Amnesty International
International Secretariat
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 8DJ
United Kingdom
22 DECEMBER 1994
MEXICO: RENEWAL OF CONFLICT IN CHIAPAS
Amnesty International is seriously concerned at reports of renewed
conflict in the southern state of Chiapas and fears an escalation of
serious human rights violations in the region.
On 19 December hundreds of members and supporters of the
Ej<e'>rcito Zapatista de Liberaci<o'>n Nacional (EZLN), Zapatista
National Liberation Army -- an armed opposition group composed mostly of
Indian peasants -- occupied 38 municipalities and blocked eight highways
in Chiapas.
Although the actions were carried out peacefully, subsequent
movement of army troops in the region have sharply raised fears about
the imminent possibility of clashes between the army and the EZLN, and
of an escalation of serious human rights violations in the region.
"We are gravely concerned about the situation in Chiapas and are
calling on the Mexican authorities and the EZLN to ensure the full
respect of the human rights of the population," Amnesty International
said.
On 1 January this year, the previously unknown EZLN seized several
towns in Chiapas demanding a series of rights, including land, health,
education and an end to abuses against the indigenous peoples in
Chiapas. In the following days, several violent clashes between the
Mexican army and the EZLN reportedly took place during which the rebels
abandoned most of the towns and retreated to the mountainous southern
region of the state.
Serious -- and as yet unresolved -- human rights violations and
breaches of humanitarian law by the army were reported during the
conflict, including scores of cases of torture and dozens of extra-
judicial executions. The EZLN took hostages who were later released
unharmed.
Following the growing outcry against human rights violations in
Chiapas, President Carlos Salinas de Gortari named a peace envoy and
declared a cease-fire on 12 January. This lasted until early December,
despite growing military presence in the region, which eventually
amounted to more than 40,000 troops, some of whom were reportedly
responsible for continuing human rights violations.
Peace talks between the government and EZLN, mediated by the
Catholic church, began in February but were suspended in June and on 6
December the EZLN withdrew from the cease fire.
The EZLN expressed its opposition to the newly elected governor
of Chiapas Eduardo Robledo, who took office on 8 December. They
demanded his resignation on behalf of Amado Avenda<n~>o, the runner-
up to August elections, who, they claimed, had lost as a result of
vote-rigging. The EZLN has also demanded the federal government's
recognition of the non-governmental Comisi<o'>n Nacional de
Intermediaci<o'>n (CONAI), National Mediation Commission, to mediate
in peace talks.
In October, Amnesty International wrote a memorandum to Ernesto
Zedillo Ponce de Le<o'>n, the presidential candidate for the ruling
Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), who took office in
December, expressing its concerns about the human rights situation in
Mexico, and Chiapas in particular. The memorandum includes more than
70 recommendations, particularly an urgent call for an end to the
impunity benefitting the perpetrators of abuses, in Chiapas and other
regions of Mexico.
ENDS