Police Beat Zapatista Sympathizer to Death Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Originally published in Spanish by Enlace Civil A.C. Translated by irlandesa Indigenous Assassinated by Police in Tila, Northern Zone *************************************************** June 7. Residents of the municipality of Tila destroyed offices of the mayoralty there, in protest over four state and municipal Public Security police officers having detained Candido Arcos Torres, who died as he was being transferred due to mistreatment and blows from the beating he suffered at the hands of the agents of order. Residents of the municipality of Tila denounced in a document that the police attacked Arcos Torres, beating him with their fists and with billy clubs, "to the degree that his testicles were ripped off," for which they called "for the full weight of the law" to be brought against the alleged homicidal agents. According to the Assistant Prosecutor for Indigenous Affairs in the state, Francisco Demeza, police officers received a call for help on Sunday in the municipal seat of Tila at 6:00 PM, asking that Candido Arcos, a member of the Abuxu organization (tied to the EZLN), be detained, who, while in a "state of intoxication" was causing public "scandals." The PGJE reported that "once he was arrested, Arcos Torres was being transferred to police facilities, but, during the journey, he suffered a "fall," due to a "fainting spell," which later caused his death." Around 10:00 PM, demonstrators entered the mayor's office, where they removed documents from the municipal files and "looted" the public works and the mayor's offices, taking communication radios. Upon leaving the building, they burned a Public Security Police van. When Public Ministry agent, Lester Gutierrez, went there in order to testify concening Arcos Torres' death, the demonstrators held him for three hours. They demanded that an autopsy not be performed on the victim, but one was performed on Monday in the municipality of Yajalon. The PJE announced that police officers Jesus Montejo Nunez and Lazaro Perez Lopez were detained for the incidents, accused of homicide. Meanwhile, the Xi'Nich organizaiton, two of whose leaders were detained last week, accused of being zapatista militants and of having organized a blockade of a rural road, stated that the constant incursions by the Army and the state police increased beginning in May, in communities with an EZLN presence, in order to harass them and "to sow fear." According to denunciations by social organizations in the area, the police and federal Army have intensified their patrols, checkpoints and incursions into the communities, in order "to reactivate and organize" paramilitary groups tied to the PRI who are operating in the northern zone. **************************************** ENLACE CIVIL A.C. Calle Ignacio Allende 4 29200 San Cristobal de Las Casas Chiapas, Mexico Telephone and Fax: 52-967-82104 Email: enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org CONSULT OUR WEB PAGE, WITH NEW INFORMATION EVERY 15 DAYS: http://www.enlacecivil.org.mx http://laneta.apc.org/enlacecivil ================================================================= 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-06.10.99-01:09:18-2233