On 17 January, unidentified armed men attacked demonstrators in Amatán, Chiapas state, southern Mexico. Noé Jiménez Pablo and José Santiago Gómez Álvarez, two economic, social and cultural rights activists and members of the Independent Regional Campesino Movement (MOCRI – Movimiento Campesino Regional Independiente), were taken and deprived of their liberty by the armed men. The following day, their wounded death bodies appeared in a local dumpster. In reaction to this attack, the government took measures like sending few law enforcement officials, but members of the community fear further attacks and that these measures are insufficient to protect them.
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Minister of Interior Olga Sánchez Cordero
Calle Abraham González No. 48
Col. Juárez, Delegación Cuauhtémoc
Ciudad de México, C.P. 06600, MÉXICO
Twitter: @SEGOB_mx, @M_OlgaSCordero
Ambassador Gerónimo Gutiérrez
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20006
Phone: 202 728 1600
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @EmbamexEUA @GERONIMO__GF
Facebook: @EmbamexEUA
Instagram: @embamexeua
Salutation: Dear Ambassador
Dear Minister,
I am reaching out to you about the urgent situation, and recent attacks, faced by members of the organization Movimiento Campesino Regional Independiente (MOCRI), which campaigns for economic, social and cultural rights in the highlands of Chiapas, municipality of Amatán. MOCRI members denounce corruption and various problems linked to the municipal government, as well as demand improvement in living conditions and basic public services for the community.
On 17 January, a group of unidentified armed men attacked demonstrators belonging to MOCRI. During the attack, several people were taken and illegally deprived of their liberty by the unidentified armed men. Witnesses reported that at least one person was wounded by a gunshot. Many MOCRI members and local villagers fled the community fearing they could become victims of the attacks. On 18 January, the wounded death bodies of Noé Jiménez Pablo and José Santiago Gómez Álvarez, who went missing the day of the attack, were found. Witnesses reported that the bodies showed signs of having been brutally beaten. The municipal government of Amatán and the state government of Chiapas initially denied the disappearance of individuals.
I urge you to immediately launch a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into these events, and to bring those responsible to justice in fair trials; to take all necessary measures, according to international human rights law, to prevent further attacks in the community and to guarantee that members of MOCRI can carry out their human rights work without fear of retaliation.
Yours sincerely,
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