January 7, 1994
For immediate release
CANADIAN CHURCHES CONDEMN SERIOUS ABUSES BY MEXICAN MILITARY
SENDING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR TO MONITOR SITUATION IN CHIAPAS
The 18 Canadian churches and religious communities that make up the
Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA) are
seriously concerned about persistent reports from human rights groups in
Mexico of indiscriminate bombings and attacks on the civilian population in
Chiapas by the Mexican army. "The Mexican military's crackdown on the
Zapatista Army of National Liberation is putting the lives of innocent
civilians in danger," reports Suzanne Rumsey, Associate Director of ICCHRLA
who works extensively with Mexico. "We are also extremely concerned about
reports of serious human rights violations against suspected insurgents,
including torture and summary executions. We are calling on the Mexican
government to respect their responsibilities under the Geneva Conventions to
which they are signatory and ensure their troops respect international
humanitarian law at all times during the conflict."
ICCHRLA is also extremely preoccupied that the conflict is being used to
target human rights workers, union activists and members of other popular
organizations who have spoken out against the government's actions. "The
military and government officials are accusing people working with human
rights organizations who have protested against what the military is doing
in Chiapas of being guerillas," reports Rumsey. "We've also heard that
members of the Independent Agricultural Worker and Peasant Central were
arrested. We are very worried about the safety of church and human rights
partners in Mexico and call on the Mexican government to respect the right
of civil and human rights groups to voice their concerns without threat of
persecution."
In response to a formal request for international human rights monitors from
Bishop Samuel Ruiz of San Cristobal de las Casas, co-signed by 23 members of
the Mexican National Network of Civil Human Rights Organizations, Suzanne
Rumsey will travel to Mexico on Monday, January 10th as part of a
church-human rights delegation. "We have been asked to visit the zone of
conflict specifically to avert the real possibility of a blood bath and the
persecution of human rights and church groups," says Rumsey. "Our goal is
to accompany partners who have been threatened and to gather objective first
hand information about the current human rights situation.
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Given that this is an election year in Mexico, and the Mexican government's
concern with its international image, there is a lot of unreliable
information being disseminated. We will be presenting the information we
collect during our visit, as well as recommendations for appropriate actions
to the Canadian government during the Human Rights Consultations with the
Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa on January 19 and 20."
Suzanne Rumsey will travel to Mexico with the Right Reverend Stan McKay,
Moderator of the United Church of Canada, Marthe Lapierre of the Canadian
Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, Gerald McKenzie of La Ligue
des Droits et Libert s in Montreal, and James Weisgerber, General Secretary
of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Three members of Mexican
human rights organizations will accompany the Canadian delegation.
The Inter-Church Committee for Human Rights in Latin America is a 20-year
old ecumenical social justice coalition supported by Canadian churches and
religious communities representing a wide range of denominations. Its
mandate is to monitor the human rights situation in Latin America,
disseminate information to the Canadian public and press the Canadian
government to develop diplomatic, trade and aid policies which encourage
respect for human rights.
For more information contact:
Kathy Price, Media Liaison
Tel. 416-921-0801; Fax. 416-921-3843