Settlement in the Lacandona Jungle. Photo (@Sipaz)
The federal and Chiapas state governments have carried out an announcement expressing the priority need of proceeding with a territorial ordering of the Lacandona Jungle, the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (REBIMA), and protected natural areas: “The government of the Republic and the Chiapas state government express their conviction that it is priority for a TERRITORIAL ORDERING to provide the necessary conditions for the development of the Lacandona community and the neighboring ejidos to improve the quality of life of residents with an eye to the rule of law, privileging the consolidation of protected natural areas and sustainable development in these areas. In conformity with the stipulations of the General Law for Ecological Equilibrium and Protection of the Environment (Article 46), which states that ‘in protected natural areas, new population centers cannot be authorized’: the existing irregular communities located within the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve cannot be regularized, nor can any future settlements so be rationalized in any other part of a natural protected area. For this reason no process of compensation can be provided, as there are no programs or resources dedicated to this end, nor will there be.”
Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, General Secretary of Governance, indicated that the federal and state governments will seek a solution of resettlement for those living in irregular communities within REBIMA.
In 1972, a presidential decision provided 614,000 hectares of the jungle to 66 Lacandon families without taking into account the thousands of other indigenous ethnicities who also resided within this territory and who have since then faced the threat of displacement from their lands.
Recently in April, an agreement was made between the Lacandon Community Zone and ARIC UU-ID (the Rural Association of Collective Interests-Union of Democratic and Independent Unions) which allows for the recognition of three populations located within and around REBIMA; in August 2013, another two were also recognized. This agreement was the fruit of a dialogue process initiated directly by the two interested parties, and did not count with governmental participation, given the perceived lack of will of the same group to resolve the conflict, as ARIC representatives discussed in a press-conference held in San Cristóbal de Las Casas on 1 May.
For more information (in Spanish):
Pronunciamiento del gobierno federal y estatal, respecto de la Selva Lacandona (Chiapas Paralelo, 13 de mayo de 2014)
No más asentamientos en Montes Azules: ERA (Diario de Chiapas, 14 de mayo de 2014)
Instauran siete reservas naturales protegidas en la Selva Lacandona (Meganoticias, 14 de mayo de 2014)
El fin de la hegemonía lacandona en la Selva de Chiapas (Chiapas Paralelo, 14 de mayo de 2014)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Chiapas: historic accord in the Lacandona Zone (3 May 2014)
Chiapas: Press-conference regarding communities threatened with displacement from Montes Azules (25 June 2012)
Chiapas: Threats of displacement in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (14 March 2012)
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