SIPAZ Activities (Mid-May to mid-August, 2020)

INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AND ACCOMPANIMENT

CHIAPAS

Forced Displacement

• In May, we attended the press conference “Food Crisis in Displaced Communities”, coordinated by the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (Frayba) and the Trust for the Health of Indigenous Children of Mexico A.C. (FISANIM).
• In June, we participated in the virtual discussion “Forced Displacement of Indigenous Peoples”, organized by Frayba.
• In July, we attended the presentation of the document “Preserving Life – Public Letter: Stop the Violence in Forcibly Displaced Communities in Chiapas”, in an online event convened by Frayba.

Gender

• In May, we entered the virtual dialogue “Women Radically Transforming a World in Crisis”, coordinated by Just Associates (JASS) and the Mesoamerican Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders (IM-Defenders).
• In June, at the invitation of the Center for Women’s Rights, we attended two modules of reflection, analysis and political training in Feminist Strategic Litigation, whose objective is to “contribute to the defense of the land and territory in the search for social justice for Women and their Peoples.”
• In July, we participated in the virtual Forum “Guarantee of the Right of Access to Information on Gender and its Importance Times of COVID-19”, together with several institutions (including INMUJERES and the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data, INAI), as well as civil organizations.
• In July, we attended the Webinar “Defending Rights in Times of COVID 19 – Challenges for Mexico and Central America – Women Defenders and the Rights to defend Human Rights”, convened by Frontline, Espacio OSC, CEJIL among other organizations.

Prisoners

• We continue to communicate weekly by telephone with the prisoners who are members of the organizations “Solidarios de la Voz del Amate” (Solidarios de la Voz del Amate) and “The Voice of Indigenous in Resistance” (La Voz de Indigenas en Resistencia), both groups adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN ), in the San Cristobal de Las Casas prison.
• In June, we attended the online press conference “Violation of Human Rights of Women Prisoners in Cerss N ° 5, in the Context of the COVID 19 Pandemic”, convened by the Popular Campaign against Violence and Femicide In Chiapas.
• In July, we participated in the virtual forum “Penitentiary Population and their Human Hights”, organized by Citizens in Support of Human Rights (CADHAC).

Indigenous Peoples

• In May, we participated in the virtual Forum “Community Resistance: Struggles of the Peoples of Latin America”, convened by CEJIL.
• In June, we attended the II International Webinar “Registry of the Legal Personality of Peoples”, organized, among others, by the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice for Vulnerable Persons.
• In July, we participated in the virtual Forum “Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and the New Law of Uses and Customs in Chiapas” organized by CECOCISE and UNACH.

Human Rights Defenders

• In June, we were at the online discussion “Defending Human Rights in Latin America in a Period of Confinement”, convened by the United Kingdom’s Peace Brigades International (PBI).
• In June, we were at the online discussion “Stories of Resilience and Hope”, convened by PBI from the United Kingdom.

Land and territory

• In June, we attended the virtual conference “Nature and Pandemic”, which took place within the framework of Environment Week, at the initiative of the National College of Mexico.
• In June, we participated in the discussion “Capitalism and the Environment: the Peninsula between Affectations and Resistance”, part of the “Weaving Words” program, organized by the National Indigenous Congress (CNI).
• In June, we attended the online discussion “Environmental Rights and Legal Communities”, convened by PBI of the United Kingdom.
• In July, we attended the virtual event “The megaprojects of the Southeast: Impact and Socio-environmental Perspectives”, organized by Rebels for Life (Rebeldes por la Vida).
• In July, we participated in the International Webinar “Ga $ = De $ pojo [Ga$ = Di$po$$e$$ion]. Social Struggles against Megaprojects in Mexico and Europe ”, convened by the People’s Front in Defense of Territory and Water and European organizations.
• In July, we were in the online discussion “Protecting our Future through Due Process of Companies”, convened by PBI of the United Kingdom.
• In July, we attended the virtual Forum “Analysis and Perspectives: A Shared Framework of NAFTA 1994 and USMCA 2020 and their Contributions to Social Inequalities”, part of the Day of Struggle against the USMCA and Megaprojects, convened by organizations close to the CNI.
• In August, we participated in some of the online activities carried out within the framework of Global Action against Megaprojects, convened by Networks of Rebellion and Resistance, collectives, organizations and individuals adhering to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Forest.
• In August, we attended the online press conference “Legal Actions against Megaprojects Violating Human Rights”, in which members of the CNI participated.
• Freedom of expression
• In May, we attended the presentation of the annual report “Dissonances: Voices in Dispute”, prepared by Article 19.
• In June, we participated in the virtual webinar “Threats to Digital Rights in the Implementation of the USMCA”, convened by R3D.
• In July, we attended the “Defending Rights” Webinar session, convened by several CSOs including Frontline, entitled “Freedom of Expression and Access to Information Times of Pandemic.”
• In July, we were at the virtual event during which the report “Interrupted Message” of Article 19 was presented.

Militarization

• In May, we were at the virtual event “Human Rights and Militarization in Mexico”, coordinated by CECOCISE and UNACH.
• In May, we participated in the online Conversation “Old Wars, New Masks, Militarization in Mexico, Yesterday and Today”, organized by Young People in the National Emergency.
• In July, we attended the virtual event through which Ibero presented its report “Militarization in the 4T”.

Migration

• In May, we participated in the virtual conversation “Borders of Mexico: Remittances and Exchanges in Times of COVID 19”, convened by the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO).
• In May, we attended the Virtual Seminar “Mobility in Migratory Contexts”, part of the Permanent Inter-institutional Seminar convened, among others, by CIESAS and UNAM.
• In July, we participated in the online forum “Proposal for Alternative Routes to Detention for the Migrant Population and Asylum Seekers in Mexico during the COVID 19 Pandemic”.
• Impunity
• In July, we attended the Webinar “Mexico in the International Criminal Court”, coordinated by the Mexican Commission for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (CMDPDH).
• In July, we participated in the online event “Reparation Measures for Serious Human Rights Violations”, organized by CADHAC.
• In August, we were at the virtual press conference called by the Las Abejas de Acteal Civil Society, in which they ratified their position demanding that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issue a merits report on the Acteal Massacre ( 1997).

Human rights

• In June, we participated in the virtual space “Latin American Encounter #OpenHorizons to Disappearances”, convened by CADHAC, Services and Consultancy for Peace (Serapaz), and the Foundation for Due Process.
• In June, we attended the virtual conversation under the hashtag #StopTortura, organized by Frayba within the framework of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
• In June, we were at the virtual event organized within the framework of the Presentation of the Report of the National Observatory of Hate Crimes against LGBT People in Mexico.
• In July, we participated in the event “Mexico and its 73,224 disappeared“, a session of the Seminars on Violence and Peace of the Colegio de Mexico.
• In July, we attended the online event to publicize the results of the query “How do Children and Adolescents of San Cristobal de Las Casas (SCLC) Experience the Pandemic?”, convened by the organizations Melel Xojobal, Sueniños and Tierra Roja.
• In August, we attended the Analysis Forum “The Horror of Forced Disappearance”, convened by Futuro 21.
• In August, we participated in the virtual Forum “COVID-19: Challenges to Access the Justice System”, convened by CECAP Documenta.
• In August, we attended the online presentation of the analysis “Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Rights of Children in Mexico”, prepared by the Network for the Rights of the Child in Mexico (REDIM).

OAXACA

• In June, we attended the virtual discussion “Femicide in Mexico: An Invisible “Pandemic” coordinated by the Consortium for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equity Oaxaca and the National Citizen Observatory of Femicide (OCNF).
• In June, we were at the presentation of Revista Metabolica dedicated to the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, written by the Tor Environmental Analysis Group.
• In June, we attended some online events that were part of the International Day of Struggle for Nochixtlan “Four Years without Truth. Without Justice”.
• In June, we were at the presentation of the book “Political Horizons from our America”, one of the events organized within the framework of Educa’s Anniversary.
• In July, we participated in several activities of the “Day for Life and Mother Earth”, convened by the Assembly in Defense of the Earth and Territory, including among others a panel entitled “Respect the entrails of Mother Earth: Yes to Life, No to Mining” and one about the Interoceanic Corridor.
• In July, we attended the virtual Conversation “Towards Reparation for Damage for Defenders who are Victims of Human Rights Violations in Oaxaca”, convened by Consortium Oaxaca.

GUERRERO

• In June, we participated in the Forum “Resist in Collective: Social Protest in Times of Isolation” which was held on International Day of Support for Victims of Torture as part of the 16^th Anniversary of the CCTI.
• In July, we attended the Radio Regeneration program “Ayotzinapa: The New historical Truth”.
• In August, we were at the Forum “Towards the Constitutional Recognition of the Rights of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples in the State of Guerrero”, convened by the Congress of that state and by Tlachinollan.

INFORMATION AND TRAINING FOR ACTION

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND URGENT ACTIONS

• We support Urgent Action against the death threat to Consortium Oaxaca.
• We participated in the preparation and presentation of the Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Mexico prepared by CSOs within the framework of the IX Edition of the High Level Bilateral Dialogue on Human Rights between Mexico and the European Union.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

MAY

• We participated in a virtual meeting on the rights of indigenous peoples in Mexico, in which members of the Belgian Embassy and the representation of the European Union in the country were present.
• We participated in the Webinar entitled “Situation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Context of the Pandemic”, organized by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

JUNE

• In June, we attended the virtual Forum “Women’s Rights: Challenges Confronting COVID 19”, convened among others by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IN-Mujeres and UN Women, in which Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, participated among others.
• We were present at the presentation of the book “Rapporteurship on Internal Displacement in Chiapas”, carried out at the invitation of the State Commission on Human Rights (CEDH).
• We attended the virtual seminar “Restrictions and Suspension of Rights and their Consequences in the Context of COVID 19”, coordinated by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR).
• We were in the virtual discussion “Human Right to a Healthy Environment – Impacts of Extractivism in Chiapas”, convened by the ECHR.
• We participated in the virtual conference “Economic and Social Impacts of COVID-19. Challenges to Promote the Enjoyment and Effective Protection of human rights”, coordinated by the IACHR.
• We attended the webinars “Situation of Defenders in the Context of the Pandemic” and “Situation of LGTBI + People in the Context of the Pandemic”, convened by the IACHR.

JULY

• We attended the virtual meeting at the Civil Society Seminar prior to the High Level Bilateral Dialogue on Human Rights between Mexico and the European Union.

AUGUST

• We participated in the Online Conversation on “Electoral reforms in Chiapas 2020 Regarding Indigenous Peoples and their Implications”, convened by the State Commission for Human Rights (CEDH) and the Electoral and Citizen Participation Institute (IEPC).

INTERNAL TRAINING

• In May, we participated in the mapping workshop for the defense of the territory facilitated by Youth in the National Emergency.
• In June, we participated in the online workshop “Human Security Basics: What Really Makes Us Secure When Confronting a Pandemic”, organized by GPPAC (see Networking).
• In July, we participated in a new GPPAC workshop “Women, Peace & Security Advocacy”.

NETWORKING

• In June and July, we attended the bimonthly meetings of the Network for Peace, a space for action and reflection, made up of ten organizations that seek to support peace and reconciliation processes in Chiapas.
• In May, SIPAZ participated in a virtual event for reflection and analysis called by the Global Alliance for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC, a network of which SIPAZ is part), towards the construction of a World Peace Architecture.
• In June, we participated in the virtual event “Weaving Networks for Life: Defending Territory Is Defending Life!”, organized, among others, by the Continental Christian Network for Peace (REDCONPAZ) and Pax Christi International, two platforms to which SIPAZ belongs.
• In June, we had a face-to-face meeting of the partners that participated in the “Latin America Project, Between Violence and Hope – Phase III: Accompaniment of Communities in Non-violent Resistance to Extractivism”, coordinated by Pax Christi International.
• In June, we participated with a presentation in the Forum “Analysis of the Situation in Mexico and its Peacebuilding Processes”, convened among other platforms by GPPAC Mexico.
• In August, we co-facilitated a meeting called by Sursiendo in which a dozen civil organizations in Chiapas shared challenges and learnings in the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as the measures we have been taking to prevent its spread.