This Tuesday, civil organizations called on the Federal Government to protect the civilian population at risk from attacks by organized crime groups. Through a public statement, groups that make up the National Network of Civil Organizations for Human Rights “All Rights for All, All and All” (Red TDT) and others expressed their concern about the humanitarian crisis that is being experienced in the country. “With great concern, we address the public opinion to share with you the serious situation of violence and humanitarian crisis that is being experienced in different indigenous regions of Mexico. At the time of publication of this statement, the signatory organizations and other solidarity entities are attending to around 110 displaced indigenous people in Michoacán and 251 in the municipality of Guadalupe y Calvo, Chihuahua, who after several days continue to wait for humanitarian aid from the government,” they state. From Chiapas, they report that so far in 2024, they have registered 8,190 displaced people in the municipalities of Frontera Comalapa, Siltepec, and Chicomuselo alone, among whom are an undetermined number of indigenous people. “In a period of just three weeks, since August 25, we have registered seven affected communities in the Baborigame region, in the municipality of Guadalupe y Calvo, Chihuahua, and an as yet undetermined number of affected communities on the coast of Michoacán; one person victim of homicide in the community of Cinco Llagas in Chihuahua, one person murdered in the municipality of Chenalhó in Chiapas, and two people murdered from the community of El Coire on the coast of Michoacán, who also report seven missing persons, among whom are two teenagers,” they summarize. “It has been difficult to document in detail what happened, because in all cases there is a dynamic that forces the victims of violence to remain silent; “Those who dare to provide information about the situation have received death threats. Even so, we have been able to document the lack of access to basic food and the uncertainty in which all these people, who are mostly women, girls and boys, find themselves,” they say. As organizations, we have accompanied the communities in their request for the presence of members of the Armed Forces to be strengthened so that they can sufficiently inhibit the commission of crimes. However, we have seen with concern a systematic failure by these forces to coordinate with those who have bravely requested their presence. In Chihuahua, for example, requests were made repeatedly over several days to increase the number of members and provide help to create a humanitarian corridor that would allow families to move to safe places or to access food. Regrettably, the state’s response was to reduce the presence of members and in some cases to criminalize those who asked for help. In the case of Michoacán, a request was made weeks before the peak of violence and as a preventive measure for the installation of a command composed of the armed forces in the very area where attacks against the civilian population would later be unleashed; however, we are reported to have been obstructed by state authorities in blocking any request to address security needs. “This lack of an assertive and coordinated response with the indigenous authorities themselves fosters mistrust and harms a relationship that should be one of respect. The perception that has been shared with us from the territories is that criminal groups are not being prevented from perpetrating serious crimes, such as prolonged armed attacks, house raids, forced recruitment, especially of minors, and rape of girls and women,” they stated. Faced with this extremely serious situation, we call on the Federal Government to, in compliance with its obligations to the population, coordinate the necessary inter-institutional efforts to: Protect the civilian population with preventive measures that guarantee the individual and collective human rights of indigenous peoples who are currently under siege. Build a humanitarian corridor to ensure the release of the civilian population held captive by organized crime groups, in order to safeguard the lives and physical and psychological integrity of those affected. Launch routes for the disarmament of armed groups. Coordinate efforts with state prosecutors to investigate criminal acts with due diligence and present progress in investigations that guarantee access to justice for human rights defenders and the general population. Search for people who have disappeared while they are still alive, using specific protocols for searching for minors. • In those indigenous communities where military presence has been requested, authorities at all three levels of government respect the right to autonomy of indigenous peoples, as well as the channels, protocols and procedures defined by each community, respecting their legal institutions and traditional laws. That protective measures be created for human rights defenders who have had the courage to denounce what happened and who are working to address humanitarian emergencies. The events we have described constitute serious violations of human rights, the integrity and the very existence of the indigenous peoples who are now victims of them. The State at its three levels has the obligation to protect, defend and seek justice for these communities. Finally, from the organizations that signed this statement we give our full support to the indigenous Tsotsil community of Tzajalchen that on August 24 declared that their community is and will be the “Civil Camp for Peace, The Pilgrims of Tzajalchen, Chenalho Chiapas, Mexico.” We demand that the three levels of government respect this decision to protect this camp as a safe space for those who are fleeing violence. The document is signed by Red TDT, Services and Advice for Peace (Serapaz), Data Cívica, Fondo Defensores, Group of Independent Journalists, Core Group of Indigenous Peoples Rights International-IPRI in Mexico, among others.
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