ATENCO PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE

At least 12 inmates held in maximum-security prison El Altiplano, including Ignacio del Valle, leader of the People's Front in Defence of the Land(FPDT) from San Salvador Atenco, started a hunger strike last Friday to protest against mistreatment and violations of individual rights at this federal prison, located in the town of Almoloya de Juarez.

Although officials of the Ministry of Public Security (SSP) claimed that the protest had ended on Saturday, activists denounced yesterday that the fast that started on the 15th October continues because their restrictions have been increased in recent weeks.

Monica Hurtado, head of the Human Rights Association of the State of Mexico, said relatives of Ignacio del Valle, sentenced to 112 years in prison, were told that he is one of the inmates who remains on hunger strike. The activist has requested that the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) follows up the complaints made by the people of Atenco.

Ignacio del Valle and the other hunger strikers claimed that their situation within the prison is inhumane because they are physically and psychologically abused, suffer constant theft of their belongings and that their correspondence is being destroyed by the prison authorities.

The conflict that led to the inhabitants of San Salvador Atenco being imprisoned originated during President Vicente Fox's administration, when the government tried to build an airport on their lands, without first asking if they were willing to sell their land and at what price.

After the hard fought campaign by the Peoples Front in Defence of the Land defeated the government plans the police provoked a conflict with the local population by attacking flower sellers from Atenco at a market in Texcoco.

The conflict escalated and police assault on Atenco on 3rd and 4th May 2006, ended in acts of repression that led to the death of a 21 year old student and a 14 year old boy, the imprisonment of hundreds of farmers and activists, the rape or sexual abuse of dozens of women.

Despite widespread criticism from human rights organisations for the abuses committed by the police during this operation these 12 prisoners (including Ignacio Del Valle), who were arrested at the time, remain in prison on false charges.