
San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas
May 28, 2023
Urgent Action No. 2
Permissiveness by the Mexican State of grave human rights violations
The municipality of Frontera Comalapa, Chiapas, is experiencing a profound crisis due to the spiral of violence experienced in the region and which has intensified in recent days, violating the right to life and personal integrity of communities and towns, as a result of the territorial dispute between armed groups belonging to criminal groups under the auspices and observance of the municipal, state and federal governments.
According to information this Human Rights Center has received, it is extremely serious and difficult to document given the context of violence, however confidential sources tell us the following:
On May 25 there were armed attacks where the civilian population has been directly affected, where people have been killed in the crossfire.
On May 26, during the funeral of a woman who had been killed in crossfire, a group of heavily armed men fired gunshots in the community of Nueva Independencia (El Lajerío), municipality of Frontera Comalapa. Similarly, near the town of Chamik, located on the Comalapa – La Trinitaria highway, they closed the highway and burned vehicles. As a result of these events, dozens of people were displaced from their homes.
During the day of May 27, blockades were registered at the points of 3 Maravillas, Pacayalito (Nuevo Amatenango), at the Nuevo Mexico turnoff, Santa Rita, Paso Hondo and Chamic. A caravan of armed vehicles and those known as “monsters” was observed, who carried out surveillance patrols on rural roads and streets.
The acquiescence of the State by military institutions can be identified in the territories where these events are taking place. In the town of El Jocote there is a detachment of the Mexican Army. In the Paso Hondo – Frontera Comalapa highway stretch, there is a National Guard detachment. In the municipality of Chicomuselo, there is the largest Mexican Army barracks in Chiapas. Testimonies report that in front of these institutions, caravans of vehicles carrying heavily armed people drive around.
In the last four days there has been an alarming increase in violence in the municipality. Young people from various communities were forcibly recruited by criminals; they report that at least three thousand people were displaced from their communities, some seeking temporary shelters, and others have been taking refuge in the mountains or some safe place for days; they also inform us that many families remain in their homes without being able to leave, they are locked up because of the extreme terror they are living through. It has come to this under the mechanism of complicity and dereliction of the Mexican government.
The actions of these armed groups are harmful, several of them are difficult to repair, they are damages and impacts that we could call war scenarios, which have stretched out for months, days gone by without any attention to changing this reality. That is why we remind the Mexican State to comply with its obligations and responsibilities regarding human rights, which are the essential for citizens to live in conditions where all the rights that are part of the social pact that we have as a country are respected.
For this reason from Frayba:
First: We demand that, within the framework of our Constitution, international treaties and agreements ratified by Mexico, the life and personal integrity of the border region of the State of Chiapas be guaranteed, with the objective of stopping and avoiding the maelstrom of violence that is seriously impacting women, men, girls, boys, and the elderly.
Second: We urge the Mexican State to apply cautionary and precautionary measures; emergency measures that fully guarantee the life, security and physical, psychological and emotional integrity of the inhabitants of the municipalities of Frontera Comalapa, Chicomuselo and La Trinitaria.
Third: To guarantee the inalienable right of the people to live a life without violence in their territories, as well as to guarantee Peace.
We call for national and international solidarity, let us manifest our demand to live in peace, carrying out actions of peaceful protest, as well as disseminating and signing this urgent action:
Published by Frayba on May 28th, 2023. https://frayba.org.mx/ejecuciones-reclutamiento-y-desplazamiento-forzado-en-la-frontera-sur-de-chiapas
English translation by Schools for Chiapas.