Amnesty International: Urgent action - Lomas del Poleo

URGENT ACTION
GUNMEN THREATEN LOMAS DEL POLEO MAN

Armed men hired by a local landowning family threatened to kill a man living in an area called Lomas del Poleo, Chihuahua state, northern Mexico, on 2 February. The inhabitants of Lomas del Poleo are at risk of further such attacks.

On the morning of 2 February, seven armed men on horseback arrived at the house in Lomas del Poleo where Alfredo Piñón Valenzuela is living. One of the men pointed a gun at Alfredo Piñón and threatened to kill him. The group's leader, who works for the local landowner who claims to be the true owner of the land of Lomas del Poleo, told Alfredo Piñón, "Get the fuck out of this house or I will drag you out dead, because this land is mine." (te me vas a la chingada de ésta casa ó te saco muerto, porque éstas tierras son mías).

Alfredo Piñón Valenzuela has been living in his neighbour Adelaida Plasencia Sierra's house since she was attacked in December by men, who shot her, breaking one of her ribs. She has moved away from Lomas del Poleo, in fear of further attack. Alfreda Piñon had been staying in her house to make sure it is not destroyed by the landowner.

People living in Lomas del Poleo have been harassed and attacked by men working for a local landowner since 2003. In 2004 these men put up a barbed wire fence around the area, with an entrance patrolled by security guards working for the landowner. In 2005, according to people living there, the security guards set fire to 40 homes and beat a man to death. No more than 17 families still live in the area. They say they have told the local Public Prosecutor’s office about what has happened, but no serious investigation has ever been carried out.

An Agrarian Tribunal has been considering the dispute over the ownership of the Lomas del Poleo land for several months, during which the people living there have suffered more threats and intimidation. The Tribunal will reach its conclusion shortly, and the recent threats are thought to have been an attempt to intimidate the people living in Lomas del Poleo into giving up their claim to ownership. Since the 4 December attack on Adelaida Plasencia Sierra, security guards have been approaching her two daughters' house and telling them the land is not theirs.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language:
 Urging the authorities to ensure that Alfredo Piñón Valenzuela and other residents of Lomas del Poleo who have been attacked and threatened by security guards working for local landowners are given appropriate protection according to their wishes;
 Urging them to order independent investigations into the attacks, and bring those responsible to justice;
 Urging them to prevent any attempt to drive residents of Lomas de Poleo off their land, and to ensure the dispute is resolved fairly and satisfactorily in the agrarian tribunal.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 17 MARCH 2010 TO:

Governor of Chihuahua State
Lic. José Reyes Baeza Terrazas
Gobernador del Estado de Chihuahua, Palacio de Gobierno, 1er piso, C. Aldama #901, Col. Centro,
Chihuahua, Estado de Chihuahua, C.P. 31000, Mexico
Fax: +52 614 429 3300 (then dial extension 11066 when prompted)
Salutation: Dear Governor
Attorney General of Chihuahua
Patricia González Rodríguez
Procuradora del Estado de Chihuahua
Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado
Vicente Guerrero 616, Col. Centro
Chihuahua 31000, Mexico
Fax: +52 614 415 0314
Salutation: Dear Attorney General

Mayor of Ciudad Juárez
Lic. José Reyes Ferriz
Presidente Municipal de Ciudad Juárez
Unidad Administrativa Benito Juárez. Primer piso, ala norte.
Av. Francisco Villa # 950 Norte, Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Fax: +52 656 615 0690
Salutation: Dear Mayor

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the third update of UA 15/09. Further information: www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR41/004/2009
URGENT ACTION
GUNMEN THREATEN LOMAS DEL POLEO MAN
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The land of Lomas del Poleo has become much more valuable since a group of businesspeople began plans to develop a nearby area into a new urban and industrial area.


Further Information on UA: 15/09 Index: AMR 41//011/2010 Issue Date: 03 February 2010