March 15 - 21, 1995
CHIAPAS
March 15
In order "to create an adequate distension climate for the dialogue and
negotiation" between the government and the Zapatista Army of
National Liberation, President Zedillo ordered to lift the roadblocks and
to allow the free transit in the conflict zone. Also the Mexican Army
must vacate the villages without abandoning its positions outside of the
rural communities and towns. Consistent with the creation of the
Concord and Pacification Commission (Cocopa), the Attorney General's
Office (PGR)announced that on President Zedillo's instructions, "the
arrest warrants and the investigations against Zapatista leaders were
being suspended."
The Government Council of the Chiapas Rebel Governor asked the
Secretary of the Interior Esteban Moctezuma to mediate to stop "the
spiral of violence in the state expressed in the eviction of agricultural
properties, the arbitrary and illegal detentions by cattle breeders, the so-
called "white guards" and public security police forces."
The President of the Soconusco Commission of Human Rights Martin
Hernandez Gutierrez, started a huger strike after the federal and state
governments refused to liberate 17 peasants from the Altamira and
Miguel Aleman groups, confined in the Tapachula prison for land
problems.
The agrarian policy applied in 1994 has resulted in land purchase
overprice, the purchase of properties without the proper appraisal, the
collusion of government officials with the so-called small owners so that
the former can receive a commission on the phony sale and/or purchase
of ranches and land. According to estimations by the Chiapas Cattle
Breeders Union, only 10 percent of the 38,000 hectares promised have
been actually purchased as part of this policy while the rest were
properties not directly related to the agrarian problem. In this case,
operations were decided merely considering the personal advantage of
the buyers as well as the substantial commissions --of up to 30 percent--
obtained by the government officials involved.
Approximately 400 peasants from the Joaquin Miguel Gutierrez ejido
held for several hours four employees of the Federal Electricity
Commission (CFE) in protest for having suspended the service in 25
percent of the community. Local consumers had not paid the light bill
"due to the high costs of energy."
The Secretary of the Chiapas government Eraclio Zepeda pointed out
that the Army must guarantee the free passage in the zone and
discontinue inspections and searches at checking points. He criticized
the "exaggerated presence of the 'center'" in the conflict as this resulted
in the Chiapanecans being like "mute guests" in last year's peace
discussions.
Hundreds of Chole Indians that seized the Tila town hall have warned
that if Congress does not accept the municipal council "elected" by them
on March 11, they will not leave the building. "We are not willing to
accept the imposition of another mestizo president when most of us are
Indians."
March 16
Between the municipal head town of Las Margaritas and Guadalupe
Tepeyac the presidential order to withdraw the Army from the villages,
lift the roadblocks and inspection sites and allow the free transit in the
conflict zone was not complied with. The Army did not obey the
presidential order and the presence of a number of Army troops stayed in
Nuevo Momon, Vicente Guerrero and Guadalupe Tepeyac.
In a clash between members of the Party of the Democratic Revolution
(PRD) and members of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), at
the Teoquipa ejido, El Bascan, in the Salto del Agua Municipality, at
least eight persons died and eight more were wounded.
The indigenous women from La Realidad, in the municipality of Las
Margaritas, sent a letter to the government demanding the withdrawal of
the Mexican Army and called for "a true peace." They also asked for the
support of the other women of the civil society. When the place was
taken over by the federal troops on February 16, the women fled to the
mountains for a few days and came back with actress Ofelia Medina to
prevent the occupation of La Realidad by different people as happened at
the Guadalupe Tepeyac ejido. They claim to have been intimidated by
those considering them "Zapatistas" and also warned that they will not
accept the food offered to them by the soldiers in an attempt to alleviate
their 5-century needs.
Only 35 days after the Army started advancing over the Ocosingo
communities, the life in the zone has been disrupted. A shortage of
appliances and food as well as a delay in the land apportionment
program have placed the population in risk of a famine. According to
villagers, the Army activities, its occupation of towns and surrounding
areas, "the destruction of food deposits, the burning and plundering of
homes," have left these communities in an extremely precarious
situation.
March 17
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) accepted to renew
contact by letter with the Federal Government. It said, however, that
until the Mexican Army troops move out completely to the positions
they held on February 8, 1995, they will not resume the direct contact
with the government representatives. The EZLN welcomes de
promulgation of the Law for Dialogue, Conciliation and Dignified Peace
in Chiapas and announces it will continue its contacts with the
Secretariat of the Interior "through the National Mediation Commission"
(Conai) lead by Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia. Although the EZLN finds
the government's offer "unsatisfactory" because of "serious omissions in
the law that could be used by the federal executive to impose undignified
conditions in the dialogue or to apply police and military methods."
However, the EZLN considers the law "to contain significant and worthy
elements allowing the creation of dignified conditions to resume
dialogue. This law is a starting point for a just and dignified solution to
the conflict." President Ernesto Zedillo accepted the epistolary
communication proposed by the EZLN, informed the Secretariat of the
Interior.
The National Democratic Convention (CND)announced that "peace
corridors" will be immediately established in the conflict zone in
Chiapas in order to form a civil barrier between the federal Army and the
EZLN. These encampments are intended to be "neutral areas," under the
control of the Conai and supported by two non-government
organizations, the Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center
and the Coordinator of Peace organizations (Conpaz).
The physical presence of the civil society in Chiapas is something urgent
to stop war and attain a just and dignified peace. The mere
announcement that the Army will pull out from the villages and that a
limited number of troops will be kept in the region "for the safety of the
population" is not going to solve the conflict. The indigenous groups are
still starving, food, medicine and clothing are in shortage... What has
been collected is not sufficient. The military siege is an attempt not only
to starve to death the Lacandona Jungle inhabitants but to prevent that
the actual situation is known in the rest of the country and abroad. If the
Federal District has some information on the conflict, manipulated or
not, in Chiapas the isolation and lack of information is scandalous.
Nobody has any idea of what is going on. There cannot be conditions
for dialogue with people being chased, with a great indigenous diaspora
in the Jungle and when the life cycle of those human groups, original
owners of that territory, has been disrupted. It is therefore imperative
that members of the civil society travel to Chiapas to establish this
protective shield for our Chiapanecan brothers. A "security circle"
formed up by civilians is more reliable than a military barrier. The above
are some of the conclusions reached at by Julieta Egurrola, Joaquin
Garrido, Leticia Huijara, Tatiana Maganda, Pilar Boliver and Miguel
Angel Cardenas, members of the artistic community that took part in the
Information Civil Mission.
March 18
The Tapachula Diocese Bishop Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel considered
that the acceptance by the EZLN of the dialogue with the government
will contribute to alleviate the climate of incertitude prevailing in
Chiapas. He praised the EZLN for having "the disposition to listen to
the people's clamor against war."
Seventy percent of the Mexican soldiers in the conflict zone in Chiapas
are between 17 and 20 years old, informed Brigadier Guillermo Martinez
Nolasco. "They are very young --and adds-- I have to give them a chance
to have some drinks, without making scandals or creating problems.
They also need to go out with girls in order to prevent homosexuality
problems."
Some women participating in the Indigenous National Convention
informed that the Pamala community "lives a permanent nervous crisis"
after the abuses by soldiers of the Mexican Army that occupied this
community las February 9. In a communique, these women urged for
medicines and medical attention for Pamala because "the violence
sequels are causing the aggravation of some women's diseases, like
hemorrhages. They are ill, some have fever and pain in the heart."
Amado Avenda o, Transition Rebel Governor, attended the opening of a
Rebel Consulate in Chicago, Illinois. The first head of the office, Maria
Alcauter, said: "I am not going to issue official documents like passports
or things like that, but I am going to continue the defense campaign of
the Mexican national symbols. I am not going to be lighting up candles
before a flag or a national emblem, but I am going to defend the most
valuable symbol of Mexico: its exiled people living in Chicago and its
surroundings."
According to the Concord and Pacification Commission for Dialogue in
Chiapas, the relocation of towns and villages in the conflict zone has not
succeeded in creating a "distention climate" required to progress in the
solution of the Chiapas problems. While Army troops pulled from some
of the communities and set camps in the outskirts, "generating the
expected results," at other communities the response was all contrary.
Also, some military roadblocks are maintained in the area.
March 19
After accepting the dialogue by letter with the government, the EZLN
expressed once more its recognition to the national and international
civil society for having raised its voice and stopped "the chariots of
war." The EZLN invites civilians to visit the mountains of the
Lacandona Jungle: "come here brothers, we cannot go to you. Come,
there will be no fire to receive your steps, nor will our heart be closed to
your words, come." In two communiques, the Indigenous Revolutionary
Clandestine Committee (CCRI)-- General Commander of the EZLN,
warns that thanks to the "voice of drums," of the civil society, the
"drums of war" were stopped at a moment when from the caves "the bat
men and women were preparing their deadly flight of death," with a
military siege that closes with the advancement of the Mexican Army
troops since February 10.
Fourteen months after the start of the armed conflict, the state of Chiapas
lives a "double crisis:" On one side, the "economic collapse" resulting
from a plummet in production causing a fall of 40 percent in the
commercial and tourism sectors, and, on the other, the aggravation of the
financial crisis. The intricate scope of situations confronted by this state,
the agrarian issue is the most worrying. Eighty percent of the population
lives in rural areas with a great agricultural hindrance, land invasions,
fragmentation of properties, low productivity and high growth
population rates. In an interview with La Jornada newspaper, chiapas
Governor Julio Cesar Ruiz Ferro admitted the critical situation in that
state and said: "the solution is not in distributing the land but in looking
for other alternatives."
The government has not created the required conditions to resume
dialogue with the EZLN, said the San Cristobal de las Casas Bishop
Samuel Ruiz Garcia at calling the authorities to start more formal
contacts. At this moment, he said, the situation is difficult and we will
have to wait for more substantial distention measures in the conflict
zone, such as the withdrawal of the Army and the presence of non-
government human rights organizations for verification purposes.
The so-called "authentic coletos" decided to "take a break" in their
activities and mobilizations against Samuel Ruiz, the San Cristobal
Diocese and the Conai. However, after a meeting with the Concord and
Pacification Commission (Cocopa) they said: "We will not give up."
Representatives from 10 Chiapas municipalities that set up a protection
circle around the Peace Cathedral of San Cristobal a month ago, and the
civilian groups organizing the activities against war an din support of the
Conai, asked the government to give more tangible proofs of a
disposition to create a true distention climate in Chiapas. They also
demanded the withdrawal of the Mexican Army from the conflict zone,
called a halt on the eviction operations in the properties occupied by the
peasants and investigate the violations to the human rights in the
communities. At Vieja Jovel an activity to demand the liberation of
Jorge Santiago Santiago, sent to the Cerro Hueco prison 36 days ago on
charges by the PGR of being a Zapatista leader.
March 20
Approximately four thousand people displaced from their communities
started to return to their homes at Las Ca adas region, in the
Municipalities of Las Margaritas and Ocosingo. It is expected that nine
thousand residents will have returned to their place of origin by the
coming weekend.
After one month of having left Chiapas and 11 days encamped in the
Zocalo, most of the three thousand Tzeltales, Tzotziles, Zoques, Choles
and Tojolabales of the Caravan for Peace, decided to return to their
communities due to the "obstinacy" of the government that refuses to
discuss three basic points: eradication of the white guards, cancellation
of the arrest warrants against social fighters, and investigation of the
legal status of the properties recuperated by the peasants before evicting
them.
Starting today nine new permanent encampments will be set up in the
conflict zone to offer assistance to the most affected communities. They
will also monitor and protect human rights in the area. A larger number
of these Civil Peace Encampments are expected with the support of
national and international organizations. There is also the possibility of
creating "neutral areas" for the negotiations between the EZLN and the
federal government.
March 21
At evaluating a recent tour of several Chiapas communities and towns,
the Concord and Pacification Commission (Cocopa) concluded that
"there are conditions to renew the dialogue between the Mexican
government and the EZLN. The Cocopa invited the EZLN to decide on
resuming direct contacts as the 30-day term is running out and "it is not
the time to impose more conditions or delays."
Authorities and land owners of the Tzeltal region expelled
approximately 120 indigenous of the Evangelist sect, informed the
advisor of the State Committee of Evangelic Defense in Chiapas
(Cedech).
The members of the Rebel Government Council pointed out they were
returning to Chiapas because the federal authorities "did not listen to
their plea for a political solution to the conflicts." Talks with the
Secretariat of the Interior and Dante Delgado, Commissioner for Social
Welfare and Sustainable Economic Development in Chiapas, were
adjourned after 10 days.
The spokesman of the so-called "authentic coletos," Miguel Gonzalez
Alonso, acknowledged the importance of the Conai and the role of
Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia in the peace process of Chiapas. However,
Gonzalez asked the priest "to abandon" his religious tasks to fully devote
himself to the "activities related to this important role [as mediator]." In
a gesture aimed at "contributing to peace" in Chiapas, the authentic
coletos that had asked for "the electric chair," "the death penalty," and
"the expulsion from Mexico of the de devil's Bishop", for both Bishop
Samuel Ruiz and Rebel Governor Amado Avenda o, now say they were
convinced by the Cocopa of the "importance of the Bishop" in the peace
process. They explained that the "respite" they are granting --in their
activities against the San Cristobal de las Casas Diocese, the Avenda o
family and members of the civil society-- will be in force only for the 30
days provided by the law for the dialogue. However, Gonz lez Alonso
suggested they could resume their actions if no tangible results are seen.
"My plea to you is for help to stop this war; for everyone to invent new
forms and help us put pressure on the Mexico and U.S. governments to
halt war," said Amado Avenda o, introduced as "the Chiapas Rebel
Governor" before some 70 representatives of U.S. social organizations.
Avenda o attended a national forum of organizations participating in the
Civil Campaign on Free Trade, and the Coalition of Groups Opposed to
the NAFTA and the GATT.
NGO's FORUM
INTERNATIONAL CARAVAN TO CHIAPAS
Throughout the thirteen months of the Chiapas' conflict, one of the
activities that civic society has undertaken has been the organization and
implementation of different caravans aimed at offering humanitarian
assistance. The importance of these actions must not be underestimated;
contributions have ranged from material support to the integration of
different groups that have helped to bridge the gap between civil society
and the different actors of the Chiapas' society.
The International Caravan to Chiapas forms part of the efforts to
attain the distension of present conditions, partially alleviate the urgent
needs of indigenous communities, and encourage a peace process
leading to a final, fair and dignified solution of the Chiapas' conflict.
Most caravans to Chiapas have been integrated by different,
already established social organizations. The direct collaboration of civil
society groups that are not affiliated to any organization or party, despite
its extreme importance as far as foodstuffs collection is concerned, has
not fully participated in the overall decision-making and humanitarian
assistance process.
Based on these experiences, the International Caravan to Chiapas
attemps a more participative involvement, especially of those citizens
who have not found it easy to collaborate because they do not belong to
any particular agency. In consequence, citizens who wish to help
Chiapas have been invited to participate in the following concrete
activities and tasks:
Humanitarian donations:
-Non-perishable food supplies: rice, maize, beans, sugar, dried chilies,
cooking oil, pastas and canned tomato paste.
-Maize and vegetable seeds that can be sown.
-Footwear: rubber boots and strong shoes.
-Medicines: antibiotics and first-aid materials
Integration of collection centers:
-Assistance and guidance for the integration of supply collection centers.
Support for caravans:
-Integration of promotion and organization commissions
Becoming a "caravanero":
-Transportation and delivery of food supplies.
The major objective is integrating autonomous civic groups that,
united by a common interest, are able to develop their own initiatives
and potential. This task must strengthen the ongoing process of an
increasing participation of the civil society, while at the same time
tightening the links among different national and international agencies.
The International Caravan to Chiapas is integrated by the
representatives of various international organizations from Germany, the
United States, Norway, Italy and Spain, headed by Peace Priests. It will
leave Brownsville, Texas on March 23, and will enter Mexico through
Matamoros, Tamaulipas. It is expected that different groups will join the
caravan during its tour through the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz,
Puebla, Tabasco and Chiapas. On March 24, another group headed by
the Caravana Mexicana Para Todos Todo (Everything for Everyone
Mexican Caravan) will leave Mexico City. This caravan, integrated by
different civic groups, will join the International Caravan at Veracruz,
and from that point they will continue towards San Crist>bal de las
Casas, where humanitarian assistance will be distributed among the
different organizations selected by caravan members.
Democracy and participation are indispensable elements for a
collective task like this one. It is therefore necessary to broaden the
range of civic participation in order to increase the number of those who
collaborate through decision-making, expression of ideas, and the
organized assumption of responsibilities.
Caravana Mexicana Para Todos Todo (Everything for Everyone
Mexican Caravan)
Tabasco 262-501
Colonia Roma, M xico, D.F.
Telephone (5) 525-25-45
MEDIA MONITORING
During the week of March 6-10, 1995, the Mexican Academy of Human
Rights (AMDH) continued to monitor the usual four television news
programs: Televisa's 24 Horas, Television Azteca's Hechos,
Multivision's Para Usted, and IPN Channel 11's Enlace. The most
important conclusions are:
Just as in the week of February 27 - March 3, the news on Chiapas were
relegated to a second place. Most of the attention was concentrated on
the economic situation. This subject was given most of the time in the
four news programs: one hour, 44 minutes and 44 seconds. The Chiapas
affair was assigned one hour, 16 minutes and 25 seconds.
In connection with the Chiapas conflict, the news programs gave
comprehensive information on the passing of the Law for Dialogue,
Reconciliation and Dignified Peace in Chiapas. The same trend
observed in the previous week where political players like President
Zedillo, the Attorney General's Office (PGR), the Mexican Army and the
National Mediation Commission (Conai) received very little exposure,
repeated this week. Again, the news programs did not give any
information on the situation and events at the conflict zone nor regarding
the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN). Also this week a
negative attitude was again observed at covering the Chiapas subject:
Television Azteca's Hechos news telecast, resumed its campaign against
Bishop Samuel Ruiz.
Hechos insists on encouraging the so-called "polemic on Samuel Ruiz"
by presenting opinions criticizing the work of the San Cristobal las
Casas Bishop. The subject has been disregarded by the other three
telecasts. Total time dedicated to the Catholic Church by Hechos was 11
minutes. Meanwhile, Samuel Ruiz received only 24 seconds to express
his viewpoint. The disparity between the time granted to both parties is
evident.
On March 7, the conductor of Hechos, Javier Alatorre, presented the
second part of an interview with the Zacatecas Bishop Javier Lozano,
starting with the following statement: "The polemic about Samuel Ruiz
does not refer only to his performance and role in the Chiapas conflict
but to the doctrine he has been trying to enforce in the San Cristobal
Diocese."
In the first part of the interview, presented the day earlier, the Zacatecas
Bishop "severely criticized" Samuel Ruiz: Javier Lozano said that Ruiz
took money from a German Foundation to purchase communication
equipment for the EZLN and demanded that Samuel Ruiz be prosecuted
under the Mexican law if his actions are wrong.
Alatorre also interviewed on March 8 Bishop Ramon Godinez, Secretary
General of the Mexican Episcopate, and Bishop of Autlan, Lazaro Perez,
in connection with the Charity Campaign launched by the Conference of
the Mexican Episcopate. In the last part of the interview, Alatorre took
advantage of the presence of the two Bishops to ask about "their
position" regarding the "use of violence," the liberation theology and the
work of Samuel Ruiz in Chiapas. Hechos uses every chance to make
news on this subject and to link it to notes condemning Samuel Ruiz.
On March 6, the interview with the Zacatecas Bishop was followed by a
1-minute note on the demonstration against Samuel Ruiz at San
Cristobal de las Casas, showing the burning of two coffins bearing the
names of Samuel Ruiz and Amado Avenda o.
The coverage made by Hechos is in great contrast with that of Channel
11's Enlace. In the March 7 and 8 news emissions, Enlace presented a
special report on "the challenges of Catholic Church at the end of the
Century." Conductor Sergio Uzeta's introduction to the program was:
"Catholic Church is no doubt one of the greatest protagonists in
Mexico's new times. Just as it is happening with the rest of the
community, the Church is undergoing a profound changing process. The
wide spectrum of interpretations of the Mexican reality has resulted in
some controversies and in the resurgence of different trends of thought
within the Church hierarchy and its members."
Enlace does not take sides regarding the participation of Samuel Ruiz
and the general tone of the information is consistent with the principles
of "information objectivity." In this sense, reporter Aura Maria Vidales
said that "the conflict among the different doctrine positions in the
Catholic Church, is something normal and even healthy, but has had
very difficult moments like the anonymous attacks against Bishop
Samuel Ruiz and the Jesuit priests." In the second part of the report,
Vidales said that "the figure of Samuel Ruiz and Monsignor Jeronimo
Prigione have been at the core of the debate in the media." In
conclusion, this report shows how a controversial subject can be
approached in an equilibrated way without attacking or defending a
particular position.