AUT: Winds of Violence in Morelia (fwd)

["Harry M. Cleaver" <hmcleave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 15:27:05 -0700
From: irlandesa <irlandesa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: chiapas-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: Multiple recipients of list <chiapas-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Winds of Violence in Morelia

Originally published in Spanish by Enlace Civil A.C.
<enlacecivil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
_____________________________
Translated by irlandesa

Date:   Monday, August 30, 1999 15:00:03 -0500
From:   fzln<floresu@xxxxxxxxxxx>

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Winds of Violence Blowing in Aguascalientes of Morelia

In the face of the continuous escalation of violence in several towns in
Chiapas, the following incidents occurred in Morelia, municipality of
Altamirano (17 de Noviembre Autonomous Municipality) on August 26, 1999:

1.  Six persons were cited by PRI leaders in a community Assembly, accused
of having participated in the EZLN support base march.  They were
subsequently jailed.

2.  Women from different communities guarded their six companeros all night
long.  On August 27, at approximately 11:00 AM, 100 EZLN sympathizers
showed up in order to rescue the detainees.  Several of them were verbally
assaulted again by the PRI groups, who were carrying rocks and machetes.

3.  On August 26, at 8:00 PM, the Civil Observation Camp was violently
dislocated by PRIs.  There were national and international observers in the
camp.  In order to protect them from possible physical attacks, EZLN supprt
base women surrounded them, forming a security circle.

4.  In the face of the climate of tension, 65 EZLN sympathizer families
abandoned their homes in order to take refuge in the Aguascalientes of
Morelia.  PRI groups took advantage of the moment to steal money and food
from those homes.

5.  The "Honor and Justice" office was looted by the PRIs, who took away
papers and materials belonging to the Aguascalientes.

6.  The PRI aggressors continuously said they were "carrying out orders,
and that, if they didn't do so, they were going to be punished." (sic)

A brigade of national observers visited the Aguascalientes of Morelia until
about 5:00 PM today, the 27th.  Over a 3 hour period, we were able to
confirm the incidents and to experience the climate of tension and fear
that prevails there.  Men, women and children asked us to accompany them in
order to review the state in which several of the houses had been found,
which had been abandoned the previous day.  A group of PRIs followed us
through the streets of the town, shouting:  "Those are UNAM students, get
out of here, manipulators, we don't want you taking photographs."  Without
allowing ourselves to be provoked, we withdrew, guarded by the companeras
from the Aguascalientes of Morelia.

In response to these incidents. we are calling on the national and
internaitonal press, on human rights organizations, on Civil Society, to
come out against, and to denounce, the state of war being waged over these
last few days through the statements and inciting to violence by the
substitute of the substitute Governor, Roberto Albores Guillen.

Sincerely,

Coordinadora Regional de los Altos por la Consulta Zapatista, Coordinadora
Regional Costa-Soconusco, Coordinadora Regional Norte-Selva, Coordinadora
Regional Marqu=E9s de Comillas, Coordinadora Regional Fronteriza,
Coordinadora Regional Centro, Red Civil de Observaci=F3n (RECIO): (Enlace
Civil, Junax, CIAM, K'inal Antzetik, Jolom Mayaetik, Alianza C=EDvica,
Brigada Batik J'kotoltik, Brigada los Espejos,  Coordinadora Regional de
los Altos, Bolet=EDn Resistencia, FZLN - San Crist=F3bal, Parejo S'cotol,
CIUSPAZ, Luna Creciente).



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