MELEL XOJOBAL PRESS SYNTHESIS 5/28/99 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Originally published in Spanish by Melel Xojobal Translated by irlandesa Press Synthesis Friday, May 28, 1999. ************************************* ACTEAL ************************************* El Universal/Cuarto Poder. NEW EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN ACTEAL CASE. The leader of the National Confraternity of Evangelical Churches, Arturo Farela Gutierrez, promised to reveal over the next few days the identities of the material authors of the Acteal massacre, whom, he stated were neither PRI's nor zapatistas. He said that the 5 PRI's who have been detained for their alleged participation in the assassination, know the names of those truly guilty for the massacre. He said that these 5 indigenous prisoners admit to having participated in a confrontation with zapatistas on the same December 22, 1997, but they deny having taken part in the assassination of the 45 indigenous of Acteal. He added that there are 4 other PRI's who took refuge in Polho following the confrontation with the zapatistas, and it is they who are now pointing out their former companeros as being responsible for the massacre. Lastly, he said that these facts will be presented before a judge, and will serve as the defense for the 85 evangelicals charged with the assassination. ************************************ CHIAPANECO CONFLICT ************************************ Cuarto Poder. AUTONOMIAS DENY PURPORTED ZAPATISTA DESERTIONS. The San Manuel Autonomous Council, located in Ocosingo, said that zapatistas will never turn in their arms or sell their dignity for the charity the government offers. They explained that they would not desert, nor will they attack the groups of purported deserters. They added that members of the MIRA paramilitary group will be taking part this Friday in another desertion farce, and they will be turning in their weapons in La Union ejido, of the same muncipality. ************************************ La Jornada. PROFESSOR SAYS EZLN APPEARANCE REVEALED WEAKNESSES OF FEDERAL ARMY. During a seminar organized by the Commission for the Study of Armed Forces by the Democratic Revolutionary Party (the PRD), a professor from the Metropolitan Autonomous University, Jose Luis Pineiro, said that the appearance by the EZLN in Chiapas allowed the discovery of a series of logistical and organizational weaknesses in the Federal Army. There were attempts to resolve them through the purchase of equipment, an increase in the military zones and a greater presence of soldiers in different areas of the government. He added that these actions led to a 50% increase in the budgets of the Sedena [Department of National Defense] and of the Department of the Navy. Pineiro said that, in order to reach a solution to the chiapaneco conflict, the military should first withdraw to their barracks and clarify their responsibility for human rights violations and the creation of paramilitary groups. *********************************** La Jornada. DIODORO CARRASCO SAYS HE IS WILLING TO MEET WITH MARCOS. The Secretary of Government, Diodoro Carrasco Altamirano, said that he is willing to meet with Subcomandante Marcos in order to try and make progress in a solution to the armed conflict in Chiapas. Regarding the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR), Carrasco said that the government will seek for all social expressions to be within the law, but he clarified that this will happen when groups exist that put social and political stability at risk in Mexico. *********************************** El Universal. CDHMAP SAYS DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT WILL NOT CHANGE SITUATION IN CHIAPAS CONFLICT. The Director of the Miguel Agustin Pro Human Rights Center, Edgar Cortes Morales, said that he is not expecting any changes regarding the chiapaneco conflict, despite the naming of a new Secretary of Government. Cortes Morales said that when Diodoro Carrasco, the current Secretary of Government, was Governor of Oaxaca, he used a counterinsurgency strategy against the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR) and the conflict in Los Loxichas. ********************************** HARASSMENT ********************************** El Universal. SAN JUAN CANCUC COMMUNITIES PROTEST ELECTRICITY BEING CUT OFF TO THEM. The communities of Nichteel, Tzumbal, El Pozo, Tsulunwitz, Crucija and Independencia, in the municipality of San Juan Cancuc, denounced that several settlements have been protesting about a group of caciques there, headed by PRI councilperson, Lorenzo Hernandez Perez, who ordered that elecricity be cut off to those who had refused to pay the high fees being charged them. Gomez Santiz said that an agreement had been signed in 1996 with government officials, and with the business agent from the Federal Commission in Ocosingo, to pay only five pesos bi-monthly. *********************************** HUMAN RIGHTS *********************************** Melel Xojobal. PRIZE AWARDED TO FRAY BARTOLOME HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER. The Cooperation with Culture and Science Council in El Salvador A.C. - a group made up of Mexicans and Salvadorenos - reported that it would be awarding the Roque Dalton Medal this Friday in Mexico City to the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Human Rights Center. They stated that they are making this award for their noteworthy participation in the defense of the human rights of the most unprotected peoples of Mexico, as well as for their commitment to the search for peace with justice and dignity. ********************************** ELECTORAL ********************************** Cuarto Poder. SALAZAR MENDIGUCHIA MEETS WITH RAP. In a meeting he held with members of the Autonomous Multi-Ethnic Regions (RAP), as part of his campaign seeking the gubernatorial candidacy in Chiapas, independent Senator Pablo Salazar Mendiguchia proposed the establishment of an inclusive, democratic and participatory government, where there would be a place for the indigenous in decision-making bodies. He added that, if he were to win the year 2000 election, he would grant autonomy to the indigenous, and he would continue fighting for the carrying out of the San Andres Accords. ********************************** Cuarto Poder. CALL FOR DISMISSAL OF BOCHIL MAYOR. Residents of the municipality of Bochil began a sit-in in front of the municipal president's office, demanding the dismissal of PRI Mayor Jose Flores Maldonado, who is accused of committing acts of intimidation and arrogance against the townspeople. They added that they would take over the mayoralty if state authorities did not resolve this petition favorably. ********************************* Cuarto Poder. CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST AUTHENTIC COLETOS. The PRD, PAN, PT and PVEM wings of the legislature lodged a criminal complaint with the State Attorney General's Office against those responsible for the attacks on PRD Federal Deputy Gilberto Lopez y Rivas. They added that an investigation would be carried out in order to determine the crimes committed by members of the San Cristobal Civic Front and by officials of the Municipal Council. ******************************** Cuarto Poder. CHALCHIHUITAN COUNCILPERSON CONFIRMED. In an assembly held on Saturday, May 22, the PRI's of Chalchihuitan confirmed municipal president, Sebastian Gomez Gomez, despite his being accused of lacking the authority to deal with, and resolve, the demands of the majority of the residents. ******************************** NATIONAL EVENTS ******************************** La Jornada. MULLOR METS WITH SECRETARY OF GOVERNMENT. The Vatican's representative in Mexico, Justo Mullor, met with the new Secretary of Government in order to congratulate him on his new repsonsibilities, and in to talk about items still pending on the bilateral agenda, such as the regulations for the Law of Religious Associations and Public Worship. ********************************* El Universal. SPANISH WILL TRAIN MEXICAN POLICE OFFICERS. The Executive Secretary of the National System of Public Security of Government, Mayolo Medina Linares, reported that heads of the Attorney General's Office of the Republic (PGR), Judicial Police of the Federal District (PJDF) and of the Intelligence and National Security Center (Cisen) will receive training from Spanish police officers in criminal investigation matters. ******************************** JUSTICE ******************************** Diario de Yucatan. PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES TO BE CARRIED OUT ON CPCP LEADER. The defense lawyer for the former soldier and leader of the Patriotic Command for the Raising of the Peoples' Conscious, Hildegardo Bacilio Gomez, Enrique Domingues Sevilla, said that a judge had granted permission for his client to have a psychiatric evaluation done in Mexico City. He explained that this was owing to the fact that Bacilio Gomez had tried to commit suicide on May 18. He added that the judge granted 30 days for the studies to be carried out, and that he had requested that military officials arrange for security for the former military man. *********************************************************** 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: 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-06.02.99-02:51:22-1013