Chiapas: La Garrucha Good-Government Council (JBG) denounces two paramilitary attacks

(@Centro de Medios Libres)

On 11 May, the La Garrucha Good-Government Council (JBG) from Caracol III publicly denounced two attacks: one in the El Rosario community, on recovered lands belonging to the autonomous municipality of San Manuel, and the other in the Nuevo Paraíso community, which pertains to the Francisco Villa autonomous municipality.  According to the JBG, there are two paramilitary groups in the region: one made up of 21 people from El Rosario, and the other comprised of 28 individuals from the Chikinival neighborhood, which pertains to the Pojkol ejido, in the Chilón municipality of Chiapas state.

The acts described in the denunciation took place on 10 May, when the Chikinival group arrived to El Rosario and began to measure the recovered lands of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), where Zapatista support-bases (BAEZLN) also live.  Two paramilitaries entered the house of one Zapatista, and another fired on the Zapatista daughter when she tried to escape the home.  The father of the child then threw a stone at the aggressor, causing him head injuries.  The next day, the family of the injured attacker came to demand 7,000 pesos from the BAEZLN as compensation.  The JBG assures that this amount will not be provided, given that the Zapatista did not seek or initiate the violence.

It bears noting that in 2014, residents of the Pojkol ejido killed a stud bull belonging to a Zapatista, destroyed homes and a cooperative, robbed possessions, fumigated land with herbicides, opened fire intermittently, and left a written note among the burned domiciles: “Pojkol territory.”

Also on 10 May 2015, 16 people from Chikinival entered the Nuevo Paraíso community, armed with two pistols and a rifle.  “They came to leave a letter in the street which blames the Zapatista support-base comrades for having provoked these conflicts,” says the JBG.  Beyond this, the JBG adds that in this case it has initiated mediation, deciding to transfer 21 hectares to put an end to the threats, though this has not yet resolved the problem.  The authorities from the Pojkol ejido claim to oppose this group from Chikinival, given its lack of respect and obedience for the ejidal authorities.

These two incidents took place the day after the close of the seminar on “Critical Thought amidst the Capitalist Hydra,” which was organized by the EZLN and held from 3 to 9 May in CIDECI-Unitierra Las Casas, where academics and activists shared their thoughts and reflections regarding the present context and alternatives to the capitalist system.

For more information (in Spanish):

Denuncia de la JBG El Camino del Futuro Caracol III. La Garrucha (Enlace Zapatista, 11 de mayo de 2015)

“Manuel Velasco no hace nada, porque es su paramilitar”, denuncian Zapatistas ante agresiones de grupos armados. (Pozol Colectivo, 12 de mayo de 2015)

Desplazamiento, riesgo de despojo y amenazas a Bases de Apoyo del EZLN(CDHFBC, 15 de agosto de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Update regarding forced displacement of EZLN support bases belonging to the La Garrucha caracol (2 September 2014)

Chiapas: Forced displacement of EZLN support-bases belonging to La Garrucha caracol (29 August 2014)

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Chiapas: 3 years since the forcible displacement of the families from Banavil

Press-conference, 4 December 2014 @ SIPAZ

On 4 December 2014, 3 years were commemorated since the attacks in the Banavil community, Tenejapa municipality, Chiapas, as prosecuted by members of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).  In a press-conference, the Zapatista-sympathizing families mentioned the attack with firearms which led to the displacement of 13 persons “who have lost everything and are prevented with death-threats from returning.”  The attack caused the death of Pedro Méndez López, while six others were injured, and Alonso López Luna forcibly disappeared.  Furthermore, two arbitrary arrests were carried out of Lorenzo López Girón, son of the disappeared who was injured by gunfire and then accused of assault and battery, as well as Francisco Santiz López, Zapatista support base (BAEZLN), who was actually located elsewhere during the attack.  Subsequently, both were released, with Francisco’s case won thanks to the work of a special campaign involving international-solidarity actions.

The press-bulletin indicates that “due to these grave human-rights violations, we continue to demand justice and punishment of those responsible for the attacks.  It is necessary to clarify the truth regarding the forcible disappearance of Mr. Alonso López Luna, and that he be returned to us with life.  Furthermore, we demand compensation for the damages incurred, owing to the plundering of our possessions and lands in the community; an expeditious return to the homes for the displaced, who now live in vulnerable situations in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, lacking access to healthcare and housing, and without options for work under dignified conditions.”

Following the press-conference, representatives of the Simojovel parish celebrated a ceremony and prayer with the displaced families to express their support and alleviate their pain.  This case of the displaced families from Banavil has been included within the Campaign Faces of Looting, “Our Lands, Our Rights.  No to Forcible Displacement.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Tres años de impunidad por desplazamiento forzado de indígenas tseltales de Banavil. Situación evidenciada como una grave violación a los derechos humanos en la Campaña Rostros del Despojo (Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, 4 de diciembre de 2014)

Tres años buscando justicia ante un gobierno con poca voluntad: Familias desplazadas de Banavil (Chiapas Denuncia Pública, 4 de diciembre de 2014)

Tres años de impunidad por desplazamiento forzado de indígenas tseltales de Banavil (Rostros del Despojo, 4 de diciembre de 2014)

Tres años buscando justicia ante un gobierno con poca voluntad: Familias desplazadas de Banavil (Rostros del Despojo, 4 de diciembre de 2014)

Fotos del acompañamiento por organizaciones civiles y representantes del pueblo creyente en rezo para desplazadas y desplazados de Banavil(Rostros del Despojo, 4 de diciembre de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Those displaced from Banavil continue demanding justice (16 September 2014)

Chiapas: Denunciation from and announcement of action on part of the displaced from Banavil and the Aurora Ermita ejido(10 April 2014)

Chiapas: Two years after the attack in Banavil, displacement and forced disappearance live on,” CDHFBC (9 December 2013)

Chiapas: Public denunciation from those displaced from Banavil (16 September 2013)

Chiapas: The displaced of Banavil, Tenejapa in “precarious and inhumane conditions” (8 April 2013)

Chiapas: bulletin from Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Center for Human Rights denounces that “counterinsurgency continue to operate in Chiapas”

On 18 August, the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (CDHFBC) denounced in a bulletin entitled “Counterinsurgency continues to operate in Chiapas” that “in recent months, the unresolved armed internal conflict in Chiapas has been characterized by a continuous aggression against Support-Bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (BAEZLN), with the action of some social and regional organizations being used for State purposes, given their years-long disputes regarding tenure of lands recuperated [by the EZLN]. Several of these social organizations have encouraged their leaders to become officials and public servants, thus in many cases contradicting the founding principles of these grounds through submission of their plans for struggle to governmental interests and budgetary priorities. In Chiapas, the comprehensive war of attrition continues against peoples who struggle and resist by means of media tactics that include the utilization of concepts like human rights, multiculturalism, collective rights of indigenous peoples, and so on—all of these empty of meaning.”

The CDHFBC recalled within this recent wave of attacks the events that took place in La Realidad on 2 May 2014, in addition to the more recent cases of the Egipto and El Rosario communities which “confirms the climate of constant aggression and provocation that is exacerbated each time that dialogue is celebrated, as in the conference of the National Indigenous Congress from 4 to 9 August in La Realidad.”

The CDHFBC noted that it has “carried out constant interventions amidst the gravity of the attacks against BAEZLN and the [official] response has been governmental parsimony and unwillingness to act. This attitude of indifference maintains and provokes conflicts that are labeled ‘inter-communal’ as a means of hiding the counter-insurgent aspects. The objective is to exhaust the people who resist, struggle, and transform society through their cultures and rights.”

For this reason, the CDHFBC assured that “we will continue to document the attacks against the Zapatistas, denounce human-rights violations, and accompany the peoples who demand their rights to what pertains to them and who for nefarious reasons seek to plunder. We reiterate our call for national and international solidarity to manifest support for the threatened BAEZLN.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Boletín completo: La contrainsurgencia sigue operando en Chiapas (CDHFBC, 18 de agosto de 2014)

Nueva agresión armada contra zapatistas de Ocosingo, denuncian (Chiapas Paralelo, 18 de agosto de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Update regarding forced displacement of EZLN support-bases belonging to the La Garrucha caraocol (2 September 2014)

Chiapas: Forced displacement of EZLN support-bases belonging to La Garrucha caracol (29 August 2014)

Chiapas: EZLN pays tribute to murdered Support-base and announces organizational changes (June 10, 2014)

Chiapas: indigenous organizations and communities also affected by “counterinsurgency and war of extermination” express their solidarity with the EZLN (June 9, 2014)

Chiapas: EZLN announces homage to Zapatista murdered in La Realidad and announces primary results of investigation on the case (May 18, 2014)

Chiapas: Update regarding forced displacement of EZLN support bases belonging to the La Garrucha caracol

In a new Urgent Action published on 15 August, the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (CDHFBC) denounced the persistence of attacks against support-bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (BAEZLN) in communities of Ocosingo, as prosecuted by members of the Regional Organization of Coffee-Cultivators of Ocosingo (ORCAO). The events began in “recuperated” lands that are collectively worked in the San Manuel autonomous rebel Zapatista municipality (MAREZ), which pertains to the La Garrucha caracol: on 13 August, nine Zapatista families founded the Nuevo Poblado San Jacinto on said lands, which adjoin the Egipto and El Rosario communities.

The bulletin noted that on 14 August, an armed group of 18 ORCAO members for the Pojcol community (Chilón municipality) surrounded the land and began to shoot into the air for 40 minutes and warning the BAEZLN that they had 6 hours to withdraw definitively. The 9 families (40 persons in total) and the 250 BAEZLN who were supporting them “decided to withdraw to a different place.” After this, the ORCAO members destroyed the houses, robbed store merchandise and cash from the homes, among other crimes.

The bulletin details that on 14 August, the women and children of the El Rosario community who belong to ORCAO abandoned the community, leaving only the men, while witnesses claim that these men were threatening the BAEZLN with immediate displacement. The female and children BAEZLN, for their part, also decided to leave amidst the risk of a possible confrontation. The CDHFBC reported that the threats of the ORCAO against BAEZLN in El Rosario “were intensifying to the point of indicating a possible forcible displacement” in the late hours.

For this reason, the CDHFBC expressed its “concern for the imminent risk to life, security, and physical integrity to which the BAEZLN” of the El Rosario, Kexil, Egipto, and Nuevo Poblado San Jacinto communities face. The Center held the Chiapas state government responsible “for being absent during the initial denunciations, thus allowing the perpetration of increasingly flagrant violations of human rights.” It called on State and federal authorities to cease the death-threats and attacks that have served as the basis for the displacement of BAEZLN from three communities, in addition to the adoption of measures to protect the life, integrity, and security of the BAEZLN from the San Manuel autonomous municipality.

For more information (in Spanish):

Acción Urgente del Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas (CDHFBC, 15 de agosto de 2014)

Denuncia Centro Frayba agresiones contra bases de apoyo zapatistas en Ocosingo (La Jornada, 16 de agosto de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Forced displacement of EZLN support-bases belonging to La Garrucha caracol (29 August 2014)

Chiapas: EZLN pays tribute to murdered support base and announces organizational changes

Tribute to Galeano (@SIPAZ)

On May 24, more than 4000 support–bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (BAEZLN) from the 5 Zapatista Caracoles (autonomous regions), militiamen, members of the Command of the EZLN, and hundreds of persons from national and international civil society organizations and adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle met in the community of La Realidad, headquarters of Caracol I. They came to give homage to José Luis Solis Lopez, alias Galeano, a BAEZLN killed by members of the Historical Independent Center of Agricultural Workers and Campesinos (CIOAC-H) on May 2.

“We came to pay homage to a comrade without size or height; we came not to bury him, we came to dig up his fighting spirit. We came to lift up every child, boy or girl,” said Comandante Tacho during the homage.

The tribute event, which was divided into three blocks, began with the appearance of Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos and other members of the General Command of the EZLN on horseback. After greeting civil society and BAEZLN, they went away. Then, through a megaphone, Subcomandante Moisés announced the progress in the investigation of Galeano’s murder. He insisted on using the rage against the system and “not against these mentally sick people that do not think for themselves and just want to comply with the order of the bad government” (referring to the aggressors).

During the main event in the afternoon, Subcomandante Moisés said that those responsible for killing Galeano were the three levels of government and persons belonging to different political institutions: “For it is they who arranged everything so that happened what they did to us. Florinda Santis who is from here in La Realidad, is anti-Zapatista and town Councillor for the PAN in Las Margaritas. She and others are the ones who called offering money given by the bad governments. That Florinda made an agreement with the Commissioner for peace. They met with former governors, the mayor, the state government, representatives, senators, and the federal government. Since before they made a plan together. The evil Luis H. Alvares, met with Florinda and that person, Carmelino, to carry out this cowardly and cruel paramilitary plan, together with the people that are easily bought in La Realidad.“ Subcomandante Moisés added: “[the responsible is Velasco [Governor of Chiapas], and who is behind Velasco is Peña Nieto, and who is behind the traitor Peña Nieto, is “big business”. The real criminal is the inhuman neoliberal capitalism.” Subcomandante Moisés also said, “The rage we feel is against capitalism. Because what they did to comrade Galeano comes from the hand of capitalism. (…) It gives us pain and sadness what they did to our fellow Galeano, but we are NOT going to take an evil through evil action (…) we will not give an excuse for the bad government to assassinate indigenous peoples and for it to say that it is an inter-communal conflict. We seek justice and not vengeance. Justice forever, and revenge will be against neoliberal capitalism”. Subcomandante Moisés finally noted the division and confrontation that the government is promoting within indigenous communities through the introduction of welfare programs and the National Crusade against Hunger: “This is no plan against hunger; it is a counterinsurgency plan.”

After reading the communiqué, all the participants were invited to visit the grave of the deceased and thus to pay tribute to his family.

Late at night, Subcomandante Marcos reappeared and announced “his death.” He explained that his figure was just a media motley (pantomime) used to attract attention because it suited the interests of the EZLN. He added that at present the “Subcomandante farce” was no longer necessary, and that the organization had defined internal changes that will result in a completely indigenous direction: “this change of command is not given for illness or death, or by internal displacement or purging. It happens logically given the internal changes that the EZLN has had and has (…) But some scholars are unaware of other relays: The one of class: from the illustrated middle-class to the indigenous peasant. The one of Race: From the mestizo direction to the purely indigenous direction”. Finally, he announced: “We think it is necessary that one of us dies for Galeano to live. (…) So we have decided that Marcos should die today.” After reading the communiqué, Marcos went off-stage andthrough megaphone a voice announced: “Good morning comrades. My name is Galeano, Subcomandante Galeano.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Reporte Medios Libres desde La Realidad (24 Mayo) (Radio Zapatista, 24 de mayo de 2014)

Reporte 2 desde La Realidad (24 de Mayo) (Radio Zapatista, 24 de mayo de 2014)

“La rabia que tenemos es contra el capitalismo, no contra aquellos que son engañados por él”: Subcomandante Moisés (Desinformémonos, 24 de mayo de 2014)

Reaparece el ‘subcomandante Marcos’ en un homenaje a líder zapatista asesinado (La Jornada, 24 de mayo de 2014)

Reaparece el subcomandante Marcos en homenaje a Galeano (Proceso, 24 de mayo de 2014)

Ya no es necesaria farsa del subcomandante: Marcos (Milenio, 25 de mayo de 2014)

Desaparece el Sup Marcos del EZLN y nace el Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano; el primero fue “una botarga”, ironiza (Chiapas Paralelo, 25 de mayo de 2014)

Comunicado del EZLN: Entre la luz y la Sombra (Enlace Zapatista, 25 de mayo de 2014)

Palabras de la Comandancia General del EZLN, en voz del SCI Moisés, en el homenaje al compañero Galeano. El día 24 de mayo del 2014 en La Realidad (Enlace Zapatista, 26 de mayo de 2014)

“Muere Marcos surge Galeano” (Milenio, 26 de mayo de 2014)

Adiós, Subcomandante (Radio Zapatista, 26 de mayo de 2014)

Audios: Palabras de la Comandancia General del EZLN en voz del Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés (Radio Zapatista, 24 de mayo de 2014)

Entre la luz y la sombra: Últimas palabras del Subcomandante Marcos (Radio Zapatista, 25 de mayo de 2014)

Videos: Los muertos de siempre, muriendo de nuevo pero ahora para vivir (Regeneración Radio)

Homenaje Galeano Vive en La Realidad (Medios Libres)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas: indigenous organizations and communities also affected by “counterinsurgency and war of extermination” express their solidarity with the EZLN (June 9, 2014)

Chiapas: EZLN announces homage to Zapatista murdered in La Realidad and announces primary results of investigation on the case (May 18, 2014)

Chiapas: EZLN communiqué “Pain and rage” (May 18, 2014)

Chiapas: Attacks on EZLN support bases leave one dead and 15 injured among Zapatistas (16 May 2014)

Chiapas: EZLN communiqué “Pain and rage”

On 8 May, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) published a communiqué written by Subcomandante Marcos regarding the violent events which took place on 2 May in La Realidad, leaving one Zapatista dead and 15 others injured.  Marcos announced that the activities planned for the end of May will be canceled, including an event in homage to Don Luis Villoro Toranzo and the “Ethics amidst looting” seminar.

Marcos explains the reasons for which “the primary results of the investigation, in addition to the information is reaching us, leaves no room for doubt: […] this was not a problem of communities, in which groups confronted each other in the heat of the moment.  It was a planned attack: first the provocation with the destruction of the school and the clinic, knowing that our comrades had no firearms and that they would go to defend what they had humbly raised with their efforts; afterward, the positions taken by the aggressors, foreshadowing the path they would continue to take from the caracol to the school; and then finally, the crossfire against our comrades.

[…] Now those from above speak of the ‘Acteal model’: ‘it was an inter-communal conflict over a gravel bank.’  Mmh…  Thus militarization follows, as do the hysterical voices of the domesticated media, the lies, the posturing, and then persecution.”

The communiqué concludes with a post-script: “If you were to ask me to summarize our work in just a few words, I would say that our efforts have been for peace, while their efforts have been for war.”

For more information (in Spanish):

EL DOLOR Y LA RABIA, Enlacezapatista, 8 de mayo de 2014

Suspende EZLN homenaje a Luis Villoro (El Universal, 9 de mayo)

EZLN se declara en alerta, suspende reuniones de mayo y junio por ataque de CIOAC (Chiapas Paralelo, 9 de mayo de 2014)

Exige CNI castigo a culpables de la emboscada donde murió Galeano (La Jornada, 11 de mayo de 2014)

Protestas solidarias en varias partes del mundo con los zapatistas de La Realidad (La Jornada, 11 de mayo de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Attacks on EZLN support bases leave one dead and 15 injured among Zapatistas (16 May 2014)

National/International: End of solidarity week “If the Zapatistas are harmed, all are harmed” (3 March 2014)

Chiapas: Denunciations of attacks on BAEZLN from the Morelia JBG and on hospital personnel from San Carlos de Altamirano (7 February 2014)

Chiapas: Denunciation of harassment and attacks from the Whirlwind of Our Words Caracol (7 December 2013)

Chiapas: Roberto Barrios JBG denounces attack on Comandante Abel community (19 September 2012)

Chiapas: Attacks on EZLN support bases leave one dead and 15 injured among Zapatistas

According to information from the Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Center or Human Rights (Frayba), on 2 May, members of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), the National Action Party (PAN), and the Historical Independent Center of Agricultural Workers and Campesinos (CIOAC-H) attacked support bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (BAEZLN) in the La Realidad ejido, Las Margaritas municipality, Chiapas.  As a result of the attack, one Zapatista support-base died: José Luis Solís López was shot three times and was beaten several times, in addition to being cut with a machete.

The events took place when a CIOAC-H commission arrived at the “Towards Hope” Good-Government Council (JBG) in the Zapatista Caracol I, based in La Realidad, to request the release of the representative of the organization, Roberto Alfaro Velasco, who had supposedly been held by the Junta since the previous day, 1 May.  However, Roberto Alfaro clarified that he had not been arrested by the Zapatistas but rather had decided freely to stay in the Junta to attempt to resolve the open conflict rooted in the appropriation by the CIOAC-H of a truck pertaining to the JBG last 16 March.  Upon hearing this clarification, the commission for “liberation” decided to join the meeting to attempt to resolve the problem of the truck.  Two Frayba members also participated at the meeting in the capacity of observers.

In the afternoon, members of the CIOAC-H, PVEM, and PAN who were staying outside the JBG headquarters began to destroy the Zapatista autonomous school and clinic.  When this happened, says Frayba, the BAEZLN decided to stay within the JBG to avoid a confrontation, as did the negotiation team of the CIOAC-H, for reasons of security.

Minutes later, a group of BAEZLN en route to the JBG center were attacked with firearms, stones, and machetes on the part of the attacking group of CIOAC-H, PVEM, and PAN members, leading the BAEZLN who had decided to stay inside the JBG to exit to assist their comrades under attack.  This second group was also ambushed and attacked, resulting in the death of José Luis Solís and the injury of 15 other Zapatistas, according to the JBG’s communique.

In light of this situation, Frayba condemned the attack on the autonomous project of the EZLN and the escalation of violence which puts at risk the physical integrity of BAEZLN in La Realidad.  Similarly, it called on the Chiapas state government promptly to initiate an impartial investigation to clarify the events and to punish the material and intellectual authors of the murder and assaults which took place.

For its part, the “Towards Hope” JBG has debunked the information which has appeared in mass media that refers to a confrontation between groups, when what really took place was an attack against BAEZLN.  It also has announced that the case will be referred to the General Command of the EZLN for investigation and justice.

Lastly, on 4 May, agents of the Special Police and the State Preventive Police (PEP) arrested five members of the CIOAC-H on the charge of having participated in the aforementioned events.

For more information (in Spanish):

Un muerto en enfrentamiento entre EZLN y campesinos en Las Margaritas (Proceso, 03 de mayo de 2014)

Reportan confrontación entre CIOAC y EZLN (El Universal, 03 de mayo de 2014)

EZLN instala retenes luego de confrontación con CIOAC (Chiapas Paralelo, 03 de mayo de 2014)

Un muerto y 13 heridos, saldo de la refriega entre el EZLN y la Cioac-H(La Jornada, 04 de mayo de 2014)

Se enfrentan miembros de EZLN y CIOAC (El Universal, 04 de mayo de 2014)

Detienen a cinco campesinos tras enfrentamiento con EZLN (El Universal, 04 de mayo de 2014)

Junta de Buen Gobierno Hacia La Esperanza denuncia enérgicamente a los paramilitares cioaquistas organizados por los 3 niveles de los malos gobiernos en contra de nuestros pueblos bases de apoyo del Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional-EZLN (Enlace Civil, 05 de mayo de 2014)

Agresión a Bases del EZLN en sede de la Junta de Buen Gobierno de La Realidad (Frayba, 05 de mayo de 2014)

Condena el Frayba ataque a bases de apoyo del EZLN (Proceso, 05 de mayo de 2014)

Junta zapatista denuncia emboscada por parte de grupo paramilitar (Proceso, 06 de mayo de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

National/International: End of solidarity week “If the Zapatistas are harmed, all are harmed” (3 March 2014)

Chiapas: Denunciations of attacks on BAEZLN from the Morelia JBG and on hospital personnel from San Carlos de Altamirano (7 February 2014)

Chiapas: Denunciation of harassment and attacks from the Whirlwind of Our Words Caracol (7 December 2013)

Chiapas: Roberto Barrios JBG denounces attack on Comandante Abel community (19 September 2012)