Chiapas: Commemoration of 20th anniversary of Las Abejas and coming 15th anniversary of the Acteal massacre

On 10 December, in observance of the International Day for Human Rights, the Las Abejas Civil Society of Acteal held a press conference to announce the anniversary of the organization for “20 years of struggle, autonomy, dignity, and resistance,” while mentioning the imminent anniversary of the 15 years since the Acteal massacre.

In their pronunciation, Las Abejas spoke of the evolution of the organization and their present political position: “20 years ago Las Abejas believed in institutional democracy (we had the hope that the government and the political parties would listen to us so that we were respected as indigenous peoples). Regardless, all of this was an illusion. Nonetheless, from these lies and trickery we learned a great deal, and thanks to that, we are who we are today. No we no longer believe in any political party, nor in any government imposed from above. The men and women of Las Abejas have made their thoughts and hearts larger. Our struggle and the construction of our autonomy has continued. 20 years since the founding of the Las Abejas, we do not ask permission from the bad government regarding how we would like to live, struggle, care for our Mother Earth, territory, or natural resources.”

In this document, they expressed their lack of confidence in the present governments: “With these governments, nothing can be hoped for, and for that reason for us they are, as for our Zapatista brothers and sisters, the ‘bad governments.’ In them we find no dignity or will, much less respect.”

During the day there were held panels regarding human rights in Mexico, and at the end the documentary “Antsetik tsa’ik Lekil Kuxlejal” (Women creating good life) was shown.

Porfirio Arias Hernández, president of the Directive Table of Las Abejas, affirmed that the head of the Secretary of Education, Emilio Chuayffet Chemor, “should be in jail and not at that post, because he is one of the intellectual authors of the [Acteal] massacre.” The president added that Chuayffet Chemor “is responsible due to omission, given that before the events he had information of what was going on” in the Chenalhó municipality, to which Acteal pertains, “and he did nothing.” Arias Hernández also recalled that during the past federal administration more than 50 of the 87 persons accused of having participated in the massacre that killed 45 indigenous people on 22 December 1997 have been released, and that “with each passing month we have demanded justice, indicating those who are materially and intellectually responsible, even though they remain at large.”

Lastly, Las Abejas expressed their solidarity with “the comrades who were repressed and incarcerated in Mexico City and Guadalajara for their protests against the imposition of Enrique Peña Nieto; we demand their immediate and unconditional release.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Pronunciamiento Frayba: Aniversario de la Sociedad Civil Las Abejas de Acteal (Enlace Zapatista, 10 de diciembre de 2012)

Comunicado de las Abejas en su 20 aniversario como organización civil (Enlace Zapatista, 10 de diciembre de 2012)

Chuayffet debería estar en la cárcel no en SEP: Las Abejas (La Jornada, 10 de diciembre de 2012)

Las Abejas pide cárcel para Chuayfett por caso Acteal (Aristegui Noticias, 11 de diciembre de 2012)

Denuncian en Las Abejas, reactivación de grupo paramilitar ‘Máscara Roja’ (La Jornada, 8 de diciembre de 2012)

Audio-Video:

Audios del 20 aniversario de las Abejas de Acteal (Chiapas Denuncia Pública, 11 de diciembre de 2012)

Las Abejas de Acteal estrenan documental (Koman Ilel, 6 de diciembre de 2012)

Conferencia de prensa y Panel; Luchas, Resistencias y Autonomías (Koman Ilel, 10 de diciembre de 2012)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Survivor of Acteal massacre dies (16 November 2012)