Guerrero: Tlachinollan Highlights Need for Coordinated Action to Dismantle Criminal Organizations after Murder of Ten Indigenous in Alcozacan

Photo@ Milenio

On January 17th, after a conflict between the Regional Coordinator of Community Authorities-Founding Peoples (CRAC-PF) and the community police who call themselves the Peace and Justice Group, ten Nahua indigenous people from the town of Alcozacan, municipality of Chilapa de Álvarez, in Montaña Baja in Guerrero were murdered. The CRAC-PF blamed the attack on Los Ardillos crime group.

According to La Jornada, David Sanchez Luna, coordinator of the House of Justice in Rincon de Chautla, reported that the ten indigenous people were “members of the group Sensacion Musical that had come to play at a party in the town of Tlayelpa,” and that some of them were members of the CRAC-PF. Other media, among them Animal Politico, reported that according to testimonies of the relatives of the victims “none was a musician (…) all were roadies who were hired to load the instruments, although two were hired as drivers and the youngest was the son of the manager of the musical group.”

Due to these events, the CRAC-PF installed a blockade on the federal highway that goes from the municipality of Chilapa de Alvarez in order to demand that the state government hand over the bodies of the ten indigenous people. In this regard, on January 19th, the State Attorney General’s Office reported that they handed over five of the ten bodies to the relatives. They also asked the federal or state governments “to respond to the request that the National Guard remain within the limits of Chilapa and Jose Joaquín de Herrera.”

Similar demands were made by the CRAC-PF after, according to information from the Tlachinollan Mountain Human Rights Center, since December 19th, 2018 the situation in the area around Chilapa became more violent, due to the emergence of community police who call themselves the Peace and Justice Group, in the Nahua community of Paraíso de Tepila, municipality of Chilapa. This resulted in a confrontation between the two groups that resulted in deaths on both sides.

This conflict received more attention at the national level when on May 12th, a group of children from the Rincon de Chautla community, in the municipality of Chilapa, announced their incorporation to the CRAC-PF to defend themselves against Los Ardillos. A week later, women from the Rincon Tapila village, also in Chilapa, reported that they opted to do the same.

The latest reported events were a new complaint from the CRAC-PF in which they announced that on January 20th of this year, Cenobio Morales Bolaños, a member of his organization, was taken at the place known as La Pasadita, municipality of Jose Joaquín of Herrera, bordering with Chilapa.

Despite interventions by the government, Tlachinollan said that “the murder of the ten musicians from Alcozacan, unfortunately is part of this flow of violence that the authorities of the three levels of government have allowed to increase, calling into question their commitment and impartiality for the adequate attention of this conflict (…) what worries most is that the state authorities have not taken strategic decisions to contain this violence.

It considered that the approach of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador “that it is necessary to calm down the country and work on a more comprehensive strategy that addresses the causes of violence, requires interventions at the highest level in order to contain this criminal avalanche. You cannot postpone responses in the medium and long term; it is necessary to implement coordinated actions to dismantle this criminal structure.”

For more information in Spanish:

CRAC-PF bloquea vía en Chilapa; exige los cuerpos de 10 ultimados (La Jornada, 19 de enero de 2020)

Emboscan y matan a 10 de la CRAC-PF de Guerrero (La Jornada, 18 de enero de 2020)

OPINIÓN | La cruda realidad: balazos, no abrazos (Tlachinollan, 20 de enero de 2020)

Los 10 sepelios de Alcozacán, Guerrero: la comunidad que se resiste al crimen (Animal Político, 20 de enero de 2020)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Guerrero: Organizaciones Civiles denuncian agresión y robo contra defensores del Centro Regional de Defensa de los Derechos Humanos José María Morelos y Pavón (6 de enero de 2020)

Guerrero: Two Members of CRAC-PF and CIPOG-EZ Murdered (May 28, 2019)

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

Guerrero: Visita SIPAZ a desplazados de Leonardo Bravo y Zitlala (2 de mayo de 2019)

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: Las Abejas de Acteal Hold Commenoration 22 Years after Acteal Masacre

@Frayba

On December 21st and 22nd, Las Abejas Civil Society together with the diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas, other civil and social organizations, remembered the 45 victims of the Acteal massacre, which happened 22 years ago, on December 22nd 1997, by a paramilitary group from the same municipality of Chenalho.

The commemoration included several activities, including a pilgrimage, pronouncements, and a mass celebrated by the bishop of the diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Rodrigo Aguilar Martinez.

In a statement published the same day, Las Abejas rejected the offer of reparations proposed by the government and urged the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to proceed with the case: “Sisters and brothers who also work for the truth and justice, let’s not be afraid to continue organizing to build peace on our continents and stop the war that the rich and powerful wage against us. We cannot fall into the pitfalls of bad government. Our Civil Society Organization Las Abejas de Acteal does not accept or request a friendly settlement for the Acteal Case because a monetary remedy does not sow precedents so that these heinous acts are not repeated. On the contrary, their goal is to divide us and leave us humiliated. Within the framework of the commemoration of the 22 years of the Acteal Massacre, we insist on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that it already states the merits report of Case 12.790 Manuel Santiz Culebra and Others (Acteal Massacre) to curb impunity and wear down survivors and their families, who have been severely affected by their life project.”

For more information in Spanish:

A 22 años del Crimen de Estado cometido aquí, no hay voluntad política de crear estrategias para que hechos como el de Acteal jamás se repitan. Las Abejas de Acteal, 22 de diciembre de 2019.

A 22 años de la Masacre de Acteal se mantiene viva la resistencia y la esperanza CDH Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, 22 de diciembre de 2019.

Acteal, 22 años de la matanza en Chiaps que cimbró al país El Universal, 23 de diciembre de 2019.

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: Sociedad Civil Las Abejas de Acteal rechaza solución amistosa en el caso de la masacre de Acteal presentado ante la CIDH marzo 7, 2019

Chiapas : Sociedad Civil Las Abejas denuncia allanamieno de su clínica en Acteal; Concejo Pacifista declara que es un “asunto entre particulares”; Sociedad Civil Las Abejas ratifica “por eso hemos rechazado la solución amistosa, porque traería división” . septiembre 23, 2019

Chiapas: Marcha-peregrinacion de las Abejas de Acteal para exigir justicia verdadera y digna agosto 14, 2019

Chiapas/National: Fourth Assembly of CNI-CIG Held in San Cristobal de Las Casas

@Radio zapatista

On December 18th and 19th, the Fourth National Assembly of the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) and the Indigenous Government Council (CIG) was held at the Zapatista Caracol Jacinto Canek, at CIDECI-UNITIERRA, in San Cristobal de las Casas, with the participation of indigenous peoples from 24 Mexican states as well as guests from Guatemala, Ecuador, El Salvador and the United States. This was to “see and understand the neoliberal war that is covered with lies pretending to govern, when they put the country in the hands of large capital, which hinders the collective conscience of the peoples and starts their machinery of dispossession.”

In a joint pronouncement, they denounced that “the bad federal government simulates consulting the indigenous peoples” to “impose the Maya train”, the Morelos Integral Project (PIM) and “the megaprojects of death that reconfigure our country to make it available to the multinational capital, mainly imposing the terrorist power of the United States.”

They said that “to advance in their war, the bad government bets on the dismantling of community fabrics, by promoting internal conflicts that mark communities wit violence, between those who defend life and those who decided to put a price on it, even at the cost of selling the future generations for the millionaire benefit of a few corrupt, served by armed groups of organized crime.”

They affirmed that “our peoples, nations and tribes will continue to care for and defend the seeds of resistance and rebellion in the midst of death. Building a path that will last in the midst of darkness; we, we will be there to heal our mother earth, together with the peoples of the world.”

For more information in Spanish:

Pronunciamiento conjunto de la Cuarta Asamblea Nacional del CNI-CIG y EZLN (CNI, 19 de diciembre de 2019)

EZLN acusa al gobierno de imponer el Tren Maya (La Jornada, 20 de diciembre de 2019)

Fue una consulta simulada para imponer el Tren Maya: EZLN-CNI-CIG (Proceso, 20 de diciembre de 2019)

Consulta fue simulación para imponer el Tren Maya (El Universal, 20 de diciembre de 2019)

For more information from SIPAZ:

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)

Nacional/Internacional: movilización dislocada del CNI en el marco de la Jornada Global de lucha En defensa de la Vida y de Nuestros Territorios – “SAMIR FLORES VIVE” (16 de octubre de 2019)

Nacional: CNI invita a Jornada Global de Lucha “SAMIR FLORES VIVE” el 12 de octubre de 2019 (24 de septiembre de 2019)

Oaxaca : CNI realiza Asamblea Nacional “El Istmo es nuestro” en Juchitán (9 de septiembre de 2019)