Chiapas/Mexico: EZLN, CNI and CIG Convene Actions in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth “We Are All Samir”

In a statement published on January 7th, the peoples, communities, organizations, groups and individuals who participated in the Forum in Defense of the Territory and Mother Earth that took place in the Zapatista caracol of Jacinto Canek in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, at the end of December, convened “Days in Defense of the Territory and Mother Earth – We Are All Samir” scheduled for next February.

In that statement, they stated that “capitalism is growing from war and the dispossession of all forms of life. The bad governments and the big capitalist companies, each of them with name and surname, try to make our struggles in defense of the territory and the Mother Earth invisible, even normalizing the murder of our brothers who defend them.” One of them was environmental activist Samir Flores Soberano, a native of Nagua people of Amilcingo, Morelos, who was killed a year ago, which is why his name has remained as a symbol of resistance in defense of the land.

“In Mexico, the acceleration of mining activity and the extraction and conduction of hydrocarbons, the creation of the National Guard in the logic of the Merida Initiative and the impulse, at whatever cost, of the large megaprojects (Trans-Isthmus Corridor Salina Cruz-Coatzacoalcos, the Maya Train, the Morelos Integral Project, the New International Airport of Mexico City) that seek to reorder the territories, populations and borders of North and Central America in a logic of dispossession and capitalist exploitation, place the defense of human life, the defense of the territories of our peoples and the defense of the land in a clearly anti-capitalist and anti-patriarchal perspective,” the statement said.

The activities planned for the Conference include:

February 20th, 2020: Various actions in Mexico and the World in Defense of the Territory and Mother Earth, for justice for our dead, our disappeared, our prisoners and against megaprojects of death.

February 21st, 2020: March for Justice For Our Brother Samir Flores Soberanes, for our dead, our disappeared, our prisoners and in Defense of the Territory and Mother Earth. Mexico City. Starting point: Offices of the Federal Electricity Commission in Reforma Avenue, 16:00.

February 22nd, 2020: Assembly in Defense of the Territory and Mother Earth, in the center of the Community of Amilcingo, Municipality of Temoac, State of Morelos, starting at 10 am.

For more information in Spanish:

CONVOCATORIA A LAS JORNADAS EN DEFENSA DEL TERRITORIO Y LA MADRE TIERRA “SAMIR SOMOS TODAS Y TODOS”:  Enlace Zapatista, 7 de enero de 2020

Convocan a Jornadas en Defensa del Territorio y la Madre Tierra “Samir Somos Todas y Todos” (Proceso, 7 de enero de 2020)

Anuncia EZLN Jornadas en defensa del territorio y la Madre Tierra (La Jornada, 7 de enero de 2020)

EZLN, CNI Y CIG convocan a Jornada de Resistencia Civil y Foro por la Madre Tierra; Chiapasparalelo, 7 de enero de 2020

EZLN anuncia marcha en CdMx en “defensa de la tierra”; Milenio, 7 de enero de 2020

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas/National: Fourth Assembly of CNI-CIG Held in San Cristobal de Las Casas (January 13, 2020)

Chiapas/Nacional : CNI- CIG “vivimos la guerra del capital contra los pueblos del mundo”, convocatoria a la cuarta Asamblea Nacional (November 8, 2019)

Chiapas/National/International: EZLN Invitation to “Celebration of Life: December of Resistance and Rebellion” (November 10, 2019)

 National/International: CNI Mobilizations for Global Day of Struggle in Defense of Life and our Territories – “SAMIR FLORES LIVES” (October 17, 2019)

Chiapas: EZLN Commemorates 26th Anniversary of Uprising

@SIPAZ

On December 31st, 2019, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) held an event to commemorate its armed uprising on January 1st, 1994.

The event began with a military march of hundreds of militiamen from several Caracoles. Afterwards, Sub-commanders Elizabeth and Moises gave a few words reflecting on the last 26 years of struggle and the current stage.

From 1994, they recalled: “26 years ago, on an afternoon like this, we went down from our mountains to the big cities to challenge the powerful. We had no more than our death. A double death, because we died of death and died of oblivion. And we had to choose. Choose between dying as animals or dying as human beings fighting for life. It dawned then that first of January with fire in our hands. The boss that we faced then was the same one who today despises us. He had another name and another face, but he was and is the same now. Then what happened happened and a space for the word was opened. Then we opened our heart to our brother heart and compañero. And our voice found support and comfort in all the colors of the world below. The boss cheated, lied and followed his plan to destroy us. As does the boss now.”

They stressed: “they say that there are no more Zapatistas. That we are very few in resistance and rebellion. That perhaps only one remains a Zapatista. And they celebrate their triumph every year. And every year the bosses congratulate each other saying that they have ended the indigenous rebellions. That we are already defeated, they say. But every year we, we, Zapatistas show ourselves and shout: we are here!”

They said “We are willing to die as an alternative to society, as an organization, as native peoples of Maya roots, as guardians of Mother Earth, as Zapatista individuals. Then we, the Zapatista peoples, followed our way and our calendar, made the offering only to warn Mother Earth that we will defend her, we will defend her to death if necessary.”

That night there were also works of music, rap, and poetry, compiling the 26 years of struggle of the EZLN, and the current continuation of this work.

The event took place near the Morelia caracol, in an EZLN space, where the second International Encounter of Women who Struggle also took place days before.

For more information in Spanish:

Palabras del CCRI-CG del EZLN en el 26 Aniversario Enlace Zapatista, 31 de diciembre de 2019.

Al conmemorar su 26 aniversario, el EZLN reitera su rechazo a megaproyectos de AMLO (Proceso, 1ero de enero de 2020)

Fortalecido, en su 26 aniversario, EZLN reta a López Obrador (Aristegui Noticias, 1ero de enero de 2020)

(Español) “¿A qué estamos dispuestxs para detener la guerra contra la humanidad?”: 26 Aniversario del EZLN Radio Zapatista, 2 de enero de 2020.

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas/Nacional : Se lleva a cabo Foro en Defensa del Territorio y la Madre Tierra en el nuevo caracol zapatista Jacinto Canek 26 de diciembre de 2019.

Chiapas/Nacional: se lleva a cabo 4ª Asamblea del CNI-CIG en San Cristóbal de Las Casas 21 de diciembre de 2019.

Chiapas: EZLN – Una Ballena en las montañas del sureste mexicano: Segundo Festival de Ciné zapatista 18 de diciembre de 2019.

Chiapas/International: Second Encounter of Women Who Struggle Held by EZLN

@Enlace Zapatista

On December 27th, the Second International Encounter of Women who Struggle was convened by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) and took place in Morelia from December 27th to 29th. It was inaugurated by Commander Amada, who indicated in her speech that “we have done everything possible to make you happy and safe. It seems easy to say, but we know very well that there are very few places in the world where we can be happy and safe (…) all, regardless of the calendar we have or the geography in which we live, we are in the same situation: the struggle for our rights as women we are. For example, our right to life. And this is where we are sad because, more than a year after the first meeting, we cannot give good accounts. Around the world they continue to kill women, they continue to disappear, they continue to rape them, they continue to despise them. In this year the number of violated, disappeared and murdered has not stopped. What we know is that it has increased.”

In total, women from 49 countries were present, men were not allowed during the three days of the meeting. As of December 26th, 3,259 women and 95 boys and girls had been registered, but many participants also arrived without prior registration. The program proposed a different approach for each day: “Today is a single reporting table and here the microphone will be open. Here we will be able to pass and take the floor and take out our anger, our courage from everything we do (…). And then, tomorrow we have to share the ideas, work and experiences that you bring to find ways to end this nightmare of pain and death. And on the last day of this meeting we will dedicate it to culture, art and celebration. So one day we shout our pains and courage. Another day we share ideas and experiences. And on the third day we shout for joy and strength. Because we are women who suffer. But we are also women who think and organize themselves.” Apart from the official activities, there were several spontaneous discussions and workshops facilitated by women participants who arrived with knowledge or a special interest that they wanted to share with the other women.

Regarding the results and proposals of the meeting, during the closing, Commander Yesica Commander summarized what was agreed upon “1. That we all make and know the proposals as it comes in our thinking on the issue of violence against women. That is, proposals for how to stop this serious problem that we have as women that we are (…) 2. That if any woman in any part of the world, of any age, of any color asks you for help because she is attacked with violence, we respond to her called and let’s look for ways to support it, protect it and defend it. (…) 3. That all the groups and organizations of women who fight that want to coordinate for joint actions exchange with each other ways of communicating with each other, either by telephone or internet or whatever.”

Both the inauguration and the closure were accompanied by the Zapatista women parts of the armed branch of the EZLN in the form of a military exercise.

In the end, the event ended with a final proposal by the Zapatistas: “We propose that each day [on March 8, 2020] each organization or group do what they think is best. And we each carry the color or signal that identifies us, according to the thought and mode of each one. But we all wear black in pain and sorrow for all missing and murdered women around the world. So that we tell you, in all languages, in all geographies and with all calendars: That they are not alone. That we need them. That we miss them. We do not forget them. That we need them. Because we are women who fight. And we don’t sell ourselves, we don’t surrender and we don’t give up.”

For more information in Spanish:

PALABRAS DE LAS MUJERES ZAPATISTAS EN LA INAUGURACIÓN DEL SEGUNDO ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE MUJERES QUE LUCHAN (Enlace Zapatista el 27 de diciembre de 2019)

PALABRAS DE LAS MUJERES ZAPATISTAS EN LA CLAUSURA DEL SEGUNDO ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE MUJERES QUE LUCHAN (Enlace Zapatista el 31 de diciembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: EZLN lleva a cabo el 26 aniversario de su levantamiento (3 de enero de 2020)

Chiapas/Nacional : Se lleva a cabo Foro en Defensa del Territorio y la Madre Tierra en el nuevo caracol zapatista Jacinto Canek 26 de diciembre de 2019.

Chiapas/Nacional: se lleva a cabo 4ª Asamblea del CNI-CIG en San Cristóbal de Las Casas 21 de diciembre de 2019.

Chiapas: EZLN – Una Ballena en las montañas del sureste mexicano: Segundo Festival de Ciné zapatista 18 de diciembre de 2019.

Chiapas: EZLN convoca al Segundo Encuentro Internacional de Mujeres que Luchan (20 de septiembre de 2019)

Chiapas: Primer Encuentro Internacional Político, Artístico, Deportivo y Cultural de Mujeres que Luchan (13 de marzo de 2018)

Chiapas/National: Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth Held in New Zapatista Caracol Jacinto Canek

@Radio Pozol

On December 21st and 22nd, the Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth was held in the new Jacinto Canek caracol, at the Cideci/Unitierra facilities in San Cristobal de Las Casas. Convened by the National Indigenous Congress (CNI), the Indigenous Government Council (CIG) and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), it was attended by more than 900 people from 25 Mexican states and 24 countries.

The welcome was given by the former candidate for the presidency and spokesperson of the CIG, María de Jesus Patricio Martinez, Marichuy. During the event, presentations and testimonies were made by peoples and organizations in Mexico, as well as of indigenous peoples of Colombia, the Mapuche people of Chile and Kurdish women, with an emphasis on the impacts that megaprojects have on the territory and Mother Earth. We also heard stories of struggle and resistance to continue defending life through organization, collectivity, autonomy, legal action, direct action or the strengthening of one’s own cultures.

It is also worth mentioning the participation of 20 men and women from the Zapatista support bases that explained how for more than 20 years they have made progress in consolidating their own forms of government without omitting the difficulties they have encountered along the way. “The ‘Fourth Annihilation’ will destroy everyone, there will be a lot of sadness, but it gives us courage and anger to see how they continue to deceive our brothers, the situation that comes with the new government that is dispossession. Therefore, given this, we can only resist and face the war of the Fourth Annihilation,” said one of the Zapatista delegates. He also said that “to fight or organize you do not need to be a Zapatista, the important thing is to fight and face the bad system, let’s carry out a great task and take you to work with other colleagues, that is the only way to defend what we have.”

At the end of the event, some agreements were made among which is the convening of Days in Defense of the Territory and Mother Earth “Samir Somos Todxs”, for February 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2020.

The next day, the Jacinto Canek caracol was formally inaugurated, in the facilities of the Cideci/Unitierra, in San Cristobal de Las Casas, from where the Good Government Council will work as “Flower of our word, light of our peoples that reflects for all”.

For more information in Spanish:

Foro en Defensa del Territorio y la Madre Tierra [audios y fotos] (Radio zapatista, 24 de diciembre de 2019)

Indígenas acuerdan conformar modelo económico paralelo al capitalista (Aristegui Noticias, 23 de diciembre de 2019)

Bases del EZLN advierten que seguirán resistiendo la “Cuarta Aniquilación” (Proceso, 23 de diciembre de 2019)

EZLN: al capitalismo no le importa destruirnos; no lo permitamos (La Jornada, 22 de diciembre de 2019)

PROGRAMA DEL FORO EN DEFENSA DEL TERRITORIO Y LA MADRE TIERRA (Enlace zapatista, 20 de diciembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas/Nacional: se lleva a cabo 4ª Asamblea del CNI-CIG en San Cristóbal de Las Casas (21 de diciembre de 2019)

Chiapas: EZLN – Una Ballena en las montañas del sureste mexicano: Segundo Festival de Ciné zapatista (18 de diciembre de 2019)

Chiapas/Nacional : CNI- CIG “vivimos la guerra del capital contra los pueblos del mundo”, convocatoria a la cuarta Asamblea Nacional (8 de noviembre de 2019)

Chiapas/Nacional/Internacional: EZLN invita a participar en el “Combo por la Vida: Diciembre de Resistencia y Rebeldía” (7 de noviembre de 2019)

Chiapas: EZLN – A Whale in the Mountains of the Mexican Southeast Second Zapatista Film Festival

From December 7th to 14th, in the new Tulan Kaw Caracol, the second edition of the Puy Ta Cuxlejaltic Film Festival, convened by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), was held in this newly created caracol. The event was attended by actors, directors and producers from Mexico and Latin America, Diego Luna, Joaquin Cosio Osuna, Dolores Heredia, Kyzza Terrazas, Marina de Tavira, Natalia Beristain and Jose María Yazpic, among others.

That was the first event convened by the EZLN in the framework of the “Combo for Life: December of Resistance and Rebellion.” From December 15th to 20th, mainly in this same Caracol with a closure based in the Jacinto Canek Caracol in CIDECI in San Cristobal de Las Casas, the “First Festival of Dance Another World” will be held followed by the “Forum for Defense of Mother Earth ”on December 21st and 22nd (at CIDECI); and from December 26th to 29th the second Encounter of Women who Struggle will be held in Morelia Caracol.

For more information in Spanish:

Festival de Cine convocado por el EZLN (La Jornada, multimedia, 15 de diciembre de 2019)

El festival de cine zapatista Puy Ta Cuxlejaltic concluye con gran éxito su segunda edición (Sin Embargo, 15 de diciembre de 2019)

Diego Luna, Marina de Ravira y otros actores visitaron comunidad zapatista (El Universal, 15 de diciembre de 2019)

EZLN: “Son las artes la semilla en la que la humanidad renacerá” (Radio Zapatista, 15 de diciembre de 2019)

EZLN: Niña “Calamidad Zapatista”, Festival de cine “Puy ta Cuxlejaltic” (Radio Zapatista, 14 de diciembre de 2019)

Continúa en Chiapas, el festival de cine convocado por el EZLN: “Puy Ta Cuxlejaltic” (Radio Pozol, 9 de diciembre de 2019)

UNA BALLENA EN LAS MONTAÑAS DEL SURESTE MEXICANO (EZLN, 5 de diciembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: EZLN convoca al encuentro de defensa de Tierra y Territorio (22 de noviembre de 2019)

Chiapas/Nacional/Internacional: EZLN invita a participar en el “Combo por la Vida: Diciembre de Resistencia y Rebeldía” (7/11/2019)

Chiapas: EZLN convoca al Segundo Encuentro Internacional de Mujeres que Luchan (20 de septiembre de 2019)

Chiapas : EZLN anuncia creación de nuevos Caracoles, Municipios autónomos, Centros de Resistencia Autónoma y Rebeldía Zapatista y varias iniciativas más (19/08/2019)

Chiapas/National: CNI- CIG “We Are Living through the War of Capital against the Peoples of the World”, Convenes Fourth Assembly

In a communiqué published on November 7th, the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) and the Indigenous Government Council (CIG) convened its Fourth Assembly.

This occurs in the midst of the “war that comes from above and that aims to destroy Mother Earth to make millions of profits from selling minerals, water, forests, rivers, fracking hydrocarbons, building industrial corridors, destroying the territory with supposed clean energy projects, putting volcano villages at risk with the Huexca thermoelectric plant, building the infrastructure that accompanies the dispossession in the south-southeast of the country with its megaprojects, negotiating with death in all its forms.” Added to this “the violence and repression that comes from bad government at all levels and the growing presence of narco-paramilitary groups that serve it.”

The objectives of the assembly include “making the struggle for life great and dismantling this system of death”, “weaving our web of resistance and rebellion” and “taking collective criteria in our commitment that life is for our Mother Earth and for the peoples of the world.”

The event will take place at Caracol Jacinto Canek – CIDECI Unitierra of San Cristobal de Las Casas from December 18th to 20th, another activity in the “Combo for Life: December of Resistance and Rebellion” convened by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) throughout that month. Apart from December 19th, the date on which a plenary open to observers and the media is scheduled, the event “will be of a closed nature and access will only be allowed to delegates, councilors and representatives of the towns of the CNI- CIG and special guests. The latter will be contacted by the CNI-CIG Coordination and Monitoring Commission.”

For more information in Spanish:

CONVOCATORIA A LA CUARTA ASAMBLEA NACIONAL ENTRE EL CONGRESO NACIONAL INDÍGENA Y EL CONCEJO INDÍGENA DE GOBIERNO (CNI CIG, 7 de noviembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas/National/International: EZLN Invitation to “Celebration of Life: December of Resistance and Rebellion” (November 10, 2019)

National/International: CNI Mobilizations for Global Day of Struggle in Defense of Life and our Territories – “SAMIR FLORES LIVES” (October 17, 2019)

National: CNI Invitation to “SAMIR FLORES LIVES” Global Day of Struggle, October 12, 2019

(September 29, 2019)

 

Oaxaca: CNI Holds “The Isthmus is Ours” National Assembley in Juchitan (September 22, 2019)

Guerrero: CNI Denounces Kidnapping and Murder of Two Members (May 11, 2019)

National: Third Assembly of National Indigenous Congress and Indigenous Council of Government (CNI-CIG) in Mexico City (March 14, 2019)

Chiapas/National/International: EZLN Invitation to “Celebration of Life: December of Resistance and Rebellion”

In a comminiqué published on November 6th, the Sixth Commission of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) issued an invitation to participate in the “Celebration of Life: December of Resistance and Rebellion”. This event will include:

– the Second Edition of the Ciné Puy Ta Cuxlejaltic Festival (December 7th to 14th);

– the first CompArte of Dance “Dance Another World” (from 15th to 20th);

– the Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth in coordination with the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) to be held on December 21st and 22nd;

– the Second International Meeting of Women who Struggle (December 26th to 29th);

– and, the celebration of the 26th anniversary of the start of the “War against Oblivion) (December 31st, 2019 and January 1st, 2020,

The statement also specifies the places where the different activities will take place as well as emails through which one can register to participate.

For more information in Spanish:

COMBO POR LA VIDA: DICIEMBRE DE RESISTENCIA Y REBELDÍA (EZLN, 6 de noviembre de 2019)

La Comisión Sexta del EZLN convoca a sus actividades de diciembre (La Jornada, 6 de noviembre de 2019)

EZLN anuncia «Combo por la vida: diciembre de resistencia y rebeldía» (Chiapas Paralelo, 6 de noviembre de 2019)

EL EZLN organiza actos para recordar el 26 aniversario del levantamiento indígena (La Jornada, 7 de noviembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: EZLN Convenes Second International Encounter of Women who Struggle (September 26, 2019)

Chiapas: EZLN Announces Creation of New Caracoles, Autonomous Municipalities, Centers of Autonomous Resistance and Rebellion and Various Other Initiatives (August 25, 2019)

Chiapas/National: Commission for Concord and Pacification Seeks to Meet Secretariat of Government to Explore Possibiity of Dialogue between Federal Government and EZLN (May 30, 2019)

National: CNI, EZLN and Indigenous Organizations Announce “Zapata Lives, Samir Lives, The Struggle Continues” (March 21, 2019)

National: Controversy between EZLN and AMLO Supporters Floods Social Networks    (January 18, 2019)

Chiapas/National/International: EZLN Invitation to 25th Anniversary of Zapatista Uprising and Meeting of Networks (December 11, 2018)