TO INDIGENOUS AND PEASANT ORGANIZATIONS
TO WOMEN’S AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS
TO ANTI-MINING AND INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY NETWORKS
TO THE MEDIA

On April 27, near San Juan Copala, Oaxaca, a humanitarian observation mission was attacked by the paramilitary group UBISORT, during which Alberta Cariño Trujillo and Jyri Jaakkola were assassinated.

The initial investigation was carried out by the Oaxacan State Attorney General’s Office, however, given the evident relationship which exists between the state government and the paramilitary group, it was demanded that the case be taken up by the Federal Attorney General’s Office (PGR), which joined the preliminary investigation.  Six months have passed since the crime occurred and the PGR submitted the results of its investigation to a judge, but given the investigation’s deficiencies it was sent back and up to now there does not exist any interest on the part of the PGR to ensure that this double murder does not remain in impunity.

During this time, numerous national and international organizations, as well as dignitaries and parliamentarians have demanded that the PGR carry out an adequate investigation and obtain justice, however, this institution has not shown any genuine interest in investigating this crime and even less in punishing those materially and intellectually responsible for it.

For those who don’t remember, Juan Manuel is a member of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca who is being scapegoated for the October 27, 2006, murder of Indymedia journalist Brad Will, actually carried out by paramilitaries linked to the governor of Oaxaca, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. He has been in jail since September 2008.

In exciting news, on December 30, 2009, a state court ordered Juan Manuel released within ten business days for lack of evidence, citing that the testimonies against him had “lost all probative value.” Juan Manuel was to be released on January 16, barring an appeal by the PGR.

Everyone was skeptical, as the PGR has been pathologically pursuing its sham of a case against Juan Manuel for more than a year. Yet, things looked even brighter when the PGR communicated to Juan Manuel’s family that they would not be appealing the ruling.

And then, of course, on January 15, just before time ran out to appeal, the sick bastards at the PGR filed an appeal against his release. The case now must go to the Supreme Court, which will take several months at least, and all the while Juan Manuel remains in prison.

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