New Worldwide Declaration

NEW WORLDWIDE DECLARATION DEMANDING AN END TO THE LOW INTENSITY WAR AGAINST THE ZAPATISTA COMMUNITIES.


Given the situation of repression faced by the Zapatista Support Bases (BAZ), the Committees of the True Word of Kolkata in India, South-West England, and Western Colombia, have asked everyone to show their solidarity by signing and delivering this Worldwide Declaration, to demand an end to the low intensity war against the Zapatista communities.

The proposal is that everyone delivers or sends the letter to President Felipe Calderon and to the Governor of Chiapas, Juan Sabines Guerrero, during the second stage of the International Campaign: "Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas", which runs from 12 October to 17 November.

There are several ways to deliver the letter – by mail, for example - but it is suggested that the best way is to deliver it directly to the offices of the Mexican government and leave it there. If this cannot be done, it is proposed that it is sent by mail, from any corner of the world. Delivering it, or sending it by mail, ensures that a record is kept in the archive.

The addresses can be found below.


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LIC. FELIPE CALDERÓN HINOJOSA, PRESIDENTE DE LA REPÚBLICA
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos, Casa Miguel Alemán
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850
México DF


LIC. JUAN SABINES GUERRERO, GOBERNADOR
Oficina del Gobernador
Palacio de Gobierno, 1er. Piso, Centro C.P. 29000
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México.

NEW WORLDWIDE DECLARATION DEMANDING AN END TO THE LOW INTENSITY WAR AGAINST THE ZAPATISTA COMMUNITIES.

TO PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERÓN HINOJOSA:

TO GOVERNOR JUAN SABINES GUERRERO:


By way of the following worldwide declaration, we address you, Pres. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa and Gov. Juan Sabines Guerrero, with regards to the situations of injustice and repression meted out against the Zapatista Support Base Communities (BAZ) of Comandante Abel, Unión Hidalgo, Guadalupe los Altos, San Marcos Avilés, Moisés Gandhi, Jechvó, and the Zapatista political prisoner Francisco Sántiz López, originally from Banavil, Municipality of Tenejapa, Chiapas.

Given that these situations take place with the backing and complicity of the government that you, as President of the Republic of the United States of Mexico and Governor of the State of Chiapas, respectively, represent:

We, the undersigned, from our respective communities, cities, and countries hold you both responsible for any and all past and possible acts of violence that have and/or will occur upon the autonomous communities in Chiapas.

It is absolutely clear that the ongoing government repression being carried out against the BAZ of Comandante Abel, Unión Hidalgo, Guadalupe los Altos, San Marcos Avilés, Moisés Gandhi, and Jechvó, as well as the unjust imprisonment of the Zapatista political prisoner, Francisco Sántiz López, stem from the same source: the shared ambition and strategy of the municipal, state, and federal governments in their war of counterinsurgency to annihilate the indigenous Zapatistas.

Once more, we hereby make public before you, as well as before international civil society, the most recent cases of repression and provocation, backed by the governments that both of you represent:

1. Comandante Abel: Beginning on September 6th and 7th, and until the present, the paramilitary group “Peace and Justice” has carried out an armed invasion into Zapatista territory in the Comandante Abel ejido (BAZ). As a result, the entire community was violently displaced and several people were missing for some time while they sought refuge from the violence. Many remain severely ill. The Zapatistas’ land remains occupied by the aggressors, who are currently constructing their own houses as a way to perpetuate the occupation.

2. Unión Hidalgo: Similarly, this Zapatista community was displaced by the violent aggressions of “Peace and Justice.” With the use of firearms, the aggressors have managed to occupy and expand their invasion throughout a significant section of the community. The situation is made worse because many compas are ill.

3. BAZ of the ejido Guadalupe los Altos: Six BAZ compañeros were arrested under absurd charges made by the ejidal authorities of Guadalupe los Altos together with the local organization CIOAC HISTORIC: Five of these Zapatista compañeros were arrested on the 30th September, and the last compañero on the 4th October.

4. Moisés Gandhi: Throughout the month of August, the Zapatista Support Base members of this community have suffered violent attacks and threats of forced displacement by the group of “coyotes” called the Regional Coffee Growers Organization of Ocosingo (Orcao).

5. Jechvó: In October, groups of PRI militants started harassing Zapatistas bases of support of Jechvó, Zinacantan, violently denying them access to their own water source.

6. San Marcos Avilés: This community has endured a never-ending nightmare that has garnered international public attention. This nightmare comes at the hands of a local attack group, with backing from political party members, and is the result of their having opened an autonomous school “Emiliano Zapata” in 2010. From forced displacement to sexual assault, these compas have suffered multiple forms of violence and repression solely for wanting to live with dignity and freedom as indigenous peoples.

7. Since December 4, 2011, Francisco Sántiz López – a Zapatista Support Base Member – has remained unjustly imprisoned on the false accusation that he led a confrontation, which took place in the community of Banavil, Tenejapa Municipality, Chiapas. Despite the numerous witnesses who have attempted to testify on his behalf, the authorities responsible for imparting justice have refused to consider their crucial testimony. These witnesses unambiguously confirm that the accused was not present at the site of the incident. Moreover, both the Good Government Council headquartered at Oventic and the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center have illustrated the impunity enjoyed by the real perpetrators of the murder and acts of aggression that took place in Banavil, Tenejapa, Chiapas.

There are many of us. We represent numerous civil, social, and political organizations, collectives, and groups. We are from dozens of countries, with more joining our cause on a daily basis. Together, we issue the following demands:

1. An immediate and absolute end to the war against the Zapatistas. An end to the attacks against them carried out by the attack groups that receive any and all forms of government support, be it active or passive, direct or indirect.

2. The release of the Zapatista political prisoner Francisco Sántiz López and the six support base compañeros from the Guadalupe los Altos ejido: Cesar Aguilar Jiménez, Armando Aguilar Santis, Genaro Aguilar Santis, Delmar Aguilar Santis, Misael Aguilar Vásquez and Hipólito Aguilar Vásquez. May this occur immediately and absolutely unconditionally.

The short time that remains in both of your terms does not mean that we will give up our pursuit of justice. On the contrary, we vow to continue building and advancing in our campaigns and actions. At both the local and international levels, we will continue to disseminate the truth about your political careers, the atrocities that your employees and officials commit, and the legal inconsistencies that have transpired under your oversight.