Letter from a Mexican Jail
Global Response
October 30, 2000
Dear Members of Global Response's "Quick Response Network:"
Amnesty International sent us this letter from Rodolfo Montiel Flores and Teodoro Cabrera, peasant-environmentalists imprisoned in Mexico. Over the last year, Global Response issued 6 calls for letters on behalf of these men who led protests against logging by Boise Cascade and other companies in Guerrero state. Their "thank you" letter, below, goes to all of you who wrote letters to Mexican authorities on their behalf.
For background information on the campaign to free Rodolfo Montiel Flores and Teodoro Cabrera, see:
http://www.sierraclub.org/human-rights/Mexico/action.asp
'From the Regional Prison of Iguala, Guerrero state, we would like to greet all our friends, of all ages, from all around the world. We would like to send our sincere and loving greetings to the civil and religious organizations, as well as to the environmental organizations and the political parties that fight for democracy and love and respect for others, to the media, human rights organizations, like Miguel Agustin Pro, and other national and local ones; and to our families, we would like to thank them for the great support that they have given us and we hope that they keep up their spirits and that we can increase our efforts to protect all forms of life. We must look after our forests, our springs, our rivers and our wild animals; in fact all our natural resources. There is still time to fight for a new world, full of peace and harmony.
Dear friends, we must not exchange the future of our children for a few coins. Let's be united, hand in hand with this new world that is for all of us. Dear family, we repeat our commitment from behind the bars. This is not goodbye, but see you soon. With courage, good luck and faith anything can be achieved.
Sincerely,
The environmentalist peasant farmers of the Mountains of Petatlan and Coyuca de Catalan.'
Rodolfo Montiel Flores (signature)
Teodoro Cabrera Garcia (finger print)'
(Original in Spanish)
'Desde el Reclusorio Regional de Iguala, Gro., nos permitimos saludar a todos nuestros amigos y amigas de todas la edades y del mundo entero. Les enviamos un cordial saludo con todo el carino y respeto a las organizaciones civiles y eclesiasticas y ecologistas y partidos politicos que luchan por la democracia, el amor y el respeto para los demas; a los medios de comunicacion, a los derechos humanos Miguel Agustin Pro y estatal y nacional y a nuestras familias queremos decirles gracias por el gran apoyo que nos han brindado y esperamos que no dejen caer el animo y doblemos nuestros esfuerzos en favor de la vida. Cuidemos nuestros bosques, nuestros manantiales, nuestros rios y la fauna silvestre; en fin todos los recursos naturales. Todavia es tiempo que luchemos por un mundo nuevo y lleno de paz y armonia.
Bien companeros no cambiemos el futuro de nuestros hijos por unas cuantas monedas. Vallamos juntos, unidos a ese nuevo mundo que es de todos y para todos. Bien familia, reiteramos nuestro compromiso desde detras de las rejas. No les decimos adios sino hasta luego. Con animo, suerte y fe todo puede ser. Atentamente los campesinos ecologistas de la Sierra de Petatlan y Coyuca de Catalan.'
Rodolfo Montiel Flores (rubrica) y
Teodoro Cabrera Garcia (huella digital)
GLOBAL RESPONSE is an international letter-writing network of environmental activists. In partnership with indigenous, environmentalist and peace and justice organizations around the world, GLOBAL RESPONSE develops "Actions" that describe specific, urgent threats to the environment; each "Action" asks members to write personal letters to individuals in the corporations, governments or international organizations that have the power and responsibility to take corrective action. GR also issues "Young Environmentalists' Actions" and "Eco-Club Actions" designed to educate and motivate elementary and high school students to practice earth stewardship.
Global Action
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Phone: 303/444-0306
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