed to resolve in June but to date have not presented results.

For more information in Spanish:


Estado mexicano exhibe ante la CIDH resultados en caso Ayotzinapa (Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña Tlachinolla, a 7 de julio de 2017)

Celulares activos tras desaparición de los 43 (La Jornada Maya, 6 de julio de 2017)
Analiza CIDH caso Ayotzinapa (La Jornada, 6 de julio de 2017)

Evaluará la CIDH los avances de mecanismo para el caso Ayotzinapa, este jueves en Lima, Perú (El Sur de Acapulco, a 4 de julio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:


Guerrero / Chiapas: Llega la Caravana de Ayotzinapa a San Cristóbal de las Casas (3 de julio de 2017)

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/Chiapas: Ayotzinapa Caravan Arrives to San Cristobal de Las Casas

Press conference of the relatives of the 43 disappeared student teachers from Ayotzinapa in Cathedral Square, San Cristobal de Las Casas.  Photo @ Sipaz

On July 1st, the South Southeast Caravan of relatives and students of the 43 disappeared student teachers from Ayotzinapa (2014) arrived to San Cristobal de Las Casas on the last stage of their journey. The caravan was welcomed by students from the Jacinto Canek Intercultural Normal School, members of the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE in its Spanish acronym), as well as various groups and social organizations. The objective of the caravan was to make known the “four essential roads for truth and justice” of the case:

– open a thorough investigation into elements of the Mexican Army present during the night of September 26th, 2014.

– the arrest of members of the federal, municipal, ministerial and State police that carried at least 25 Huitzuco students.

– analyze the students’ cell phone activity and their geographical location and hand over the results to the relatives.

– to investigate the transfer of the drugs from Iguala to Chicago as a motive for the aggression.

At a press conference, Felipe de la Cruz, a spokesman for relatives, revealed that, “two telephones of the 17 student taechers continued to function and a message was sent from Military Camp Number 1 in Mexico City and another from the Center Research and National Security (CISEN in its Spanish acronym). And through investigations of independent bodies, it is known that the students Julio Cesar Ramirez Nava and Daniel Solis Gallardo, were killed with bullets manufactured by the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA in its Spanish acronym).”

At the end of the press conference, Felipe Cruz said that “the State crime committed in Ayotzinapa cannot be forgotten because if we stop fighting today it will happen again and other Mexican families will live that nightmare.”

 For more information in Spanish:

Reciben en San Cristóbal de las Casas a padres de los 43 (La Jornada, Sabado 01 de julio de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional/ Guerrero : Caravana en el Sur Sureste en búsqueda de los desaparecidos de Ayotzinapa (27 de junio de 2017)

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)

Chiapas: FNLS Reports Delay in Forensic Investigation into Case of Minor Murdered in Ocosingo

Photo@ tiempo y forma

On June 26th, 2017, a team of Argentine forensics arrived to Chiapas to investigate the cause of death of Humberto Morales Santiz, aged 13, and from El Carrizal, who was assassinated in February 2017.

The Argentine experts found it difficult to start their activities due to the lack of X-rays that the Mexican government should have provided.

The National Front of the Fight for Socialism (FNLS in its Spanish acronym) demanded that “no motive obstructs the laudable work that will contribute to the right to the truth for the victim’s next of kin; trial and punishment for the material authors and responsible for the execution of our compañero; dismantlement and expulsion of the police-paramilitary camp that is unconstitutionally located in El Carrizal.”

Simultaneously, 14 members of the FNLS were detained while distributing information at the Chiapa de Corzo toll booth on the Tuxtla-San Cristobal highway on June 29th, 2017.

For more information in Spanish:

Forenses argentinos arriban a Chiapas para aclarar caso de menor asesinado en Ocosingo (FNLS, 27 de junio de 2017)

Represión y desalojo violento de la policía estatal preventiva a compañeros del Frente Nacional de Lucha por el Socialismo (FNLS, 27 de junio de 2017)

Detienen a 14 miembros del FNLS por toma de caseta en Chiapas (Proceso, 29 de junio de 2017)

For more information from SIAPZ:

Chiapas: Jornada Nacional: “Las víctimas del terrorismo de Estado son del pueblo, no desistiremos ¡hasta encontrarlos!” (14 de marzo de 2017)

Chiapas: “Jornada nacional contra el terrorismo del estado en Chiapas” del FNLS (2 de mayo de 2016)

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)

National/International: Mexico Second Most Violent Country World (IISS)

On May 9th, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) published the results of its 2017 Armed Conflict Study, which places Mexico as the second country with the highest number of deaths (23,000 counted in 2016) after Syria (50,000), and before Afghanistan (17,000) and Iraq (16,000). Mexico is the only country in America in the top ten.

The IISS claims that the levels violence coming from the fight against organized crime in Mexico reached those of a country in open war. “It is very unusual for criminal violence to reach a level similar to an armed conflict. But it happened in the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador) and especially in Mexico”, the IISS warned.

 The Mexican Interior Ministry (SEGOB in its Spanish acronym) and Ministry for Foreign Affairs (SRE in its Spanish acronym) criticized the report questioning both the figures that it uses for being “unlikely” and “lacking technical rigor”; such as the fact that “Organized crime violence is a regional phenomenon that goes beyond the borders that Mexico shares with the United States, Guatemala and Belize, among many other countries. The challenges Mexico faces in this area cannot be isolated from related phenomena in other jurisdictions, such as arms trafficking and drug demand. The fight against transnational organized crime must be analyzed in an integral way.”

For more information in Spanish:

México es el segundo país del mundo con más muertos por “guerra”, según estudio (SDP Noticias, 9 de mayo de 2017)

México alcanzó los niveles de violencia de un país en guerra abierta: IISS (Proceso, 9 de mayo de 2017)

México, el segundo país más violento del mundo: IISS (La Jornada, 9 de mayo de 2017)

La SRE y Segob niegan que haya un conflicto armado en México; Trump retuitea encuesta inglesa (Sin Embargo, 10 de mayo de 2017)

Reporte del IISS sobre la violencia en México “carece de rigor técnico”: Segob y SRE (Proceso, 10 de mayo de 2017)

 For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional : Pobres resultados diez años después de iniciar la guerra contra el crimen organizado ; El Ejército seguirá en las calles, EPN (16 de diciembre de 2016)