November 17, 1995
To the people of Mexico:
To the peoples and governments of the world:
To all civilian and military Zapatistas:
Brothers and sisters:
Today, November 17, 1995, marks twelve years since the birth
of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, in the
mountains of the Mexican southeast.
Product of the historic aspiration of the original
inhabitants of the Mexican land to find Democracy, Liberty
and Justice, which are the rights of all human beings, the
Zapatista Army of National Liberation is an organization of
Mexicans, who are for the most part also indigenous, and who
struggle so that everyone has Shelter, Land, Work, Bread,
Health, Education, Liberty, Justice, Independence and Peace.
During these twelve years of life we have committed many
errors, but we have never given up being better.
There is, in us, as in Our Great Mexican Nation, indigenous
blood and mestizo blood.
We are proud of both, and we aspire to be part of all of the
bloods that have dignity.
The Country that we want, we want for All Mexicans and not
only for the indigenous.
The Democracy, Liberty and Justice that we want, we want for
all Mexicans and not only for the indigenous.
We do not want to separate ourselves from the Mexican
nation, we want to be part of it, we want to be accepted as
equals, as persons with dignity, as human beings.
We the Zapatistas want everything for Everyone, and nothing
for ourselves. For us, everyone who, with arms and without,
with or without face, indigenous or not indigenous, makes
our dream of a better country their dream are Zapatistas.
In these twelve years many Zapatistas have fallen.
Men, Women, Children and Elderly have died and have returned
to walk in our steps.
>From far away, since the time without time, comes the word
of our voices. To be able to walk towards tomorrow, we have
to turn to our yesterday. To talk, we must be quiet, to
walk we must remain still. To laugh, we cry. To live, we
die.
In the voice of our Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine
Committee--General Command of the Zapatista Army of National
Liberation, we congratulate all of the companeros and
companeras who make up the base of support; we congratulate
the militia troops and all of the combatants, in honor of
those who gave us the Motherland, who are called Insurgents.
Today, twelve years since having started to walk the long
road to a New Free, Just and Democratic Motherland, we again
say that we will continue on behalf of all Mexicans.
Here we are brothers and sisters, the dead of always. Dying
again, but this time in order to live.
Health Zapatista brothers and sisters.
Health Mexicans
May the dead of forever live!
Long live the Insurgentes!
Long live the Zapatista Army of National Liberation!
Democracy! Liberty! Justice!
>From the Mountains of the Mexican southeast.
The Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee
General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Mexico, November 1995
translated by Cindy Arnold, National Center for Democracy,
Liberty and Justice