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14 August 2013 | Interviews | Water | Resisting neoliberalism | Human rights | Climate Justice and Energy | Social activists at risk
The Legacy of Murdered Activist Noe Vazquez
On August 2 Mexican activist Noe Vazquez was murdered shortly before the beginning of the 10th Meeting of the Mexican Movement of People Affected by Dams and for Rivers (MAPDER) in Amatlan, Mexico.
He was 30 years old and he was to open the event, that ended two days later. “We believe we were watched days before the event by some strangers. We don’t know why, but in the meetings we attended we found that strangers would come and we found that unusual. We did not think that something would happen, but it did”, leader Gabriela Sainz of Colectivo Defensa Verde Naturaleza para Siempre told Real World Radio’s correspondent in Mexico, Monica Montalvo. She added: “We still can’t believe what happened”.
Noe needed to get flowers and plants for the opening ceremony of MAPDER’s meeting so he went to get them in the mountains. He was found dead with his load of flowers next to him. According to Sainz it took a few hours to find the young activist. The perpetrators were found and there was an eye witness.
“We are now concerned about the situation because Noe worked very closely in the organization of the MAPDER meeting”, said Sainz. The people who were working in the area to organize the meeting felt they were being watched.
The activist also said Noe was a craftsman who worked with seeds and was interested in the protection of the environment, because some of the seeds he used are endangered species. In the area he was an example of the struggle linked to the resistance of the installation of hydroelectric dams. Noe contributed his knowledge and some individual characteristics such as: drawings, paintings, mystic activities and his sensitivity.
He would always encourage people to be aware that the projects promoted in the region were not what was promised by the authorities or corporations involved.
“His death leaves us with hunger for justice, but also strength because his death came as a shock to us. We are not at ease, we want to continue fighting for the cause he defended and to find out what really happened to him. Why him?”, said Sainz. “We have to keep fighting”. She also recognized their concern over the safety of the members of the group.
“We feel impotence because we did not expect something like this to happen”, said Sainz. She mentioned that during MAPDER’s meeting they honored and remembered Noe. “Noe is still with us”.
Photo: Sent by Otros Mundos – Friends of the Earth México.
