The zapatista women, men and children refugees made for a poignant sight as they clutched their few possessions and walked the last yards from the convoy to their wooden hut houses. Some held flowers given by the accompanying observers, while others hauled bags of beans and other food donated by supporters. Many had been transported in an ancient bright yellow school bus from the USA, emblazoned with the slogan Pastors for Peace.

The convoy journeyed for around eight hours, snaking along country roads, some no more than cart-tracks, to accompany the refugees back to their four villages. To try and avoid a repetition of the previous harassment, which included the zapatistas having their water supply cut off, international observers for human rights remained with those returning, and have set up peace camps next to the zapatistas´ homes in Jech'vó, Elambó Alto, Elambó Bajo and Apaz, all near Zinacantan.

A police helicopter circled noisly overhead all day, and a massive deployment of 500 police observed the convoy, overtly filming and photographing the participants. The state has however still failed to arrest any of those responsible for attacking the zapatista march with gunfire, rocks and machetes. The attackers were militants of the PRD (Revolutionary Democratic Party) with the active involvement of the PRD-controlled local authority and the police.

Over 30 people were injured in the attack on 10th April, many with gunshot wounds. One remains gravely ill in hospital, and it is still not known if he will recover fully or not.

The dispute in the area has been continuing since December, and centres around the local political bosses trying to force the zapatistas out of the area. The zapatistas – like all zapatistas – have declared themselves to be “in resistance” and refuse to co-operate with the operations of the state and political parties.

THE ZAPATISTAS SPEAK


“We have come here with the aim of accompanying our men and women comrades who have been refugees since they had to flee on 10th April. However today we have come to leave our comrades here in their home villages, and here they are going to stay, because this is their home and this is their village and no-one has the right to harrass them or expel them. They are zapatistas and they are going to continue being zapatistas, “ stated the representatives of the zapatista autonomous municipalities of the highlands in a message read out in the villages.


“We wish to say once more to our brothers who are not zapatistas ...we the zapatistas do not want to fight with our indigenous brothers...the zapatistas respect everyone no matter what organisation, party or religion they belong to. However at the same time we want them to respect us, to respect our struggle and our resistance.”

“Our struggle is not against our poor brothers, our struggle has its just cause which is called democracy, liberty and justice for all. For this reason, we, as bases of support of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation, wish to invite all our indigenous brothers, those who have yet to understand our struggle, to think about what it means; and we hope that one day they will understand, and will unite with us to struggle together as brothers.”

With this message the zapatistas continue their struggle to create autonomy and to oppose the “divide and rule” tactics of the Mexican government´s “low intensity warfare”.

 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/world/2004/04/289844.html

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