Civil Observation and Solidarity Caravan to Los Chimalapas (@NVI Noticias)

On March 18 and 19, a motorized Civil Observation Caravan in solidarity with Nuevo San Andres visited the village in the Chimalapas region where, on 24 February last, nine villagers suffered attacks, illegal deprivation of liberty and violence from the so-called “Chamula Army”. About 20 people, including community members from Santa Maria Chimalapa, civil and social organizations as well as members of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the People of Oaxaca (DDHPO in its Spanish acronym) participated in this caravan.

About 100 people from 20 Tsotsil families from the Chiapas Highlands form the community of Nuevo San Andres, founded six years ago. Since the February aggression, they are practically living under siege for fear of being attacked again. Echoing their testimonies, the Caravan denounced the lack of actions by the federal and state governments to address the problems that endanger these families from Chiapas but installed in Oaxacan communal territory.

Miguel Angel Garcia Aguirre, representative of the caravan, said that for more than 60 years indigenous communities have been confronted in this region of the Isthmus by border conflicts between Oaxaca, Chiapas and Veracruz. The regional coordinator of the Committee for the Defense and Conservation of Chimalapa said that “we can not allow them to continue to live violence, we regret that the government of Oaxaca has not granted precautionary measures, we are waiting for the resolution of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), it is urgent that this case be addressed.”

For more information in Spanish:

Peligran chiapanecos en los Chimalapas (La Jornada, 21 de marzo de 2017)

Nuevo San Andrés vive con miedo; abandonados por el Gobierno (NVI Noticias, 21 de marzo de 2017)

Conoce caravana humanitaria condiciones de olvido en Nuevo San Andrés (Radio Formula, 20 de marzo de 2017)

Olvidan Chiapas y Oaxaca a pobladores de Nuevo San Andrés (Quadratin, 20 de marzo de 2017) Comuneros y ONG´s emprenden caravana de solidaridad con los chimalapas (La Jornada, 18 de marzo de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Oaxaca/Chiapas: Agresión armada en los Chimalapas deja heridos (2 de marzo de 2017)

Chiapas/Oaxaca: Caravana de Observación Civil y Solidaridad por los Chimalapas (14 de enero de 2016)

Oaxaca/Chiapas: nuevo enfrentamiento en los Chimalapas deja dos heridos y 4 detenidos. (21 de mayo de 2015)