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

LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN WINS MEETING WITH GOVERNOR,
But more pressure needed to protect Mexican human rights activist!

Dear Friends,

9-03-2004
Please find below an update on the case of Martin Barrios, the Mexican human rights activist who was brutally attacked on December 30th, 2003. Your letters of protest have had an impact, however more pressure is needed to push the Mexican government to thoroughly investigate this incident and bring those responsible to justice.

Jan 2006: Demand Immediate Release of Martin Barrios Hernández

Please take a moment to send a letter of concern to the Mexican government (see sample letter below). For more background information on this case, please see the CCC website for the original appeal for action sent out on January 12 <http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/04-01-12.htm>. For any additional information on this case, please contact the Maquila Solidarity Network (e-mail: info@maquilasolidarity.org), the organization coordinating this appeal.

Update on Martin Barrios Case:

LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN WINS MEETING WITH GOVERNOR,
But more pressure needed to protect Mexican human rights activist!

Source: Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN), Toronto
February 21, 2004

On December 30, Martin Barrios, coordinator of the Human and Labour Rights Commission of the Tehuacan Valley, was attacked and beaten by an unknown assailant. On January 14, Barrios received a death threat by e-mail, also from an unknown person.

The Commission believes the attack and the death threat are part of a campaign to intimidate Barrios, his family and other members of the Commission, and discourage them from continuing to defend maquila workers' rights.

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 was successful in pressuring Tarrant and local labour authorities to ensure that fired workers received severance payments that were at least close to what is required by the Mexican Federal Labour Law.

In response to an Urgent Action Alert from MSN and appeals from the Commission, hundreds of MSN members and supporters in Canada, as well as human and indigenous rights groups in Mexico and anti-sweatshop groups in the US and Europe, have sent protest letters to the Governor of the State of Puebla, demanding an immediate investigation of the crime, prosecution of those responsible, and protection for Barrios and his family.

MSN Coordinator Lynda Yanz recently met with Martin Barrios, who thankfully has recovered from his physical injuries. According to Barrios, your letters were instrumental in gaining the Commission a meeting with the Governor and attention to his case. However, Barrios believes ongoing pressure will be needed to convince the authorities to carry out a serious investigation of the incident and to bring those responsible to justice.

MSN thanks those who sent letters in support of Barrios and the Commission and will continue to provide information and action requests on this case.

ACTION REQUEST

If you have not yet written a letter to the Governor of the State of Puebla, PLEASE do so today. A sample letter is provided below.

Send your letter to: Lic. Melquiades Morales Flores, Governor of Puebla
Fax: 011 52 222 213 8805

If you don't have access to a fax machine, you can send a letter to the Governor through the website of the Puebla state government at: http://200.57.151.241/gobierno/escribealgobernador.html

Please cc your letters to your country’s ambassador to Mexico.

SAMPLE LETTER

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

[insert date]

Dear Governor Morales Flores:

I am writing to urge your government to take immediate action concerning an 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.

As you are aware, 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 injuries to his face and head, 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 and after 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 know, 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 Comision 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 Comision in defending workers’ rights, and on January 14, Barrios received a death threat by e-mail.

We are very concerned that the assault and death threat 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 justice, and provide protection to Barrios, his family, and other members of the Commission.

Sincerely,

[insert your name]

Please send copies of your letters and any responses you might receive to:
Maquila Solidarity Network info@maquilasolidarity.org