1996-11-14 Local Press - Violent Expulsion in Chiapas
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Violent Expulsion in Chiapas
In the town of Laja Tendida in the municipality of Venustiano Carranza, a group of corn producers who had blocked the highway demanding an increase in the price they are paid for their corn, was attacked on Saturday by police and army forces. Two helicopters dropped tear gas on them, as ground forces shot and beat the residents, Three people were shot to death by the police forces and many more wounded. A dozen people disappeared. One of the people killed was Angel Ramirez Coello, a 24 year old father of a one month old baby. His wife said at his funeral, "we are very poor and we were only asking for a better price for our corn, but the government responded with bullets-" The corn producers were members of the Council of Corn Producers of Chiapas, an organization that represents close to 50,000 producers in 15 municipalities of the state. The government claimed that the peasants were "vandals" who had illegally blocked the highway. (La Jornada, 10 November).
Death Threats to CONPAZ
The Coordinator of Non-Governmental Organizations for Peace (Conpaz) in Chiapas, said that its members have once again been receiving death threats. In a taped anonymous phone call, the names of at least 28 people were mentioned, saying that "they are all going to start to die, and where it harts most: the children." One of the people mentioned, Javier Lopez, disappeared along with his wife, Eva Lara, and their two children for two days. They later appeared after having been kidnapped and beaten, saying that their kidnappers threatened them with death if they denounced them. In response, members of Conpaz and other organizations organized a march through the streets of San Cristobal, to demand that the federal and state governments investigate. (La Jornada, 7 November).