NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY IN MEXICO,
USA 601 N. Cotton St. #810
El Paso, Texas 79902
US REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
ZAPATISTAS ATTACKED
Cecilia Rodriguez was raped by armed men in Chiapas, Mexico
EMBARGO UNTIL THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2,1995, 3 PM PST.
Wednesday, November 1, 1995
Contact: Los Angeles-- Adriana Manjarrez, NCDM (310)927-4707
Susan Alva, (213)353-1339
National Spokesperson-- Maria Jimenez, Spokesperson
(713)926-2799
[Los Angeles. California]--The National Commission for
Democracy in Mexico, USA will hold a press conference in
Los Angeles, California on Friday, November 3, 1995 at 10:00
AM at the offices of CHIRLA, 1521 Wilshire Blvd. (between
Union and Valencia). Cecilia Rodriguez will be present to
relate her ordeal.
On October 26 Cecilia Rodriguez and a companion
were brutally attacked by four men near Lake Pojaj in Chiapas,
Mexico. Cecilia was separated from her companion and then
raped. After the attack, one of the assailants told her, "
you already know how things are in Chiapas right?...Shut up
then, shut up, do you understand. or you know what will happen
to you..."
This act of sexual violence is politically motivated.
Cecilia is the official representative of the Ejercito
Zapatista de Liberacion National (EZLN) in the United States.
She coordinates the National Commission for Democracy In Mexico
USA which works In 30 cities throughout this country on the
issues of democracy, social justice and peace in Mexico.
NOTICE TO AFFILIATED AND ALLIED COMMITTEES OF NCDM November 1, 1995
The National Office of NCDM is making the following call
to action in response to the brutal attack on Cecilia.
1. Accompanying this notice is the press release regarding
Cecilia's press conference in Los Angeles on Friday, November 3, at
10am West Coast Time. We ask that you do the following:
A. Immediately send the press release to your local media,
especially those affiliated with national media (NBC,
ABC, CBS, CNN, National Public Radio, New York Times,
Washington Post, AP, UPI, etc), and then call them
to strongly urge them to have a correspondent at the
LA press conference and to carry the story in your
local media
B. Immediately contact the national offices of
national media and strongly urge them to have a
correspondent at the LA press conference
2. For those who can, go to Los Angeles to meet Cecilia at
the airport Thursday night and attend the press conference
Friday morning. For those who wish to send messages of
support to Cecilia, please fax them to Adriana at the
Tonali Community Center in Los Angeles (phone/fax 310-927-
4707--you must call before faxing). Messages for Cecilia
can also be sent to our email address:
<moonlight@igc.apc.org>.
3. Organize demonstrations in front of the Mexican Consulate
and/or Federal Buildings on Friday afternoon (starting no earlier
than 1pm East Coast, noon Central, 11am Mountain, and 10am
Pacific in order not to pre-empt Cecilia's press
conference), or as soon as possible afterwards. Try to
include as many women's organizations as possible. Deliver
letters of protest and demands to Mexican consuls and
Congressional representatives
4. Organize an ongoing campaign of letters, phone calls, faxes
and personal visits in support of our 6 demands to your local
Congressional Representatives and:
President Bill Clinton Lic. Ernesto Zedillo
White House Presidente de la Republica
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Palacio Nacional
Washington, D.C. 20500 06067 Mexico D.F.
202-456-1111 phone Mexico
202-456-2461 fax Phone: 011-525-566-02456
Fax: 011-525-271-1774;1764
Vice Consul, Third Secretary Nicholas Manring,
US Embassy, Mexico City Fax: 011-525-525-5040
For more information, contact Cindy Arnold at the National
Office (915) 532-8382 or Maria Jimenez in Houston (713-926-2786
or 7139262799).
******************************************************************
November 1, 1995
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY IN MEXICO, USA
DECLARATION FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE
(Prepared by Cindy Arnold and Maria Jimenez)
The National Commission for Democracy in Mexico, USA is outraged
at the brutal attack of Cecilia Rodriguez and her companion in
Chiapas, Mexico on October 26.
Cecilia Rodriguez was the target of an act of political repression
and intimidation of the worst kind. She is the official
representative of the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional
(EZLN) in the United States. She coordinates the National
Commission for Democracy in Mexico, USA which works in 30 cities
throughout this country on the issues of democracy, social justice
and peace in Mexico
Cecilia and an unidentified companion were surrounded by three of
four armed men and robbed. During the assault, Cecilia was raped.
One of the assailants told her " . you already know how are things
in Chiapas right?...Shut up then, shut up, do you understand, or
you know what will happen to you...".
This act of sexual violence is not fortuitous or the first of its
kind in Chiapas or Mexico. Some time ago, three Tzeltal women were
raped at a military checkpoint and in early October, three nurses
were raped and almost killed in San Andres Larrainzar, site of the
peace talks. These sexual crimes are part of the low-intensity
warfare in which we believe the US government is complicit. None
of these crimes have been resolved.
Her visit to Chiapas coincided with another round of peace talks
between the Mexican government and the EZLN. Unfortunately, she
found herself in San Cristobal, Chiapas on the date the Mexican
government arrested alleged EZLN member Fernando Yanez Munoz in
violation of the Law of Dialogue, Conciliation and Peace with
Dignity in Chiapas. From Chiapas, she sent a message to the
American People and a letter to Bill Clinton condemning the
deceitful nature of Mexican government in its betrayal of a
political solution to the conflict in Chiapas, she declared
reprehensible Mexico's persecution of its citizens. The response
from United States citizens to the arrest of Mr. Yanez was
overwhelming; the response in Mexico and internationally set Mr.
Yanez free four days later.
For these reasons, we believe the attack and rape were politically
motivated and similar to others in Central America committed by
para military groups and/or non-uniformed soldiers. It is an act
of retaliation and warning to others in the international
community who dare to speak out for peace and respect for human
rights and dignity in Mexico. Only recently, several priests were
expelled from Chiapas by the Mexican government for alleged
subversion.
Yet the United States continues to support the government of
Mexico despite the widespread documentation of human rights
violations. The military and the police act with impunity in
Mexico. Even the Vice Counsel Nicholas Manring, Third Secretary of
the United States Embassy in Mexico City, said to Cecilia when she
filed her complaint there on Tuesday, "they do not prosecute in
Mexico " If this situation is officially recognized, there is no
justification for the United States endorsement of this
undemocratic regime in Mexico
Cecilia in no way violated the laws of Mexico; her call was for
the involvement of citizens in the United States in standing up
for democratic rights and liberty. Obviously, someone or some persons
thought otherwise. The US public reply to her call for justice for
Yanez demonstrates the American people's support for a just and
peaceful solution in Chiapas that Cecilia and the National
Commission for Democracy in Mexico demand.
Cecilia and her companion, both US citizens, deserve our help and
especially, a strong protest against the state of siege lived by
the people of Chiapas. We urge all people of good will to:
1. Ask the US Embassy in Mexico City where Cecilia's complaint
is lodged to expedite an investigation into this incident and
register an official diplomatic protest with the Mexican government.
2. Demand troops be withdrawn from the state of Chiapas and public
information as to the involvement of the US military in this low
intensity warfare.
3. Suspend military aid and technical assistance to Mexico for any
purpose until this and other human rights violations are cleared.
4. Request the formation of an international human rights inquiry
into and monitoring of the situation in Chiapas
5. Conduct Congressional hearings into the US military
involvement in the low-intensity warfare in Chiapas and
its impact on human lights.
6. Press for a political solution to the conflict in Chiapas
until there is true peace with dignity in Chiapas.
Anything short of these demands is unforgivable. No human being
should be subjected to such violence and injustice. No woman, wife
and mother like Cecilia should have to fear working for peace or
social justice in any part of the world. No country that permits
these transgressions of human rights and dignity should go without
consequence