On March 28, PBI-Spanish State posted on their Facebook page:

“What is happening in the #SierraTarahumara in Chihuahua-Mexico?

Sierra Madre Alliance A.C. told it in the III Edition of #HerriBabesarea, a Basque municipal network for the protection of human rights defenders, made up of 10 municipalities in #Euskadi and which has the support of the Basque Agency for Development Cooperation.

“The race of economic and political interests to exploit the forests or natural assets of indigenous peoples has generated and continues to generate violence in the territories”

Here you can see a brief summary.”

In this five-minute video clip, Judith González of ASMAC says:

“In Mexico in 2020, 30 fatal attacks were registered against land and environmental defenders, meaning that there was an increase of 67% over 2019.

In the same sense, the document states that one-third of all attacks recorded were against Indigenous communities.

Of the challenges faced by human rights defenders from the state is a deployment of executive power for the implementation of a military strategy through which socio-economic violence and political repression are exercised against dissident and social mobilizations.

At the same time, the legislative power is used to amend laws and impose reforms that facilitate the implementation of economic interests to which the state responds and approves laws that give greater powers to the military and legalize their actions against the civilian population.

The establishment of impunity from obstruction to provide justice and punishment to those responsible for crimes and acts of corruption and violence.

The Sierra Madre Alliance demands a worthy and safe return for people who are currently in a forced displaced situation.

We also ask for justice for peoples in resistance for their forests and territories and also because of the people.

I invite [the international community] to be aware of what happens here in communities Mexico, in Chihuahua and in the Sierra Tarahumara, to show it on social media.

I think it’s very important to send the message to actors who are against the defence of land and territory that the communities and people defending human rights are not alone.“

The full comments from Judith can be heard in this video clip.

The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project has accompanied the Sierra Madre Alliance since 2018.

Photo: PBI-Mexico with ASMAC, April 2021.

 
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    Mexico