Messico: attivista di ong aggredito da ignoti - Clean Clothes Campaign

["Ersilia Monti" <ersilia.monti at mclink.it>]

MESSICO: ATTIVISTA DI ONG IMPEGNATA NEL CASO TARRANT AGGREDITO DA IGNOTI - Clean Clothes Campaign 
(fonte Maquila Solidarity Network, info at maquilasolidarity.org)

Il 30 dicembre, Martin Barrios, coordinatore della Commissione per i diritti umani e sindacali nella regione di Tehuacan, stato di Puebla, e' stato aggredito sulla soglia della sua casa, sede dell'ufficio della commissione, da uno sconosciuto armato di un mattone, riportando gravi ferite al volto e alla testa. Barrios e' riuscito a divincolarsi mettendo in fuga l'aggressore che era atteso da un complice a bordo di un taxi. Secondo la Commissione, l'aggressione subita da Barrios e le minacce che l'hanno preceduta sono un atto intimidatorio rivolto a tutta l'organizzazione, che  e' impegnata nella difesa dei diritti dei lavoratori delle maquiladoras del Puebla. Lo scorso anno la Commissione ha difeso i diritti di centinaia di lavoratori licenziati ingiustamente da diverse fabbriche di blue jeans di proprieta' della Tarrant Apparel Group, con sede a Los Angeles, e di  numerosi lavoratori di altre maquiladoras di Tehuacan.

Sempre nel 2003 l'organizzazione canadese Maquila Solidarity Network e il Centro de Apoyo al Trabajador (CAT) di Ajalpan, sede di uno stabilimento Tarrant in cui nell'autunno scorso sono state licenziate alcune centinaia di lavoratori per aver tentato di organizzarsi in sindacato (caso girato in lista il 3 novembre 2003), hanno pubblicato il dossier "Blue jeans, blue waters and worker rights", ampiamente diffuso in Messico, Canada e Stati Uniti, che denuncia la sistematica violazione dei diritti sindacali e delle norme ambientali nell'industria del blue jeans di Tehuacan. 

L'aggressione a Martin Barrios si aggiunge a un lungo elenco di attacchi portati agli attivisti per i diritti umani nello stato di Puebla, il piu' grave dei quali e' stata l'uccisione dell'avvocatessa Griselda Tirado Evangelio a Huehuetla, e poi minacce e molestie verso i membri di CADEM a Cuetzalan, minacce e intimidazioni nei confronti del CAT e di iscritti al sindacato indipendente degli stabilimenti Tarrant ad Ajalpan.

SCRIVIAMO AL GOVERNATORE DELLO STATO DI PUEBLA  per chiedergli di intervenire promuovendo un'indagine per far luce sul caso Barrios, per individuare e punire gli aggressori e i mandanti, e di predisporre misure a protezione della vita e della sicurezza di Barrios, della sua famiglia e dei membri della Commissione.

Potete inviare il testo che segue per fax al numero 0052-222-213-8805 oppure collegarvi  al sito governativo, pagina delle comunicazioni al governatore:  http://www.puebla.gob.mx/gobierno/escribealgobernador.html, inserire nome e cognome, indirizzo di posta elettronica, nome della citta' e dello stato, e incollare il testo del messaggio nella finestra in basso a destra.

Inviate copia del messaggio a Maquila Solidarity Network: info at maquilasolidarity.org (oggetto: Martin Barrios)

Melquiades Morales Flores, Governor of Puebla
14 Oriente, No. 1006, Colonia El Alto, Puebla
Puebla, Mexico

Dear Governor Morales Flores,

I am writing to bring to your attention disturbing reports of a brutal assault carried out under suspicious circumstances against Martin Amaru Barrios, a leader of the Comision de Derechos Humanos y Laborales del Valle de Tehuacan, A.C.

On December 30, at 9:30 a.m. Barrios was attacked by an unknown assailant outside his home in Tehuacan. As he was about to enter his house, Barrios was assaulted from behind by a man carrying a brick. Barrios was able throw off the assailant, who fled to a taxi that was waiting for him in front of the house. Barrios suffered serious injuries to his face and skull, and has registered a formal complaint with the local authorities.

It appears the man and his accomplish who was driving the taxi were waiting for Barrios when he returned home. As well, the assailant made no attempt to enter the house or to rob Barrios. Barrios had also received threats prior to the attack. It would therefore appear that the attack had been planned in advance, and the assailant and his accomplice to the crime had been paid to carry out the assault.

As you may be aware, Barrios and the Commission have been playing a very important role in defending the rights of maquila workers in the Tehuacan region. It is therefore highly suspicious that this attack occurred recently after the Commission was involved in efforts to ensure that hundreds of maquila workers who were unjustly fired received their full severance pay as required by the Federal Labour Law. Prior to the assault, Barrios had received threats related to the work of the Commission in defending workers' rights.

We are very concerned that this assault might be part of a broader campaign to silence and punish Barrios, members of his family and other members of the Commission. In order to ensure that justice is done, and that there are no further attacks on Barrios, members of his family and/or other members of the Commission, we would strongly urge that you take the following actions:

1.      Immediately launch a full investigation of the attack and threats against Barrios and ensure that those who are responsible, including the intellectual authors of the crime, are brought to justice; and
2.      Direct local authorities to take immediate preventive measures to protect the life and security of Martin Amaru Barrios, his family, and other members of the Commission.

I look forward to receiving a prompt reply to my letter detailing the measures your government is taking to investigate the crime, bring those responsible to justices, and provide protection to Barrios, his family, and other members of the Commission.

(nome, cognome, citta'e paese, eventuale organizzazione di appartenenza)

 

Per vedere i casi di cui ci siamo occupati dal 2003:

www.lilliputmilano.org/lab/consumocritico.html al link Abiti Puliti

consultate anche il sito: www.cleanclothes.org

Per essere esclusi dalla lista o ricevere informazioni sulla Clean Clothes Campaign, inviate un messaggio a: ersilia.monti at mclink.it

Ersilia Monti (Coordinamento Lombardo Nord/Sud del  mondo - Rete di Lilliput nodo di Milano)

P.le Governo Provvisorio 6 - 20127 Milano - email: ersilia.monti at mclink.it

 Messaggio originale-----
Da: cleanclothes-bounces at list.xs4all.nl

A: cleanclothes at xs4all.nl
Oggetto: [Cleanclothes] Urgent action alert: assault on
labourrights/Tarrant activist


Dear friends,

Please find enclosed an urgent call for action, concerning the assault
on a Mexican labour rights activist and coordinator of the Human and
Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley. They have recently
defended the rights of hundreds of workers who were unjustly fired from
the Tarrant factory - the case for which we have in the last months sent
around various appeals.
It is much appreciated if you send your letters of concern today. Many
thanks in advance.


URGENT ACTION ALERT:
Mexican Labour Rights Activist Attacked and Brutally Beaten
Maquila Solidarity Network (Canada)
January 9, 2004

On December 30, at 9:30 a.m., Martin Barrios, Coordinator of the Human
and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley was attacked and
brutally beaten by an unknown assailant. Barrios was about to enter his
house, which also serves as the Commission office, when he heard a voice
behind him, turned and saw a man coming at him with a brick. He was
brutally beaten on the face and head, but managed to throw off the
attacker who fled to a taxi driven by an accomplice that had been parked
outside the house. Barrios suffered serious injuries to his face and
skull as a result of the attack, and has laid a formal complaint with
the local authorities.

It appears the attacker had been waiting for Barrios to return home, and
that the attack had been planned ahead of time. The attacker made no
effort to enter the house or to steal anything from Barrios. The
Commission believes the attacker was paid to carry out the assault in
order to intimidate Barrios, his family and other members of the Commission.

During the past year, the Commission has defended the rights of hundreds
of workers who were unjustly fired from various blue jean factories
owned by the Los Angeles-based Tarrant Apparel Group as well as workers
from other smaller Tehuacan maquilas. It has succeeded in pressuring
Tarrant and local labour authorities to ensure that fired workers
received severance payments that are at least close to what is required
by the Mexican Federal Labour Law. MSN has been supporting the work of
the Commission in Tehuacan as well as that of the Worker Support Centre
(CAT) in Ajalpan where Tarrant workers were fired for attempting to
organize an independent union. An international campaign has resulted in
increased pressure from brand-name buyers and consumers on Tarrant to
respect its Mexican workers' rights.

Also in 2003, the Commission and the MSN released a joint publication
"Blue Jeans, Blue Waters and Worker Rights," exposing the systematic
violations of workers' rights and environmental standards in Tehuacan's
blue jean industry. The report has been widely distributed in Mexico,
Canada and the US.

The Commission believes that the attack and threats that had been made
against Barrios previous to the attack are part of a campaign by maquila
owners to silence Barrios and other Commission members and discourage
them from continuing to expose worker rights violations and defend
workers' rights. According to the Commission, the attack on Barrios
should be added to the list of recent attacks on human rights activists
in the State of Puebla, including the murder of lawyer Griselda Tirado
Evangelio in Huehuetla and threats and abuse against members of CADEM in
Cuetzalan, and threats and intimidation against the CAT and members of
the independent union at the Tarrant Ajalpan facility.

REQUESTED ACTION:
The Commission is calling on its supporters in Mexico and
internationally to fax letters of protest to the Governor of the State
of Puebla, Melquiades Morales Flores, with copies by e-mail to the
Maquila Solidarity Network, which will then be forwarded on to Mexican
President Vicente Fox.

Please send a letter today, demanding the following:
* a full investigation into the attack and prosecution of those
responsible, including the intellectual authors of the crime;
* protective measures by local authorities to ensure the safety of
Martin Amaru Barrios and his family.

WRITE TO:
Lic. Melquiades Morales Flores, Governor of Puebla
Fax: 011 52 222 213 8805

With copies to:
* Maquila Solidarity Network
E-mail: info at maquilasolidarity.org
* The Mexican embassy in your country - see:
http://www.helplinedatabase.com/embassy-database/country-in-other-countries/
mexico.html,
and your countries' embassy in Mexico - see
http://www.helplinedatabase.com/embassy-database/other-countries-in-country/
mexico.html.

SAMPLE LETTER
Melquiades Morales Flores, Governor of Puebla
14 Oriente, No. 1006, Colonia El Alto, Puebla
Puebla, Mexico

Dear Governor Morales Flores:

I am writing to bring to your attention disturbing reports of a brutal
assault carried out under suspicious circumstances against Martin Amaru
Barrios, a leader of the Comision de Derechos Humanos y Laborales del
Valle de Tehuacan, A.C.

On December 30, at 9:30 a.m. Barrios was attacked by an unknown
assailant outside his home in Tehuacan. As he was about to enter his
house, Barrios was assaulted from behind by a man carrying a brick.
Barrios was able throw off the assailant, who fled to a taxi that was
waiting for him in front of the house. Barrios suffered serious injuries
to his face and skull, and has registered a formal complaint with the
local authorities.

It appears the man and his accomplish who was driving the taxi were
waiting for Barrios when he returned home. As well, the assailant made
no attempt to enter the house or to rob Barrios. Barrios had also
received threats prior to the attack. It would therefore appear that the
attack had been planned in advance, and the assailant and his accomplice
to the crime had been paid to carry out the assault.

As you may be aware, Barrios and the Commission have been playing a very
important role in defending the rights of maquila workers in the
Tehuacan region. It is therefore highly suspicious that this attack
occurred recently after the Commission was involved in efforts to ensure
that hundreds of maquila workers who were unjustly fired received their
full severance pay as required by the Federal Labour Law. Prior to the
assault, Barrios had received threats related to the work of the
Commission in defending workers' rights.

We are very concerned that this assault might be part of a broader
campaign to silence and punish Barrios, members of his family and other
members of the Commission. In order to ensure that justice is done, and
that there are no further attacks on Barrios, members of his family
and/or other members of the Commission, we would strongly urge that you
take the following actions:

1.      Immediately launch a full investigation of the attack and
threats against Barrios and ensure that those who are responsible,
including the intellectual authors of the crime, are brought to justice; and
2.      Direct local authorities to take immediate preventive measures
to protect the life and security of Martin Amaru Barrios, his family,
and other members of the Commission.

I look forward to receiving a prompt reply to my letter detailing the
measures your government is taking to investigate the crime, bring those
responsible to justices, and provide protection to Barrios, his family,
and other members of the Commission.

Yours truly,


********************************************************
For more information contact: Maquila Solidarity Network / Ethical
Trading Action Group / 606 Shaw Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6G 3L6
/ 416-532-8584 (phone) | 416-532-7688 (fax) / info at maquilasolidarity.org
/ www.maquilasolidarity.org




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