In Mexico, two human rights activists have been shot dead in the state
of Oaxaca. The victims have been identified as Beatriz Carino, director
of the Mexican human rights group CACTUS, and Jyri Antero Jaakkola, a
human rights observer from Finland. They were traveling as part of a
convoy attempting to deliver aid to a town that’s been targeted by
paramilitary blockades since the 2006 uprising against governor Ulises
Ruiz.
Transcript follows:
AMY GOODMAN: In Mexico, more survivors have emerged in the
aftermath of an attack by a paramilitary group on an international
humanitarian convoy in the southern state of Oaxaca. Two people were
killed in the attack, Beatriz Cariño, is the director of the Mexican
rights group CACTUS, and Jyri Jaakkola, a human rights observer from
Finland. Both were shot in the head. Gabriela Jimenez of the Popular
Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca described the attack.
GABRIELA JIMENEZ: [Translation]The driver tried to
reverse. His tires were gone. And he couldn’t get out. Because they
were attacking from the front. It was then our colleagues, Beatrice
Cariño and Jyri Jaakkola, died. They were hit in the head, as far as we
know.
AMY GOODMAN: IPS reports two journalists who were
reported missing are now said to be alive. One of them has been shot in
the foot. The aid convoy, which included Mexican and European human
rights activists and journalists, was carrying food, water, and other
basic necessities to San Juan Copala. The town has been under constant
siege from pro-government paramilitaries since it declared itself
autonomous in January of 2007. Jorje Albino, a representative of
Mexico’s national human-rights commission in San Juan Copala, accused
state authorities of being involved in the repression.
JORGE ALBINO: [Translation]The repression came first
against these militants at the palace, but yesterday, we saw an attack
on civilians, which is the most absurd thing. We have to ask for the
intervention of the UN and demand this case be taken-on by the Attorney
General’s office. We don’t trust the state for what they have done. We
don’t trust them and we’re in this situation.
AMY GOODMAN: Mexican President Felipe Calderón has promised
an in-depth investigation into the attack. For more, we go to Mexico.
We’re joined on the telephone by Kristin Bricker, a freelance
journalist who’s been closely following the story. Kristen, welcome to DEMOCRACY NOW! Please come explain to us everything you know.
KRISTEN BRICKER: Well, I’m happy to report that late last
night the two reporters who were injured in the attacks have been
rescued. So all of the disappeared are alive and accounted for. It
leaves a total death toll at two people.
AMY GOODMAN: Explain what you understand took place, why
this international convoy was in Oaxaca, where they were, and who are
the attackers?
KRISTEN BRICKER: San Juan Copala declared itself
autonomous in 2007 following the 2006 uprising that nearly overthrew
the governor. Ever since then, they’ve been the subject of paramilitary
violence. The organization that carried out the attack is the UBISORT
which is an organization that has been declared a paramilitary
organization by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees. The
state’s ruling party, the PRI, created the organization in 1994 in
order to control the Triqui region. Likely out of fear that the
Zapatista uprising would inspire indigenous people in Oaxaca as well,
which to some extent, was the case. The autonomous municipality of San
Juan Copala, for example, are adherent to the Zapatista’s Other
Campaign and take much of their inspiration from them. UBISORT
paramilitary organization continues to be led by PRI members, that’s
the ruling party in Oaxaca, and its leaders were actually both state
representatives in the Congress. The UBISORT is very open about its
close relationship with the PRI. What happened with the attack on the
caravan is that the caravan was taking basic necessities, as you said,
to San Juan Copala because the community has been under siege since
January. Paramilitaries have blocked access to the community with rocks
and armed gunman. And the teachers have been unable to give classes.
And the paramilitary has cut off electricity and it cut off the water.
The people of San Juan Copala are completely incommunicado. Nobody can
enter. Nobody can leave. And there’s no communication. The caravan was
meant to-
AMY GOODMAN: Can you describe, Kristen Bricker, who, can you describe who it was that died, the Mexican and Finnish human rights activists?
KRISTEN BRICKER: The Finnish human rights activist had
just arrived in Oaxaca to do some workshops on conserving the
environment. the woman who was killed, Betty Cariño was dearly loved
and she was a very important political leader in the region. She was
the director of CACTUS, which is an organization that advocates for
indigenous rights, particularly indigenous women’s rights. They do
radio projects in the area, in the Mixteca. She was probably one of the
two most important people politically who was on that caravan. And so
it is very suspicious that it was her who was shot in the head. The
Finn seems to be collateral damage. She was sitting next to her when
she was shot in the head.
AMY GOODMAN: Finally, the concern of human rights leaders
in the area that the government might use this as an excuse to further
militarize the area, Kristin?
KRISTEN BRICKER: I want to step back and say that the
U.S.-funded War on Drugs certainly create a cover for these kinds of
politically motivated attacks. Twelve people have been murdered by the
paramilitary organizations UBISORT since November in San Juan Copala
and it’s only now that the international media is paying attention. The
rest of the murders simply get lost in the overall violence that has
gripped the country. The attacks are often used as a pre-text to send
in the military and it is feared in this case that is what will happen.
And experience shows that this only increases violence. The people of
San Juan Copala who have bared the brunt of the violence in this
conflict don’t want the government to send in the police or the
military, not even to break the blockades. They don’t want this attack
to be a pretext for to militarize the region. They want the government
to guarantee the safety of civil society organizations so that they can
enter San Juan Copala and begin to attend to the resident’s needs.
AMY GOODMAN: Kristin Bricker, I want to thank you very
much for joining us. Is there anything else you feel it’s important for
listeners and viewers in the United States and around the world to
understand about what has happened in Oaxaca?
KRISTEN BRICKER: I just hope that listeners will remain
focused on the region. This is, unfortunately, not going to be the last
violent attack in San Juan Copala. If anything, the situation has
spiraled out of control and may only get worse. So hopefully, folks can
follow what’s going on and be ready to mobilize to defend people there.
There are a number of actions that are planned between now and May 3 at
Mexican consulates and embassies around the world including the
consulate in New York and there’s also actually plans in Chicago at the
consulate there and in San Francisco.
AMY GOODMAN: Kristin Bricker, thank you very much for
being with us. Freelance Journalist speaking to us from Mexico, closely
following the story of the attack on an international humanitarian
convoy in Oaxaca. Two people, a Mexican human rights activist and a
Finnish observer were killed.
Democracy Now!