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When in doubt, send a team of observers What will it take to stop the violence in Chiapas? Thus far, the political weapon of choice has been the "delegation". >> In fact, delegation after delegation of international human-rights observers have made their way to Chiapas since December of last year, following the massacre of 45 people in Acteal. Last week, a group of Canadian MPs led by local MP Jacques Saada returned from an observation visit to Chiapas, but thus far the trip has resulted in little more than photo ops. >> Local activist Claude Rioux of the Christian Committee for Human Rights in Latin America berated Saada and called the mission a political coverup. "I met with three parliamentarians [including Saada] since they've been back and I'm very unsatisfied," Rioux told the Mirror. "They are pretending that the conflict is too complicated to analyze or judge." >> Rioux has little faith that Canada will take a direct stand against its NAFTA partner. "There are important economic ties. Relations between the Canadian government and the Mexican government are very friendly," he says. >> Rioux believes that the best way to curb the violence is to step up the foreign presence in the war-torn Mexican state. He is hopeful that a new initiative by the Mexico Solidarity Network (MSN) to organize a Tri-National Delegation to Chiapas will intensify pressure on Canada to impose economic sanctions. MSN hopes to involve as many as 200 people from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico in the delegation, which will take place from July 2 to 9. For more information, call MSN in Chicago at (773) 583-7728. --Dominique Ritter
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