Fw: Fax Action to Mexican President Fox

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg@tin.it>]

 Dear Friends,

 Please find below an announcement of a Fax Action we have posted to our
 website. From our site you can send a fax directly to President Fox to
 express your continuing support for autonomy and self-determination for the
 indigenous peoples of Chiapas and Mexico.

 This past Friday, October 12, the Chiapas Community Defenders Network filed
 a complaint with the ILO against the Mexican government and your fax will
 help support this action. More information about the complaint is included
 below.

 Following that is a recent article where Fox acknowledges that, "... there
 are some sectors of Mexican society for whom the law is not good enough,
who
 think there are ways to improve it" and suggests that revisions could be
 made to it next year.

 1) Fax Action announcement
 2) Information about the complaint filed with the ILO against the Mexican
 government
 3) Fox "open to suggestions" on revising indigenous law, TheNewsMexico.com,
 October 14, 2001

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-
 1)

 Pressure President Fox to revise the Law for Indigenous Rights and Culture,
 and implement the original COCOPA Proposal by supporting the Chiapas
 Community Defenders Network complaint to the International Labor
 Organization citing the Mexican government in violation of Convention 169
on
 Indigenous Rights and Tribal Peoples.

 You can send a fax directly to President Fox at:
 http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/chiapas/action.html

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-
 2)

 Friday October 12th, The Chiapas Community Defenders Network-La Red de
 Defensores will file the first of 3 cases with the International Labor
 Organization (ILO) demanding that the Mexican Government comply with
 Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples that recognizes indigenous
 rights and the right to self-determination of indigenous groups. ILO
 Convention 169 obligates state governments to recognize and strengthen the
 rights of indigenous populations in the following respects:

 * The right to land
 * The right to be consulted in decisions that affect them
 * The right to respect for their own institutions and customs
 * The right to manage and control their own development

 The ILO Convention 169 was ratified by the Mexican government in 1990. La
 Red de Defensores will file three cases against the Mexican Government. The
 1st case, which focuses on paramilitary activity and state complicity, will
 be filed October 12 2001. The other two cases will challenge the validity
of
 the recently passed Indigenous Law, and the legitimacy of presidential land
 expropriations and militarization in Chiapas. These other 2 cases will be
 presented on later dates.

 When Vicente Fox-Quesada was elected President in July 2000, he claimed
that
 achieving peace in Chiapas was his first priority. The Zapatistas outlined
 three demands Fox had to agree and activate as a show of good faith for the
 EZLN to agree to re-start the peace talks. These demands are:

 1. A withdrawal of the Mexican military from 7 key bases in the Conflict
Zone
 2. The liberation of all Zapatista Political Prisoners
 3. Immediate implementation of the San Andres Accords through the COCOPA
 Proposal

 To date none of these demands have been fully met, while the Fox
 Administration disagrees and claims they have met all.

 The military has not withdrawn from the 7 bases, but rather, relocated to
 other bases and checkpoints. Three of the "withdrawn" bases remain under
 government control, while the lands have not been returned to neighboring
 communities. Furthermore, according to The Chiapas Community Defenders-La
 Red de Defensores, over 104 military operations have taken place between
 April and July of 2001 while paramilitary harassment/attacks have also
 increased. (for more information see:
 http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/news/mileno081701.html)

 To date, 9 Zapatista Political Prisoners remain incarcerated in Chiapas,
 Tabasco and Queretaro. (for more information see:
 http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/news/ap123100.html)

 The Reform on Indigenous Rights and Culture, passed by the Mexican Congress
 in the summer this year, under serious national and international
criticism.
 The original Cocopa proposal was not the version that was passed and it's
 meaning was severely altered while in Congress. Rather than respecting the
 indigenous communities' call for autonomy, it subordinates indigenous
 community control of land use and ownership to national private property
 law. (for more information see:
 http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/news/042701.html

 The Chiapas Community Defenders Network-La Red de Defensores is a network
of
 indigenous representatives defending human rights in their communities,
 including the rights of Zapatistas and non-Zapatistas. All members of this
 network are elected by their communities and trained in Mexican and
 International Human Rights Law.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 3)

 Fox open to suggestions on revising indigenous law
 TheNewsMexico.com
 October 14, 2001

 HAMBURG, Germany - President Vicente Fox announced the Law of
 Indigenous Rights and Cultures should be "put back on the table" for
 discussion next year in light of the amount of criticisms it generated.

 Fox's remarks came a short time after four young people shouted
 "Assassin!" and "Stop the war in Chiapas" at the Mexican leader at a
 ceremony with this city's mayor.

 "Of course we are not assassins and we would never make a decision that
 would violate the peace in our country," Fox said.

 The president called the indigenous rights law enacted by Congress as
 the "most visionary in the world today."

 Later, however, the president admitted that not everyone is satisfied with
 the new law.

 "Doubtless, there are some sectors of Mexican society for whom the
 law is not good enough, who think there are ways to improve it. This is
part
 of the democratic process and we are ready to undertake it," he signaled.

 "I think we can have a second round of debate [on the issue] and see
 whether the law stays the same or if we can add something to it, some
 adjustments that would make all of Mexico more satisfied," Fox said.
 ____________________________________________________________________
 Global Exchange                        http://www.globalexchange.org