January 27, 1996

Indigenous-rights foes beat nun in southern Mexico

OCOSINGO, Mexico—Dominican Sister Norberta López García leaves a taxi and walks with two indigenous children through this village in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

Three men suddenly appear and begin beating López, referring to her as a nun and threatening to rape and kill her. The children run for help and the men will finally flee when a vehicle approaches.

The beating is among a series of attacks on Chiapas clergy members who support indigenous rights since a celebration of the 36th anniversary of Bishop Samuel Ruiz García’s appointment to head the San Cristóbal de Las Casas diocese two days ago.

Government agents appeared at the celebration, taking photographs and notes. On the same day, the official Chiapas radio and television station repeatedly broadcast a story accusing Father Joel Padrón and Simojovel catechists of distributing guns and encouraging violence.

Broadcasts of this story were followed by a call for a stronger police and military presence. A San Cristóbal newspaper published similar reports January 26 about Father Loren Riebe of Yajalón.