Human Rights
/Sustainable Development
- Tue Sep 27 2005
Source:
PRODH
Mexico City, Mexico
20 September 2005
URGENT ACTION
TOMÁS CRUZ ZAMORA of the community of Huamuchitos, Bienes Comunales de Cacahuatepec, was murdered on 18 September by Cirilo Cruz, after participating in an Assembly of communal farmers and rural residents opposed to the construction of the Parota Dam, held in the municipality of Acapulco, Guerrero.
We, organizations working in the defense of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights united in Espacio DESC of Mexico, have been informed of the murder of Tomás Cruz Zamora, communal farmer from the town of Huamuchitos in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, and member of the Consejo de Ejidatarios y Comuneros Opositores a la Parota (CECOP), organization of rural residents opposed to the construction of the Parota Dam. Tomás Cruz was shot on 18 September by Cirilo Cruz Elacio, resident of the same community, and outspoken supporter of the proposed dam project.
The murder occurred after an Assembly in the community of Aguas Calientes, municipality of Acapulco, at which a dialogue had been scheduled with the Governor of the State of Guerrero, Zeferino Torreblanca, but who failed to arrive.
Tomás Cruz Zamora was driving a truck transporting approximately 30 CECOP members back to their homes in Huamuchitos. Cirilo Cruz Elacio intercepted the truck along a difficult section of the highway, and when the truck failed to stop Cirilo Cruz opened fire, fatally shooting Tomás Cruz in the head. Cirilo Cruz immediately abandoned the scene and as of this moment has not been detained.
The division within affected communities in regard to the dam project has been propitiated by federal and state public institutions and functionaries who are responsible for the construction of the Parota Hydrological Dam, by their failure to provide timely, reliable and objective information to area residents, by failing to adequately consult with the community, and by denying the community’s participation in the policies which affect them.
The Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) is responsible for fomenting this division also by its failure to provide adequate information to the community and by offering public works and services to those who support the dam, as well as offering money to those who vote in favor of the dam at the Assembly of communal farmers held on 23 August 2005 and previous Assemblies such as those held on 14 August 2005 and 25 April 2004. Responsibility is also shared by the Agrarian Procurator’s office and the Ministry of Agrarian Reform, for failing to protect the agrarian rights of the communal farmers, as required by law. The State Government is equally responsible, for failing to address the legitimate demands of the communal farmers and promote investment in the state of Guerrero, and for using the police force to threaten and intimidate those opposed to the dam. These institutions have instigated a rapidly growing atmosphere of tension which has overcome the community, damaging the social fabric and provoking violent acts ranging from verbal confrontations to the murder of Tomás Cruz.
Both the federal and the state governments have failed to respect the human rights of the communal farmers. Espacio DESC warns of the possibility that the assassination of Tomás Cruz may generate increased additional violence. We therefore demand that the CFE immediately leave the region, in order to facilitate the reestablishment of peaceful community life in Cacahuatepec. We also ask that the authorities abstain from intervening with any security forces which would only provoke further unrest within the community.
For the reasons noted above, the organizations members of Espacio DESC call on the federal and state authorities, in accordance with their respective responsibilities, to immediately respond as follows:
1. That the Mexican Government comply, in accordance with the highest standards in the matter, with its obligations to respect, protect, guarantee, and prevent any violation of the human rights to life, personal safety and integrity, legal protection, timely and reliable information, and adequate consultation and participation in public policies which directly or indirectly affect the communal farmers and other rural residents, in relation to the construction of the La Parota dam.
2. That the murder of Tomás Cruz Zamora be thoroughly investigated in strict compliance with the law, and penal responsibilities be established in relation to all intellectual and material authors of the crime, with all responsible parties processed and sanctioned in accordance with the law.
3. That all necessary, adequate and sufficient measures be taken to assure that similar violence not be repeated. Such measures include that the Agrarian Court (Tribunal Unitario Agrario) address the demands to nullify votes taken in official Assemblies in relation to the dam project in which opponents were illegally prohibited from emitting their votes (General Assemblies of 25 April 2004 and 23 August 2005).
4. The immediate withdrawal of personnel of the Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) from the community of Bienes Comunales de Cacahuatepec.
5. An immediate end to threats and intimidation against opponents to the dam construction, and to all actions which may provoke further unrest in the community.
Signed by the members of Espacio DESC:
1. CASA y CIUDAD of HABITAT MEXICO COALITION
2. CATEDRA UNESCO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTÓNOMA DE MÉXICO (UNAM)
3. CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS SOCIALES Y CULTURALES ANTONIO DE MONTESINOS (CAM)
4. CENTRO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS MIGUEL AGUSTÍN PRO JUÁREZ, A.C. (PRODH)
5. CENTRO DE REFLEXIÓN Y ACCIÓN LABORAL DE FOMENTO CULTURAL Y EDUCATIVO, A.C. (CEREAL)
6. COMISION MEXICANA DE DEFENSA Y PROMOCIÓN DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS, A.C. (C.M.D.P.D.H.)
7. DECA EQUIPO PUEBLO, A.C.
8. DEFENSORIA DEL DERECHO A LA SALUD
9. FIAN - SECCIÓN MÉXICO
10. LIGA MEXICANA DE DEFENSA DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS (LIMEDDH)
11. OFICINA REGIONAL PARA AMÉRICA LATINA DE LA COALICION INTERNACIONAL PARA EL HÁBITAL (HIC-AL)
OTHER SIGNATORY ORGANIZATIONS
National organizations:
12. MOVIMIENTO AGRARIO INDÍGENA ZAPATISTA (MAIZ)
13. ALIANZA MEXICANA POR LA AUTODETERMINACIÓN DE LOS PUEBLOS (AMAP)
14. ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DE ABOGADOS DEMOCRÁTICOS (ANAD)
15. UNIÓN CAMPESINA EMILIANO ZAPATA VIVE (UCEZ VIVE)
16. UNIÓN DE COLONOS POPULARES DEL DF (UCP DF)
17. CENTRO MEXICANO DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL (CEMDA)
18. MOVIMIENTO DE AFECTADOS POR CONSTRUCCIÓN DE PRESAS Y EN 19. DEFENSA DE LOS RIOS DE JALISCO. (MAPDER-JALISCO)
20. INSTITUTO MEXICANO PARA EL DESARROLLO COMUNITARIO, A.C.
21. INSTITUTO DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL, A.C.
22. CIUDADANOS POR EL MEDIO AMBIENTE, A.C.
23. AMIGOS DE LA BARRANCA, A.C.
24. FUNDACIÓN CUENCA-LERMA-LAGO DE CHAPALA-SANTIAGO, A.C.
25. DEMOCRACIA INDEPENDIENTE POR UNA LIBERACIÓN ORGANIZADA, A.C
26. FEDERACION ESTATAL AGRONOMICA.
27. COMITÉ PRO-DEFENSA DE LA PRESA DE ARCEDIANO.
28. COMITÉ PRO-DEFENSA DE LA PRESA DE SAN NICOLAS.
29. COMITÉ PRO-DEFENSA DE LA PRESA EL ZAPOTILLO.
30. CONSEJO INDÍGENA CAMPESINO.
31. CONSEJO CIUDADANO DEL AGUA, A.C.
32. GRUPO VIDA, A.C.
33. TIANGUIS CULTURAL.
34. PASTORAL SOCIAL DE GUADALAJARA.
35. RED CIUDADANA.
36. FUNDACIÓN FIND, A.C .
37. EL BARZON REGIONAL, A.C.
38. FRENTE ESTATAL DE LUCHA URBANA Y SOCIAL, A.C.
39. EL BARZON REGIONAL, A.C
40. OMEPEKTLI. A.C.
41. COMITÉ DE PODER CIUDADANO DE TUXPAN, JALISCO.
42. COMITÉ DE PODER CIUDADANO DE MAZAMITLA, JALISCO.
43. COMITÉ DE PODER CIUDADANO DE SANTA MARÍA DEL ORO, JALISCO.
44. COMITÉ DE PODER CIUDADANO DE QUITUPAN, JALISCO.
45. COMITÉ PODER CIUDADANO DE VALLE DE JUÁREZ, JALISCO.
46. CENTRO REGIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE VALLE DE JUÁREZ, JALISCO.
47. COOPERATIVA DE ARTESANOS UNIDOS DE JALISCO PARA EL MUNDO.
SOLCAI, A.C.
48. VALLE DE LA DEMOCRACIA, A.C.
49. RED DE ALTERNATIVAS SUSTENTABLES AGROPECUARIAS DE JALISCO.
50. GRUPO CAMPESINO SAN ISIDRO DE JUANACATLÁN, JALISCO.
51. SEMBRADORES DE VIDA, DE CIUDAD GUZMÁN, JALISCO.
52. GRUPO RANCHOS MILAGROSOS, DE SAN ISIDRO, JALISCO.
53. COOPERATIVA LA ESPERANZA DE SAN ISIDRO, JALISCO.
54. GRUPO CAMPESINO DE LA EX HACIENDA DE ZAPOTLANEJO, JALISCO.
55. GRUPO CAMPESINO LA CIÉNEGA, JALISCO.
56. CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y FORMACIÓN SOCIAL DEL ITESO.
57. FAMILIAS CAMPESINAS DE ZAPOTITLÁN DE VADILLO, JALISCO.
58. COOPERATIVA ECOVIDA.
59. COPERATIVA ECOCUEXCO
60. GRUPO CAMPESINO DE TLAJOMULCO DE ZÚÑIGA, JALISCO.
61. GRUPO CAMPESINO DE IXTLAHUACAN DE LOS MEMBRILLOS, JALISCO.
62. TIENDA DE PRODUCTOS ORGÁNICOS ESCARDA.
63. DESARROLLO SUSTENTABLE Y SERVICIOS, S.C.
64. ALIANZA RESPLANDOR AZTECA
65. FRENTE METROPOLITANO DE ORGANIZACIONES SOCIALES
66. FRENTE DE MUJERES INDÍGENAS
67. MUJERES INDÍGENAS POR UNA VIDA DIGNA
68. FRENTE ÚNICO DE LUCHA POR UNA VIVIENDA DIGNA
Internacional organizations:
64. COHRE AMERICAS
65. SOCIAL WATCH
66. FORO DE MUJERES DEL MERCOSUR
67. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDER LAW CENTER
Contact information:
Jesús González Alcántara jgonzalez@sjsocial.org and Tania Gómez tania@sjsocial.org. Tel 55 46 82 17, 55 66 78 54 ext 116.
Please send your urgent actions in support of the outlined demands to:
Lic. Vicente Fox Quezada, President of Mexico
Fax 0052 55 55 20 71 25 Tel 0052 55 55 57 13 64
Mail: vicente.fox.quezada@presidencia.gob.mx
Lic. Carlos Abascal Carranza, Minister of the Interior
Fax 0052 55 51 28 02 34 and 0052 55 50 93 34 14
Mail: ghuerta@segob.gob.mx
Lic. Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, Governor of the State of Guerrero
Tel 0052 747 47 230 31, fax 0052 747 47 147 88
Mail: webmaster@guerrero.gob.mx
Lic. Eduardo Murueta Urrutia, General Procurator of Justice
Tel 0052 747 47 256 57 and 2 20 72, fax 0052 747 47 223 28
Mail: cprocurador@pgjgro.gob.mx
Lic Juan Alarcón Hernández, President of the Human Rights Commission of the State of Guerrero
Tel Fax 0052 747 47 121 90 and 103 78
Mail: presidencia@coddehumgro.gob.mx
Dr. José Luis Soberanes Fernández, President of the Human Rights Commission
Tel 0052 55 56 81 80 32 fax 0052 55 56 81 71 99
Mail: eechevarri@cndh.org.mx
Lic. Florencio Salazar Adame , Secretary of Agrarian Reform
Fax 0052 55 56 24 00 81 and 56 95 63 68 Tel. 0052 55 56240004, 56323853 y 5273 24 67
Mail: sra@sra.gob.mx ucs@sra.gob.mx
Dr. Isaías Rivera Rodríguez, Agrarian Procurator
Ttels 1500 33 89 and 3388, Fax 1500 33 86
Mail: proc@pa.gob.mx
Lic. Alfredo Elías Ayub, Director of the Federal Commission of Electricity
Fax 0052 55 55 33 53 21, tels 0052 55.552 29 44 00 ext. 90000/90001/90002
Mail: alfredo.elias@cfe.gob.mx
Mtro. Ricardo J. Sepúlveda Iguiniz, Chief Officer of the Unit for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior
Fax 0052 55 51 28 02 34
Mail: rsepulveda@segob.gob.mx
Lic. Fernando Elizondo Barragán, Secretary of Energy
Insurgentes Sur 890, Col. Del Valle. Mexico City 03100, Mexico
Fax. 0052 55 5000 60 55 Tel: 0052 55 5000 6000
Mail: secretario@energia.gob.mx
Note: Please, send a copy of the urgent actions to: “El Sur”, the local newspaper which is following this case: el_sur@infosel.net.mx
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