2006 civil unrest in San Salvador Atenco

The civil unrest in San Salvador Atenco of 2006 began on Wednesday, May 3, when police prevented a group of 60 flower vendors from selling at the Texcoco local market in the State of México, about 30 km (19 mi) from Mexico City. State police used violence and arrest against resisters. The flower vendors appealed to the residents of San Salvador Atenco, a small neighboring community about 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Mexico City, famous for creating their resistance organization against the development of an airport on their land in 2002 ( an organization called the "FPDT", and known to be allied with the Zapatista Army of National Liberation).[1]

The Atenco residents blocked the highway to Texcoco near their town. In response, hundreds of state police were summoned to remove the blockade, but were unsuccessful after five attempts.

The confrontations were very violent, causing Enrique Peña Nieto, then Governor of the State of Mexico, to ask president Vicente Fox the support of federal forces. The resulting chaos lead to the death of two protesters, and dozens of people (mostly women) were sexually assaulted by the police forces.

National Human Rights Commission report

On 16 October 2006, National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) President José Luis Soberanes Fernández published the results of its five-month investigation of the case. The CNDH called the incident a "tragedy", called particular attention to the excessive use of force and firearms by state and federal authorities,[2] and specifically found that:

In connection with these findings, the CNDH submitted recommendations to the federal Secretary of Public Security, Eduardo Medina Mora; the governor of the state of México, Enrique Peña Nieto; and the commissioner of the National Migration Institute, Hipólito Treviño. These included, inter alia, improved training for the security forces, due compensation for the next-of-kin of the two fatalities and for all those whose human rights were violated, and a review of the expulsion procedures applicable to foreign visitors.

The report concluded that the violence could have been prevented through dialogue, but that "preference was given to the use of public force".[3]

Police brutality

The National Human Rights Commission has charged that police used excessive force, smashing windows and furniture, and hauling people from their beds. The commission is investigating reports that police molested and raped female detainees and injured children, elderly and the disabled.

See also

Sources

References
  1. "El Universal - - es el Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra?". archivo.eluniversal.com.mx. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  2. "CNDH Recommendation 28/2006: Violence in Texcoco and San Salvador Atenco". Archived from the original on 2006-11-07. Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  3. "CNDH pide reparar daño por operativos de Atenco", El Universal, 17 October 2006.

Atenco - Women of Mexican Dissent the New Target http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00313.htm

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