FIVE CIOAC-H MEMBERS GIVE STATEMENTS

By: Elio Henríquez, Correspondent

San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, May 4, 2014

On Sunday afternoon, state police presented five members of the Independent Central of Agricultural Workers and Campesinos-Historic (CIOAC-H) to the District Attorney (Ministerio Público), so that they could give their statements about the homicide of a Zapatista, which was perpetrated last Thursday in the community of La Realidad, Las Margaritas (official) municipality, government sources reported.

They clarified that the five Tojolabales, located in the city of Comitán, more than 100 kilometers from La Realidad, are not under arrest and are only giving statements as witnesses.

Those presented are: Adán Vázquez Jiménez, Trinidad Álvarez Jiménez, Eduardo Méndez, Francisco Sántiz Hernández and Conrado Hernández Pérez, who was released yesterday after the Zapatistas held him for several hours in the Caracol of La Realidad.

The sources pointed out that the three killers of José Luis López, the Zapatista leader murdered during a confrontation between both groups, could probably be among those presented.

It will be acted on “energetically”

The Chiapas government advanced that it will proceed “energetically and in conformance with law to assign responsibilities for the murder.” In a communication, it lamented and condemned the homicide, as well as “the aggression” of the CIOAC-H against the Zapatistas.

“Unilateral actions that attack against the will and achievements in matters of détente contribute nothing,” it added.

Support bases of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) confronted Thursday night in La Realidad, a community situated in the Lacandón Jungle belonging to the (official) municipality of Las Margaritas, with militants of the CIOAC-H, linked to the Party of the Democratic Revolution.

The Zapatista José Luis López died during the squabble. He was a native of La Realidad and, according to unofficial reports, was a member of the Good Government Junta. There were also 16 people injured.

The president of the ejido commission, Javier López Rodríguez, and the municipal agent of La Realidad, Carmelino Rodríguez Jiménez, belonging to the CIOAC-H, said that the divisions between both groups have become more acute sharp because they decided to accept social programs from the federal government.

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Originally Published in Spanish by La Jornada

Translation: Chiapas Support Committee

Monday, May 5, 2014

En español: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2014/05/05/estados/028n3est

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