Mexico: human rights defender Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez and his four sons ambushed

Front Line is deeply concerned over events that took place on May 19th 2005 in the community of Nuevo Blanco, Sierra de Petatlán, Guerrero State, Mexico, when human rights defender Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez and his children were ambushed upon arriving home. According to the information received, Albertano Peñalosa and his children and were attacked while inside their car by unknown gunmen at 21.30 PM on 19 May 2005. His sons Armando of 20 and Adatuel of 9 years of age were killed in the attack, in which 83 bullets from high calibre weapons were fired. Albertano and his sons Adalí (15) and Isaac (19) were seriously injured.

Front Line is concerned that this ambush is connected to the fact that Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez is one of the founding leaders of the Organización de Campesinos Ecologistas de la Sierra de Petatlán y Coyuca de Catalán (Organisation of Peasant Environmentalists of the Sierra de Petatlán and Coyuca de Catalán - OCESP), due to the fact that members of the OCESP have been regular victims of politically motivated legal repression and violence since 1999. Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera were allegedly tortured and detained by Mexican Army in 1999. On 3 November 2004, Felipe Arreaga was detained, and faces trial, for the murder of Abel Bautista, the son of a large cacique Bernardino Bautista Valle in 1998. Front Line believes that the charges against him may have been fabricated in order to silence him in carrying out his environmental work. The judicial police in Petatlán have also issued 14 OCESP leaders, including Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez, with arrest warrants in relation to the same case. Front Line understands that Albertano Peñalosa was not able to travel for medical attention for fear that he will be detained by the judicial police, but that the Governor Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo of Guerrero subsequently granted an amnesty to Albertano allowing him to be hospitalised without being arrested.

The members of the OCESP have denounced the activity of Bernardino Bautista Valle, one of the most important caciques and wood dealers in the region. In 1998 Albertano Peñalosa, Felipe Arreaga and other leaders began their committed struggle against the excessive and illegal logging of wood in the region. Albertano actively participated in the blockage of roads to prevent the movement of trucks transporting illegally logged wood, as well as in the formal complaint presented before the Federal Bureau of the Protection of the Environment. These actions finally led to the cancellation of 15 permits for the logging of wood in the region.

The OCESP was founded to mobilise the mountain communities of Petatlán, in a peaceful campaign, against the deforestation being carried out by illegal wood cutting operations run by local caciques, with alleged government links. The OCESP works in conjunction with the Organisation of Women Ecologists of the Petatlán Sierra, which was founded by Felipe Arreaga and his wife Celsa Baldovinos.

Front Line expresses it’s concern over the security conditions for the human rights defenders who promote and defend environmental rights in the Guerrero State.

Front Line is calling on the Mexican authorities to: 1. Launch an immediate and impartial investigation into the ambush of Albertano Peñalosa Domínguez and his children, where two children died and ensure that the results be made public and those responsible be held accountable. 2. Take immediate measures to guarantee the security of all human rights defenders and people of the Guerrero communities. 3. To withdraw the arrest warrants that are out on the other 14 members of the OCESP and to protect them, their families and the witnesses from the case, when they come to an independent and impartial review of the prosecution against Felipe Arreaga.

Front Line Action 27 May 2005