SIPAZ Activities (Mid-August to mid-November 2020)
15/12/20202020
12/01/20212020
January 3: one year after the murder of the human rights defender Sinar Corzo Esquinca in Arriaga (Costa de Chiapas), friends and family demonstrate in this city to demand justice, denouncing that although there are several detainees as material and intellectual perpetrators, nobody has been sentenced to date.
January 10: the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) publishes a request addressed to the National Institute of Migration (INM) and the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) expressing concern at the breach of the deadlines set by the Law in Regarding the procedures of immigration regularization.
January 10: relatives of two victims of femicide in the municipality of Tonala, together with feminist and civil society organizations, carry out a peaceful mobilization to demand “justice for recent events linked to femicide.”
January 20: A caravan of 4,000 migrants, mainly from Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras reaches the Mexican Southern Border and is stopped by the National Guard.
January 25: the Believing People of the Diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas makes a pilgrimage to honor jTatic Samuel Ruiz Garcia, former bishop of this diocese who died nine years ago and to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Third Diocesan Synod.
February 2: in a pastoral letter entitled “Let us walk together in the light of the Lord,” the bishop of the diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas, Rodrigo Aguilar Martinez, states that in Chiapas there are megaprojects “which are affecting the indigenous and urban peoples.”
February 16: the “In search of the 43” caravan for the students who were disappeared in Iguala in 2014, and in which the mothers and fathers of the young people who studied at the Rural Normal School Raul Isidro Burgos d Ayotzinapa were participating as well as members of the Mactumactza Normal Rural School is violently repressed in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. Several people were injured.
February 20 and 21: the EZLN and organizations that are members of or close to the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) carry out dislocated actions in 20 states of Mexico and in at least seven other countries, one year after the murder of Samir Flores Soberanes.
February 22: the head of the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE), Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca, reports that two State Police agents were arrested for the violent events that occurred a week before during the eviction of a blockade of students from the Normal Rural Mactumactza School (Chiapas) and relatives of the 43 disappeared student teachers from Ayotzinapa (Guerrero, 2014).
March 1: Zapatista women state that they will join the activities during International Women’s Day, on March 8th, as well as the national strike on March 9th, “On the Ninth, No Woman Moves.”
March 14: Cristóbal Sántiz Jiménez, community human rights defender, representative and spokesperson for Tzotzil communities in forced displacement from Aldama, is arrested, accused of homicide.
March 1: EZLN closes its autonomous structures due to COVID-19.
March 16: the human rights sector of the diocese of San Cristobal informs that 12,124 signatures were collected from 15 municipalities of Chiapas to demanded the federal authorities to respect the rights of the communities affected by the Maya Train megaproject, which have been violated by not complying with international standards and by not presenting a study of the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of the project.
March 20: the Institute of Elections and Citizen Participation (IEPC) of Chiapas approves the regulation to meet requests that are submitted to their institution for indigenous consultations on electoral matters.
March 23: The Popular Front in Defense of Soconusco “June 20” (FPDS) denounces that the Chiapas government convened a working meeting with the FPDS in which representatives of the mining company El Puntal S.A. participated “to warn them that the government will apply the ‘rule of law’ for the titanium extraction company to restart its works.”
March 26: The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) requests the implementation of precautionary measures in favor of Cristóbal Sántiz Jiménez, a Tzotzil indigenous person from the municipality of Aldama, a community defender and representative of the Permanent Commission of Communal and Displaced Peoples who is in prison in “El Amate”.
April 3: Chiapas: Health Workers Denounce Shortages in Hospitals
April 13: the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (Frayba) warns of the rise in gender violence in Chiapas since the beginning of the year: a woman dies violently every two days in the state.
April 18: the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (Frayba) expresses concern about the most recent death threats and acts of surveillance against Father Marcelo Perez Perez, pastor of Simojovel de Allende.
April 20: social and civil organizations in Chiapas speak out in favor of full respect for human rights and for life seeking to “share information, analyze and generate strategies to jointly face this pandemic COVID 19.”
April 21: About 200 organizations ask that the Mayan Train works be halted during the contingency; AMLO confirms that the large megaprojects initially planned will be maintained.
April 22: NGOs denounce Chiapas State Prosecutor’s Office is setting conditions for the release of prisoners entitled to new Amnesty Law.
April 27: Police are accused of shooting at Choles protesting against confinement.
April 28: an injunction is granted to communities of the Maya Tzotzil people in forced displacement from Aldama.
May 6: Violent attacks against the community of Pom, Chalchihuitán, are denounced.
May 8: the organization Indignation, Promotion and Defense of Human Rights, AC reports that a federal judge granted an injunction to indigenous people in Chiapas by ordering that the works of the Maya Train be suspended in the section from Palenque.
May 26: the Trust for the Health of Indigenous Children of Mexico (FISANIM) and the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights, (Frayba) warn of the risk of famine for more than 3,000 displaced people in the Highlands of Chiapas.
May 29: due to rumors of sanitation against coronavirus, residents burn city hall and houses in Venustiano Carranza.
June 8: The Community Government of Chilón demands justice for 59 displaced families.
June 12: Misinformation about COVID-19 leads to a multiplication of attacks on hospitals and staff.
June 14: The authorities announce that the state will have 25 National Guard Military Barracks in 2022.
June 23: Over 26 thousand signatures are obtained to demand the revocation of Coca-Cola concession in San Cristobal de Las Casas.
June 27: Violent Demonstrations and damage in San Andres Larrainzar during alleged sanitation.
July 6: The mayor of Chenalhó is ambushed; his driver dies.
July 7: people march in the municipality of Las Margaritas to protest against the coronavirus that according to these protesters was created to kill those over 60 by the foundation of Bill and Melinda Gates.
July 19: The Commission of the 134 Municipal Rural Agents of Chenalhó requests the installation of a Mixed Operations Base (MOB) in the municipality of Aldama in the face of new violent events.
July 22: Agreement with Mexican State “causes more division between survivors”, denounce the Las Abejas de Acteal.
July 30: The municipal authorities of Aldama and Chenalhó ratify the non-aggression pact to prevent further violence, deriving from the agrarian conflict over 60 hectares that both municipalities have had for 45 years.
August 12: The Section VII of the National Union and Coordinator of Education Workers in Chiapas (SNTE-CNTE), declares that the SEP program “Learn at Home II” is a “luxury” to which only a minority will have access to.
August 17: A group calling itself the Indigenous Revolutionary Army (ERI) demands the withdrawal of the National Guard and the Army from its territory.
August 19: A video of an armed group in Chenalhó is released after a new shootout between Santa Martha and Aldama.
August 22: Two coffee warehouses of support bases of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) are burned in the Moises Gandhi community in the Ocosingo municipality, presumably by a group of members of the Regional Organization of Coffee Growers of Ocosingo (ORCAO)
August 22: Escalation of violence in Chenalhó is similar to events before Acteal Massacre, denounces the Las Abejas Civil Society.
August 26: More than 450 people and 140 organizations from 22 countries demand “Stop the War against the Zapatista Communities.”
August 28: The President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador accuses civil organizations of receiving money from foreign foundations to oppose the megaprojects of his administration, for example the Mayan Train.
August 28: The priest Luis Manuel López Alfaro is ordained the new auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
September 3: An Act of Recognition of State Responsibility in the Acteal Case is organized with Some Victims; others still demand IACHR report
September 11: three people died and six more receive gunshot wounds as a result of an attack according to some media, a confrontation according to others, which took place in the municipality of Tila, between ejidatarios and protesting residents.
September 14: With a total road blockade, residents demand protection of the San Cristóbal de Las Casas wetlands.
September 22: The Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (MODEVITE) publishes a statement in which it ratifies that it will continue to fight for self-determination and autonomy of native peoples.
October 5: EZLN Announces Journey to Five Continents “To Find What Makes Us Equals”
October 18: Bachajón ejidatarios oppose the installation of a National Guard barracks and are violently repressed.
October 28: Three years after the massive forced displacement of Chalchihuitán, victims claim that the recommendations of the CNDH and the precautionary measures of the IACHR remain unimplemented.
November 9: Emergency is declared after Hurricane Eta Floods.
November 10: Zapatista Good Government Council denounces the kidnapping and torture of one of its support base in Moisés Gandhi.
November 12: Zapatista Support Base Feliz Lopez Hernandez is released. An EZLN Solidarity March is organized in Mexico City.
November 18: A humanitarian aid brigade in Aldama is shot and a nun is injured.
November 19: “Findings of Human Rights Observation Mission on Southern Mexican Border” is published.
November 23: IACHR admits the Viejo Velasco case.
November 23: The Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center located in Tonala, Chiapas, launches an urgent action after one of its members, Nataniel Hernandez, and his family were victims of death threats and damage to their vehicle.
November 25: “Violence against Women if the Context of a Pandemic” report is published.
November 29: New Attacks in Aldama Condemned Following Recent “Definitive” Peace Agreement.
December 3: The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) invalidates the recent electoral reforms of the state of Chiapas due to lack of prior consultation with indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities.
From December 7 to 10: A Civil Observation Mission of the Network Todos los Derechos para Todos y Todos (Red TDT) as well as 3 international organizations (including SIPAZ) visit communities in the Altos, Norte and Costa regions to document violations of rights humans.
December 22: in the framework of the XXIII° anniversary of the 1997 massacre, Las Abejas de Acteal urge IACHR to expedite actions.
December 22: EZLN issues communiqué on Preparations to Travel to Europe.
December 29: Environmentalists are attacked for defending a wetland in San Cristóbal de Las Casas.