Harassment of Aid Workers in Chenalho Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Originally published in Spanish by the "Colectivo Educacion para la Paz" Translated by irlandesa Information/Denuncia ********************************************* San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas June 9, 1999. Lic. Diodoro Carrasco Altamirano Secretary of Government Gen. Enrique Cervantes Aguirre Secretary of National Defense Roberto Albores Guillen Governor of the State of Chiapas To Public Opinion. We wish to denounce, and to express our concern for, the following Incidents: On June 9, 1999, at 8:30 in the morning, at a checkpoint, located at the entrance to the municipal seat of Chenalho, Federal Army forces asked us for identification, as well as for information concerning the work we were doing, the place to which we were going and license plate numbers, taking down all this information in a notebook. The person who was driving the car presented their voter identification card. The other two persons in the car did not have their identification with them at the time. We asked them [the soldiers]: "Why are you taking down our name and information without having previously searched the car, because we understood your job was enforcing the firearms and explosives law?" That is when they asked us to get out, in order to search the automobile. They asked us again where we were going, and we told them to Acteal. The called on Immigration personnel, who insisted again that those persosns be identified, and, if it was not done, they would detain us, saying, "If you don't do it, we'll call the council officials, and you'll be detained." Thirty minutes later, Lieutenant Colonel Josue Gonzalez Ortega appeared, insisting that we identify ourselves, to whom it was communicated that they were not carrying identification, and only the names of the persons had been provided. He said: "If you don't do it, we will call on the high command and municipal officials, because here they respect the uses and customs of the people." After approximately 20 more minutes, the Municipal Rural Agent arrived, together with 14 armed police officers, with their toletes, in a grey Council van. After talking with the Army forces and the Lieutenant Colonel for a few minutes, they approached in a threatening manner, and they again insisted on the identification of the two persons. I told them they hadn't brought them, and therefore they could not show them. They told us: "There was an agreement among all the organizations to not let anyone pass through who did not carry and present their documents, and because of that, we would have to return, and, if we didn't do so, we would have to go to the municipal president's office." At the that moment, the door of the vehicle opened, and they told us: "If you don't want problems, you had better leave, either leave or go to the municipal president's office." In response to this threatening and intimidating situation, we returned to San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas. In response to this incident, we express our concern for the continuous violations of the right to freedom of movement in that zone, by federal and municipal officials, acting in concert, in order to intimidate and to harass the people who are accompanying and visiting displaced families in this area. It should be noted that this not the first time [that such an incident has occurred], these incidents take place constantly. We demand: * Respect for the right to freedom of movement. * The guarantee of the security and safety of all those Civilian Organizations and persons who are voluntarily carrying out acts of humanitarian aid and solidarity with the displaced population. Sincerely For the Education Collective for Peace (CEPAZ) Alma Rosa Rojas Z. *********************************************************** NUEVO AMANECER PRESS-PRENSA NUEVO AMANECER-N.A.P. To know us visit our web page in Spanish in Mexico at: http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm E-mail: General Director: Roger Maldonado A Press in support of the work in defense of Human Rights ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-06.12.99-23:27:13-18575