URGENT RELEASE

San Cristóbal de Las Casas
August 18, 2015

NEW BURGLARY IN THE OFFICE OF SIPAZ

On the night of August 17 and 18, 2015, the office of the International Service for Peace (SIPAZ) was broken into again. The envelope that contained 210 pesos, that was left the day before, (see history) is missing, and another small amount of money in coins, located in another part of the office, is also missing.

We are greatly concerned the reason for these signals is to imply that there is direct access to our offices. Our hypothesis is that this is not common crime. Soon, we will give our denouncement in the Public Ministry. We ask you to be vigilant and attentive, and to disseminate this information, as we fear for our safety and security and that of the people and defense processes we accompany.

History:

Between Friday, August 14 and the midnight of August 17, 2015, the office of the International Service for Peace (SIPAZ), located in Avenida Chilón #8 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, was trespassed. A working desk had evidence of disorder, where a team member had left money from an outing that had not yet been recorded. Of that money, 4,196 pesos are missing and 210 pesos were left on the desk in different places. Subsequently, a note was found among the papers that reads “be careful white girl” (see photo). The doors were not forced, nor were the windows, and there is no lack of material value, including computers.

SIPAZ is an organization of international observation and accompaniment. Since 1995, SIPAZ has developed as a permanent program in Chiapas that serves the role of dissuasion and prevention of socio-political violence in Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero, to contribute from the perspective of nonviolence in the construction of positive peace in these states. SIPAZ consists of a coalition of 47 international organizations, and a board of directors from Europe and America.

Given the seriousness of the events, we express our grave concern regarding our safety and security, as well as the people and defense processes we accompany. It should be recalled that under the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in relation to Article 1: “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels.

Sincerely,

Marina Pagès
SIPAZ Coordinator