Reclaiming Justice

Reclaiming Justice: Guerrero's Indigenous Community Police/ Cuando la Justicia se hace Pueblo

(Spanish with English subtitles, 25:00, 2002)

"Reclaiming Justice" is the story of 42 Mixteco and Tlapaneco communities in the Costa-Monta–a region of Guerrero who, faced with injustice and corruption of local authorities, established the Indigenous Community Police (ICP) in 1995. Based on the traditional Indigenous justice system, the ICP is a volunteer organization elected by regional assembly. With the ICP, crime dropped substantially, organized crime has nearly disappeared, and police corruption is nonexistent.

Instead of supporting the ICP, state and local governments attacked them publicly and claimed that they function outside the law. "Reclaiming Justice" gives voice to members of the ICP, demonstrates their success in creating community security, and shows how the ICP restored dignity and pride to Indigenous communities despite opposition by corrupt authorities.

Una historia de masacres e injusticias cuentan los pueblos de la Montaña y la Costa Chica de Guerrero. Frente a la violencia e impunidad 56 comunidades se hacen de conciencia para luchar por el derecho a la Justicia.

A través del ejercicio de su autonomía logran reconstituir sus propias estructuras de procuración de justicia, así en 1995 nace la policia comunitaria, un órgano nombrado por los pueblos y al mandato de éstos, que se encarga de vigilar la propia seguridad de la región.

Cuando la justicia se hace pueblo es un documental que recoge testimonios de campesinos e indígenas que emprenden esta iniciativa de resistencia civil en un estado pobre y violento en México, donde el narcotráfico, la corrupción, la pobreza y la delincuencia son los principales problemas que aquejan a está población.

Festivals:

2003 Global Peace Film Festival, Florida, USA

2003 Amnesty International Film Festival, Hollywood, CA USA

2003 Arizona International Film Festival, Tucson, USA

2003 ImagineNative Aboriginal Media Arts Festival, Toronto, Canada

2003 International Film Festival of Human Rights, Spain,

2003 Iowa City International Documentary Festival, Iowa, USA

2003 Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee, Kansas City, USA

2003 Maine International Film Festival, Waterville, Maine USA

2003 Morelia International Film Festival, Morelia, Michoacan Mexico

2003 Sin Fronteras Film Festival, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

2003 Smithsonian Native American Film and Video Festival, New York City, USA