In Chicomuselo, Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala, residents have been fighting the canadian mining firm "Blackwater" for destroying their communities and lands. On November the 27th, Mariano Abara Rolero, a member of the Mexican Netowork of People Affected by Mining, was murdered in front of his house. Witness stay a man on a motorcycle shot Mariano and a campanion, Orlando Vazquez, and rode away.

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Otros Mundos AC/Chiapas

In November 27, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Mr. Mariano Abarca Rooblero, was cowardly murdered in front of his house in the center of the city, Chicomuselo, Chiapas. According to witnesses, a person a motorcycle riddled Mariano´s body with bullets. A friend who accompanied Mr. Abarca, Orlando Velazquez, was gravely injured and taken to the hospital in Comitan. Mariano Abarca leaves behind a wife and four children. As a member of the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining, Mr. Abarca maintained a constant struggle against a Canadian multinational mining company that has in Chicomuselo its principal interests: 10 concessions in the exploitation of gold, barite and antimony. Since June, Mariano had maintained an encampment in the city center with other REMA members that demanded the exit of the company Backfire from the Chicomuselo. On July 10, Mr. Luis Antonio Flores Villatoro, public relations manager for Blackfire and originally from Chicomuselo, filed a lawsuit in name of Blackfire against Mr. Abarca accusing him of criminal association, organized delinquency, attacks against public communication, damage to the company´s property, and attacks against peace and the patrimonial and personal integrity of the collective and the state. The company filed a testimony of two people who supposedly witnessed the acts, Mrs. Brenda Liliana Leon Valadez with Canadian residency and Mexican origin, and Mr. Willis Bradley Craig of Canadian nationality. In the same month of July, Mr. Abarco erected an encampment in front of the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City where people affected by the mining practices participated like the Wide Opposition Front (FAO,) who is demanding the withdrawal of the multinational from the San Pedro Mountain in San Luis Potosí. Days later Mr. Abarca participated in forum on mining that was undertaken in Congress where he denounced the damages that the company Blackfire produces in Chiapas. On Aug. 17, Mr. Abarca was illegally kidnapped by police using extreme violence to be arraigned by the authorites. In the following days, the state government tried to negotiate with Mr. Abarca his freedom in exchange for his promise to abandon the struggle of resistance against mining and to impede the Second Meeting of the REMA in Chicosumelo at the end of the month. Mr. Abarca chose to remain prisoner instead of negotiating those terms. Finally, after facing national and international pressure and a lack of evidence to convict him, the state government decided to free him ten days after his brutal detention. In the month of September, the state governor arrived in Chicmuselo and noted the rejection of the Canadian mining company by its inhabitants. Days before Mariano Abarca Roblero, presented before corresponding authorities an "Administrative Act for the possible commission of criminal acts and for the crime of threatening and what results and sanctioned by article 227 and 228 of the penal code in the state of Chiapas against Mr. Ciro Poblero Perez and Luis Antonio Flores Villatoro (Public Relations Manager of Blackfire) and whomever may result responsible..." For everything stated before, we hold responsible Governor Juan Sabines for not having acted on time to avoid this crime that has once again stained the state of Chiapas with blood. The governor had knowledge of the actions of the Canadian company and the conflict it generates in its mining concessions. We hold responsible the Canadian company Blackfire, its General Director General Artemio Avila Cervera, its Public Relations Manager Luis Antonio Flores Villatoro and the state government for its knowledge of the violence against the defenders of water, land, the territory and the environment. For now we demand: -The immediate withdrawal of the Canadian company Blackfire from its concessions in Chiapas -Immediate justice and punishment to its ultimate consequences to those materially and intellectually responsible for the crime -Protection for the family of Mariano Abarca Roblero -Protection for Mr. Orlando Vleazquez, his family and members of the REMA

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