To All Living Things
Last Week's Column

Amnesty Action:
Torture and "Disappearance" in Mexico
by Kathy Gay

his week’s action from Amnesty International concerns the recent arrest of seven members of Partido Revolucionario Democratico (PRD), the Democratic Revolutionary Party, in Mexico. The PRD is recognized as a legal opposition party in Mexico.

On February 16, 1997, four members of the indigenous mixteco community of Guadalupe Mano de Leon in Guerrero state were arrested by some 100 judicial police -- without warrants -- and allegedly were beaten before being taken away. One of those arrested, beaten and taken away was a 12-year-old boy. None of these individuals has been seen since their arrest. Another person was also arrested at the same time, and he is currently being held in prison.

The day before, in the neighboring mixteco community of La Soledad, two other members of the PRD were reportedly arrested and tortured by a large contingent of police who accused them of being members of EPR, an armed opposition group. These two men were also arrested without warrants and are now imprisoned.

Amnesty International is very concerned for the safety of these individuals and urges the Mexican government to ensure that none of them will be subjected to ill-treatment or torture. Amnesty is also calling for authorities to establish the whereabouts of the four people from Guadalupe Mano de Leon who "disappeared" after being taken away by police.

Background Information

A wave of violence has swept through the Mexican state of Guerrero since the ambush and massacre of 17 peasants by state police and government officials on June 28, 1995 in Aguas Blancas. Exactly one year later -- and in direct response to that massacre -- the armed opposition group, Ejercito Revolucionario Popular (EPR), was born.

Since then, a climate of systematic human rights violations and impunity has prevailed in Guerrero. Security forces have accused communities and organizations of belonging to the EPR. They have consistently targeted peasants and their leaders, including PRD members, and subjected them to intimidation, arrest, ill-treatment and torture. Last July, 200 peasants were arrested and many of them tortured. Many are still in detention.

How you can help

Please send a letter to Mexico’s Minister of the Interior as soon as possible, but no later than April 15, 1997. You may use the sample letter linked below or use it as a model to write your own letter. If you choose to use the sample letter, please cut off or delete all website information at the very top of the letter. If you choose to write your own letter, make sure that it is politely worded and non-partisan (i.e., not used as a vehicle for political expression). Care must be taken to ensure that nothing is written that will cause harm to any of the individuals who have "disappeared" or are imprisoned. Be sure to include both your name and address, as well as the date, on the letter.

U.S. airmail postage to Mexico is 40 cents.

Questions?

If you have any questions, just post a message to me (Kathy Gay) at the Pub, and I will respond as soon as I can. I greatly appreciate your interest and support.

To see the sample letter for this action, click here.

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Kathy Gay is a vegan, and has been a member of Amnesty International for nearly 10 years, where she has worked on numerous campaigns. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a business analyst for a leading California bank.

Kathy's column, To All Living Things, is a regular feature of VegSource On-Line Magazine.