Indigenous Organization CIPOG-EZ Denounces Armed Attack Against their Communities in Guerrero

The Indigenous organization, CIPOG-EZ, denounces ongoing violence of narco-paramilitaries against their communities and members in the Mexican state of Guerrero

 

To the Zapatista Army of National Liberation

To the National Indigenous Congress

To the Indigenous Governing Council

To the People of Guerrero

To the People of Mexico

To the National and International Sixth

To the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion

To the CNI-CIG Support Networks

Community Territory, Guerrero

July 11, 2020

As the people and communities of the Costa Chica, Costa Montaña, Montaña Alta and Montaña Baja of Guerrero, who make up the Popular Indigenous Council of Guerrero—Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG-EZ), we again raise our voice against the injustices that continue in our community territory in the Montaña Baja region. The promises made by the AMLO government, through its representative, Alejandro Encinas, have served no purpose. The violence has once again spread to the lands of Chilpa, at the hands of the narco-paramilitary group, “Los Ardillos,” who we have already denounced on so many occasions.

One year and two months after the assassination of our council members, delegates, and organizers of the CIPOG-EZ, CNI and CIG, the armed attacks don’t stop. We remember those assasinated: José Lucio Bartolo Faustino, Modesto Verales Sebastián, Bartolo Hilario Morales, Isaías Xanteco Ahuejote, David Domingo Alonso, Marcelino Pedro Rojas, Juana Hernández Ambrosio and Alberta Matías Tendón.

On July 11, 2020, at around 4:30 pm, more than 100 members of the narco-paramilitary group, “Los Ardillos,” opened fire against the community of Tula Guerrero, in the municipality of Chilapa de Álvarez. After three hours of gunfire from high caliber weaponry, several houses and corrals were destroyed. The inhabitants, women and children, were forced to flee into the woods in order to save their lives. Fortunately, no lives were lost. This is thanks to our compañeros and the community itself, who like many others in the region, continue in resistance. They repelled the attack allowing the population to flee, while the narco-paramilitaries were not able to fully enter the community.

The events occurred just two kilometers from the permanent base of the National Guard who listened to more than three hours of gunfire without doing anything. This base was installed as part of the security strategy of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Yet we ask ourselves, what is the point of having the presence of the National Guard if they are not going to act when we are being shot at? What is the true purpose of the national guard in our territory if it is not to safeguard the lives of the people? Why doesn’t the federal, state and municipal governments act according to the law, having all the legal justification necessary to do so, along with the dozens of denunciations against the narco-paramilitary group, “Los Ardillos?”

Of course, all levels of government knew what was happening during the more than three hours of siege and armed attack against the community of Tula Guerrero. Why didn’t AMLO do something? Why didn’t Héctor Astudillo Flores do something? Why didn’t Jesús Parra García do something? Aren’t the lives of the Indigenous Nahua people of the Montaña Baja of Guerrero worth something? Or is it because we are organized in the CIPOG-EZ, and they know they won’t receive our votes?

There is no humanity in the bad governments allowing us to be killed while they make political calculations and false promises. We demand the immediate guarantee to the right to life of our people, organizers and members of the CIPOG-EZ. We demand the immediate dismantling of the narco-paramilitary group, “Los Ardillos,” which has been operating around the community of Tula Guerrero for a year now. We demand that the narcomilitary group, “Los Ardillos,” be dismantled and that penalties in accordance with the offense of organized crime be applied. We demand that the federal, state and municipal governments stop being accomplices through action or omission of these barbarous acts against our people.

For the integral reconstitution of our peoples.

Never more a Mexico with us.

Justice for José Lucio Bartolo Faustino, Modesto Verales Sebastián, Bartolo Hilario Morales, Isaías Xanteco Ahuejote, David Domingo Alonso, Marcelino Pedro Rojas, Juana Hernández Ambrosio and Alberta Matías Tendón, members of CIPOG-EZ and the CNI-CIG!

Justice for Samir Flores Soberanes!

Justice for Gustavo Cruz Mendoza, assassinated Indigenous media worker of CIPO-RFM!

Long live the Indigenous Otomí resistance of the State of Mexico against the Toluco-Naucalpan highway!

Freedom for Fidencio Aldama of the Yaqui tribe!

Justice for the Indigenous community of Zacaulpan!

End the war of contra-insurgency against the EZLN!

Never more a Mexico without us!

Consejo Indígena y Popular de Guerrero—Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG-EZ)

Regions: Costa Chica, Costa Montaña, Montaña Alta and Montaña Baja of Guerrero