Over 5,000 indigenous Mexicans have been forced to leave their homes due to a territorial war between rival villages. Catholic priests in the southern state of Chiapas said that armed men torched houses, and forced people out of the area at gunpoint.
The communities of Chalchihuitan and Chenalho have been in conflict over land for 40 years now. Heavily-armed men have recently escalated the situation by setting up roadblocks and harassing the people who cross through the piece of land between the two villages.
“Illegal armed groups are creating an atmosphere of terror in the community of Chalchihuitan, causing the forced displacement of more than 5,000 people who are living in extremely precarious conditions and exposed to the elements,” said the local Catholic diocese in a statement. “More than 300 people have also been displaced from the municipality of Chenalho.”
He also said the displaced families are living under tarps and the state government said it is using airlifts to bring them supplies. Along with the medicine, food, and blankets, authorities deployed over 100 soldiers to keep the peace.
This past October, the conflict grew when a woman was killed in Chalchihuitan and left her on the disputed land. Armed men subsequently raided Chalchihuitan, and the Chenalho people dug large ditches to separate the roads between the two communities.
A court is set to rule on the dispute over the land in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile, local authorities say they established a permanent dialogue between the mayors of both municipalities to find a solution to this four-decade war.
This article was inspired by NPR // In Mexico, Armed Men Force Thousands Of People Out Of Chiapas