[PEN-L:4958] AI: HR Workers Threatened in Nuevo Leon, May 4 (fwd)

[D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

> +------------------------------------------------------+
> +     AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION BULLETIN     +
> +     Electronic distribution authorised               +
> +     This bulletin expires: 17 June 1995.             +
> +------------------------------------------------------+
>
> EXTERNAL (for general distribution)  AI Index: AMR 41/11/95
>                                      Distr: UA/SC
>
> UA 105/95     Threats / Intimidation        3 May 1995
>
> MEXICO            Consuelo Morales (f), director of CADHAC
>                  Victor (family name unknown), member of
> CADHAC
>                  Amelia Zabala (f), member of CADHAC
>
> There is serious concern for the safety of human rights
> activists belonging to the Mexican human rights organization
> Ciudadanos en Apoyo a los Derechos Humanos, A.C., CADHAC,
> Citizens for Human Rights, in the state of Nuevo Leon, after
> three of them were threatened by an unidentified armed man on
> 27 April 1995.
>
> On that day, Consuelo Morales, Victor, and Amelia Zabala were
> twice followed by a car as they were leaving the office.  On
> the second occasion, the driver of the car followed them into
> a restaurant, sat by them and threatened them, showing them
> his gun.  Cristian Rojas from the National Commission of Human
> Rights, who was visiting the CADHAC offices, witnessed the
> threats.
>
> This incident is the latest in a series of intimidatory acts
> and threats which began in November 1994, including anonymous
> threats of kidnapping or "disappearance" against CADHAC
> members.  For example, on 25 April a piece of music was
> recorded on the answering machine of Consuelo Morales,
> director of the centre.  The same music has been used to
> threaten human rights activists in the recent past.  On the
> night of 9 April, the CADHAC offices were raided by
> unidentified individuals and information, material and money
> taken.  On 18 March, the office windows were found to have
> been tampered with.
>
> BACKGROUND INFORMATION
>
> Members of the Church and grassroots organizations who have
> been active in promoting and protecting human rights in
> Mexico, have frequently encountered opposition from the local
> authorities, wealthy landowners and police.  Father Samuel
> Ruiz, Bishop of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, along
> with other fathers and seminarist have been followed and
> threatened by unidentified individuals (see UA 102/94, AMR
> 41/05/94, 14 March 1994 and UA 46/95, AMR 41/10/95, 21
> February 1995).
>
> On 10 February 1995, the offices of CONPAZ (Coordinacion de
> Organismos no Gubernamentales por la Paz), the Coordination of
> non-governmental organizations working for peace, in San
> Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, were raided by members of the
> Mexican Federal Judicial Police (PFJ).  Members of CONPAZ are
> reported to have been followed by the police when they left
> their offices shortly before the raid.
>
> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
> + Supporters of Amnesty International around the world are  +
> + writing urgent appeals in response to the concerns        +
> + described above. If you would like to join with them in   +
> + this action or have any queries about the Urgent Action   +
> + network or Amnesty International in general, please       +
> + contact one of the following:                             +
> +                                                           +
> +      Ray Mitchell, rmitchellai@xxxxxxxxxx (UK)            +
> +      Scott Harrison, sharrison@xxxxxxxxxxx (USA)          +
> +      Guido Gabriel, ggabriel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Germany)  +
> +      Marilyn McKim, aito@xxxxxxxxxxx (Canada)             +
> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
>
>
> --
>                   _________
>                   | I-HAVE |
>                   | NOTHING|
>                   |  ELSE  |
>                   | TO-SAY |
>                   |________|
>                       |
>                       @
>                    o_/|
>                  \/\_
> ___________________/ |______________________________________________________
> carogna@xxxxxxxxxx                                "...flowers in the dustbin,
>                                W Zapata!         poison in the human machine..."
>                                                         -CarognaVerde-
>
>
>