Urgent action regarding attacks on Zaachila Radio

My translation of a statement by several NGOs regarding the July 27, 2008, shootings directed at the homes of two hosts of the community radio station Zaachila Radio, outside of the city of Oaxaca. [Spanish original]

Mexico, D. F; 28 de julio de 2008

The Worldwide Association of Community Radio Stations - Mexico, Article 19, Reporters Without Borders, and the National Center of Social Communication, condemn the criminal attacks against two community journalists and we demand:

1. Clarification of what occurred on July 27 in Zaachila, Oaxaca, which resulted in the attacks against Melesio Melchor Angeles and Jorge Aragon Martinez, members of Zaachila Radio.
 
2. The investigation and punishment of those both intellectually and materially responsible for the firing of high-caliber weapons, used exclusively by the army, directly at the homes of the above community journalists.
 
3. Guarantee the safety and well-being of Melesio Melchor Angeles and Jorge Aragon Martinez, as well as the rest of the members of the community station.
 
4. Cease the climate of impunity that permits this permanent state of aggression against community media, as well as against journalists and the media in general, which makes Mexico the most dangerous country on the continent to practice journalism.

BACKGROUND

Melesio Melchor Angeles is a broadcaster for the community radio station named Zaachila Radio, which is located in the municipality of the same name, a member of the Community Council of Zaachila Radio, member of the "Communication and Culture" Civil Association, belonging to the Worldwide Association of Community Radio Stations, member of the Political Council of the Community Assembly of Zaachila, and serves as the treasurer of the Zaachila Education Front.

On June 20, 2008, we sent an urgent action alert due to what happened that same day in the muncipality of Villa de Zaachila, actions that violated the rights of the people of Zaachila, in which we denounced the existence of arrest warrants against Jorge Aragon Martinez and Melesio Melchor Angeles, who belong to the Zaachila Education Front, as well as against Adan Lopez Santiago, who serves as the General Director of Zaachila Radio. These people have been singled out through the media by the Municipal President as the ones responsible for the aggressions that occured on June 20.

Members of the community radio station, such as Adan Lopez Santiago, have been harrased and monitored while doing their work for the station. Melesio Melchor Angeles is in charge of a weekly program on Zaachila Radio, 94.1 FM, which discusses, analyses, and critiques political matters.

This is not the first time broadcasters operating in indigenous communities in Oaxaca have suffered aggression. In 2006, Radio Nnandia, a permitted broadcaster in Mazatlan Villa de Flores, was violently evicted from its installations, just as members of Radio Calenda, located in San Antonino de las Castillo Velasco, were shot at and fiercely beaten. Community and indigenous radio stations in Oaxaca have distinguished themselves in recent years by providing information that is of use to the communities, breaking the scheme of the traditional media outlets.

FACTS

Melesio Melchor Angeles, broadcaster on the community radio station Zaachila Radio, during the early morning on Sunday, July 27, 2008, suffered an attack when his house was shot at.  At approximately 2:30 in the morning a group  of unknown individuals fired three shots of a high-caliber weapon in front of his home located on Calle Pinopaa Number 526, in the Barrio del Nino, in the Villa de Zaachila, Oax. In the entryway of the house three 9mm casings, a weapon that is used exclusively by the army, and bullet noses incrusted in the wall, were found. One of the shots lodged itself in the upper part of the facade of this house and two more shots broke one of the windows of the same room.

Melesio Melchor conducts the program "Back to the News" that is transmitted by the community station from 9-11 in the morning, every Sunday.

At the same time on the same day, the house where another of the broadcasters on Zaachila Radio, Jorge Aragon Martinez, previously lived, located on Calle de Quiengola Number 820, in the Barrio de San Sebastian, in the Villa de Zaachila, Oax., was also shot at with 9mm, 38 super, and 22 caliber weapons. The impacts were incrusted on the access door and on the wall next to it.

Jorge Aragon Martinez conducts a program that is transmitted on Saturdays from 7-8pm, called "We take care of the water," that has a critical viewpoint.

Melesio and Jorge have certified these facts in front of the Public Ministry in Zaachila, as well as entering complaint 5148/50/2008 on Table 3 of the Responsabilidad Social de la Visitaduria General of the State Attorney General's Office.

These happenings occurred while Noe Perez Martinez, municipal president of Zaachila, declared in the publication "Adiario" on June 23, 2008, that he asked the Minister of the Interior and Minister of Communication and Transport to shut down this station.  After these declarations, the station had its signal blocked and had to change its frequency from 94.1 FM (its normal location) to 93.1 FM, a frequency that was also blocked. Now it has returned to 94.1 FM.

Another event related to the above has been the police presence around the station and the presence of groups of paid thugs in the area.

Because of the above mentioned facts, we DEMAND:

I.  That the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH):

• Quickly pursue these facts which likely constitute a violation of human rights and dictate means for the protection of the safety and well-being of Melesio Melchor Angeles and Jorge Aragon Martinez, as well as the rest of the members of the radio station.

II. That the authorities in the Executive Branch at the Federal and State levels:

• Guarantee justice, respect for human rights and the freedom of expression, the punishment of those responsible, the mechanisms necessary to promote dialog and to cease the climate of general violence in Oaxaca.

III. That the Legislative Branch of the country:

• Realize the legislative means necessary so that community radio stations can exercise their efforts in an environment of legality, security and freedom.

We remind the Mexican government that:

• "The murder, kidnapping, intimidation of and/or threats to social communicators, as well as the material destruction of communications media violate the fundamental rights of individuals and strongly restrict freedom of expression. It is the duty of the state to prevent and investigate such occurrences, to punish their perpetrators and to ensure that victims receive due compensation.

• We can't think that Mexico is truly a democratic state when the freedom of expression is constantly vulnerable, this being a fundamental human right and bedrock of democracy: "Freedom of expression in all its forms and manifestations is a fundamental and inalienable right of all individuals. Additionally, it is an indispensable requirement for the very existence of a democratic society."

SEND YOUR MESSAGES TO:

LIC. FELIPE CALDERON HINOJOSA
President of Mexico
FAX (55) 52 77 23 76
felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx

LIC.  JUAN CAMILO MOURINO
Minister of the Interior
FAX (55) 50933414 MAIL: secretario@segob.gob.mx

DR. JOSE LUIS SOBERANES
National Human Rights Commission
FAX  (55) 56 81 71 99, correo@cndh.gob.mx 

Representative of the High Commission for Human Rights in Mexico
FAX: (55) 52812409 MAIL: oacnudh@hchr.org.mx

LIC. ULISES RUIZ ORTIZ
Governor of Oaxaca
CARRETERA OAXACA-PUERTO ANGEL, KM. 9.5,
SANTA MARIA COYOTEPEC, OAXACA C.P. 71254,
OAXACA MEXICO  EMAIL:   gobernador@oaxaca.gob.mx
FAX:   (+52)       951 502 0530

LIC. EVENCIO NICOLAS MARTINEZ RAMIREZ
Attorney General of the State of Oaxaca
AV. LUIS ECHEVERRIA S/N, COL. LA EXPERIMENTAL, SAN ANTONIO DE LA CAL
CENTRO OAXACA MEXICO. 
C.P. 71236       EMAIL: buzonciudadano@pgj.net
FAX:   (+52)    951 511 5519