We, organizations working in the defense of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights united in Espacio DESC of Mexico, have been informed of the murder of Toms Cruz Zamora, communal farmer from the town of Huamuchitos in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, and member of the Consejo de Ejidatarios y Comuneros Opositores a la Parota (CECOP), organization of rural residents opposed to the construction of the Parota Dam. Toms Cruz was shot on 18 September by Cirilo Cruz Elacio, resident of the same community, and outspoken supporter of the proposed dam project.
The murder occurred after an Assembly in the community of Aguas Calientes, municipality of Acapulco, at which a dialogue had been scheduled with the Governor of the State of Guerrero, Zeferino Torreblanca, but who failed to arrive.
Toms Cruz Zamora was driving a truck transporting approximately 30 CECOP members back to their homes in Huamuchitos. Cirilo Cruz Elacio intercepted the truck along a difficult section of the highway, and when the truck failed to stop Cirilo Cruz opened fire, fatally shooting Toms Cruz in the head. Cirilo Cruz immediately abandoned the scene and as of this moment has not been detained.
The division within affected communities in regard to the dam project has been propitiated by federal and state public institutions and functionaries who are responsible for the construction of the Parota Hydrological Dam, by their failure to provide timely, reliable and objective information to area residents, by failing to adequately consult with the community, and by denying the community’s participation in the policies which affect them.
The Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) is responsible for fomenting this division also by its failure to provide adequate information to the community and by offering public works and services to those who support the dam, as well as offering money to those who vote in favor of the dam at the Assembly of communal farmers held on 23 August 2005 and previous Assemblies such as those held on 14 August 2005 and 25 April 2004. Responsibility is also shared by the Agrarian Procurator’s office and the Ministry of Agrarian Reform, for failing to protect the agrarian rights of the communal farmers, as required by law. The State Government is equally responsible, for failing to address the legitimate demands of the communal farmers and promote investment in the state of Guerrero, and for using the police force to threaten and intimidate those opposed to the dam. These institutions have instigated a rapidly growing atmosphere of tension which has overcome the community, damaging the social fabric and provoking violent acts ranging from verbal confrontations to the murder of Toms Cruz.
Both the federal and the state governments have failed to respect the human rights of the communal farmers. Espacio DESC warns of the possibility that the assassination of Toms Cruz may generate increased additional violence. We therefore demand that the CFE immediately leave the region, in order to facilitate the reestablishment of peaceful community life in Cacahuatepec. We also ask that the authorities abstain from intervening with any security forces which would only provoke further unrest within the community.
For the reasons noted above, the organizations members of Espacio DESC call on the federal and state authorities, in accordance with their respective responsibilities, to immediately respond as follows:
- That the Mexican Government comply, in accordance with the highest standards in the matter, with its obligations to respect, protect, guarantee, and prevent any violation of the human rights to life, personal safety and integrity, legal protection, timely and reliable information, and adequate consultation and participation in public policies which directly or indirectly affect the communal farmers and other rural residents, in relation to the construction of the La Parota dam.
- That the murder of Toms Cruz Zamora be thoroughly investigated in strict compliance with the law, and penal responsibilities be established in relation to all intellectual and material authors of the crime, with all responsible parties processed and sanctioned in accordance with the law.
- That all necessary, adequate and sufficient measures be taken to assure that similar violence not be repeated. Such measures include that the Agrarian Court (Tribunal Unitario Agrario) address the demands to nullify votes taken in official Assemblies in relation to the dam project in which opponents were illegally prohibited from emitting their votes (General Assemblies of 25 April 2004 and 23 August 2005).
- The immediate withdrawal of personnel of the Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) from the community of Bienes Comunales de Cacahuatepec.
- An immediate end to threats and intimidation against opponents to the dam construction, and to all actions which may provoke further unrest in the community.
Signed by the members of Espacio DESC:
1. CASA y CIUDAD of HABITAT MEXICO COALITION
2. CATEDRA UNESCO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTNOMA DE MXICO (UNAM)
3. CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS SOCIALES Y CULTURALES ANTONIO DE MONTESINOS (CAM)
4. CENTRO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS MIGUEL AGUSTN PRO JUREZ, A.C. (PRODH)
5. CENTRO DE REFLEXIN Y ACCIN LABORAL DE FOMENTO CULTURAL Y EDUCATIVO, A.C. (CEREAL)
6. COMISION MEXICANA DE DEFENSA Y PROMOCIN DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS, A.C. (C.M.D.P.D.H.)
7. DECA EQUIPO PUEBLO, A.C.
8. DEFENSORIA DEL DERECHO A LA SALUD
9. FIAN – SECCIN MXICO
10. LIGA MEXICANA DE DEFENSA DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS (LIMEDDH)
11. OFICINA REGIONAL PARA AMRICA LATINA DE LA COALICION INTERNACIONAL PARA EL HBITAL (HIC-AL)
And other signatory organizations.
National organizations:
12. MOVIMIENTO AGRARIO INDGENA ZAPATISTA (MAIZ)
13. ALIANZA MEXICANA POR LA AUTODETERMINACIN DE LOS PUEBLOS (AMAP)
14. ASOCIACIN NACIONAL DE ABOGADOS DEMOCRTICOS (ANAD)
15. UNIN CAMPESINA EMILIANO ZAPATA VIVE (UCEZ VIVE)
16. UNIN DE COLONOS POPULARES DEL DF (UCP DF)
17. CENTRO MEXICANO DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL (CEMDA)
18. MOVIMIENTO DE AFECTADOS POR CONSTRUCCIN DE PRESAS Y EN 19. DEFENSA DE LOS RIOS DE JALISCO. (MAPDER-JALISCO)
20. INSTITUTO MEXICANO PARA EL DESARROLLO COMUNITARIO, A.C.
21. INSTITUTO DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL, A.C.
22. CIUDADANOS POR EL MEDIO AMBIENTE, A.C.
23. AMIGOS DE LA BARRANCA, A.C.
24. FUNDACIN CUENCA-LERMA-LAGO DE CHAPALA-SANTIAGO, A.C.
25. DEMOCRACIA INDEPENDIENTE POR UNA LIBERACIN ORGANIZADA, A.C
26. FEDERACION ESTATAL AGRONOMICA.
27. COMIT PRO-DEFENSA DE LA PRESA DE ARCEDIANO.
28. COMIT PRO-DEFENSA DE LA PRESA DE SAN NICOLAS.
29. COMIT PRO-DEFENSA DE LA PRESA EL ZAPOTILLO.
30. CONSEJO INDGENA CAMPESINO.
31. CONSEJO CIUDADANO DEL AGUA, A.C.
32. GRUPO VIDA, A.C.
33. TIANGUIS CULTURAL.
34. PASTORAL SOCIAL DE GUADALAJARA.
35. RED CIUDADANA.
36. FUNDACIN FIND, A.C .
37. EL BARZON REGIONAL, A.C.
38. FRENTE ESTATAL DE LUCHA URBANA Y SOCIAL, A.C.
39. EL BARZON REGIONAL, A.C
40. OMEPEKTLI. A.C.
41. COMIT DE PODER CIUDADANO DE TUXPAN, JALISCO.
42. COMIT DE PODER CIUDADANO DE MAZAMITLA, JALISCO.
43. COMIT DE PODER CIUDADANO DE SANTA MARA DEL ORO, JALISCO.
44. COMIT DE PODER CIUDADANO DE QUITUPAN, JALISCO.
45. COMIT PODER CIUDADANO DE VALLE DE JUREZ, JALISCO.
46. CENTRO REGIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE VALLE DE JUREZ, JALISCO.
47. COOPERATIVA DE ARTESANOS UNIDOS DE JALISCO PARA EL MUNDO.
SOLCAI, A.C.
48. VALLE DE LA DEMOCRACIA, A.C.
49. RED DE ALTERNATIVAS SUSTENTABLES AGROPECUARIAS DE JALISCO.
50. GRUPO CAMPESINO SAN ISIDRO DE JUANACATLN, JALISCO.
51. SEMBRADORES DE VIDA, DE CIUDAD GUZMN, JALISCO.
52. GRUPO RANCHOS MILAGROSOS, DE SAN ISIDRO, JALISCO.
53. COOPERATIVA LA ESPERANZA DE SAN ISIDRO, JALISCO.
54. GRUPO CAMPESINO DE LA EX HACIENDA DE ZAPOTLANEJO, JALISCO.
55. GRUPO CAMPESINO LA CINEGA, JALISCO.
56. CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIN Y FORMACIN SOCIAL DEL ITESO.
57. FAMILIAS CAMPESINAS DE ZAPOTITLN DE VADILLO, JALISCO.
58. COOPERATIVA ECOVIDA.
59. COPERATIVA ECOCUEXCO
60. GRUPO CAMPESINO DE TLAJOMULCO DE ZIGA, JALISCO.
61. GRUPO CAMPESINO DE IXTLAHUACAN DE LOS MEMBRILLOS, JALISCO.
62. TIENDA DE PRODUCTOS ORGNICOS ESCARDA.
63. DESARROLLO SUSTENTABLE Y SERVICIOS, S.C.
64. ALIANZA RESPLANDOR AZTECA
65. FRENTE METROPOLITANO DE ORGANIZACIONES SOCIALES
66. FRENTE DE MUJERES INDGENAS
67. MUJERES INDGENAS POR UNA VIDA DIGNA
68. FRENTE NICO DE LUCHA POR UNA VIVIENDA DIGNA
Internacional organizations:
64. COHRE AMERICAS
65. SOCIAL WATCH
66. FORO DE MUJERES DEL MERCOSUR
67. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDER LAW CENTER
Contact information:
Jess Gonzlez Alcntara jgonzalez@sjsocial.org and Tania Gmez tania@sjsocial.org. Tel 55 46 82 17, 55 66 78 54 ext 116.
Please send your urgent actions in support of the outlined demands to:
Lic. Vicente Fox Quezada, President of Mexico
Fax 0052 55 55 20 71 25 Tel 0052 55 55 57 13 64
Mail: vicente.fox.quezada@presidencia.gob.mx
Lic. Carlos Abascal Carranza, Minister of the Interior
Fax 0052 55 51 28 02 34 and 0052 55 50 93 34 14
Mail: ghuerta@segob.gob.mx
Lic. Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, Governor of the State of Guerrero
Tel 0052 747 47 230 31, fax 0052 747 47 147 88
Mail: webmaster@guerrero.gob.mx
Lic. Eduardo Murueta Urrutia, General Procurator of Justice
Tel 0052 747 47 256 57 and 2 20 72, fax 0052 747 47 223 28
Mail: cprocurador@pgjgro.gob.mx
Lic Juan Alarcn Hernndez, President of the Human Rights Commission of the State of Guerrero
Tel Fax 0052 747 47 121 90 and 103 78
Mail: presidencia@coddehumgro.gob.mx
Dr. Jos Luis Soberanes Fernndez, President of the Human Rights Commission
Tel 0052 55 56 81 80 32 fax 0052 55 56 81 71 99
Mail: eechevarri@cndh.org.mx
Lic. Florencio Salazar Adame , Secretary of Agrarian Reform
Fax 0052 55 56 24 00 81 and 56 95 63 68 Tel. 0052 55 56240004, 56323853 y 5273 24 67
Mail: sra@sra.gob.mx ucs@sra.gob.mx
Dr. Isaas Rivera Rodrguez, Agrarian Procurator
Ttels 1500 33 89 and 3388, Fax 1500 33 86
Mail: proc@pa.gob.mx
Lic. Alfredo Elas Ayub, Director of the Federal Commission of Electricity
Fax 0052 55 55 33 53 21, tels 0052 55.552 29 44 00 ext. 90000/90001/90002
Mail: alfredo.elias@cfe.gob.mx
Mtro. Ricardo J. Seplveda Iguiniz, Chief Officer of the Unit for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior
Fax 0052 55 51 28 02 34
Mail: rsepulveda@segob.gob.mx
Lic. Fernando Elizondo Barragn, Secretary of Energy
Insurgentes Sur 890, Col. Del Valle. Mexico City 03100, Mexico
Fax. 0052 55 5000 60 55 Tel: 0052 55 5000 6000
Mail: secretario@energia.gob.mx
