The zapatista refugees, forced to flee from their homes in the Zinacantan area after the armed attack on the peaceful zapatista convoy on 10th April, are to return to their homes this Sunday 25th April. The zapatista committee of good government for the Highlands region of Chiapas has appealed to national and international civil society to accompany the villagers on their return. International solidarity is important to ensure they are not victimised.
Good Government Junta
Corazón Céntrico de los Zapatistas Delante del Mundo
Los Altos Region, Chiapas
Mexico
April 21, 2004
To National and International Civil Society
To the National and International Press
Sisters and Brothers:
As the Good Government Junta, we have seen the necessity for the return of our compañeros and compañeras, displaced since April 10 of this year, to their places of origin. They were displaced as a consequence of the PRDs’ attack on the peaceful demonstration by zapatista support bases in the Jechbó community. When the zapatista bases were returning, the road was blocked, and they were attacked with rocks, sticks, explosives and firearms in the community of Pasté in the municipality of Zinacantán.
We do not believe that it is fair for our compañeros and compañeras to continue suffering all kinds of deprivations outside their village, while the intellectual authors of the attack are enjoying complete freedom with the backing of the federal and state governments.
Our displaced compañeros and compañeras have the right to return to their communities of origin, where they have left their humble homes and all their belongings.
And this, despite the fact that we know their water tanks have been destroyed, that some of their houses have been destroyed and their shops looted, as well as their animals most surely having been stolen by persons affiliated with the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD).
Even so, our compañeros and compañeras want to return, and they should return, to their village. And they should have nothing to fear, because they do not bother anyone, not the rural officials, nor the Municipal President, nor even less the federal and state governments.
Our compañeros and compañeras of the Zinacantán municipality, like all the zapatista peoples, are only fighting for our rights, for our autonomy, for liberty and for justice for all.
Fighting for these ideals should not be a crime, although for the bad governments and caciques it is indeed a crime, because it affects their interests and their aspirations to power and money.
But, as a Good Government Junta, it is our duty to keep watch over the situation, over the needs and the lives of our peoples. That is why – in order to secure the return of our displaced, men, women, children and old ones, to their communities of origin – we are inviting national and international civil society, and the national and international press, to accompany us this Sunday, April 25.
We are warning, from this moment forward, that, if anything happens to our support base compañeros and compañeras from the municipality of Zinacantán, the federal and state governments and the municipal council of Zinacantán and their local caciques will be held directly responsible.
Sincerely,
From the “Resistance and Rebellion for Humanity” Caracol II
“Corazón Céntrico de los Zapatistas Delante del Mundo” Good Government Junta of Los Altos
Oventik, Chiapas, Mexico.
April of 2004
***************************************************
Originally published in Spanish by the Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities
*************************************
Translated by irlandesa
From: Enlace Civil
enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org
Date: 4/22/2004 6:43:17 AM
Enlace Civil, A.C.
20 de Noviembre no. 36
Barrio de Mexicanos
C.P. 29240
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
Telephone/Fax: (967) 678-2104
enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org
http://www.enlacecivil.org.mx
Corazón Céntrico de los Zapatistas Delante del Mundo
Los Altos Region, Chiapas
Mexico
April 21, 2004
To National and International Civil Society
To the National and International Press
Sisters and Brothers:
As the Good Government Junta, we have seen the necessity for the return of our compañeros and compañeras, displaced since April 10 of this year, to their places of origin. They were displaced as a consequence of the PRDs’ attack on the peaceful demonstration by zapatista support bases in the Jechbó community. When the zapatista bases were returning, the road was blocked, and they were attacked with rocks, sticks, explosives and firearms in the community of Pasté in the municipality of Zinacantán.
We do not believe that it is fair for our compañeros and compañeras to continue suffering all kinds of deprivations outside their village, while the intellectual authors of the attack are enjoying complete freedom with the backing of the federal and state governments.
Our displaced compañeros and compañeras have the right to return to their communities of origin, where they have left their humble homes and all their belongings.
And this, despite the fact that we know their water tanks have been destroyed, that some of their houses have been destroyed and their shops looted, as well as their animals most surely having been stolen by persons affiliated with the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD).
Even so, our compañeros and compañeras want to return, and they should return, to their village. And they should have nothing to fear, because they do not bother anyone, not the rural officials, nor the Municipal President, nor even less the federal and state governments.
Our compañeros and compañeras of the Zinacantán municipality, like all the zapatista peoples, are only fighting for our rights, for our autonomy, for liberty and for justice for all.
Fighting for these ideals should not be a crime, although for the bad governments and caciques it is indeed a crime, because it affects their interests and their aspirations to power and money.
But, as a Good Government Junta, it is our duty to keep watch over the situation, over the needs and the lives of our peoples. That is why – in order to secure the return of our displaced, men, women, children and old ones, to their communities of origin – we are inviting national and international civil society, and the national and international press, to accompany us this Sunday, April 25.
We are warning, from this moment forward, that, if anything happens to our support base compañeros and compañeras from the municipality of Zinacantán, the federal and state governments and the municipal council of Zinacantán and their local caciques will be held directly responsible.
Sincerely,
From the “Resistance and Rebellion for Humanity” Caracol II
“Corazón Céntrico de los Zapatistas Delante del Mundo” Good Government Junta of Los Altos
Oventik, Chiapas, Mexico.
April of 2004
***************************************************
Originally published in Spanish by the Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities
*************************************
Translated by irlandesa
From: Enlace Civil
enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org Date: 4/22/2004 6:43:17 AM
Enlace Civil, A.C.
20 de Noviembre no. 36
Barrio de Mexicanos
C.P. 29240
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
Telephone/Fax: (967) 678-2104
enlacecivil@laneta.apc.org http://www.enlacecivil.org.mx 
Homepage:
