-Caveat Lector- From: Bill Koehnlein [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 1999 9:04 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Chiapas: Conuterinsurgency & Economic "Development" Activist Mailing List - http://get.to/activist Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 15:55:12 -0500 (CDT) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Chiapas95) Subject: En;K.Appel/H.Cleaver,On Program in Las Canadas,Jul 13 This message is forwarded to you as a service of Zapatistas Online. Comments and volunteers are welcome. Write [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send submissions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 08:18:25 -0700 From: Kerry Appel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Counterinsurgency Program in Las Canadas Mayor Moises once told me a story about how government agencies and large landowners had come to an indigenous community to assist them with their "development". These agents, or "partners" told the members of the community that they would put up the money for improvements in farming procedures and the community and these "investors" would then share the profits from increased harvests down the road. Well, the new partners put up some money and encouraged the community to buy tractors and seed and fertilizers, etc. For the first three or four years the new partners kept telling the community members that they were making great profits and they distributed the profits honestly and generously to the community members and everything looked great. But then, in the fifth year the new partners came and said, "Sorry. We've been making some accounting errors for the last four years. We actually never made any profits but instead have been losing money each year. So you need to now repay the moneys that we've given you over the last four years or we'll have to take your lands." Of course the community members, being as poor as they were, had not saved any of the "profits" but had used them for food and for medicine. And now, for trusting the Mexican government and the rich, they lost their land. The conditions for the Zapatista communities in Las Canadas may be marginal but at least they are holding on to their land and they have the opportunity to continue struggling for their rights. It seems to me that the effect of these new PRI programs will be to ensure that soon the residents of La Canadas will have neither land nor the opportunity to struggle for their rights. An interesting and illustrative footnote to all of this is that the former Mexican government Coordinator of Dialogue Emilio Rabasa was recently in Denver at the invitation of the US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. When a businessperson at the luncheon asked about investment opportunities in Chiapas, Mr. Rabasa specifically used the zone of Las Canadas as an example of an area that offered "land, water, resources and cheap labor, everything that a business could need for development opportunities". Now, the question that occurs to me is, "How is the Mexican government going to help the indigenous communities with their farming and coffee and cattle activities and simultaneously sell the same lands to foreign investors?" The answer is clear. Under the so-called reforms to Article 27 which privatize ejido and comunidad land, the current owners of the lands in Las Canadas will lose their lands when they fail to repay these loans which originate from the World Bank and then that businessperson from Denver and the transnational corporations of International Paper and Exxon Oil and Boise Cascade and others and, oh yes, all those members of the US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce will be able to come in and take advantage of the land and the water and the cheap labor which is a result of the final loss of the rights of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas and the rest of Mexico. Kerry Appel "Harry M. Cleaver" wrote: Folks: Rarely has the counterinsurgency character of what is called "development" been laid out so clearly in recent years than in this article below on the Mexican government's plans to undermine the Zapatistas. Dressed up in a language of improving peoples lives the govt program is, in fact, aimed at destroying the autonomous fabric of indigenous culture. The monies being provided by the World Bank will be channeled to pro-PRI forces, backed by military and police force, which will use them to enrich themselves, widen the income differentials within communities, draw a few opportunists to their ranks and leave the rest worse off than before. The historical pattern of "rural development" in capitalism is quite clear: the rise of a few wealthy, farmers and agribusinesses and the marginalization, reduction to wage labor and ultimatly, with mechanization, expulsion from the land into a fragmented waged or informal labor force in the the cities. This is the history of the US, of Europe, of every area of capitalist development. It was the plan for Mexico inherent in Salinas' change of Art. 27 of the Mexican constitution to privatize ejidal land. The only counterforce to such tendencies and programs has been the self-organization of the indigenous and peasant communities to resist the destruction of their lives and societies. All things considered they have been surprisingly sucessful in Southeastern Mexico, given the history of capitalism elsewhere. That sucess has been due, in part, to the state having left the process to local, reactionary forces. Now with the help of the World Bank, the state aims to pour greater resources into "development", i.e., into the final destruction of indigenous autonomy. Besides the tenacity and intelligence of the Zapatista communities, probably the greatest obstacle to the realization of these plans is the venality of local PRIista forces who have shown little sophistication in counterinsurgency and a rabid taste for violence and blood letting. The unusually explicit affirmation of the use of force to impose these "economic" plans suggests, however, that the declared sophisticated aims, may be just a cover for a continuation of the current violent policies aimed at displacing and dispersing resistant communities. Now, more than ever the character of capitalist "development" is being revealed and the dead-end that it represents for those subjected to it. Now, more than ever, it is necessary to keep the world's eyes focused on the viciousness of what is happening in Chiapas, including on what passes under the rubric of "development", the same "development" that is being peddled world wide by the current neoliberal tacticians and ideologues of capital. Harry On Tue, 13 Jul 1999, irlandesa wrote: Originally published in Spanish by La Jornada _________________________ Translated by irlandesa La Jornada June 29, 1999. Counterinsurgency Program in Las Canadas: Million Dollar Economic Program in Zones of Zapatista Influence Elio Henriquez, correspondent. Ocosingo, Chiapas June 27, 1999. Convinced that the circumstances of the "social conflict" that emerged in 1994 "have been registering a significant decline," the federal government recently set in motion one of the most important counterinsurgency programs with specific objectives in Las Canadas of the Selva Lacandona. Based on economic projects of all kinds, the program anticipates a wide governmental presence in 116 communities of Las Canadas of Ocosingo, Las Margaritas and Altamirano primarily - where there is a high presence of EZLN support bases - with a budget close to 109 million pesos, which will, in theory, directly benefit 3309 growers. This ambitious program - the first of its type in its detail and selectivity, and, according to non-governmental organizations, designed by the Department of Government - was begun simultaneously with the propaganda offensives of the "desertions" by purported zapatistas. And the government is willing to support it, even through the use of public force. This is one of the explanations for the police-military operations that have been being carried out on a daily basis for a month now in Las Canadas. "The government will guarantee that aid will reach the communities, and, if it is necessary to use public force for that, then it will do so," recently declared state Attorney General, Eduardo Montoya Lievano, who justified the situation arguing that zapatista sympathizers had stolen animals and destroyed tools and materials donated by the government to several communities. The program has managed to create an inter-institutional coordinating body, with the participation of the five primary state departments, whose efforts will be "under the coordination of the state government and the agreement of municipal officials." Adaptable World Bank Loan According to the document - La Jornada has a copy in its possession - in which the lines of action, methodology and objectives are specified, funds are included in the program from one of the so-called "adaptable" loans from the World Bank, for the Rural Development Program in Marginalized Areas, the first of this kind in the entire world, and which operates in Mexico as one of the 28 components of the Alliance Program for the Countryside. ("An adaptable loan consists in having a first stage, in which the board of directors of the bank will be involved in the approval of the start-up, and which results in a series of adaptable loans sequentially programmed, during which the subject of the credit can make modifications as to the rate, and it will be more feasible to acquire an increase in the funds assigned to the subsequent stages, through an agreement between the World Bank management and the borrower, in this case, Mexico." The definition is from Transparency, Civil Society, in their information summary of April of this year). Of the 108,860,564 pesos for the counterinsurgency program in Las Canadas, 4,767,128 are from the 47 million dollar credit line approved by the World Bank on December 23, 1997 - one day following Acteal - specifically for the Developement Program in Marginalized Areas, that seeks "to improve the wellbeing and income of small owners in 24 marginalized areas in Mexico, who are among the poorest in the country," according to the assessment document drawn up by the World Bank - also in La Jornada's possession - whose translation into Spanish is "not official." In the document, a copy of the credit request for 47 million dollars to the World Bank is included, dated November 6, 1997, and signed by the then Secretary of Agriculture, Francisco Labastida Ochoa. As for the counterinsurgency program in Las Canadas, the federal government states, in the 33-page text, that currently "the situation of the social conflict" that arose in that reigon in 1994 "contrasts with the communities' interest in picking back up their principal economic activities, given the importance of meeting the most urgent necessities for food and income." Under these new circumstances, it explains, "favorable conditions are opened for promoting economic programs that favor detente and the rebuilding of the social fabric, as the basis of a comprehensive and sustainable development of the region," for which it specifies "the conjunction of forces and resources, which stand a greater chance based in an inter-institutional coordinating body." Participating in this coordinating body are the Departments of Agriculture, Social Development, Environment, Communication and Transportation, and Agrarian Reform. The government's activities directed towards strengthening economic activities have "the experience of the Alternative Advisory Consultancy, Civil Association (directed by Diana Orive, brother of Adolfo, who has vast experience in the manipulation of the masses) which, through its acceptance in an important number of communities in that region, has identified existing demand and serves as coadvisory body for the presentation of viable alternatives of economic development, and also monitors specific projects and handles the basic services of technical assistance and training," it notes. It mentions that the program's objective is to administer, with the technical support of the Alternative Consultantcy's office, economic programs in 116 communities of Las Canadas. These programs - through coordination and complementary funds from the different levels of government - will assure technological improvement and sustainable use of rural resources, in order to increase production and improve the standard of living of campesino families who live in the region. It adds that the technological improvement of traditional economic activities will be undertaken, under formulas that will allow the rapid revival of production and will gradually consolidate technologies, assuring the preservation and sustainable exploitation of the natural resources in the mid and long term, for the purpose of reaching sustainable development in the economy and culture of the communities. The docuument includes a comprehensive description of the geography of Las Canadas, as well as descriptions of the socio-demography, land, and production units, use of the soil and agricultural production methods, economic descriptions and the destination of the production, and economic organization and degradation of the natural resources. The program anticipates the opening, repair and paving of roads, support for ranching, coffee culture - this will be the most heavily supported sector - economic reforestation, technical assistance and the installation of 115 satellite phones in an equal number of communities in Las Canadas, which will benefit 37,000 residents. According to the text, 95% of the economically active population in Las Canadas carry out farming activities, and the lack of other employment options "causes young persons to aspire to remain campesinos, which leads to great pressure on the land, while strong social explosiveness mounts." It establishes that, of the 18,242 economic units in the zone, the majority are involved in farming and forestry activities. In the area of production, it notes that maize is cultivated on 39,748 hectares, from which 40,828 tons are produced, yielding 1.02 tons per hectare. The production basically goes for self-consumption, but there is a deficit of 28.5%, and it is estimated that this will be on the order of 15,000 tons for 2001. It explains that, during the 80's, second and third level organizations were established, of whom the most significant is the Rural Association of Collective Interests (ARIC, Union of Unions), which "has suffered various splits, giving way to the ARIC-Independent and Democratic and the ARIC-Official, ruptures which are most noted for the segment that formed the EZLN." .......................................................................... Harry Cleaver Department of Economics University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas 78712-1173 USA Phone Numbers: (hm) (512) 442-5036 (off) (512) 475-8535 Fax:(512) 471-3510 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cleaver homepage: http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/index2.html Chiapas95 homepage: http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html Accion Zapatista homepage: http://www.utexas.edu/students/nave/ .......................................................................... To unsubscribe from this list send a message containing the words unsubscribe chiapas95 to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Previous messages are available from http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html or gopher://eco.utexas.edu. ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ ================================= Robert F. Tatman [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Remove "nospam" from the address to reply. NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml POSTING THIS MESSAGE TO THE INTERNET DOES NOT IMPLY PERMISSION TO SEND UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL E-MAIL (SPAM) TO THIS OR ANY OTHER INTERNET ADDRESS. RECEIPT OF SPAM WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF THE SENDER'S ISP. ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
