We, the undersigned, Mexican citizens who regard ourselves as friends of Canada and Canadians, and who have been working for years in the field of human rights and democracy, express today our deep concern about the situation currently facing the Rights and Democracy organization.
According to reports from the Canadian media, Rights and Democracy has been progressively diverted from its mandate and mission. Also, its autonomy has been eroded, affecting its ability to encourage and support dialogue between citizens and institutions around Canada's foreign policy on a multilateral level.
We recall Rights and Democracy's contribution to key issues for democratic development in Mexico, such as citizens' election watch, advocacy for indigenous women's rights, and various qualitative assessments of the human rights situation in our country. Its support and close collaboration have contributed for years to strengthen social and civil society organizations in our country.
For decades we have admired Canada's commitment to peace, its notable achievements in ensuring the human development and social rights of its citizens, and its consistent support to the best causes promoted by the United Nations. We would not want these events to go down in history as a step backwards in these areas.
We don't mean to interfere in Canada's domestic affairs. We raise our voice to assert human rights as universal principles and express our solidarity to this cause in Mexico, in Canada and around the world.
Mexico City, March 25, 2010.
Carlos Heredia, Associate Professor, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE);
Claudia Luengas, Lawyer;
Elio Villaseñor, General Manager, Iniciativa Ciudadana para la Promoción de la Cultura del Diálogo, AC;
Emilio Alvarez-Icaza, Professor, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and former Ombudsman for Mexico City;
Gabriela Sánchez-Gutiérrez, Researcher, Instituto Mora;
Martha Graciela Ramos, Coordinator, Mujeres por México;
Rogelio Gómez-Hermosillo, Chair of Alianza Cívica, AC;
Sergio Aguayo, Research Profesor, El Colegio de México (Colmex);
Víctor Quintana, Advisor to the Frente Democrático Campesino and Member of the Congress of the state of Chihuahua
Rafael Reygadas, Professor, Universidad Autonome de México (UAM and Centro de Estudios Ecuménicos
