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Triqui Women in the forefront of the conflict in San Juan Copala

A new ambush directed towards women's caravan leaves three dead, the Caravan was postponed
By Kristin Bricker

Photo: José Carlo González, La Jornada

paramilitaries who invaded San Juan Copala, Oaxaca, have left the City Hall since last July 30 . However, they did not go very far, maintaining the daily shootings by paramilitary snipers are stationed around the village, keeping San Juan Copala under siege.

San Juan Copala was declared independent from the uprising of 2006, almost sack the governor of Oaxaca in their offices. Social Union for Child Welfare de la Región Triqui (UBISORT), una organización paramilitar fundada por el Partido Institucional Revolucionario (PRI, que a gobernado a Oaxaca durante ochenta años), a mantenido a San Juan Copala bajo sitio desde enero. UBISORT ha bloqueado la carretera hacia el pueblo con piedra y troncos, forzando a los habitantes de San Juan Copala a trasladarse por los senderos del bosque para llevar los suministros que necesitan desesperadamente sobre sus espaldas. Los francotiradores de la UBISORT se han colocado en las colinas que rodean el pueblo, volviéndose extremadamente peligroso para los habitantes salir de sus casas.

"Nadie puede salir de Copala", dice Mariana Flores, una representante del municipio autónomo. "Si ellos [los paramilitaries] see you on the street, they'll shoot. "

Residents believe the paramilitaries are more likely to kill men than women." If people try to go out, can not give more than two steps without [the paramilitaries] try to hurt or kill them. "

As a result, women have played Triqui increasingly important roles in San Juan Copala." In San Juan Copala, are the women who risk their lives Luiren looking for food, "says Flores. When the paramilitaries attacked San Juan Copala, with the help of the Oaxaca state police on 30 July, it was women who attempted to repel the invasion." women have decided to claim their rights, and now it is they who are fighting for their community, "says Flores.

The increasingly prominent role that women have taken in the conflict, has made them the most affected by paramilitary violence. In the last four months:

• The murderer UBISORT Bety Cariño, a community organizer does not Triqui of Oaxaca, along with the observer from Finland Jyri Jaakkola, during the arrival of a convoy of aid to San Juan Copala, April 27. It is believed that Darling was the target.
• On May 15, leaders of the UBISORT beat and tried to kidnap two women Copala. Later that day, members of the UBISORT kidnapped 12 women and children who had escaped from San Juan Copala to buy food.
• On 20 May, unidentified murderers killed Cleriberta Castro and her husband Timothy Aguilar Alejandro Ramírez, one of the founding of the autonomous municipality.
• June 24, snipers shot and wounded Miriam Martínez 8 years old in San Juan Copala.
• June 26, snipers shot and wounded Jesus Marcelina Cruz Celestina Lopez and Ramirez after leaving a meeting in San Juan Copala.
• On July 26, Maria Rosa Francisco disappeared near her home in San Juan Copala when snipers opened fire. She left home to seek firewood and feared dead.
• On 30 July, when the women tried to repel the raid by the paramilitary / police in San Juan Copala, two girls aged 17 and 14 were fired. The girl's 14-year-old is paralyzed when a bullet fired by UBISORT lodged in his spine.

During that same period, in addition to the murders of Jaakkola and Ramirez, only one man was injured, snipers will afford him in the leg when he left home to go to the bathroom.

11, sold out, Triquis women took their fight to the state capital and are now occupying the square main city of Oaxaca. They hope their protest camp to grow as more and more Triquis who have been displaced by violence in the capital converged state join. The women say that they remain in the main square of Oaxaca city till the government to bring those responsible for dozens of killings in the region Triqui to justice. "We have not received any response from the government," says Flores. She says the governor-elect Gabino Cue has not responded to their demands.

Women were scheduled to travel to Mexico City on Monday August 23 to join social organizations in an attempt to gain more support. However, the caravan postponed following an ambush on 21 August which killed three men were related to the autonomous municipality and wounded two others. Among the dead was Antonio Ramírez López, a leader of Santa Cruz Tilapa, a community that belongs to the autonomous municipality. Ramírez López was one of the founding of the autonomous municipality. The five men were helping to organize a caravan of women, and the Center for Human Rights Centre Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño said the men were ambushed while traveling in a pick-up for Triqui picking up women who participate in the caravan. Forensic investigators report that were used AK-47 and AR-15 in the ambush. Both weapons are classified as military use only, and is illegal for civilians to have them.

The autonomous municipality announced that UBISORT paramilitaries and the Movement of Triqui Unification and Struggle (MULT) participated in the ambush, but at this point the survivors did not identify their attackers.

Organizers of the protest encampment of women found in Oaxaca City say they remain on the main square of the capital till their demands are met. Currently in the process of strengthening the camp with reinforcements. Reinforcements are a security measure that Rufino Juarez UBISORT leader, was seen Saturday and Sunday near the women's protest camp. Juárez personally participated in assaults against women Triquis, including the abduction of 12 women and children, on May 15.