Human Rights Defenders
Case MEX 051196
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in
the following situation in Mexico.
Brief description of the situation The Mexican League for the Defence of
Human Rights - LIMEDDH - member of the network, has expressed grave
concern for a violent attack on CONPAZ (Coordinacion de ONGs por la Paz).
LIMEDDH reports that in the early morning of 4 November 1996, the offices
of CONPAZ, which is a coordinating body consisting of 10 NGOs in San
Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, suffered their fourth and most serious
attack in the space of two months.
According to the information, unknown persons penetrated the offices of
CONPAZ and set fire to sheets, medicines, and food meant for the campesino
communities of Chiapas. They destroyed computers, cut off the telephone
lines, partially destroyed the administrative area and painted phrases
intended to link the organisation with Zapatismo.
The information implies that the attack could have been caused by the
activities of the coordinator of the Human Rights Branch, Miguel Angel de
los Santos, who is the defence attorney of presumed zapatistas detained in
the Cerro Hueco state jail. Moreover, de los Santos recently participated
in the Interamerican Commission of Human Rights hearings in Washington to
support accusations against the Mexican Federal Army for their presumed
participation in the killing of campesinos in the Morelia land collective
in January 1994.
It is also necessary to remember that the recent attack on CONPAZ took
place just one day before the establishment, in San Cristobal de las
Casas, of the Monitoring Committee for the Peace Agreement signed by EZLN
and the Mexican government.
The International Secretariat expresses its grave concern for the
persistent harassment campaigns against NGOs, presumably by persons or
groups linked to the forces of order, and fears for the physical and
psychological integrity of members and leaders of such organisations, in
particular Miguel Angel de los Santos who may be subjected to further
harassment in the future.
Action requested Please write to the Mexican authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the life and personal safety of the leaders and workers of
CONPAZ, in particular the lawyer Miguel Angel de los Santos, and of other
human rights associations;
ii. carry out an exhaustive and impartial investigation into the alleged
facts in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial in a
civil court and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions in
accordance with the national laws in force;
iii. guarantee CONPAZ's right to obtain adequate compensation for the
damages suffered;
iv. ensure at all times respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms
in the country, in accordance with national laws and international
standards.
Addresses S.E. Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Presidente de la
Republica, Palacio Nacional, C.P. 06065, Mexico, D.F., Mexico. Fax (+ 52
5) 515 17 94, e-mail: webadmon@op.presidencia.gob.mx Lic. Emilio Chauyfett
Chemor, Secretario de Gobernacion, Secretaria de Gobernacion, Bucareli 99,
2' piso, Col. Juarez, Mexico, D.F., Mexico Fax (+ 52 5) 546 53 50 Dr.
Antonio Lozano Gracia, Procurador General de la Republica Mexicana,
Procuraduria General, violeta y Reforma s/n 2' piso, Col. Guerrero,
Mexico, D.F. CP 06300 Mexico. Fax: (+ 52 5) 626 44 19 Lic. Jorge Madrazo
Cuellar, Presidente Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Periferico sur
3469, Col. San Jeronimo Lidice, Deleg. Magdalena Contreras, C.P. 10200,
Mexico, D.F., Mexico. Fax.: (+ 52 5) 681 84 90
Geneva, 5 November 1996
Kindly inform us of all action taken quoting the code of the present appeal.
Ben Schonveld
Projects Manager
OMCT - SOS Torture Tel: +41-22-733 31 40
Case Postale 119 Fax: +41 22-733 10 51
CH 1211 Geneva 20 Conf: omctsostorture@conf.igc.apc.org
Switzerland OMCT@iprolink.ch
OMCT is the l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture
The World Organisation Against Torture