Day of protest in Mexico

Thousands of Mexicans began a national day of protest yesterday to condemn the recent massacre of 45 Indian refugees in the troubled southern state of Chiapas.

Some 5,000 Tzotzil and Tzeltal Indians, descendants of the once-powerful Maya, blocked roads and shouted anti-government slogans in the highland Chiapas city of Ocosingo on the national day of protest to condemn the 22 December killings. Some of the Indians shouted "Army of murderers," at a nearby army checkpoint near this city, one of the Chiapas gateways down to the Lacandon jungle.