> From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Apr 6 20:28:15 1995 > Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 19:19:40 -0700 > From: National Commission for Democracy in Mexico <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: NCDM Members Attacked Action Alert! > > Yesterday members of the National Commission for Democracy in > Mexico were assaulted in a Dallas hotel by Zedillo's security > guards while they were trying to conduct a peaceful protest > against the war in Chiapas. Quoting from today's Dallas Morning > News, " one of [Zedillo's] security agents ran up and punched one > protester and shoved another.. "All I said was, 'Zedillo, pull > your troops out of Chiapas," said a stunned Leonardo Contreras of > Houston, as Dallas police officers escorted him out of the Loews > Anatole Hotel. The Mexican secret service agents "forget they > are not on Mexican soil, where free speech is not allowed", Mr. > Contreras added. > > The National Commission for Democracy in Mexico is calling upon > all people of conscience to join us in sending letters, telegrams > and faxes of protest against these violent abuses of the freedoms > of speech and assembly. We ask that the messages be sent to the > following people: > > Secretary of State Warren Christopher > 2210 C. St. NW > Washington, DC 20520 > Phone (202) 647-4000 Fax (202) 647-6434 > > Ambassador Jesus Silva Herzog > Mexican Ambassador to the US > Mexican Embassy > 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue > Washington, DC > Phone (202) 728-1690 Fax (202) 728-1698 > > Gregory Favre > President > American Society of Newspaper Editors > P.O. Box 4090 > Reston, Virginia 22090 > Phone (703) 648-1144 > > A copy of the letter we sent today follows. > ***************************************************************** > > April 6, 1995 > > Mr. Gregory Favre, > > Yesterday we attempted to communicate with you regarding your > organization's presentation of Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo. > > We did so because of worsening conditions in Mexico. We believe > that in allowing Zedillo to appear before you, you have ignored > the voices of 40 million poor people in Mexico, and the besieged > voices in the state of Chiapas. > > Zedillo is following the trajectory of Carlos Salinas, his > predecessor. His presentation of conditions in Mexico belies the > truth, especially in regards to the violation of all > international standards of humanitarian law. Yesterday in the > presence of the Dallas police department and the hotel's security > force, members of Zedillo's security force physically assaulted > two of our members. Their crime: raising their voices to tell > Zedillo to take Mexican federal troops out of the state of > Chiapas. This brutal behavior is a vivid example of the way in > which dissent in Mexico is received. If such is the behavior of > the president's security on foreign soil and against American > citizens, what are the people of Mexico subjected to? Does the > Association regard the forced migration and starvation of 20,000 > men, women and children in the Lacandon jungle as irrelevant? > Does it deny the substantiated reports of Amnesty International, > Greenpeace and Human Rights Watch of torture and procedural > irregularities in the arrest and detention of accused members of > the EZLN? > > Our efforts to ask for inclusivity were met with indifference. > Please be advised that we will take all legal forms of re-dress > against the assault, and we will denounce this occurrence > publicly as much as we are able. The nature of the crisis in > Mexico has not been covered by the U.S. media, much less the > viability of the national movement for democracy. There are > prominent analysts and leaders of the Mexican democracy movement > fully capable of presenting the side of the story which Zedillo > denies. We hope we will receive a quick response from the > Association in regards to its willingness to present a broader > perspective. A well-informed American public is the best means > by which to avoid a disastrous foreign conflict. > > Sincerely, > > > Cecilia Rodriguez > Coordinator > > >
