The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project has posted on social media:
“Last week, @PBI_Mexico was in the state of Sonora carrying out various activities as part of its international accompaniment of human rights defenders and communities.
We met with local authorities from various municipalities, where we emphasized the importance of dialogue with civil society and respect for the rights of indigenous communities, such as prior, free, informed, culturally appropriate and good-faith consultation.
We were able to meet with members of the Yoreme Alliance in the community of Buaysiacobe, Etchojoa, where they shared with us their security situation as well as their concerns regarding the exercise of their community rights.
We recognize the legitimate work they do.”
Yoreme Alliance
The Indigenous Mayo (Yoreme) people in Sonora face serious threats to their existence, culture and territory. The main risks they face include land grabs for industrial projects, such as petrochemical plants, physical violence and the criminalization of environmental defenders, as well as the pollution of their natural environment.
PBI-Mexico has noted on its website:
“The Yoreme Alliance was officially formed in 2022 by the Indigenous communities of Bachoco el Alto, Buaysiacobe, Cohuirimpo, and Masiacahui.
Its mandate focuses on the defense of territory, Indigenous rights, and the preservation of Yoremnokki culture and language through this alliance of communities, which have adopted the motto of the Indigenous Government of Cohuirimpo: ‘For the respect of people, vegetation, animals, sea, and land.’ Their actions are based on the harms experienced and/or identified by the four member communities.”
Sonora
In August 2023, Aljazeera reported: “According to Global Witness, more than half of the lethal attacks on environmental defenders in 2021 took place in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. Mexico led the way with 54 recorded killings, almost half of them Indigenous people. Around two-thirds of these murders were carried out in the northern Mexican state of Sonora and the southern state of Oaxaca.”
Accompaniment
PBI has worked with the Yoreme Alliance since 2023 and received their formal request for accompaniment in 2024.
