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A NEW “COMITÉ” TAKES ROOT IN ENGLAND FOR THE WORLDWIDE ECHO FOR FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR SAN MARCOS AVILÉS AND FRANCISCO SÁNTIZ LÓPEZ
“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas:
Freedom and Justice for
San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López”
http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/
A NEW “COMITÉ” TAKES ROOT IN ENGLAND
Since the beginning of the “Worldwide Echo” campaign, the dignified and courageous story of our compañer@s from San Marcos Avilés has been a source of profound inspiration and transformation. Forcing us to recognize our own humanity and interconnectedness in this world, the pain and resilience of our Zapatista compas continue to inspire and move people of all walks of life to join the struggle to support them.
Although our campaign is indeed made up of many longtime supporters and seasoned social justice veterans, the moving story of the community of San Marcos Avilés has been so powerful that it has also motivated people with limited exposure to social justice struggles and literally no prior knowledge of the Zapatistas.
This is the power of the true word. It enables us to continue building and strengthening our local and global struggles by reaching out to new people of good hearts to join forces and transform our world.
Such is the case in the following letter written by a group of good-hearted co-workers who, despite being unfamiliar with the Zapatistas, were so taken by the video-message from San Marcos Avilés that they banded together, researched the history of the Zapatistas, and formed a Comité de la Palabra Verdadera (Committee of the True Word) to support our compas. Here are their moving words which illustrate the power of organizing from below.
To the people of San Marcos Aviles
We are a group of people from England who have just watched the video message you sent to the world asking for support in the crisis you are facing.
We were deeply moved by the video, and shocked at what you are having to endure. We had never heard of the Zapatistas before, and knew nothing of your history. As a result of watching this video, we have now learned about you and are going to tell others. We have asked for the video to be screened much more widely so many more people can learn about it, and are going to ask our friends to come and watch it too.
We have stated that we wish to back the campaign in your support, and have signed the Declaration.
We have been told that we can send you a short letter of support. We want you to know that we are thinking of you, that we wish you well, and that we are reaching out our hands to you.
Veronica, Cameron, Gregory, Henry, Tammy, Betty and Katy.
England, UK
FROM THE OTHER NEW YORK: STATEMENT REGARDING STATEMENT BY MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE IN EL BARRIO CONCERNING THE ZAPATISTA COMMUNITIES OF COMANDANTE ABEL AND UNION HIDALGO
STATEMENT BY MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE IN EL BARRIO CONCERNING
THE ZAPATISTA COMMUNITIES OF COMANDANTE ABEL AND UNION HIDALGO
Compañeras and compañeros:
We, the women, men, Mexican immigrants of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York, add our humble word to openly and fully denounce the violent invasion and acts of aggression that the bad government – through its paramilitary coyote groups – is carrying out against the Zapatista Support Bases of Comandante Abel and Unión Hidalgo.
The violence began on September 6th and persists to the present day. Among the revolting aggressions committed include the forced displacement of both communities and the ensuing illnesses that they are now suffering.
In accordance with the wise words of the Junta de Buen Gobierno “Nueva Semilla Que Va Producir” (Good Government Council – New Seed that Will Produce), these aggressive attacks are ordered by the bad government of Mexico and form part of its “plan of counter-insurgency to weaken our people’s resistance.”
For over 18 years, they have been trying to extinguish the Zapatista Movement and, thereby, advance their projects of destruction, war, hunger, and death.
What can we do in light of this threat?
We must organize. We must grow stronger by combining our forces.
The task of organizing is absolutely urgent. We must organize everywhere. We must walk behind our compas, not only to follow their footprints, but to ensure that the liberation and autonomy that they are building may be ours as well. We must fight back from our respective corners of the world, under their leadership, as compañer@s in the struggle that we are.
We shall continue to construct strong support networks to back the Zapatista communities, today and always, and to take strategic action against the bad government. We shall disseminate the true word of our compas.
Let us, today and tomorrow, echo their “ENOUGH!” which awoke in us rage and courage.
Pressure, words, and protest are our tools in this struggle. Now is the time to use them against our shared enemy.
ENOUGH OF THE LIES!
ENOUGH OF THE REPRESION!
LONG LIVE THE ZAPATISTAS!
SINCERELY,
Movement for Justice in El Barrio
The Other Campaign New York