There Will Be Actions for San Sebastián Bachajón in Mexico, South Africa, France, Scotland, Germany, London, Barcelona, Dorset, Austria, New York and Other Countries Around the World

To our sisters and brothers of the Ejido of San Sebastian Bachajón:
To our Zapatista sisters and brothers:

To our compañer@s of The Other Campaign:

To our compañer@s of the Zezta Internazional:

To the adherents of the International Campaign in Defense of El Barrio and our allies across the world:

To the civil society in Mexico and the world:

To our sisters and brothers of the Ejido of San Sebastian Bachajón:

Receive greetings and embraces of solidarity from New York. We want to share with you the second update regarding the convocation of the Worldwide Day of Action for the Liberation of the Political Prisoners of San Sebastián Bachajón and the International Day in Honor of The Women of the Other Campaign, on March 7 and 8, respectively.

First – We would like to thank everyone from around the world who have responded to our global convocation. In addition to the actions our sisters and brothers will be organizing in San Sebastián Bachajón, Chiapas for the 7 and 8 of March, there will be actions in different states of Mexico. At the international level, actions will take place in South Africa, France, Edinburgh, Germany, London, Barcelona, Dorset, Austria, New York and other countries. During those two days we will all collectively demand the liberation of the 10 prisoners of The Other Campaign from the ejido of San Sebastián Bachajón, Chiapas. For those who have yet to contact us regarding your participation, we would like to remind you to please let us know as soon as possible, if you will participate. You may contact us through e-mail at movimientoporjusticiadelbarrio@yahoo.com.

Second – Through the video-message they have sent us from Chiapas, the voice of our sisters and brothers of San Sebastian Bachajón will cross borders, oceans, and continents. The video-message includes an account of their dignified struggle, the recent attacks and the arrest of their 10 political prisoners. In addition, it will offer special messages to the women who struggle in every part of the world, to The Other Campaign, and to Movement for Justice in El Barrio.

Third – The video-message will be available in Tzeltal, Spanish, English, French, and German for all those compañer@s who wish to present it in their respective rebellious corner of the world, as part of the Worldwide Day of Action for the Liberation of the Political Prisoners of San Sebastián Bachajón and the International Day in Honor of the Women of the Other Campaign. If you would like screen the video, please contact us immediately at movimientoporjusticiadelbarrio@yahoo.com.

That is all for now, compas.

We send you embraces of love and solidarity.

From El Barrio, NYC

Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York

by Miguel Pickard

The development of large infrastructure projects by Mexico’s federal government and the Chiapas state government continues to advance — rapidly where no organized opposition exists and stealthily where it does. These projects are part of the Meso-America Project (formerly known as the PPP or Plan Puebla Panama).[1] Currently the two most important mega-projects in Chiapas are (1) the Sustainable Rural Cities Project[2] (SRC) and (2) the large infrastructure projects designed to turn Chiapas into a “second Cancún” for tourism and, at the same time, an important participant in the lucrative carbon-credit trading market.

The second Sustainable Rural City in Chiapas will soon be launched in Santiago el Pinar[3] before a gala audience including President Calderón, Governor Sabines, and their respective entourages. The multi-million-dollar Sustainable Rural Cities Program could be described as a genocidal “cold war” led by Governor Sabines against the thousand-year-old rural and indigenous cultures, given its intent to clear the countryside of rural peoples, many of them indigenous, and destroy their way of life and means of production rooted in the land that many have held for centuries.

Claiming to have found “the reason behind poverty” in the “dispersion” of rural peoples in small and relatively isolated villages, the Chiapas state government has pressured rural and indigenous people to sell or turn over their land in order to relocate and concentrate them in newly built Rural Cities,. This social-engineering project was conceived mainly to benefit large corporations, which will profit from the “freed up” land. Rural families will find themselves living on tiny plots on street after street of identical houses, in a scene reminiscent of suburban sprawl in the United States. In this setting, they will be uprooted from their traditional lifestyles based on forms of production that are ecologically sound, and thrust into a capitalist economy, where they will have to meet all of their needs, including the acquisition of basic foods, through purchase in the market. They will be hostage to the meager salaries that some — a few — will receive in exchange for their labor in agricultural projects or in maquiladoras that are being built on land near the Rural Cities. The indigenous peoples’ loss of autonomy will have begun and, over time, it will be total. (Listen to the Special Report by Radio Zapatista.)

Another key project in Chiapas is the construction of a new 173 km [109 mile] toll road that will link the tourist sites of San Cristóbal de Las Casas and Palenque, current magnets for domestic and international visitors. The toll road is the backbone of a comprehensive tourism project (disguised as ecological tourism) that, in the words of Governor Sabines, will make Chiapas “the second Cancún.”

Upon signing the National Tourism Agreement on February 28, 2011with entrepreneurs from the tourism industry, Calderón committed Mexico to becoming the world’s fifth largest tourism destination by 2018. According to Calderón, the agreement will “increase [Mexico’s] connectivity” by land, sea and air to facilitate tourists’ “arrival, travel and departure” along the main sightseeing routes. This implies “speeding up…construction of…ports and highways.” Fittingly, 2011 was declared the “Year of Tourism.”[4]

In 2009, the construction of the toll road between San Cristóbal and Palenque was stopped by mobilized groups of indigenous peoples resisting the plunder and destruction of their lands that would inevitably result from the project. Resistance by the traditional landholders and members of the Zapatista-inspired “The Other Campaign” has been centered in the communities of Mitzitón, some 15 km [10 miles] from San Cristóbal, and in San Sebastián Bachajón, municipality of Chilón, some 70 km [43.5 miles] from Palenque.

Sites of special importance to the construction of the toll road are Mitzitón, which has been designated “Kilometer Zero,” or the starting point for the toll road, and San Sebastián Bachajón, which abuts the tourism sites of Agua Azul and Bolom Ajaw.[5] In 2009, the federal government disseminated plans showing that the route of the toll road would run through traditional landholdings in Bachajón and Zapatista landholdings in Bolom Ajaw.

Given the mobilizations by organized opposition groups to the toll road, the federal and state governments, starting in 2009, decided to push forward on other fronts. Federal authorities have moved rapidly to improve the access highway to the toll road – that is, the 15 km stretch of land between San Cristóbal and Mitzitón – by adding and widening lanes and building bridges designed to handle continually increasing volumes of traffic. This work is also particularly valuable to important neighbors of the road, since the wide stretch of asphalt and sturdy overpasses will improve mobility for troops and tanks from the nearby Rancho Nuevo military base.

While the federal government levels the roadway, the state government has taken on the task of “leveling” the organized groups opposing the incursion of the road. The harassment of opposition groups in Mitzitón and Bachajón has been constant for the last several years, but conflicts have intensified in the last few weeks. In Mitzitón, this was the result of the presence of armed young evangelicals, the so-called Army of God (Ejército de Dios), the shock troops of the Eagle’s Wings (Alas de Aguila) evangelical church, which reputedly has close ties to the state government. These paramilitaries have frequently attacked the majority Catholic group in Mitzitón, mostly members of The Other Campaign, who have opposed the construction of toll road on their lands, with the consequent destruction of forests, aquifers and farm land.

In Bachajón, the state government has reverted to the old tactic of wearing down the community through the arbitrary mass arrests of residents, forcing it to divert time, energy and resources into mobilizing for their release. On February 3, 2011, 117 Bachajón landholders, participants in The Other Campaign, were arrested and arraigned on charges of killing a PRI party member in a skirmish the previous day, even though only the PRI forces carried firearms. Most of the 117 were released shortly thereafter, but 10 people remain in Playas de Catazajá prison.[6] The confrontation occurred after a PRI group violently took possession of a toll booth at the entrance to the Agua Azul recreation area that was in the hands of members of The Other Campaign, because the latter had committed an intolerable act: they had begun building an ecotourism center to be run not by the government but by the local inhabitants. In the skirmish, PRI partisans destroyed the toll booth and stole building materials, including wheelbarrows, several tons of cement and assorted tools.

As one Bachajón landholder said (hear the complete interview):

What the government is doing now is jailing those who lead the movement. As an organization we are the government’s worst enemy […] because it doesn’t want us to defend what is rightfully ours […] we know the government wants [to use] violent means to seize our ecotourism center.

People in other parts of Chiapas who have demonstrated their solidarity with the groups in Bachajón and Mitzitón have suffered similar fates of repression and detention. This was the case on February 17, when people were arrested for taking part in an act of civil disobedience by intermittently blocking the Pacific Coast highway near the town of Pijijiapan. After the blockade was lifted, the state police detained 19 people of the Coast Regional Autonomous Council (also part of The Other Campaign). Sixteen were freed after a few hours, but lawyers from the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center were arraigned on charges of “rioting” and inciting violence. The lawyers say that they came to the blockade merely as observers to record possible human rights violations by authorities.

In trying to discern the “logic” of state violence, analysts have noted that acts of civil disobedience seem to be a tipping point for repression. For the government, protest actions by common citizens who break laws in order to defend collective, civil and human rights are intolerable. While this remains the case, it is now evident that the state government will also resort to repression against organized groups when their protests slow down the advance of public or public/private infrastructure projects. Whether it uses a carrot or a stick, the objective is the same: to wear down and defeat opposition groups. When dialogue or negotiations fail, the government can always use the militarized police or paramilitary groups such as “God’s Army” to repress opposition through incarcerations, harassment, or intimidation.

This is the “logic” or strategy behind the marked increase in recent weeks in repression against members of The Other Campaign in Chiapas. This repression is calculated to wear out groups resisting the Meso-American Project’s mega-infrastructure works, not only because they oppose the neoliberal privatization and commodification of everything, but also because they propose alternative, non-capitalist forms of government, education, health, and employment. This is especially the case in the Zapatista and other communities, such as Mitzitón or Bachajón, linked to The Other Campaign, which are actually working to make these alternatives reality.

Calderón and Sabines have less than two years left in their terms to achieve significant advances in the mega-projects slated for Chiapas. The increase in repression signals the start of a campaign, in this “Year of Tourism,” to clear away any opposition to making Chiapas a “green Cancún” – that is, a paradise for investors and the site of a massive resettlement experiment designed to disposses rural peoples of their land. Behind plans such as the Meso-America Project lie billions of dollars, powerful interests, and major agreements, such as the one signed recently between Chiapas and California to establish extensive “green zones” in Chiapas for the carbon credits market.[7] The people of Chiapas know little or nothing about these plans.

Translation from Spanish by the author, who gratefully thanks Carol Pryor for her editorial assistance.

Notes:

[1] For more information on the Meso-America Project, see http://www.ciepac.org/boletines/chiapas_en.php?id=583

[2] For more informaton on the Rural Citites Program, see http://www.ciepac.org/boletines/chiapas_en.php?id=571

[3] The SRC of Santiago el Pinar was launched in late March 2011 after this article was originally drafted in Spanish. The first SRC is Nuevo Juan de Grijalva [translator’s note].

[4] http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=388346&CategoryId=14091;

http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/noticia/mexico-firman-acuerdo-nacional-de-turismo-con-la-meta-de-estar-entre-los-primeros-cinco-dest

[5] http://www.ciepac.org/boletines/chiapas_en.php?id=578

[6] [Five people remain in prison as of this translation into English in late May 2011. (Translator’s note)]

[7] For more information on the carbon credits market in Chiapas, see http://www.ciepac.org/boletines/chiapas_en.php?id=587

REDD: Nombres para el despojo (La Jornada, 21 May 2011)

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

PLAYAS DE CATASAJA CHIAPAS, CERESO N.07

A LOS CENTROS DE DERECHOS HUMANOS NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL

A LAS ORGANIZACIONES CIVILES NACIONAL E INTERNACIONALES

A LOS ADHERENTEES DE LA OTRA CAMPA;A NACIONAL E INTERNACIONALES

A LA OPINION PÚBLICA.

ASUNTO. DENUNCIA PÚBLICA

Por medio denunciamos públicamente que las autoridades que compone el mal gobierno que el pasado 10, 12,13 y 16 de febrero nos han venido ha buscar en este reclusorio con una propuesta que nosotros (presos) diéramos el compromiso para aceptar el dialogo donde esta la concentración por el territorio recuperado donde se ubica la caseta de cobro en las cascadas de agua azul del Ejido San Sebastián Bachajon exigiéndonos que diéramos los compromisos de aceptar sus propuestas sobre el dialogo de lo que pertenece en el ejido, que una vez aceptando sus propuestas, que según ellos nos diera la libertad, pero nosotros como políticos bien sabemos que todas las autoridades del mal gobierno son muy mañosos con tal de apoderarse de los recursos naturales o las tierras de nuestros antepasados, y en otra parte según ellos ya tienen un acuerdo con las autoridades que se llaman Francisco Guzmán Jiménez alias el gollito y Melchorio Pérez Moreno dicen que ya tienen un acuerdo del Ejido San Sebastián Bachajon tanto los del gobierno estatal Juan Sabines Guerrero, mentirosos, corrupto traicionero aquí en el estado de Chiapas México igual que su padre Juan Sabines Gutiérrez que también gobernó en años anteriores tapándole a los ojos a los pobres que mando a matar a los pobres campesinos de Golochan Chiapas, a niños, mujeres y ancianos campesinos, dándoles, machetes, azadones, picos en ese tiempo les dieron caballos para transitar y convencer a los pobres indígenas, y hoy en actual lo mismo pasa con los hermanos campesinos únicamente a los dirigentes políticos a ellos si les proporcionan carros del año para convencer a la gente y entregar los terrenos los pocos que los ha dejado por sus padres y en donde queda su lema que son ellos no palabras pero compa eros (as) nosotros que nos tienen presos injustamente ya no queremos que nos engañen el mal gobierno por que bien saben ellos que no tenemos que ver nada en el asunto sobre el pasado 02 de febrero, únicamente nos tienen presos a cambio de nuestras tierras, pero nosotros seguiremos delante de nuestras luchas a como de lugar y compañeros hagan sus acciones en sus lugares, en donde se encuentran por que lo que nos esta pasando aquí en nuestro estado en cualquier lugar, estado o país sucede lo mismo y como exigimos nuestros libertades. Y cualquier cosa que le pase a agresiones que le suceda a nuestros compañeros de lucha culpamos directamente al mal gobierno y sus dirigentes políticos.

LA TIERRA SE DEFIENDE NO SE VENDE

LA LUCHA SIGUE ZAPATA VIVE

ATTMT

PRESOS POLITICOS

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

Comunidad de Mitzitón, Chiapas. A 28 de febrero de 2011.

A las Juntas de Buen Gobierno
A la Comisión Sexta
A la Zesta Internacional
A la Otra Campaña
Al Congreso Nacional Indígena (CNI)
A los Organismos Defensores de Derechos Humanos
A los Medios Alternativos de comunicación

Compañeras y compañeros:

Antes que nada agradecemos a todas y todos sus voces de protesta y sus acciones demostrando apoyo para nosotros y los otros adherentes de Chiapas. Como pueblo organizado de Mitzitón nos encontramos reunidos día y noche en la casa ejidal, desde el día 13 de febrero en que fuimos agredidos a balazos por los paramilitares de nuestra comunidad. Como medida de seguridad ante las agresiones y amenazas continuadas por parte de los integrantes de los grupos paramilitares, decidimos permanecer juntos en este espacio comunitario.

El día 26 de febrero aproximadamente a las 5:00 p.m. el compañero Clemente Jiménez Jiménez fue agredido a pedradas por un grupo de los agresores paramilitares, pero pensamos que sólo eso era toda su agresión y como a las 7:30 p.m. tomamos el acuerdo de ir a nuestras casas a descansar por dos días, ante el cansancio de las compañeras y compañeros.

A las 8: 00 p.m. el compañero Juan Cresencio González Hernández, adherente a la Otra Campaña, llega a su casa y se encuentra con su papá y su mamá, Juan González Gómez y Micaela Hernández Estrada. Sus papás participan en uno de los grupos agresores y en ese momento se encuentran tomando alcohol junto con Ciro Heredia Jiménez, Gabino González Hernández, Aurelio Jiménez González y Laura Ruiz Hernández. Al llegar el compañero Juan Cresencio, lo agarran entre Ciro, Gabino y Aurelio y lo empiezan a golpear.

Al escuchar los gritos del compañero Juan Cresencio, sus primos Clemente Jiménez Jiménez, de 23 años de edad y Gerardo Jiménez González de 35 años de edad acuden a auxiliarlo. Al tratar de rescatar a Juan Cresencio de sus agresores, el compañero Clemente recibe una cuchillada en la cara, partiendo su nariz en dos. Al tratar de protegerse la cara recibe otra cuchillada en la mano derecha. Ambas heridas son producidas por Ciro Heredia Jiménez. Acto seguido el mismo sujeto Ciro hiere al compañero Gerardo Jiménez González con la misma arma en la cara y el hombro izquierdo. También lo tiraron al piso y le siguieron golpeando con saña cuando él ya estaba herido.

El compañero Juan Jiménez Ventana, de 24 años de edad, también llega a auxiliar y es recibido a cachetadas por Micaela Hernández Estrada, antes de ser tirado al suelo por Gabino y Ciro, quienes le amarran el cuello con el propósito de asfixiarlo. El compañero se salva porque la compañera Guadalupe González Gómez que es su suegra, estaba cerca de ahí, escuchó sus gritos de Juan y valientemente se metió a la casa e intervino para liberarlo. Las agresiones produjeron la pérdida de conciencia de los dos compañeros Gerardo y Clemente. Pero entre su mamá, su mujer y la compañera Guadalupe, los rescataron y los sacaron de ahí. El Clemente es trasladado a la Cruz Roja por su propio papá, en donde recibe las primeras atenciones médicas.

La valoración médica actual del compañero Clemente: presenta tres heridas producidas por arma blanca, dos de ellas en la nariz (una de las cuales es profunda y corta el cartílago nasal) y otra más en la mano derecha. Las tres heridas fueron suturadas en la Cruz Roja. El compañero Gerardo presenta múltiples contusiones en cara y pecho, una herida profunda en el hombro izquierdo y otra herida en la nariz, además de varias erosiones superficiales en la cara. Ambos compañeros están estables, pero están muy afectados emocionalmente por lo sucedido. Mientras fueron atendidos los heridos, los agresores permanecieron en la casa, destrozando los muebles de la cocina.

Hoy 27 de febrero a las 9 a.m. llegaron a la casa otros miembros del mismo grupo agresor, los dirigentes Gregorio Gómez Jiménez, Manuel Jiménez Jiménez y Francisco Gómez Díaz a tomar fotos dentro de la cocina y se teme que ellos culparán falsamente a los compañeros heridos por los daños, porque así es su costumbre de andarnos fabricando delitos para que el mal gobierno tenga pretexto de llevarnos a la cárcel, y así a ver si nos echan miedo y dejamos la lucha, pero eso no lo vamos a hacer.

Denunciamos que las graves amenazas y agresiones de este grupo, se han aumentado desde 2009 en que decidimos luchar organizados para defender nuestro territorio del despojo que nos quieren hacer y que la violencia de su parte en nuestra contra ha ido escalando y coincide con los ataques a nuestros compañeros adherentes de Bachajón y de la Costa.

Hacemos responsable a los malos gobiernos en sus tres niveles de todas las agresiones que hemos sufrido y de lo que podamos sufrir porque continúan y se hacen más graves las amenazas, porque mantiene en la impunidad todo lo que nos han hecho, ha liberado hasta al asesino de nuestro compañero Aurelio, mientras que a nuestros compañeros y a otros compas que su único delito es luchar los mantiene secuestrados en sus cárceles. Nosotras y nosotros no hemos olvidado que el mal gobierno del estado se comprometió desde el 5 de junio del año pasado a reubicar a los paramilitares.

¡JUSTICIA!
¡YA BASTA DE AMENAZAS Y AGRESIONES!
¡REUBICACIÓN INMEDIATA DE LOS AGRESORES!

Pueblo Organizado de Mitizitón Adherente a la Otra Campaña

To the Other Campaign
To the Zezta International
To the People of Mexico and the World

Compas, the campaign “Thousands of rages, one heart: the Zapatista communities live!” started off on July 24, 2010 as a way to respond in an organized way to the harassment of the Zapatista communities, recognizing in this the same struggles we have everywhere, and raising the flag that says, “if they touch one of us, they touch all of us”.

Since the beginning of the campaign we have joined together as individuals, groups and organizations from across Mexico, Europe, Asia, America and Oceania, adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle proposed by the EZLN. All of us in our very different ways, places and times, have actively participated in the dissemination of the history and struggle of the Zapatista communities, and the challenge to capitalism represented by their autonomy and their initiative of the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, which makes us all compas.

Now, after several months of work and confronted with the ongoing strategy of the bad government, in its federal, state and municipal levels, to harass our Zapatista compas by means of paramilitaries, armies, political parties (PRI, PAN, PRD, PT, PVerde) and through the media, we believe that the objectives of the campaign are in place and we want to reaffirm our commitment. While Power offers us the path of destruction, death and misery, the Zapatista autonomous communities and their daily struggle to solve the demands of work, land, shelter, food, health, education, information, culture, independence, democracy, justice, freedom and peace with their own hands, are a worthy benchmark for the construction of our destiny.

This is why, compas, we make the call that through the Campaign “Thousands of rages, one heart: the Zapatista communities live!” we all undertake actions on certain days to publicize specific projects that are part of the Zapatista demands, this time with a monthly theme, with actions that can be undertaken in whatever time, way, space and company each of you decides. We make a three month proposal which is open for you to alter, change, and add what you think is missing, under the umbrella of the campaign. As before, the idea is to have some common themes so we can join our efforts together, or in other words, remain open to collective construction.

The themes are:

March: The struggle of the Zapatista women

April: The struggle for land and territory in the Zapatista communities

May: Education and work in the Zapatista communities

Furthermore, we propose in this stage to link with the general struggle of the Other Campaign against plunder and repression, and with the theme of solidarity, leading to a central action on 5 May (the fifth anniversary of the acts of repression in Atenco, by the Mexican state against our compas from the FPDT [Peoples’ Front in Defence of the Land] and the Other Campaign), the day when peoples from the Other Campaign, led by compas from the Sixth Commission of the EZLN, return to Atenco, Solidarity being an action central to the Zapatista struggle.

Compas, we think that spreading information about the activities we undertake is very important, and is part of the same campaign. You are, then, welcome to send your ideas, materials, and proposals to milesderabias@gmail.com to be published on the Campaign’s blog: http://milesderabias.blogspot.com

We know that our struggle will be stronger if it is more diverse, as there are many ways to speak, to act, to raise our voice. So … fill the streets, the schools, workplaces, squares, parks, with music, dance, painting, graffiti, film, performance, photography, theatre, workshops, pamphlets, talks, fliers, sculptures, whatever. Let us express our dignified rage, let us live our tender fury, so the winds may join together and the storm may arrive.

IF YOU ATTACK THE ZAPATISTA COMMUNITIES YOU ATTACK US ALL!

Groups, organizations and adherents of the Other Campaign
Network Against Repression and for Solidarity (RvsR)

Convocation for the Worldwide Day of Action for the Liberation of the Political Prisoners of San Sebastian Bachajón and the International Day in Honor of the Women of The Other Campaign
To our sisters and brothers of the Ejido of San Sebastian Bachajón:

To our Zapatista sisters and brothers:

To our compañer@s of The Other Campaign:

To our compañer@s of the Zezta Internazional:

To the adherents of the International Campaign in Defense of El Barrio and our allies across the world:

To the civil society in Mexico and the world:

Movement for Justice in El Barrio calls for a:

Worldwide Day of Action for the Liberation of the Political Prisoners of San Sebastián Bachajón

and an

International Day in Honor of the Women of The Other Campaign,

on March 7 and 8, respectively.
Receive greetings and embraces of solidarity from New York. We are
Movement for Justice in El Barrio, an organization of immigrants in El
Barrio, New York City that fights for human dignity and against community
displacement. We fight for the liberation of every marginalized group,
including immigrants, people of color, women, gays, lesbians,
transgender communities, and all the poor of the world. We are part of The Other Campaign.

We thank you for allowing us to share this humble proposal. From where we are at in New York, on the other side, it fills us with pain and rage to know of the situation that our brothers and sisters of San Sebastian Bachajón, fellow adherents of The Other Campaign, are confronting.

On February 3, a group of ejidatarios defending their lands, space, and birthplace of San Sebastián Bachajón, Chiapas, Mexico, was attacked and deprived of their freedom. Ten ejidatarios, who fought to defend the Agua Azul waterfall from the avarice of transnational corporations, remain illegally imprisoned.

These compañeros were taken hostage, as part of a strategy to enable the bad government and multinational corporations to seize the natural resources from their ejido (communal farming land). And now they must face a judicial system that imparts not justice but vengeance upon those who do not bow to the bad government’s interests.

For this reason, sisters and brothers, we urgently request your understanding and generosity in demanding that the repressive governorJuan Sabines Guerrero free the ten, unjustly incarcerated, prisoners.

To that end, we propose that, on Monday, March 7, 2011, we unite our forces and organize actions – from our particular locations and different forms of struggle – such as demonstrations, marches, informative street actions, flyering, public forums, theatre, teach-ins, and any other activity to realize the Worldwide Day of Action for the Liberation of the Political Prisoners of San Sebastian Bachajón.

In addition, we propose that this Tuesday, March 8, be a day to celebrate all the women of The Other Campaign for their dignified struggle, from below and to the left, for a new world. We invite everyone to organize activities for the International Day in Honor of the Women of The Other Campaign. On this day, we will celebrate the brave women of San Sebastián Bachajón; the women from autonomous Zapatista communities who resist with dignity the state and federal governments’ repression; the women of East Harlem, NYC who from here resist and fight against displacement and the avarice of transnational corporations; and ALL the women fighters of The Other Campaign.

We ask that you please let us know as soon as possible if you accept our proposal and will participate. You may contact us by email at movementforjusticeinelbarrio@yahoo.com.

Justice, Land, and Liberty for the
Ejidatarios of San Sebastián Bachajón!
Freedom for the Political Prisoners of San Sebastián Bachajón!
Stop the Aggressions against the Adherents of the Other Campaign!

Long Live the Women of San Sebastian Bachajón!

Long Live the Zapatista Women!
Long Live the Women of The Other Campaign!

With Love and Solidarity,

Movement for Justice in El Barrio
The Other Campaign New York

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

Tras arrestos y procesos legales, injustificados, contra las comunidades de Bachajon y Mitziton. la desaparición del activista Gerardo González Miranda. la toma de la caseta de las cascadas de agua azul por la policía federal, los ataques del ejercito de dios en Mitziton y el silencio mediático persistente son una muestra clara de que el gobierno de Chiapas se encuentra a la ofensiva en estos momentos.

El numero de presos de la otra campaña va en aumento de manera alarmante a la par del uso violento de la fuerza publica para arrestar, sin mayor tramite de por medio, a las organizaciones adherentes de LOC. En las acciones del martes 22 de febrero fueron arrestados mas de 50 hombres, mujeres y niños y se estan abriendo acciones legales contra 27 personas, en el arresto contra las campesinos en Bachajon fue contra 110 personas y a 10 se les inculpa sin mas pruebas, que el uso de la fuerza publica.

En estos momentos parecen no importar las crecientes manifestaciones de apoyo y solidaridad en México y en Europa o al menos no han sido un factor para detener la ola de represión, mientras las redes, listas y organizaciones adherentes a LOC se organizan para hacer valer la la consigna surgida de la represión de Atenco en 2006 “Si tocan a uno nos tocan a todos”.

–o-Ø-o–

Denuncia de la Red contra la Represión Chiapas ante escalada de Violencia

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

Ciudad Juárez, Chih., 22 de febrero de 2011.

Compañer@s tod@s, escribo para denunciar: que después de participar como representante de la Otra Juárez en el Encuentro de  Familiares, Colectivos, Amigos Y Organizaciones de Desaparecid@s de la Otra Campaña, en el aeropuerto del Distrito Federal, antes de tomar el vuelo de regreso a mi ciudad fui víctima del hostigamiento por parte de la Policía Federal. Sucede que entre mi equipaje traía conmigo un paquete con 30 ejemplares de la revista Rebeldía cargando en mano; dos agentes de la policía federal me preguntan por ellas: que cómo se llama la revista, que de qué trata, que para qué las quería. Me piden identificación, que adónde me dirijo. Luego de responderles e identificarme me piden que deje revisar todo mi equipaje, hay que decir que a estas alturas ya había pasado el filtro, o sea ya había sido revisado, me dirigía a la sala ya sólo para esperar el abordaje. Accedo, pero la revisión es lo que ellos llamaron su “oficina”, que es un cuarto aislado a unos metros de otro filtro o punto de revisión dentro del aeropuerto. Ahí abren mis mochilas y encuentran propaganda y material del encuentro (discos, volantes, etc.), algunos números de la revista Palabras Pendientes, el libro de México Armado, entre otros. Me preguntan sobre qué relación tengo con el EZLN, que a qué me dedico, que si soy activista, que si he oído de Atenco, entre otras preguntas, todo esto en tono hostil. Durante todo el tiempo que estuve retenido, que fue alrededor de media hora, ellos tuvieron en su poder mi credencial de elector, mi licencia de conducir y mi credencial de la escuela. Ahí anotaron mis datos: nombre, dirección, CURP, RFC, carrera, escuela, destino. Por lo que hago responsables a la Policía Federal de cualquier atentado a mi seguridad, integridad física o a mi vida, como a la de mis compañer@s de lucha y/o la de mi familia.

¡No a la militarización del país!

¡No a la criminalización de la lucha social!

¡Libertad a Pres@s Políticos!

¡Regreso con vida de nuestr@s desaparecid@s!

Fraternalmente,

Jaziel

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

Penal n° 5 de San Cristóbal de las Casas Chiapas

A 21 de febrero de 2011

Compañeros y compañeras Internacionales de los diferentes países que pertenecen en alguna organización, colectivos, iglesias, etc., reciban por parte nuestra nuestros abrazos y saludos combativos de “La Voz del Amate” Presos Políticos adherentes de la Otra Campaña y “Solidarios de la Voz del Amate”.

Hermanos y hermanas por primera vez nos atrevemos vincularnos por este medio, sabiendo que también ustedes luchan continuamente por las causas justas del pueblo y que nos unes siempre a todo, ya que solamente entrelazados los unos a los otros podemos llegar al objetivo a todo esto nos motiva expresarles e informarles lo que hoy hemos emprendido ésta acción conjunta en huelga de hambre ayunos y oraciones, hacemos esto es con el fin de exigir nuestras libertades justas que hoy en día estamos encarcelados injustamente ya que los gobiernos mexicanos solo han implementado las persecuciones, desapariciones, asesinados y encarcelamiento de aquellos que se afrontan en defender el derecho del pueblo, de sus territorios y su cultura, es por ello compañeros y compañeras desde este lugar les pedimos auxilio desde sus tierras y confiamos en que ustedes pronto se sumaran en sus acciones que para todos
nosotros son bienvenidos.

Bien amigos y amigas aquí estanos no callaremos por la verdad y por la libertad, no habrá silencio solo habrá grito y estaremos hasta la victoria.

Reciban mucha fortaleza y ánimo en sus luchas.

Por la libertad no importa morir porque morir por la verdad es vivir.

FRATERNALMENTE

La Voz del Amate
Solidarios de la Voz del Amate