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Action Alert:

Stop the relocation of indigenous communities in the Montes Azules Biosphere, Chiapas!

Maps of the Montes Azules region correlating locations of natural resources and military occupation.

September 19, 2002

The full version of this report can be read here.

The Montes Azules Integral Biosphere Reserve (RIMBA-Spanish acronym) is emerging as the testing ground for the conflicting interests of corporate ownership and profits on one hand and human rights protection, biodiversity conservation and struggles for autonomy on the other.

Conflict surrounding the Biosphere has been reported in the press throughout 2002, however, the issue has been confused by successful misinformation campaigns by the Mexican government, the mainstream press and "environmental" groups such as Conservation International. Conservation International, for example, purports that the struggle for human rights and local indigenous autonomy conflict with the struggle to preserve the remaining tracts of biologically diverse regions in Latin America.

The Mexican government, prompted by corporate and military interests, is looking to relocate (forcibly or otherwise) approximately 28 communities located within the RIMBA. Under the pretext of environmental conservation, military presence in the RIMBA has increased heavily, and the Mexican Army has been assigned the new role of environmental supervision. Not coincidently, roughly half of the communities located within the RIMBA are Zapatista-affiliated communities. The relocation effort would serve two purposes: it would attack the heart of Zapatista communities, and grease the wheels for the absolute exploitation of Montes Azules' prolific natural resources.

It is important to note that just days after the Mexican Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Indigenous Rights and Culture Bill (opposed by every major indigenous organization in Mexico,) both Conservation International-Mexico and Mexico's Attorney General for Environmental Affairs (PROFEPA) renewed calls for the immediate removal of "guerrilla" communities from Montes Azules. Global Exchange fears that the recent outbreak of violence and subsequent militarization mark the final push to remove, at any cost, indigenous communities from Montes Azules.

A complete timeline of the San Andres Accords and the Indigenous Rights Law can be seen here.

What can you do?

Call the Mexican Embassy/Consulate to voice your concerns (find the closest to you at Embassy/Consulate and Mexico Desk of the US State Department (202-647-9894).

Fill out the form below, make changes to the text as you wish, and hit 'send fax'. Your fax will be sent to President Fox in Mexico.

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President Vicente Fox Lic. Victor Lichtinger Lic. Pablo Salazar I am writing to you to express my concern for the Montes Azules Biosphere and the Mexican government's plan to relocate indigenous communities which live inside and around the reserve. Given the recent declarations confirming the of relocation of the community Arroyo San Pablo on December 19th, I think it is especially important that you take urgent steps to: 1) Demilitarize all Natural Protected Areas (ANPs) and indigenous communities, especially Montes Azules. Employing the Army, or any other security force like the Federal Preventive Police (PPP), in environmental "protection" does not address the underlying causes of the current social and environmental crisis. 2) Guarantee that communities located within the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, or adjacent Reserves, will not be relocated without their consent. Local communities and Indigenous Peoples play an integral role in the conservation and development of natural resources. Relocating these communities by force, or allowing them to be continually harassed by paramilitary groups, will only exacerbate the deteriorating human rights and environmental crisis in the region. 3) Respect Indigenous Peoples Right to Self-Determination and Development. The future of Montes Azules, and other mega-diverse regions like it, depends on the active participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the creation of Biosphere Reserves that respect and fortify both biological and cultural diversity. I look forward to seeing your immediate response to this issue. Sincerely,

Thank you!