[act-ma] Mexico Solidarity Network Presents: Indigenous Struggle for Human Rights in Chiapas: 11/8 7pm at Lucy Parsons Center

[Corry Banton]

Mexico Solidarity Network Presents:
 "Justice for Chiapas ! The indigenous struggle for human rights in Chiapas , Mexico " speaking tour
Lucy Parsons Center
358 Centre St. Jamaica Plain
Thursday, November 8th 7pm
FREE!
 

 Who: Gubidcha Matus Lerma of Fray Bartolome Human Rights Center and 
Mexico-US Solidarity Network representative Stuart Schussler, 
handicrafts from Zapatista Women's Cooperatives will also be on sale.
 

 As Fray Bartolome's Human Rights Center's communications director, 
Gubidcha Matus Lerma will speak about his organization's incredible work
 accompanying indigenous communities in their process of resisting 
displacement and responding to para/military harassment in the Mexican 
state of Chiapas. The problems are legion: perpetrators of the 1997 
Acteal massacre were recently freed from prison, human rights workers 
are increasingly threatened with physical violence and judicial action, 
and indigenous communities continue to be displaced by new highways, 
mining, and "ecotourism" projects and moved to state-constructed "rural 
cities" where maquiladoras are conveniently located.
 
 As popular
 organizations wage peaceful struggles for autonomy and dignity, 
Gubidcha and his colleagues at the Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human 
Rights Center (frayba.org) are one of the few reliable sources of 
information on human rights issues. The Center produces daily reports on
 human rights, defends cases in court, supports indigenous communities 
under attack, and has itself been increasingly threatened by 
paramilitary organizations for this work. The paramilitary organization 
The Army of God-Wings of the Eagle continues to send death threats and 
one of FrayBa's members narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in 
September 2009.
 
 The Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights 
Center was founded in 1989 by the renowned liberation theologian, peace 
activist, and Catholic Bishop Samuel Ruiz. Independent of any political 
party, ideology or religious creed, FrayBa's mission is to be "at the 
service of the poor, the marginalized, and the organized peoples who 
seek to better their socio-economic and political situation." Its 
outstanding work is recognized internationally.
 
 Come hear 
Gubidcha Matus Lerma speak on this complex political-economic situation 
and the role of the Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center in 
promoting the right of autonomous self-determination, integral justice 
as a prerequisite for peace, and the development of a culture of 
dialogue, respect, and reconciliation.

www.mexicosolidarity.org
www.lucyparsons.org
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