Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 11:24:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AUT: FZLN: Urgent Call for Action! (fwd)


see also update from _La Jornada_:
http://www.igc.org/ncdm/june1999.html

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Cop Watch <copwatch-AT-hotmail.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <j18discussion-AT-gn.apc.org>
>From: MichaelP <papadop-AT-PEAK.ORG>
>To: a-infos-AT-tao.ca
>
>Originally From: irlandesa <irlandesa-AT-compuserve.com>
>Originally published in Spanish by the International Committee of the FZLN
><mariano-AT-spin.com.mx> and <floresu-AT-compuserve.com>
>_______________________________
>Translated by irlandesa
>
>Grave Situation in Chiapas Communities
>*************************************************
>
>FZLN
>Zapatista Front of National Liberation
>International Committee
>________________________________
>Telephone: 5515 8525
>Fax:  5515 2726
>Email:  mariano-AT-spin.com.mx
>               floresu-AT-compuserve.com
>Post Office Box 18-996
>Col. Escandon
>Mexico, DF
>CP 11800
>Mexico
>
>To international public opinion:
>To international soldarity:
>
>Since the beginning of this month, the indigenous communities in resistance
>of Chiapas, zapatista support bases, have been the victims of the
>police-military offensives launched by the government of Ernesto Zedillo.
>
>As human rights defense organizations located in Chiapas - and the news
>media - have reported, a group of people in the community of Nazaret were
>met with 10 shots on June 3, when they were questioning the soldiers as to
>the reason for their presence.  This action caused some families to flee
>their homes, abandon their belongings and go to the Nuevo Paraiso
>community.
>
>On the morning of June 4, some 70 government army vehicles began entering
>the community, with about 700 soldiers, along with Public Security and
>Department of Justice of the Republic (PGR) police, setting themselves up
>in the patio of the community's school.  At 3 PM, three tear gas grenades
>were launched at women who were demonstrating their protest over the
>military presence.  This caused the departure of more families.
>
>On these same days, in the communities of Saclum, Atzamilo and Santa
>Martha, close to 200 soldiers and police officers carried out incursions,
>and, a day later, Mexican army troops, as well as members of Public
>Security and state Judicial police forces, gathered on the outskirts of La
>Garrucha.  On June 7, a report of incursions was received from the town of
>Pavorreal, and today, June 10, from the town of La Realidad.
>
>In this way, a general mobilization of the government's army troops, and of
>their police forces, has been unfolding since the beginning of the month,
>throughout the entire zone of Las Canadas, leaving in its wake hundreds of
>families displaced to the mountains, out of fear of being detained or
>murdered.  In addition, more than a dozen companeros have been detained, by
>accusations without any basis.  At the same time, harassment by
>paramilitary groups has become widespread, as well as provocatory actions
>against the families and communities who are zapatista.
>
>Nothing can justify such an intensification of the Mexican government's
>warlike attitude, which contrasts with the attitude maintained by the
>Zapatista Army of National Liberation, who, through their actions and peace
>initiatives, continue to confirm their support for a process of
>organization and mobilization of civil society, for the resolution of the
>indigenous' demands, and, more broadly, for the demands for justice,
>democracy and peace by wide sectors of Mexicans.
>
>Everything indicates that it is this increase in zapatismo's political
>activity throughout the country, to which the government is once more
>responding with a police and military offensive.  It would appear that they
>are trying to break the process of forming new networks of solidarity and
>communication - with their war policies - that are growing between
>zapatismo and social movements, such as the students on strike for the
>defense of public and free education, as well as the electrical workers'
>movement, who are struggling against the government's privatization plans.
>
>It is thus confirmed that, with each new step that the zapatistas take on
>the path to peace, the government sinks more deeply into its path of war.
>
>The irrationality of power can have no limits.  We saw this proven with the
>Acteal killing, with the killings in El Bosque, with the attacks against
>the Autonomous Municipalities.  This irrationality can only be stopped by
>the union of all those voices in Mexico. and in the world. that, together
>with the zapatistas, support a just and dignified peace, and a democratic
>transition for the political crisis of the Mexican system.
>
> >From the International Committee of the Zapatista Front of National
>Liberation, we call on the solidarity movement to multiply the protest
>actions against this new governmental offensive against the indigenous
>communities in resistance in Chiapas.  Protest letters, demonstrations in
>front of Mexican embassies and consulates, information campaigns, and all
>those things that you know how to do better than anyone else, are, today,
>once again, imperative.  We also call on the social movements and political
>organizations who, like us, are confronting neoliberalism and fighting for
>humanity, to demand an end to the Mexican government's repression of the
>zapatista communities.
>
>Fraternally,
>The International Committee of the FZLN



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