Indigenous People of Mexico
The indigenous population has long been victim of discriminatory treatment.
The Chiapas uprising focused unprecedented interest on the demands of
indigenous persons in that state for increased economic and social rights.
Among its basic demands, the EZLN called on the Government to enact measures
to protect indigenous cultures, provide more opportunity for employment, and
invest in schools, clinics, and infrastructure projects. The Government,
through the INI and the CNDH, operates programs to educate indigenous groups
(many members of which do not speak Spanish) about their political and human
rights, and it generally professes respect for their desire to retain
elements of their traditional culture. Of the 94 complaints regarding
indigenous affairs received by the CNDH in 1994 and up to the end of May
1995, 72 had been resolved.
More than 130 NGOs in Mexico are dedicated to the promotion and protection
of indigenous rights. Indigenous people do not live on independently
governed reservations, although some indigenous communities exercise
considerable local control over economic and social issues. These
communities apply traditional law to resolve a variety of disputes,
including allegations of crimes. However, these groups remain largely
outside the country's political and economic mainstream, a result of
longstanding patterns of economic and social development, and in many cases
their ability to participate in decisions affecting their lands, cultural
traditions, and allocation of natural resources is negligible.
The 1992 reforms in agrarian law were expected to promote economic
development in the countryside, but indigenous groups generally perceived
the reforms as intended to break up indigenous communal landholdings and
prevent the groups from obtaining title to new lands. A 1991 amendment to
the federal law requires that an interpreter be present at every stage of
criminal proceedings against indigenous persons, and stipulates that "their
customs and traditions shall be taken into account." However, the courts
continue to try and sentence indigenous people without the benefit of
interpreters. In May 1994, at least 5,874 indigenous persons were in jail.
During the period from May 1994 through May 1995, 480 were released, largely
through CNDH efforts.
The general education act states that "teaching shall be promoted in the
national language (i.e., Spanish) without prejudice to the protection and
promotion of indigenous languages." However, many indigenous persons speak
only their native languages. Non-Spanish speakers are frequently taken
advantage of in commercial transactions involving bilingual middlemen, and
have great difficulty finding employment in Spanish-speaking areas. Over 50
indigenous languages are currently spoken in Mexico.
Although the law provides some protection for the indigenous, and the
Government provides indigenous communities support through social and
economic assistance programs, legal guarantees and social welfare programs
are not sufficient to meet the needs of all indigenous persons.
Title: Mexico Human Rights Practices, 1995 - Excerpt
Author: U.S. Department of State
Date: March 1996