Document #1095874
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
The following information was provided to
the DIRB by the former executive secretary and current member of
the human rights follow-up committee (area de seguimiento de casos
de derechos humanos) of the Chiapas-based Centro de Derechos
Humanos Frey Bartholome de las Casas.
The source stated that the Movimiento de
Jornadas de Vida Christiana (MJVC) is a well-known organization
that is active throughout the Mexico. The source mentioned that the
MJVC has been in existence for about 20 years, and to his knowledge
has thousands of members. The source reported that although the
MJVC is most active in Mexico City, it is also present in Chiapas,
although it has no office in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas'
capital. The source stated that the MJVC is a neutral,
non-political organization that "teaches young people the precepts
of Christian life." The source also mentioned that to his knowledge
MJVC members have not been and currently are not subject to
mistreatment or discrimination from the Mexican authorities because
of the organization 's work or objectives. The source described the
MJVC's relations with other religious organizations as good and
peaceful and stated that "if MJVC members are victims of human
rights abuses, it is because of something unrelated to their
organization membership." For further information on Mexico's
religious movements, please consult the attached documents.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Centro de Derechos Humanos Frey
Bartholomé de las Casas, San Cristobal de las Casas,
Chiapas. 7 November 1996. Telephone interview with the former
executive secretary and current member of the centre's human rights
follow-up committee.
Attachments
Angel, William D. 1990. Youth
Movements of the World. London: Longman Group UK, pp.
363-367.
Contemporary Religions: A World
Guide. 1992. Edited by Ian Harris et al. The High, Harlow,
Essex: Longman Group UK, p. 443.
Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 26
September 1996. Vol. 28, No. 35. Brian K. Goonan. "The New Look of
the Churches," pp. 2-3.
_____. 26 September 1996. Vol. 28, No.
35. John Ross. "The Changing Catholic Church," pp. 12-13.
_____. 26 September 1996. Vol. 28, No.
35. José de Guadalupe Muñoz Ramos. "Religious
Fervor," p. 12.
Religion in Politics: A World
Guide. 1989. Edited by Stuart Mews. Chicago: St. James Press,
pp. 180-183.
Additional Sources Consulted
Amnesty International Report 1996.
Amnesty International. Urgent
Action. 1996.
DIRB Country Files. Mexico. 1996.
L'état des religions.
1987. Paris: La découverte.
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
(FBIS) Daily Reports.
Human Rights Quarterly
[Baltimore]. 1996.
Human Rights Tribune [Ottawa].
1996.
Human Rights Watch Report 1996.
Human Rights Watch Short
Reports [New York]. January 1996.
Human Rights and the World's
Religions. 1988. Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press.
Latin American Weekly Report
[London]. 1996.
Mesoamerica [San Pedro].
1996.
Mexico NewsPak [Austin, Tex].
1996.
News from Americas Watch [New
York]. 1996.
Other Side of Mexico [Mexico
City]. 1995-1996.