Urgent Action for Zapatista & Other Campaign Detainees

May 4th, 2009

San Cristóbal de las Casas,

Chiapas, México

To members of the other campaign both national and international
To the alternative national and international media

Sisters and brothers in national and international resistance movements

Cordial greetings! We are writing you today to ask for your strong and committed support in action and solidarity in the search for justice for 8 activists unjustly and illegally imprisoned, tortured, badly treated, stigmatized by the media, and now awaiting possible incarceration for false accusations. Presently these activists, Jerónimo Gómez Saragos, Antonio Gómez Saragos, Miguel Demeza Jiménez, Sebastián Demeza Deara, Pedro Demeza Deara y Jerónimo Moreno Deara, members of the Other Campaign and residents of Ejido San Sebastián Bachajón, in the municipality of Chilón, detained on April 13th, 2009; as well as Alfredo Gómez Moreno y Miguel Vázquez Moreno, who is a a member of the Zapatistas, and was detained on the 17the and18th of April in the prison “El Amate” CERESS 14 in Cintalapa, Chiapas, Mexico. In the course of the next 4 days, ending on Friday, May 8th, the state will decide whether these activists are innocent and free from the crimes which they are falsely accused or whether they will be incorporated in the corruption of this government and imprisoned.

These activists, members of the Other Campaign and the Zapatistas, among the most active of those working for social change, are part of the first dignified voices to proclaim themselves against the new highway project that will connect the cities of Ocosingo and Palenque. These projects will initiate the basic infrastructure for a series of massive projects proposed by the government and multinational corporations. These projects engage in the theft of the abundant natural resources in the region and the implementation of a large scale tourism business that will destroy the surrounding environment.

If we allow this process to continue in silence, we, the national and international community will leave open the possibility for this government to continue their crimes; allowing repressions to continue against social activists; giving permission to torture, intimidate, and detain anyone that defends their legitimate right to live without fear and demand their basic human rights; we will allow them to continue to develop massive projects that will lead to the destruction of a dignified life for any human being.

Now is an important and urgent moment to act in every way possible to achieve liberty for these activists. In the next few days any type of political act in your city or country that will call attention to the unjust detention of these activists and support this struggle for basic human rights will help. We need to pressure the state government and administration of Juan Sabines Guerrero to liberate these political prisoners. Any act is useful whether it be in group or individual; marches, letters to the government of Chiapas and the federal government of Mexico, signed petitions, calls and letters to the press…will all bring attention to these injustices.

Sincerely,

Adherents to the sixth declaration of the Lacandon jungle, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México.

Addresses for sending letters:


Lic. Juan José Sabines Guerrero
Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Chiapas
Gobernatura del Estado de Chiapas
Palacio de Gobierno del Estado de Chiapas
Av. Central y Primera Oriente, Colonia Centro, C.P. 29009
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
Correo-electrónico: secparticular@chiapas.gob.mx
Fax: +52 (961) 61 88088 +52 (961) 6188056

Dr. Noé Castañòn León
Secretario General de Gobierno del Estado de Chiapas
Secretaría General de Gobierno
Palacio de Gobierno, 2o. piso, Colonia Centro
Tuxtla, Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
C.P. 29000 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas.
Fax: +52 (961) 61 20663
Conmutador: + 52 (961) 61 2-90-47, 61 8-74-60


Lic. Juan Gabriel Coutiño Gómez
Tribunal Superior de Justicia
Magistrado Presidente Juan Gabriel Coutiño Gómez
Palacio de Justicia
Libramiento Norte Oriente No.2100
Fraccionamiento El Bosque
C.P. 20047
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas
Tel-Fax : (52+)(961) 6178700
(52+)(961) 6165350
Contacto: administrator@mail.scjn.gob.mx


Lic. Carlos Alberto Bello Avendaño
Juez Segundo de Penal del Distrito Judicial de Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Carretera Tuxtla Gutiérrez ?Cintalapa
Tel- Fax: (52+) (968) 36 46 84
52+)(961) 6178700
Contacto: cbelloa@poderjudicialchiapas.gob.mx


RPTE. DE LA OFICINA DEL ALTO COMISIONADO PARA LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS EN MEXICO
Dirección : Alejandro Dumas #165
Col. Polanco Delegación Miguel Hidalgo
C.P 11560 México D.F
Tel: + 52 (01 55) 5061-6350 Fax: 5061-6358
e-mail: oacnudh@ohchr.org


Please send a copy to:

Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, A.C.
Calle Brasil 14, Barrio Méxicanos, 29240 San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México
Tel: 967 6787395, 967 6787396, Fax: 967 6783548
Correo: accionurgente@frayba.org.mx

For more information about this case:

La guerra en Chiapas

Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de las Casas (Bulletins)

CIEPAC (Videos and Bulletins)

Enlace Zapatista:
http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx/denuncias/1615
http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx/denuncias/1598