On a remote road to an indigenous village in southern Mexico, two human rights activists were killed in an ambush on April 27, 2010. One was a Finn, Jyri Jaakkola, and the other a Mexican, Bety Cariño Trujillo.
The 33-year-old Jaakkola was a veteran of humanitarian missions to Angola and elsewhere. He was in the state of Oaxaca trying to help deliver food and supplies to San Juan Copala. The village is in a municipality inhabited by indigenous Trique people that had been besieged by paramilitary groups after declaring autonomy.
After more than two years of pressure from Finland and the EU, a Mexican court announced on Monday that a dozen arrest warrants were issued in the case last week. Some of those wanted have links to an armed militia called Ubisort, which in turn is backed by Mexico's long-ruling political party, the PRI.
Netting the "big fish"
Among those pressing the case has been Finland's former minister of development co-operation, Satu Hassi, now visiting Mexico as a member of the European Parliament. She notes that, while the actual shooters have been identified, it remains to be seen whether what she calls "the big fish" behind them will ever be implicated. Hassi notes that more than 90 percent of murders in Mexico are never even investigated.
Jaakkola's lawyer, David Peña Rodriguez, told Yle that it is important that the international community maintains pressure on the Mexican government to resolve the case.
He says it may have historic significance, as this is the first time that the killing of a human rights activist has ever been properly investigated in Mexico.
The trial could begin next spring -- if the suspected gunmen can be detained by then.
