And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: 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: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 20:19:49 -0800 Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Commandante Null <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Zapatistas Launch Surprise Campaign in Capital Rights-Mexico: Zapatistas Launch Surprise Campaign in Capital By Pilar Franco (IPS) Inter Press Service MEXICO CITY, (Mar. 17) IPS - Around 800 indigenous Zapatista followers from Chiapas took the capital by surprise, speaking out in favor of equal rights and against government repression in the streets and meeting places of the city. The group of speakers forms part of the 5,000 strong Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) delegation working since Mar. 14 to promote a national poll on the rights of the 56 native peoples of Mexico, at a time when guerrilla-government talks are at a standstill. The poll, planned for Mar. 21, aims to press the Congress into discussing a bill drawn up by the Concordance and Pacification Commission (Cocopa), on the basis of the San Andres Agreements signed between the EZLN and the government in 1996. The Zapatista guerrillas are not seeking government posts, and hope that a civil society response to the poll will help offer a way out of the conflict in Chiapas where peace talks have been suspended since mid-1996. EZLN supports the Cocopa project, and accuses Pres. Ernesto Zedillo of following a policy which keeps Chiapas highly militarized while paying lip service to a negotiated end to the conflict and ignoring the San Andres accords. Zedillo himself presented the Congress with another indigenous rights and culture bill a year ago -- but this unilateral document was greeted by a prolonged silence from the Zapatistas. According to the government, the Cocopa plan is unconstitutional as it offers broad levels of autonomy to the ethic groups and this would work against national unity. The rebels, given freedom of movement under the Law for Dialogue and Reconciliation, have promoted joint action with civil society both in Mexico and abroad since the EZLN emerged on January 1, 1994. In 1995, the EZLN, a guerrilla movement which fought for barely 12 days in 1994, called on Mexicans to state their opinions on the idea of the insurgent movement becoming a political force, and 1.2 million people responded. This time round, on their visit to the capital, the movement's delegates spoke to housewives, old people, workers and children amazed by the appearance of the almost mythical Zapatistas with their covered faces and Mexican national flags. In a small neighborhood market in Santo Domingo, in the south of Mexico City, 22 Chole and Tseltale Indians told the public their "best weapon" is the truth and their word. "In our communities, in a short period, instead of hospitals or schools, the bad government built great barracks and brought in heavy arms," and there "are already 70,000" troops in the southeastern state of Chiapas, said Joel, a short, vocal man. Shoppers turned to look and traders left their stands to hear the Zapatista message, until a small curious crowd had formed to listen to Joel explain how the problems in Chiapas "are just like yours, as you are also as poor as we are." Ana Guadelupe, infant daughter in arms, spoke of how women face harassment from the troops when they go out to collect firewood. Then Maria energetically called for "the solidarity of women." "We had to make this long trip because we are fighting for our children," who they had to leave with other relatives, she said. However, Margarita, an old lady selling slightly wilted flowers, was unimpressed by the presence of the indigenous people. "What's killing me is to even make enough money to eat badly," she said. Ernesto Senties, a young Uruguayan tourist who came to see the Zapatistas "out of solidarity," he said, adding that "human rights violations in Mexico affect all of Latin America." With the support of 20,000 volunteers -- both independent and from opposition and human rights organizations -- the 5,000 indigenous people who left their homes in Chiapas will hold a total of 500 similar events throughout Mexican territory. The Zapatista delegates' coach travel, food and accommodation were all paid for by civil society funds. Meetings were arranged with unions, universities and the populace of each of their destinations, with one group of Zapatistas even speaking to a group of Mexican soccer veterans. In the midst of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, the rebel leaders Emiliano Zapata Francisco "Pancho" Villa and some of their barefoot soldiers were photographed eating in an elegant restaurant in central Mexico City, and the Zapatistas yesterday repeated the event. In Morelos state, adjacent to the capital, delegates had an important meeting with the early history of the revolutionary movement, visiting Gen. Zapata's headquarters, his tomb and the house where he was born. Some 20,000 polling stations will be set up in 56 zones throughout the country, and Mexicans from 12 years on and foreigners present in the country will be asked to respond to four questions on the part indigenous people can play in the active construction of a new Mexico. While Interior Minister Francisco Labastita classed the rebel poll as "absurd and false," government coordinator for dialogue in Chiapas, Emilio Rabasa, doubted the plebiscite would help the negotiation process in the conflict-ridden state. The government is also playing down the poll, considering the questions to be openly leading. As far as they are concerned questions like; "Do you agree the people should organize and demand the government that it "rule in obedience" in all aspects of national life?" a type of question that couldn't possibly get a "no" response. However, observers and commentators state the Zedillo administration cannot simply close its eyes to the poll as this is an impressive display of an attempt at active democracy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NPC Information Associates "Intelligence for the Underdog!" [EMAIL PROTECTED] 770-457-6758 -- 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. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
