PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 41/054/08

24 October 2008

UA 297/08 Fear for safety

MEXICO Carmelino Navarro Jiménez (m), 9

Manuela Morales Gómez (f),

Leonardo Navarro Jiménez (m),

Juan Navarro Jiménez (m)

On 10 October, Carmelino Navarro Jiménez, a 9 year old boy, was attacked by a group of three men with weapons in the small town of Bayulubmax, in the municipality of Chilón, Chiapas State. Carmelino Navarro was walking with his sister-in-law, Manuela Morales Gómez, to the plot of land his father works cultivating coffee. As Carmelino Navarro Jiménez and Manuela Morales Gómez walked past a group of three men in the street, the men began to chase them. One of the men was carrying a machete whilst the other two men were carrying guns.

Carmelino Navarro and Manuela Morales Gómez ran away from the men but Carmelino Navarro fell to the ground. The man with the machete struck Carmelino Navarro with it and slashed a deep wound into his back. The two men with guns chased after Manuela Morales but failed to catch her. Manuela Morales Gómez alerted her family who found Carmelino Navarro at the scene of the attack and took him to hospital, where he needed 15 stitches for the wound.

Carmalino Navarro gave a statement to the authorities in which he named the individuals that attacked him. The three men are allegedly known members of the Organization for the Defence of Indigenous peoples and Campesinos (Organización Para la Defensa de los Derechos Indígenas y Campesinos, OPDDIC). Local human rights non-governmental organizations have reported that this armed group has been responsible for attacks and intimidation of local communities believed to be sympathetic to the National Zapatista Liberation Army (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN). The EZLN is an armed opposition group which has been militarily inactive for over a decade, and sustains a social movement and local self-governments of indigenous communities in and around the Lacandona Jungle region of Chiapas.

On 10 August 2007, Carmelino Navarro Jiménez's father, Leonardo Navarro Jiménez, and brother, Juan Navarro Jiménez were attacked by members of the OPDDIC. In the attack, Leonardo Navarro Jiménez was shot in the jaw and Juan Navarro Jiménez was shot in the shoulder and his face was slashed with a machete. Arrest warrants were issued against 13 members of the OPDDIC at the time, including the three responsible for the attack on 10 October. However, only four members of OPDDIC were detained, and the remaining nine arrest warrants were not carried out, leaving the three perpetrators free to attack Carmelino Navarro. The investigation into the previous attacks has been criticised by local human rights organizations for failing to gather sufficient evidence to enable arrests and successful prosecutions.

Amnesty International fears that Carmelino Navarro, Manuela Morales Gómez, Leonardo Navarro Jiménez and Juan Navarro Jiménez are at risk of further attacks.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Threats and attacks by groups opposed to the EZLN, such as OPDDIC, against members of communities perceived as EZLN supporters remain frequent in the areas of Chiapas where the EZLN influence is contested. The failure of the authorities to adequately police and investigate these groups has left many communities in fear of further attacks.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language:

- expressing concern for the safety of Carmelino Navarro Jiménez and his family;

- urging the authorities to ensure that Carmelino Navarro Jiménez and his family are adequately protected from further attacks;

- demanding that the authorities conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the attack on Carmelino Navarro Jiménez and for those responsible to be brought to justice;

- urging the authorities to carry out an impartial investigation into the attacks against Leonardo Navarro Jiménez and Juan Navarro Jiménez and for those responsible to be brought to justice;

APPEALS TO:

Governor of Chiapas

Lic. Juan José Sabines Guerrero

Gobernador del Estado de Chiapas

Palacio de Gobierno, 1º piso, Col. Centro,

C.29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México

Fax: +52 961 618 8050. You will then be asked for an extension number, type in: 21122

Email: juansabines@chiapas.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear Governor/Señor Gobernador

Minister of Justice of Chiapas state

Lic. Amador Rodríguez Lozano

Ministro de Justicia del Estado de Chiapas

Libramiento Norte s/n, tercer nivel

Col. Infonavit “El Rosario”, CP 29049

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México

Fax: + 52 961 61 657 24

Email: arodriguez@mje.chiapas.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear Minister/ Señor Ministro

Human Rights Commission of Chiapas

Lic. Juan Carlos Moreno Guillen

Presidente de la Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos de Chiapas

Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos de Chiapas

Boulevard Comitán 143, Col. Moctezuma

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, ChiapasMéxico

Fax: +52 961 639 6615

Email: jmoreno@congresochiapas.gob.mx

Salutation: Dear President/ Señor Presidente

COPIES TO:

Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, A.C.

Calle Brasil 14, Barrio Méxicanos, 29240 San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México

Email: accionurgente@frayba.org.mx

And diplomatic representatives of Mexico accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 05 November 2008.