More Attacks on Diocese Members in Chamula Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - PRENSA NUEVO AMANECER Mon, 31 May 1999 21:24:45 +0000 Originally published in Spanish by the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Human Rights Center Translated by irlandesa ATTACKS CONTINUE IN CHAMULA ************************************************ MAY 31, 1999. Press Bulletin The municipality of San Juan Chamula continues to be a place of religious intolerance. During the last five days, this center has received three denunciations of attacks against Diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas parishioners, for the building of Catholic churches in the municipality of San Juan Chamula. The last attack occurred yesterday afternoon, May 30, 1999, at 6:00 PM, in the community of Bautista Chico. The traditionalists in that community detained the following persons because they had not destroyed their church and chapel as the traditionalists had demanded: Cristobal Lopez Perez, Ignacio Lopez Lopez, Santos Lo[pez Patishtan (Pentecostals), Mario Hernandez Lopez and Mariano Patishtan Collazo (Catholics). They were taken to the municipal judge, who turned them over to officials from the Assistant Prosecutor for Indigenous Justice at about 11 AM today. Since then, they were charged and put in the custody of the Judicial Police. According to the Assistant Prosecutor for Indigenous Justice, Lic. Francisco Demeza Hernandez, the five persons were charged with attempted homicide. However, at the time of their detention they were not caught in flagrante delicto, nor had any investigation been opened against them, making their arrest illegal. The detainees were released about 8:30 PM, with no crime having been discovered. The other case occurred on May 29 at 6:00 AM, when members of the community of Tres Cruces, Municipality of San Juan Chamula were attacked by a group of approximately 140 armed and masked persosns, among them C. Jose Fidel Lopez, the replacement Justice of the Peace and Indigenous Conciliation, who transported them in vehicles belonging to the munciipal police. Candelario Hernandez Heredia, Domingo Hernandez Heredia, Gregorio Hernandez Heredia, Cecilio Patihtan Lopez, Mariano Heredia Mocojol, Mateo Lopez Heredia and Juan Hernandez De la Cruz were beaten up and taken to the municipal seat, accused of the illegal carrying of weapons and of making threats. At 9:00 in the morning, officials from the Municipality of San Juan Chamula turned them over to the Assistant Prosecutor for Indigenous Justice, opening investigation File No. ALC/SJI/273/999, for probable previous crimes and for those which had occurred up to the time of their arbitrary detention. During the attack, the community's musical instruments, money and church images were stolen, as well as building materials, which were taken to the municipal seat. The seven were released the same day. In addition, on May 27, as noted in our Bulletin of the same day, four persons were beaten up in the community of Tres Cruces, by a group of traditional Catholics because they were building a new Catholic chapel, leading to the opening of investigation No. A17A/SJI/269/99, for battery and its consequences, with the Assistant Prosecutor for Indigenous Justice. Due to the previous, we demand: 1. That the state government guarantee the freedom of worship that Article 24 of the constitution recognizes for all citizens. 2. That the Government of the State of Chiapas promptly and expeditiously intervene, in order to bring a halt to attacks against members of the Diocese of San Cristobal in the muncipality of Chamula. 3. That the Assistant Prosecutor for Indigenous Justice thoroughly investigate these cases and punish those responsible. 4. We also call on the CNDH to take precautionary measures for the communities of Tres Cruces, Bautista Chico and Makbilo, where there have been rumors that the Catholic chapel will be destroyed. 5. The dismissal of C. Jose Fidel Lopez Lopez ( the replacement Justice of Peace and Indigenous Conciliation), for abuse of authority and for having been informed of the situation in the community of Tres Cruces and having not acted in a prompt and expeditious manner. Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Human Rights Center Francisco Leon 5 Barrio de Santa Lucia San Cristobal de las Casas Chiapas, C.P. 29250 Mexico Telephone: (967) 8 35 48 Fax: (967) 8 35 51 Email: cdhbcasas@laneta.apc.org http://www.laneta.apc.org/cdhbcasas/ ****************************************************** NUEVO AMANECER PRESS-PRENSA NUEVO AMANECER-N.A.P. 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