Martin Amaru Barrios, of the Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley, attacked Dec. 30, 2003

12 January 2004

Dear friends,

Please find enclosed an urgent call for action, concerning the assault on a Mexican labour rights activist and coordinator of the Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley. They have recently defended the rights of hundreds of workers who were unjustly fired from the Tarrant factory – the case for which we have in the last months sent around various appeals. It is much appreciated if you send your letters of concern today. Many thanks in advance.

Jan 2006: Demand Immediate Release of Martin Barrios Hernández

Read the March 2004 update:
LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN WINS MEETING WITH GOVERNOR,
But more pressure needed to protect Mexican human rights activist!

URGENT ACTION ALERT:
Mexican Labour Rights Activist Attacked and Brutally Beaten
Maquila Solidarity Network (Canada)
January 9, 2004

On December 30, at 9:30 a.m., Martin Barrios, Coordinator of the Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley was attacked and brutally beaten by an unknown assailant. Barrios was about to enter his house, which also serves as the Commission office, when he heard a voice behind him, turned and saw a man coming at him with a brick. He was brutally beaten on the face and head, but managed to throw off the attacker who fled to a taxi driven by an accomplice that had been parked outside the house. Barrios suffered serious injuries to his face and skull as a result of the attack, and has laid a formal complaint with the local authorities.

It appears the attacker had been waiting for Barrios to return home, and that the attack had been planned ahead of time. The attacker made no effort to enter the house or to steal anything from Barrios. The Commission believes the attacker was paid to carry out the assault in order to intimidate Barrios, his family and other members of the Commission.

During the past year, the Commission has defended the rights of hundreds of workers who were unjustly fired from various blue jean factories owned by the Los Angeles-based Tarrant Apparel Group as well as workers from other smaller Tehuacan maquilas. It has succeeded in pressuring Tarrant and local labour authorities to ensure that fired workers received severance payments that are at least close to what is required by the Mexican Federal Labour Law. MSN has been supporting the work of the Commission in Tehuacan as well as that of the Worker Support Centre (CAT) in Ajalpan where Tarrant workers were fired for attempting to organize an independent union. An international campaign has resulted in increased pressure from brand-name buyers and consumers on Tarrant to respect its Mexican workers' rights.

For more information on the impact of blue jean production on workers, indigenous communities and the environment, check out Tehuacan: Blue Jeans, Blue Waters and Worker Rights . A 59-page study by Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) and the Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley. More info >>

Also in 2003, the Commission and the MSN released a joint publication"Blue Jeans, Blue Waters and Worker Rights," exposing the systematic violations of workers' rights and environmental standards in Tehuacan's blue jean industry. The report has been widely distributed in Mexico, Canada and the US.

The Commission believes that the attack and threats that had been made against Barrios previous to the attack are part of a campaign by maquila owners to silence Barrios and other Commission members and discourage them from continuing to expose worker rights violations and defend workers' rights. According to the Commission, the attack on Barrios should be added to the list of recent attacks on human rights activists in the State of Puebla, including the murder of lawyer Griselda Tirado Evangelio in Huehuetla and threats and abuse against members of CADEM in Cuetzalan, and threats and intimidation against the CAT and members of the independent union at the Tarrant Ajalpan facility.

REQUESTED ACTION:

The Commission is calling on its supporters in Mexico and internationally to fax letters of protest to the Governor of the State of Puebla, Melquiades Morales Flores, with copies by e-mail to the Maquila Solidarity Network, which will then be forwarded on to Mexican President Vicente Fox.

Please send a letter today, demanding the following:

• a full investigation into the attack and prosecution of those responsible, including the intellectual authors of the crime;
• protective measures by local authorities to ensure the safety of Martin Amaru Barrios and his family.

WRITE TO:
Lic. Melquiades Morales Flores, Governor of Puebla
Fax: 011 52 222 213 8805

With copies to:

• Maquila Solidarity Network
  E-mail: info@maquilasolidarity.org
• The Mexican embassy in your country – see:
  http://www.helplinedatabase.com/embassy-database/country-in-
  other-countries/mexico.html,

and your countries’ embassy in Mexico – see
http://www.helplinedatabase.com/embassy-database/other-countries
-in-country/mexico.html.

Melquiades Morales Flores, Governor of Puebla
14 Oriente, No. 1006, Colonia El Alto, Puebla
Puebla, Mexico

Dear Governor Morales Flores:

I am writing to bring to your attention disturbing reports of a brutal assault carried out under suspicious circumstances against Martin Amaru Barrios, a leader of the Comision de Derechos Humanos y Laborales del Valle de Tehuacan, A.C.

On December 30, at 9:30 a.m. Barrios was attacked by an unknown assailant outside his home in Tehuacan. As he was about to enter his house, Barrios was assaulted from behind by a man carrying a brick. Barrios was able throw off the assailant, who fled to a taxi that was waiting for him in front of the house. Barrios suffered serious injuries to his face and skull, and has registered a formal complaint with the local authorities.

It appears the man and his accomplish who was driving the taxi were waiting for Barrios when he returned home. As well, the assailant made no attempt to enter the house or to rob Barrios. Barrios had also received threats prior to the attack. It would therefore appear that the attack had been planned in advance, and the assailant and his accomplice to the crime had been paid to carry out the assault.

As you may be aware, Barrios and the Commission have been playing a very important role in defending the rights of maquila workers in the Tehuacan region. It is therefore highly suspicious that this attack occurred recently after the Commission was involved in efforts to ensure that hundreds of maquila workers who were unjustly fired received their full severance pay as required by the Federal Labour Law. Prior to the assault, Barrios had received threats related to the work of the Commission in defending workers' rights.

We are very concerned that this assault might be part of a broader campaign to silence and punish Barrios, members of his family and other members of the Commission. In order to ensure that justice is done, and that there are no further attacks on Barrios, members of his family and/or other members of the Commission, we would strongly urge that you take the following actions:

1. Immediately launch a full investigation of the attack and threats against Barrios and ensure that those who are responsible, including the intellectual authors of the crime, are brought to justice; and

2. Direct local authorities to take immediate preventive measures to protect the life and security of Martin Amaru Barrios, his family, and other members of the Commission.

I look forward to receiving a prompt reply to my letter detailing the measures your government is taking to investigate the crime, bring those responsible to justices, and provide protection to Barrios, his family, and other members of the Commission.

Yours truly,