> /* Written 9:32 PM Feb 16, 1995 by moonlight in igc:reg.mexico */ > /* ---------- "Eng.Version: Human Rights Viol./Iss" ---------- */ > The following are excerpts of reports posted to reg.mexico that are related to > human rights issues and violations and which have been translated into English. > > Hope that they are of help. Cindy Arnold, Volunteer, National Commission for > Democracy in Mexico > > > /* Written 8:49 PM Feb 14, 1995 by laneta:cimac in > igc:reg.mexico */ > /* ---------- "AMADO AVENDA%O" ---------- */ > > REBEL TRANSITIONAL REBEL IN THE STATE OF CHIAPAS. > GOVERNMENT COUNCIL. > > San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, February 14, 1995. > > February 14 > INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN > > VOLUNTEERS IN MORELIA RETURN FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE. > > Five Britains and two Mexicans who had been trapped in the > conflict zone in Chiapas, were able to get to San Cristobal > de las Casas today. > > On Monday February 6th, William Flinn and Emily Ryan, > international volunteers who work in appropriate technology > project, travelled to Morelia, in the municipality of > Altamirano, in order to teach a course on the construction > of latrines. They were accompanied by their daughters Rose > and Ana and by Cecily King, a young relative of Ms. Ryan, as > well as by Michael McCaughan, a Irish journalist. > > When they got to Morelia and the news about the federal > troops had reached the area, the majority of the population > decided to seek refuge in the mountains, fearing that there > would be violence. The visitors, along with about 7 Mexicans > who also were carrying out educational programs in the > community, left with the local population. > > A Caravan of the Medical Commission with CONPAZ, was able to > get to Morelia on Saturday, February 11th, where they talked > with members of the 15 families who had stayed in the > community. Along with collecting information about the > situation, they sent a message to the group that had left, > hoping that the delegation that travelled today to Morelia > would find the volunteers and at least give them the news. > > Finally the British family and two of the Mexicans, Pilar > Contla Reyes and Aida Gonzalez Venegas, were able to get to > Altamirano, where they were transported to Cuxulha, a > village located on the road to San Cristobal de las Casas by > officials with the National Institute for Migration and > other people, apparently with the Federal Attorney General's > office. The Irish reporter, Michael McCaughan, and five of > the Mexican volunteers who worked in the community have > still not returned. Those who returned reported that the > others had decided to stay with the community members, and > that they were in good health. Topic > 594[1;37HCONPAZ[2;1Hlaneta:cimac[2;35Hreg.mexico[2;5 > 9H 8:51 PM Feb 14, 1995 > > CONCERNED ABOUT THE SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTSD > > Mexico, D. F., febrero 14 de 1995.-- The International > Commission of Observation, comprised of Pastors for Peace > from the United States, a Mexican delegation, and a Catalan > delegation of ONGs, during their third day of activities, > arrived at the Ocosingo checkpoint where they were prevented > from passing into the village of San Miguel. > > Being denied passage representatives of the group went to > the military offices in Ocosingo where they were informed > that "journalists, tourists, foreigners and delegations like > you" were not allowed to enter. > > Neither the presence of federal deputies, nor arguments > about the Bill of Rights and the need to respect the right > to freely move within the country's boundaries (established > in articles 1 and 30 of the Constitution), could convince > them to change their minds. They even said that they would > denounce (Major David Patron Lozano). Diverse media > representatives, Mexican citizens and foreigners who were > trying to learn bout the conditions of the people were all > in the same situation. > > Given these acts, our concern about the severity of the > human rights violations that were being hidden from us grew. > Adding to this was the news appearing in local and national > daily newspapers which affirmed that there had been attacks > on the villages. It made it absolutely imperative that > groups of observors from the civic society and the media get > entry, without restrictions. > > The International Commission of Observation, in view of the > extreme urgency, considered that it was their obligation to > insist upon being allowed to enter the conflict zone. > Today, February 14th, we will try to break the barricade > with legal actions, peaceful but firm, in order to restore > respect for individual freedoms and the right of all of > society to know exactly what is going on. > > > Topic 597[1;30HINFORMACION > CHIAPAS[2;1Hlaneta:cimac[2;35Hreg.mexico[2;59H 8:54 PM > Feb 14, 1995 > > ETICIA CALZADA G`MEZ > FEDERAL DEPUTY > 71ST LEGISLATURE > San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, February 14 de 1995 > > To: Agent of the Federal Public Ministry > (Ministerio Publico Federal) > Attorney General > San Cristobal de las Casas, Chis. > > In my position as a Federal Deputy, I denounce to you the > violation of articles 1, 6, 9, 11, 16 y 29 of the > Constitution of the United States of Mexico for the > following actions: > > 1.Yesterday, the 13th of February, at the military > checkpoint, located on the road leaving Ocosingo, to go to > San Miguel, military personnel who do not want to want to > give either their names or their ranks prevented access to > me, other Mexican citizens, and foreigners with the legal > right to be in the country. With this act the right to > freedome of movement within the country's boundaries has > been violated. > > 2. While seeking information in the military offices in > Ocosingo, the military official who agreed to speak with me > but who would not give his name or rank, and also refused to > give information about the reason or reasons for their > impeding our right to free passage and to pass through the > previously alluded to military checkpoint. He apologized for > this action and explained that he was only following orders > from a high command. He suggested that I go to Tuxtla > Gutierrez to seek the required information from Alejandro > Cuadra in Carlos Simon's press office. > > 3.Upon returning to the checkpoint where the people who were > accompanying me were waiting, I encountered Major David > Padron Lozano who explained to me that the denial of the > authorization to travel the highway was done in order to > protect me and the other people. He also asked a military > staffperson to take my photograph. This military > staffperson at the orders of Major David Padron Lozano took > down the information about my identity and took my > photograph. > > 4.Upon commenting to Major David Padron Lozano that we were > not in a state of emergency with the supension of rights, > and that by his actions of preventing us free passage, he > was violating our individual guaranteed rights, a situation > that required denunciation, his commentary was that he was > only obeying orders from his superiors. He asked in a > courteous manner to leave the checkpoint and return to > Ocosingo. > > > Because of the event described above, and in light of the > facts that: > > a) the suspension of individual guaranteed freedoms has not > been suspensed by an act of Congress, as required by the > article 29 of the Constitution of the United States of > Mexico; > > b) by the behavior of the military personnel, that in > addition, articles 4 and 13 of our Constitution are also > being violated; > > c) I was denied information that I needed to fulfill my > functions as a legislator as defined in the Constitution. > > I present this denunciation and I ask that these violations > be investigated, and that the persons who are responsible > for this crime be held responsible. > > > Leticia Calzada Gomez > Federal Deputy, 71th Legislature > > >
