This Thursday, the 12th of March, Bannerman's on Edinburgh's Cowgate will host a benefit gig in support of the Zapatista autonomous communities in Chiapas, Mexico and the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh.

Headlining will be The Gospel According To Rage Against The Machine (or Rage for short). Rage were founded in 1998 and and their energetic and brilliant reproduction of Rage Against the Machine's distinctive sound immediately achieved local popularity once they started gigging regularly in 2000. This is now a rare chance to see the band as its member's time is mainly given over to their main project, Edinburgh's most popular ska outfit, Bombskare.

Support comes in the shape of Fife's very own Drive By Audio (formally known as Certain Death), whose energetic blend of metal and rap is guaranteed to get a crowd going - and Tickle, solo rapper whose lyrics attack George Bush and State power while still managing to mention the challenges posed by working in an old folk's home.

This is the latest fundraising event organised by Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group, which has been supporting the Zapatista movement since 2002.

The Zapatistas are indigenous peasants who rose onto the world stage in 1994 when they launched an armed uprising in Chiapas, Mexico's poorest state. Since then the movement has turned its attention away from armed struggle and concentrated on establishing autonomous 'Communities in Resistance' governing themselves through participatory democracy and building health and education systems to serve the local population. In an area of Mexico where widespread poverty ensures votes can be bought cheaply and opposition to local politicians can get you killed, the Zapatista communities offer indigenous people the chance to improve their lives themselves without having to jump through hoops to receive government help.

The Zapatista movement has been met with widespread repression at the hands of the Mexican army and State backed paramilitaries with many killed, tortured or imprisoned on false charges.

Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group is twinned with "16th February", one of the more than 30 Zapatista autonomous municipalities, each of which consists of 30 - 40 villages. Fundraising by Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group and donations from throughout Scotland and Britain have made it possible for the Zapatistas in16th February to build their own autonomous health clinic. This was opened in December 2006 - with a member of the Edinburgh group cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony - and is now working and treating patients.

The Zapatista Committee of Good Government for the Highlands of Chiapas recently decided that due to the great needs of all 12 autonomous clinics in the area, the donations from us in Scotland should in future be distributed to whichever of these clinics are in greatest need at that time.

It is testament to the fantastic support in Scotland for the Zapatista struggle that, after funding the construction of the "16 February" clinic, Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group is now in a position to extend its solidarity to health clinics throughout the area.

Such is the poverty and ill-health there, that in rural indigenous Chiapas one in three children do not survive to reach the age of five. However the positive news is that a recent study by a Professor at a Mexican University showed that in Zapatista villages the standard of health was higher than in non-zapatista communities, due to the superiority of the Zapatista health service over the under-resourced government service that frequently excludes indigenous people and those that to not support political parties.

Funds raised at Thursday's gig will be split 50-50, the other half going to help maintain the Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh (ACE). This is part of a commitment by Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group to support causes here in Scotland and throughout the world, linking them with causes in Mexico through events such as this.

ACE is is a self-managed, unfunded (and therefore completely independent) social resource Centre. It is open for groups or individuals to use who are trying to make a better society and improve their lives. It is currently used as a meeting space for Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty, the Industrial Workers of the World union, Amina Muslim women's support group as well as Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group and others. It also hosts regular film showings on topics of popular interest, houses a wholefood co-op that sells good food at affordable prices and provides a benefits advice service in the form of Edinburgh Claimants.



The gig kicks of at 8pm Thursday 12th March at Bannerman's, (212 Cowgate, Edinburgh) and entry will cost £4.



For more information see www.edinchiapas.org.uk
For info on The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh see www.autonomous.org.uk