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)

Chiapas: Presentation of new EZLN magazine

Cover of magazine “Rebeldía Zapatista”

As had been announced in the previous communique made by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) “Bad and not so bad news” (November 2013), the “Zapatista Rebelliousness” magazine has been born, as directed and written by indigenous Zapatistas.

In the first volume, an editorial signed by Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés presents the magazine: “We have spent 30 years constructing how to think and live better, this before the people of Mexico and of the world.  Humble but sanely  the autonomous way we want to govern ourselves has been decided by thousands of women and men.  There is nothing hidden in what we are doing or what we seek and desire; instead it is there for everyone to see […].  We are sharing with our comrades from Mexico and the world our humble thought of a new world we desire and think about.”

The magazine also features more reviews of the Zapatista Escuelita from BAEZLN themselves: “In this first volume we will begin to share the words and thoughts of our comrade Zapatista support bases, families, guardians, teachers, on how they see the Escuelita that we have been presenting, and also how they saw the student comrades.”  With reference to anarchists, Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés notes that “there are other brothers and sisters who are rebels and not indigenous who can write and share in this medium, so as to share how it is that they think and how they see this system that desires to put an end to planet Earth.  For this reason, in this volume we share some words provided by anarchist comrades.”

For more information (in English):

Nace nueva publicación del EZLN (Desinformémonos, 28 de febrero de 2014)

Editorial. Rebeldía Zapatista. La palabra del EZLN (Enlace Zapatista, 28 de febrero de 2014)

Malas y no tan malas noticias (Enlace Civil, noviembre de 2013)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Celebration of 20 years since the Zapatista uprising (15 January 2014)

Chiapas/National: “Rebobinar 2: On Death and other excuses” (1 January 2014)

Chiapas: New communique from Subcomandante Marcos, Rebobine 3 (7 December 2013)

Chiapas: EZLN criticizes structural reforms (13 November 2013)

Chiapas: Tens of thousands of Zapatistas mobilize themselves in 5 cities (27 December 2012)

National/International: End of solidarity week “If the Zapatistas are harmed, all are harmed”

From 16 to 23 February there was held the National and International Week of Solidarity “If one Zapatista is harmed, all are harmed” as organized by adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandona Jungle.  During these days were celebrated different activities in different parts of Mexico, Europe, North America, and New Zealand, all to express solidarity with Zapatista support bases (BAEZLN).

“Oftentimes power has attempted without success to provoke and destroy the organization and project of the Zapatistas, using military overflights or invasion, looting of land, introduction of social programs in Zapatista territory, fabrication of crimes, robbery, arbitrary arrest, and paramilitary attacks,” the adherents noted in a communique.

The week of solidarity was a response to the recent attacks on the 10 April ejido, as denounced by the Heart of the Rainbow of Hope Good-Government Council, as was expressed in the organizing call for the week: “The criminal group of the Center of Agricultural and Campesino Workers (CIOAC) together with the Regional Organization of Coffee Cultivators of Ocosingo (ORCAO) left six Zapatista comrades gravely injured, and they harassed and robbed personnel from the San Carlos hospital.”

For more information (in Spanish):

RvsR: Semana Nacional e Internacional de Solidaridad “Si tocan a l@s zapatistas, nos tocan a tod@s” (Enlace Zapatista, 13 de febrero de 2014)

Actividades de la Semana Nacional e Internacional de Solidaridad “Si tocan a l@s zapatistas, nos tocan a tod@s” (Enlace Zapatista, 20 de febrero de 2014)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

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: Denunciation of attacks on BAEZLN from the Morelia JBG and on hospital personnel from San Carlos de Altamirano

Mural in Caracol IV (Morelia), Whirlwind of Our Words @ SIPAZ

The Good-Government Council (JBG) from Caracol IV (Morelia), Whirlwind of Our Words, has denounced that on 30 January, some 300 members of the Democratic Independent Center of Agricultural and Campesino Workers (CIOAC) traveled on 18 trucks and severely assaulted Zapatista support bases in the 10 April ejido, pertaining to the 17 November autonomous municipality.  The Zapatistas requested aid at the San Carlos hospital in Altamirano, but the aggressors arrested them and blocked the passage of the ambulance, stripped and assaulted the nuns in the vehicle, and themselves appropriated the ambulance and a truck).  The Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Center for Human Rights documented the status of the injured, noting “two grave lesions and three hospitalizations, one of them facing the possibility of losing sight,” as the Center shared in its third press release.  “In addition, [there were] attacks and arrests of four personnel who work in the San Carlos hospital.  With regard to the aggressor group, there were 2 injured from the 20 November community who were hospitalized in the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Altamirano and released the same day.”

The most recent attack against BAEZLN in 10 April community had taken place on 27 January, when 250 members of the Democratic CIOAC destroyed the signposts at the entrance of the ejido and proceeded to take down trees “which belong to our ecological reserve,” noted the JBG, using five vehicles: 9 pines were lost, in addition to 40 oak trees, 35 coffee plants, and 3 banana trees.  Furthermore, the attackers removed firewood “that is not for familial use but that was taken to sell, as carried away in 41 trucks’ worth.”

The CIOAC’s attempt to take over Zapatista lands began to spin out of control on 13 November 2013, although 2007 was the first time that “they provoked us by threatening to take the land we recovered in 1994,” as they “wanted to take control,” according to the JBG.

For more information (in Spanish):

La Junta de Buen Gobierno, Corazón del Arco Iris de la Esperanza del Caracol IV, denuncia la agresión que sufrió bases de apoyo del ejido 10 de abril del municipio autónomo en rebeldía 17 de noviembre, Chiapas, México(Enlace Zapatista, 1 de febrero de 2014)

Testimonio de personal del hospital San Carlos con respecto a la agresión a compañeros del ejido 10 de abril, ocurrida el 30 de enero de 2014 (Enlace Zapatista, 1 de febrero de 2014)

Omisión del gobierno del Estado de Chiapas para impedir agresiones a las BAEZLN. La CIOAC violenta el territorio del EZLN (Boletín de prensa No.3 del Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, 2 de febrero de 2014)

Denuncian agresiones a bases de apoyo del EZLN por seguidores de la Cioac(La Jornada, 2 de febrero de 2014)

Agreden a religiosas en el ataque al ejido 10 de Abril; les impiden atender a heridos (La Jornada, 3 de febrero de 2014)

Miembros de la CIOAC Democrática agreden a bases de apoyo zapatistas(Koman Ilel, 2 de febrero de 2014)

La JBG CORAZON DEL ARCO IRIS DE LA ESPERANZA CARACOL IV, TORBELLINO DE NUESTRAS PALABRAS denuncia hostigamiento y agresiones (Enlace Zapatista, 13 de noviembre de 2014)

Para más información de SIPAZ:

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

Chiapas: Report from the Peace Network Observation Mission to San Marcos Áviles, and denunciation from Oventic

On 25 April, the Chiapas Peace Network, comprised of 10 civil organizations, publicly reported on its findings regarding the situation of the Zapatista support bases (BAEZLN) in San Marcos Avilés, Chilón municipality, following the carrying out of a Civil Mission of Observation and Documentation in this community on 20 and 21 April of this year.  The Mission reports that death-threats and threats of rape continue, as do aggressions and robberies directed against Zapatista families.  During its stay in the ejido, the caravan experienced “a hostile climate,” and party-members threatened to forcibly removed the observers from their vehicles, warning them that if they did not have “good [conclusions], it will be bad [for you] and blood will run, blood will be spilt.”  The official report notes that “there exists an imminent risk that once again (the first time being in 2010) there be a forced displacement [of BAEZLN] by residents of the same ejido who are affiliated with the PRI, PVEM, and PRD.  We alert the government of the gravity and urgency of the situation, and call on it to take immediate actions to avoid the irreparable damage to the lives and physical security of the indigenous who pertain to the EZLN.”The Mission met with municipal authorities in Chilón and with governmental representative Nabor Orozco Ferrer.  The municipal union representative recognized the displacement and looting of lands from the BAEZLN since 2010, noting that “what is clear is that Zapatistas bought land, but these were taken from them because they did not pay taxes [or for] water and electricity.”  Regardless, he denied the existence of a “situation of violence at present.”  The governmental delegate in the zone admitted for his part that “there exist political interests behind these acts on the part of some persons who could be provoking conflictivity.”In previous days, the Zapatista Good-Government Council (JBG) which pertains to the Oventic caracol denounced the numerous aggressions directed at EZLN support-bases in San Marcos Avilés, from July 2011 to mid-April of this year.  The JBG affirmed that  it has “been denouncing all the shameful acts of these party-members who always want to provoke more problems among the indigenous of the same community, organized [as they are] by governors Juan Sabines Guerrero and now Manuel Velasco Coello.  Disgracefully, the three levels of official government have done nothing to arrest the injustices and violations of human rights being committed against our comrades.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Informe de la McO a San Marcos Áviles (Red por la Paz, 25 de abril de 2013)

Comunicado completo de la JBG de Oventic (JBG de Oventic, 20 de abril de 2013)

Denuncia JBG de Los Altos agresiones en San Marcos Avilés (La Jornada, 23 de abril de 2013)

Persiste clima de agresión y amenazas contra familias del EZLN en Chilón (La Jornada, 25 de abril de 2013)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: “Immediate risk” of expulsion of Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos Avilés (26 February 2013)

Chiapas: Communiqué from the Oventic JBG regarding the aggressions and death-threats on the aprt of persons affiliated with political parties against Zapatistas in San Marcos Avilés(5 July 2011)

Chiapas: death-threats to Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos Avilés (5 July 2011)

Chiapas: Return of displaced Zapatista support-bases to San Marcos Avilés (18 October 2010)

Chiapas: Denunciation of the Oventic JBG regarding violent expulsion of Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos y Pamala (14 September 2010)

Chiapas: Civil Observation Mission on Human Rights to San Marcos Avilés, Chilón municipality, Chiapas, on the part of the Peace Network

On 18 April 2013, the Chiapas Peace Network announced it would carry out a Civil Observation Mission to San Marcos Avilés, Chilón municipality, in the coming days.  Its public letter explains that:

“We members of the Peace Network in Chiapas would like to report that on 21 and 22 April 2013, we will carry out a Civil Observation Mission for documentation in the community of San Marcos Avilés, Chilón municipality, toward the end of collecting testimonies following the recent threats of forced displacement directed against Zapatista support bases (BAEZLN) on the part of residents of the same ejido who are affiliated to different political parties.  In this sense, we also hope to meet with the mayor of Chilón, Leonardo Rafael Guirao Aguilar, and the delegate for the zone, Nabor Orosco Ferrer. Upon finishing this visit, we will produce a report which we will then present.

The Peace Network in Chiapas was created at the end of 2000.  It is a space for reflection and action comprised of 10 civil organizations that maintain a permanent analysis regarding the local and national context, using punctual actions that can be used in light of grave actions, observation missions, or thematic meetings in terms of human rights.  We see it as important to carry out this mission and meet with authorities to put an end to the escalation of death-threats and their possible realization, especially taking into consideration that between August and October 2010, 170 BAEZLN persons from the ejido of San Marcos Avilés had already been displaced, and that presently many are living in precarious conditions, since they are displaced from their lands and work, and constantly must face threats to their personal safety.

To national and international human rights organizations, to national and international communication media, to the public, we ask that you remain attentive to whatever may happen in terms of this Mission, and to share the content of the information once it is published.”

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: “Immediate risk” of expulsions of Zapatista support-bases from San Marcos Avilés (26 February 2013)

Chiapas: Communiqué from the Oventic JBG regarding the aggressions and death-threats on the aprt of persons affiliated with political parties against Zapatistas in San Marcos Avilés(5 July 2011)

Chiapas: death-threats to Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos Avilés (5 July 2011)

Chiapas: Return of displaced Zapatista support-bases to San Marcos Avilés (18 October 2010)

Chiapas: “immediate risk” of expulsions of Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos Avilés

(QRadio Pozol)

On 23 February, the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Center for Human Rights (CDHFBC) launched an urgent action in light of the “immediate risk” that “for the second time there be realized a forced displacement of support-bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) as committed by residents of the same ejido [of San Marcos Avilés, Chilón municipality], affiliates of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), and the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM).”

The new threats came to a head when ejidal authorities demanded that the Zapatista support-bases pay a land tax, which they refused to do: “We have suffered a great deal due to all the aggressions committed by these party-members, and the government has done nothing.  Now is not the time to pay, as we are in resistance, and we demand respect for our rights to our lands.  If we do not receive anything from the government, we will not pay taxes.”  In light of this, ejidal authorities replied that, if they would not do so, they would be displaced.  They then began to organize themselves and to contact other municipal and state authorities to help carry out said displacement.

The CDHFBC stressed in its document “the responsibility of the Chiapas state-government, which due to deliberate omission has not acted to guarantee the personal integrity and security of the Zapatista support-bases and their access to land, despite the numerous interventions sent by this very organization demanding that the Mexican government provide the necessary measures for the personal security and integrity of the threatened indigenous people, as well as their right to fundamental rights of free expression and thought, in addition to their right to land and the autonomous processes that they are developing, in observance of the right to the free self-determination of peoples.”

For more information (in Spanish):

Acción Urgente: Riesgo de desplazamiento forzado a BAEZLN en San Marcos Avilés (23 de febrero de 2013)

Existe “riesgo inminente” de expulsión de zapatistas en Chilón: Frayba (La Jornada, 23 de febrero de 2013)

For more information from SIPAZ (in English):

Chiapas: Communiqué from the Oventic JBG regarding the aggressions and death-threats on the aprt of persons affiliated with political parties against Zapatistas in San Marcos Avilés(5 July 2011)

Chiapas: death-threats to Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos Avilés (5 July 2011)

Chiapas: Return of displaced Zapatista support-bases to San Marcos Avilés (18 October 2010)

Chiapas: Denunciation of the Oventic JBG regarding violent expulsion of Zapatista support-bases in San Marcos y Pamala (14 September 2010)