CITIES OF THE WORLD MAKE A "WORLDWIDE ECHO IN SUPPORT OF THE ZAPATISTAS" ON THE DAY OF INDIGENOUS RESISTANCE

** Encouraging protests at, and a siege of, Mexican embassies

** In London a demand for the freedom of Francisco Sántiz López is delivered

By: Hermann Bellinghausen

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, October 13, 2012

In the heat of the commemorations of the Day of Indigenous Resistance (which is usually called “Día de la Raza” or of the “Discovery” of America, terms now discredited), in a large number of the world’s cities a new stage of actions “From truth to Action, stopping the Repression” begins, as part of the “Worldwide Echo in support of the Zapatistas” campaign, which for months has promoted protests, solidarity actions and a siege of our country’s diplomatic seats, in defence of the Zapatista communities attacked by paramilitaries and members of political parties in the state’s indigenous regions.

In London, activists delivered a pronouncement to the Mexican Embassy signed by dozens of collectives and social organizations of Germany, Argentina, Canada, Spanish State (Catalonia, Castile, Basque Country), Great Britain, Chile, the United States, France, Greece, Italy, Guatemala, New Zealand, as well as the International Secretariat of the Tribunal of Conscience of the Peoples in Movement.

Meanwhile, in recent weeks solidarity committees have been formed with Zapatista communities and their political prisoners and those of the Other Campaign in places as dissimilar as Colombia, India (Calcutta), Brazil (Río Grande do Sul), South Africa (Johannesburg), the United Kingdom (Dorset, Bristol, London, Edinburgh) and the United States (Portland and New York). #YoSoy132 groups in Chihuahua, Puebla, the Federal District and other states of the country have also been added.

In New York, the Movement for Justice in El Barrio sent a declaration of support to the Zapatista communities under attack: Comandante Abel, San Marcos Avilés, Guadalupe Los Altos, Moisés Gandhi and Unión Hidalgo.

The declaration delivered in London, which will also be taken to Mexican offices in other countries, demands the immediate freedom of Francisco Sántiz López, Zapatista support base from Tenejapa, imprisoned “due to a flagrant abuse of justice” nine months ago. And it states “We see with deep concern, and demand an immediate end to, the prolonged acts of aggression and intimidation, and the human rights abuses that are being committed against the Zapatista support bases in San Marcos Avilés community (Chilón)”.

They emphasize “the grave new threats” made against this community in recent days by representatives of the political parties (PVEM, PRI, PRD). “The most worrisome include open and brazen threats of displacement and physical violence, just like the climate of hostility which they promote.”

With respect to Francisco Sántiz López, Zapatista support base from Tenejapa detained in December 2011 under false accusations, those signing support “the evidence collected by the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Centre and recounted by various witnesses”, to the effect that he was never present in Banavil on December 4, 2011, during some violent acts that produced two unexplained deaths. “His false imprisonment and the refusal of the local authorities to examine this evidence indicate that the judicial system in Chiapas is “wielded as a tool of political repression against those who struggle for justice”.


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Originally Published in Spanish by La Jornada
Sunday, October 14, 2012
En español:  http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2012/10/14/politica/017n1pol

English translation by the Chiapas Support Committee for the:
International Zapatista Translation Service, a collaboration of the:
Chiapas Support Committee, California
Wellington Zapatista Support Group
UK Zapatista Solidarity Network