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Acción
Dear President Fox:
Save the Redwoods/Boycott the Gap (SRBG) is an international campaign
with
tens of thousands of supporters worldwide and an activist network of over
1500 groups and individuals around the globe. Although our primary goal
is
forest and watershed protection both locally and globally, we also work
in
coalition with human rights and environmental groups world-wide to defend
and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, landless peoples, and small
farmers, which often goes hand in hand with protecting and restoring natural
resources.
Human rights activists and concerned citizens around the world have been
waiting a LONG TIME for you to assume control of Mexico's military and
para-military. As commander and chief of the armed forces, you are obliged
to do so. We will not tolerate the human rights violations perpetrated
by
Mexican military and paramilitary groups in Chiapas, Guerrero, and other
Mexican states.
We are aware of the outrageous escalation in human rights abuses, including
murder, that occurred with impunity in Chiapas this past month, and we
plan
to send a contingent of human rights observers there to de-escalate the
situation and to bear witness to the bloody brutality and the unjust,
undemocratic nature of the Mexican government.
Over 20 human rights groups have called for the Mexican government to
halt
all military action in Chiapas, and for human rights violators to be
identified, tried by civil society, and punished. We are particularly
concerned about Organization for the Defense of Indigenous and Farmers
Rights (OPDIC) and its leader Pedro Chulin, as well as other known
paramilitary organizations. These groups operate with impunity. We call
on
you to investigate them, and in particular, to investigate the murder
of
Jose Lopez Santiz, in the community of 6 de Agosto, municipality of
Altamirano, as well as the homicides in the community of Amaytik.
We strongly urge you to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples as
an
integral component to true peace. At this point in history, the economically
elite and the governments that serve them can no longer trample the rights
of indigenous peoples with impunity! Those days are over! The whole world
is
watching!
We will be speaking with the US State Department shortly about this
intolerable situation, and faxing a formal expression of our outrage to
the
Mexican Embassy in D.C. and the State Department.
Mary Bull
Save the Redwoods/Boycott the Gap Campaign
252 Frederick Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
415-731-7924 chalicenew@earthlink.net http://www.gapsucks.org
FOR REDWOODS & WORKERS,
BOYCOTT GAP, BANANA REPUBLIC, & OLD NAVY!
STOP INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM,
DISMANTLE THE PRISON-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! http://www.booksnotbars.org
FOR DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE, & SUSTAINABILITY,
***END CORPORATE RULE!*** http://www.citizen.org http://www.ifg.org
http://www.canadians.org