On Abril 27, 2010 a humanitarian caravan en route to the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan Copala was ambushed by heavily armed paramilitaries belonging to the PRI-funded group UBISORT, murdering Oaxacan activist Bety Cariño and Finnish activist Jyri Jakkola as well as injuring several others. Police refused to rescue injured human rights workers who were trapped in the area following the ambush. Despite national and international pressure demanding a thorough investigation no one has been held accountable for the murders of Cariño and Jakkola. Oaxacan governor Ulises Ruiz went so far as to blame the victims for their fate, questioning the migratory status of the international human rights observers and questioning the “real” reason outsiders were in “a community were there are problems.” This attack on an international human rights convoy set a disturbing precedent, as this was the first of its kind in Mexico.
On Abril 27, 2010 a humanitarian caravan en route to the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan Copala was ambushed by heavily armed paramilitaries belonging to the PRI-funded group UBISORT, murdering Oaxacan activist Bety Cariño and Finnish activist Jyri Jakkola as well as injuring several others. Police refused to rescue injured human rights workers who were trapped in the area following the ambush. Despite national and international pressure demanding a thorough investigation no one has been held accountable for the murders of Cariño and Jakkola. Oaxacan governor Ulises Ruiz went so far as to blame the victims for their fate, questioning the migratory status of the international human rights observers and questioning the “real” reason outsiders were in “a community were there are problems.” This attack on an international human rights convoy set a disturbing precedent, as this was the first of its kind in Mexico.
Since the murders of Cariño and Jakkola, the violence in Copala has continued. A few days after the attack several women and children from the community were kidnapped by paramilitaries as they attempted to go into the nearest town for food and essential supplies. On may 20th Timoteo Alejandro Ramírez, a leader in the Autonomous Municipality, and his wife Cleriberta Castro were murdered in the home by hit men believed to have been contracted by UBISORT. Again, this aggression and the continued blockade against San Juan Copala by UBISORT have gone completely uncontested by the state.
As such, a second humanitarian caravan will attempt to enter Copala on Tuesday June 8th. The Caravana Humanitaria Bety Cariño y Jyri Jakkola will leave the zócalo of Mexico City at 6pm, Monday June 7th and from the church of Xochimilco in Oaxaca Tuesday at 4am. Governor Ruiz has refused to guarantee the safe passage of the caravan, and as of Sunday June 6th the community has reported that UBISORT blocked the roads leading to Copala using heavy machinery. We ask that you remain vigilant of the fact that this caravan will be attempting to enter Copala June 8th and of the fact that it too may very well be attacked. Contact the Mexican consulate in your area (http://www.mexonline.com/consulate.htm) and let them know you expect that human rights observers be allowed to carry out their work without being violently attacked! Please keep yourself informed by checking this and other blogs and internet sources. You can check this blog periodically for updates as members of the caravan will be sending updates over the next couple of days.
No comments:
Post a Comment