Documento - México: Activistas amenazados.

URGENT ACTION

Activists under threat

Community leader Eligio Rebolledo Salinas (m) has been shot by unidentified gunmen. Three of his male relatives were later arrested without a warrant. They had all been campaigning for a fair deal with a mining company operating on their lands.

On 23 August, Eligio Rebolledo Salinas was shot four times by two unidentified gunmen near his home in Cocula municipality, Guerrero state. He is now recovering at home after receiving treatment in hospital for his gun-shot wounds. Eligio Rebolledo Salinas has been campaigning for a mining company to pay a fair price to community members owning lands used to exploit a goldmine.

The mining company, whose operations affect three local communal farm lands (ejidos), halted exploration work in the area at the end of 2007, due to a conflict with the local people. After two years of tensions, in which former mine employees were laid off, and a few days before the attack on Eligio Rebolledo Salinas, two ex-employees of the mining company threatened community members saying “whatever it takes, the company will start its operations at the beginning of September or October” (cueste lo que cueste, para principios de septiembre u octubre la empresa empezara a operar).

On 3 September, Miguel Rebolledo,Victor Rebolledo Salinas and Modesto Rebolledo Salinas were arrested at their homes in Cocula municipality by scores of state judicial police. The three men are relatives of Eligio Rebolledo Salinas and have also been protesting against the mining company. The police broke into their homes without presenting a warrant and forced the men into unmarked vehicles and took them to the state judicial police station in the town of Iguala, Guerrero state. They were held there for several days incommunicado before they were all charged with the murder of a man from the same area. Their families have stated that they were not given access to a lawyer of their choice and were made to sign a statement without knowing what it said. The men deny the charges.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language:

• Call on the authorities to guarantee the safety of Eligio Rebolledo Salinas with appropriate protection measures in accordance with his wishes;

• calling for a full, prompt and impartial investigation into the armed attack on Eligio Rebolledo Salinas and for all those responsible brought to justice;

• urging the authorities to ensure that Miguel Rebolledo, Victor Rebolledo Salinas and Modesto Rebolledo Salinas, are allowed access to a lawyer of their choice, are allowed to communicate with their relatives and are guaranteed a fair trial.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 22 OCTOBER 2009 TO:

Governor of Guerrero

Lic. Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo

Gobernador del Estado de Guerrero

Palacio de Gobierno, Blvd.René Juárez Cisneros No. 62, Ciudad de los Servicios, CP 39075, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, MÉXICO

Fax: +52 747 471 9956

Email: gobernador@guerrero.gob.mx

Salutation: Señor Gobernador/Dear Governor

Human Rights Commission of Guerrero

Lic. Juan Alarcón Hernández

Comisión de Defensa de los Derechos Humanos del Estado de Guerrero

Avda. Juárez, Esq. Galo Soberón y Parra

Col. Centro, 39000, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, MEXICO

Fax: +52 747 494 2003, then say “me da tono de fax, por favor”

Email: presidencia@coddehumgro.org.mx

Salutation: Señor Procurador / Dear Attorney

Minister of Interior

Lic. Fernando F. Gómez-Mont Urueta

Secretario de Gobernación

Secretaría de Gobernación

Bucareli 99, 1er. piso,

Col. Juárez, Del. Cuauhtémoc,

México D.F., C.P.06600, MEXICO

Fax: +52 55 5093 3414

E-mail: secretario@segob.gob.mx

Salutation: Señor Secretario/Dear Minister