Limited Response to Displacement Following Local and Regional Conflicts
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MEXICO: Limited response to displacement following local and regional conflicts A profile of the internal displacement situation 23 December, 2009 This Internal Displacement Profile is automatically generated from the online IDP database of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). It includes an overview of the internal displacement situation in the country prepared by the IDMC, followed by a compilation of excerpts from relevant reports by a variety of different sources. All headlines as well as the bullet point summaries at the beginning of each chapter were added by the IDMC to facilitate navigation through the Profile. Where dates in brackets are added to headlines, they indicate the publication date of the most recent source used in the respective chapter. The views expressed in the reports compiled in this Profile are not necessarily shared by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The Profile is also available online at www.internal-displacement.org. About the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, established in 1998 by the Norwegian Refugee Council, is the leading international body monitoring conflict-induced internal displacement worldwide. Through its work, the Centre contributes to improving national and international capacities to protect and assist the millions of people around the globe who have been displaced within their own country as a result of conflicts or human rights violations. At the request of the United Nations, the Geneva-based Centre runs an online database providing comprehensive information and analysis on internal displacement in some 50 countries. Based on its monitoring and data collection activities, the Centre advocates for durable solutions to the plight of the internally displaced in line with international standards. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre also carries out training activities to enhance the capacity of local actors to respond to the needs of internally displaced people. In its work, the Centre cooperates with and provides support to local and national civil society initiatives. For more information, visit the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre website and the database at www.internal-displacement.org. Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre Norwegian Refugee Council Chemin de Balexert 7-9 1219 Geneva, Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 799 07 00 [email protected] www.internal-displacement.org 2 CONTENTS OVERVIEW.......................................................................................................................7 LIMITED RESPONSE TO DISPLACEMENT FOLLOWING LOCAL AND REGIONAL CONFLICTS ........... 7 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND ..................................................................................... 13 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 13 GROWTH AMONG PROTESTANT AND EVANGELICAL CHURCHES THREATENS STABILITY IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES................................................................................................ 13 FREE TRADE AGREEMENT UNDERMINES LIVELIHOODS IN RURAL AREAS............................... 13 LAND AND AGRARIAN ISSUES AT THE ROOT CAUSE OF CONFLICTS IN MEXICO ...................... 14 INSURGENT GROUPS SEEKING RIGHTS FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE CLASHED WITH THE MEXICAN ARMY IN CHIAPAS IN 1994 ................................................................................................. 15 HOPES FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION UNDER PRESIDENT FOX SHATTERED BY CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND IMPUNITY (2000-2005) ................................................................................. 17 CHRONOLOGY OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT IN CHIAPAS (1994-2004) ................................ 20 STRUCTURE AND HISTORY OF LAND TENURE IN MEXICO ..................................................... 24 CONFLICT IN LACANDONA BIO-RESERVE HAS ROOTS IN LEGAL CONFUSION CREATED IN THE 1970S .............................................................................................................................. 26 CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT .............................................................................................. 27 CHIAPAS, OAXACA AND GUERRERO: DISPLACEMENTS ARE CAUSED BY LAND DISPUTES, THE GOVERNMENT’S DIRTY WAR AGAINST THE OPPOSITION, ARMED CONFLICTS, POLITICO- RELIGIOUS CLASHES AND THE DRUG TRADE (2009) ............................................................ 27 CHIAPAS; ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE, UNLAWFUL EVICTIONS AND FORCED DISPLACEMENTS (2007).............................................................................................................................. 30 CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT ROOTED IN POLITICAL AND AGRARIAN CONFLICTS, RELIGIOUS TENSIONS AND HISTORICAL MARGINALISATION OF INDIGENOUS GROUPS (2005)................... 31 NEW STRATEGY TO DISPLACE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE (2007)................................................. 34 THE ACTEAL MASSACRE FORCED THOUSANDS TO FLEE IN 1997 (2005).............................. 37 VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN CHIAPAS HAVE DISPLACED 30,000 INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SINCE THE 1970’S (2000) ..................................................................................... 40 PEACE EFFORTS ............................................................................................................... 41 1996 SAN ANDRÉS AGREEMENT AND PEACE DEAD-LOCKED (2005) .................................... 41 POPULATION FIGURES AND PROFILE ...................................................................... 44 GLOBAL FIGURES ............................................................................................................. 44 IN ADDITION TO 5,000-8,000 IDP DISPLACED AFTER THE ZAPATISTA UPRISING, THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION (2009)............................................... 44 MORE THAN 5,500 DISPLACED IN CHIAPAS (2007) ............................................................. 44 SOCIO-POLITICAL PROFILE OF THE DISPLACED: INDIGENOUS, RURAL AND POOR (2003)........ 48 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.......................................................................................... 49 3 OAXACA: RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION AND FORCED DISPLACEMENT IN INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES (2009) ......................................................................................................... 49 MOST IDPS FLED MUNICIPALITIES OF THE STATE OF CHIAPAS (2005).................................. 49 DISAGGREGATED DATA..................................................................................................... 50 IDP NOT DISAGGREGATED ACCORDING TO GENDER AND AGE (2009) .................................. 50 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT ................................................................................. 51 GENERAL ......................................................................................................................... 51 WOMEN ARE DISPROPORTIONALLY AFFECTED, LIVE IN DIRE CONDITIONS (2009).................. 51 DISPLACEMENT OFTEN LOCAL AND PREDOMINANTLY RURAL (2003) .................................... 52 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT ................................................ 53 PHYSICAL SECURITY ......................................................................................................... 53 COUNTER-DRUG WAR AFFECTS SECURITY IN 10 PROVINCES (2009).................................... 53 HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS FINDS THE GOVERNMENT GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN CHIAPAS DURING THE 1990S (2005).................................................................................. 53 IDPS ARE THE MOST UNPROTECTED CITIZENS IN PREY TO ABUSES, EXPLOITATION AND DEPRIVATION OF LIFE (2005) ............................................................................................. 57 HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS REPORT CONTINUED PARAMILITARY THREATS AGAINST RETURNED IDPS AND AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES (2003)................................................. 58 MEMBERS OF ORGANISATIONS WORKING WITH IDPS COMMONLY RECEIVE DEATH THREATS (2004).............................................................................................................................. 59 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT .................................................................................................. 60 MILITARY PRESENCE IN CHIAPAS A MEANS TO CONTROL ZAPATISTAS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS (2005) .................................................................................................... 60 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS ................................................................................................. 62 GENERAL ......................................................................................................................... 62 LIVING CONDITIONS OF IDPS IN THE CAMPS VISITED BY THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR IDPS WERE VERY POOR (2003).................................................................................................. 62 THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF DISPLACED INDIGENOUS WOMEN HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED (2003) ........................................................................................................................................ 62 FOOD ...............................................................................................................................63 IDPS RECEIVE HARDLY ANY NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE EXCEPT FOR THE EFFORTS OF SOME GOOD GOVERNANCE BOARDS (2005)................................................................................ 63 HEALTH...........................................................................................................................