“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas”
http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/

300 days in prison

Compañeras y compañeros:

We send you greetings and embraces from all the Mexican immigrants who are members of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York.

Through this letter we send our humble word in the form of a cry, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR FRANCISCO SÁNTIZ LÓPEZ!

On Saturday, September 29th , Francisco Sántiz Lόpez, Zapatista political prisoner from Banavil, Tenejapa, Chiapas, would have spent 300 days behind bars without having committed any crime.

These represent:

300 days of injustice and impunity
300 days of state abuse
300 days of political and racist repression
300 days deprived of his personal freedom
300 days without breathing the free air of the countryside, without looking at the wild stars, without kissing his loved ones.

But at the same time, they are:

300 days of struggle
300 days of resistance
300 days of human dignity
300 days of hope, courage and love
300 days of action without borders, barriers or walls
300 days in which thousands of people, communities, groups, and organizations from throughout the world have come together.

At the end of every day a new crack opens, each time a little wider, in the walls that confine our brother and compa Francisco. One day soon, the pressure on them will ensure that these walls will fall, both inside and outside.

At his time of sadness and outrage, we offer the following new poster from the Campaign “Worldwide Echo in support of the Zapatistas”, to demand once again justice and freedom for Francisco Sántiz Lόpez. It is something simple but beautiful, and it gives us much pleasure to share it with you. We hope it may serve as small flag in this worldwide struggle which has the heart as its homeland, and solidarity as its territory….

Click here to see the poster:
http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/posters/

Keep well, compas. Let us today honor Francisco by struggling more keenly for his immediate and unconditional release.

To join the campaign for the release of Francisco Sántiz Lόpez and to keep up to date with the situation:

1. Write to: laotranuevayork@yahoo.com

2. For more information on Francisco, check out the website of the “Worldwide Echo in support of the Zapatistas” Campaign: http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/francisco/

3. You can watch the video-message from the Zapatistas about Francisco Sántiz Lόpez here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXuVyJ5YdfA&feature=plcp

From El Barrio, New York

Sorry, this entry is only available in Mexican Spanish. 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.

Cuarto Informe ¡A TUMBAR LAS PAREDES DEL CALABOZO!
Campaña Mundial por la Libertad de Patishtán y Sántiz López

Cuarta Etapa: “A 9 meses: 9 días de Acción Global para
Tumbar Las Paredes del Calabozo”

27 de agosto – 4 de septiembre

Compañeras y compañeros:

Desde nuestro Barrio de migrantes, l@s saludamos con mucho cariño de parte de Movimiento por Justicia del Barrio. Por la presente nos dirigimos a ustedes con este informe muy importante.

En la Cuarta Etapa de la Campaña Mundial por la Libertad de Patishtán y Sántiz López “¡A Tumbar Las Paredes del Calabozo!”, actualmente está en difusión una carta nueva en apoyo a la nueva estrategia jurídica en el caso del Profe Patishtán. Dirigida al Presidente de la Suprema Corte de Justicia y al Presidente de la Primera Sala de la Suprema Corte de Justicia, esta carta busca mobilizar el apoyo y respaldo, tanto nacional como mundialmente, para esta nueva estrategia, la cual aportará a la lucha por su liberación.

Nosotr@s invitamos a tod@s a que apoyen esta carta y por tanto la dicha estrategia firmandola y difundiéndola ampliamente. De esta forma, tod@s junt@s y unid@s, podemos seguir haciendo grietas en las paredes que encierran a nuestros dos presos.

Aquí está el enlace a la carta donde pueden firmar la carta y abajo el texto completo:

http://www.redtdt.org.mx/d_acciones/d_visual.php?id_accion=224

Muchas gracias, compas.

Movimiento por Justicia del Barrio
La Otra Campaña Nueva York:

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12 años de injusticias, ¡Liberen a Alberto Patishtán!

C. MINISTRO JUAN N. SILVA MEZA, PRESIDENTE DE LA SUPREMA CORTE DE JUSTICIA DE LA NACIÓN

C. MINISTRO ARTURO ZALDÍVAR LELO DE LARREA, PRESIDENTE DE LA PRIMERA SALA DE LA SUPREMA CORTE DE JUSTICIA DE LA NACIÓN

PRESENTES

Las organizaciones de derechos humanos nacionales e internacionales, sociales y personas que suscribimos la presente petición; señalando como domicilio para recibir notificaciones los despachos 509 y 510 del edificio México, ubicado en Palma Norte 308, esquina Tacuba, Colonia Centro Histórico, Delegación Cuauhtémoc, Código Postal 06010, México, Distrito Federal; por este conducto nos dirigimos a ustedes para expresarles:

Que con motivo de la sentencia de sesenta años de prisión impuesta al profesor indígena ALBERTO PATISHTÁN GÓMEZ, por los delitos de Homicidio y Lesiones calificados; Robo calificado; Daños y; Portación de Arma de Fuego de Uso Exclusivo del Ejercito, Armada o Fuerza Aérea, derivada de los hechos suscitados el 12 de junio de 2000, en el tramo Laguna – El Bosque, que une los municipios de Simojovel y el Bosque, en el Estado de Chiapas, solicitamos al Máximo Tribunal que ustedes representan, que ante la interposición del Incidente de Reconocimiento de Inocencia presentado por la defensa legal del sentenciado, La H. Primera Sala reasuma la competencia originaria que le confiere el artículo 561 del Código Federal de Procedimientos Penales para conocer de ese Incidente.

No obviamos que mediante el Acuerdo General número 05/2001, de veintiuno de junio de dos mil uno, del Tribunal Pleno de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación, relativo a la determinación de los asuntos que conservara para su resolución y el envío de los de su competencia originaria a las Salas y a los Tribunales Colegiados de Circuito, el Máximo Tribunal ordenó que en los casos de Reconocimientos de Inocencia correspondería resolverlos a los Tribunales Colegiados de Circuito; sin embargo, los suscritos consideramos que por el interés que ha irradiado este asunto a nivel nacional como internacional se pueden fijar criterios trascendentes e innovadores en esos casos a partir de las interpretaciones recientes sobre el alcance y protección de los derechos humanos plasmados en la Carta Magna y en los Tratados Internacionales ratificados por el Estado mexicano, que ha venido desarrollando el Poder Judicial de la Federación a la luz del paradigma de la reforma constitucional en materia de derechos humanos.

ATENTAMENTE

Importante:

Al envíar esta información, Autorizo a -Red TDT- comunicar en mi nombre estas solicitudes. Esta información no será distribuida a terceras partes.

“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.

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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

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

“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas:
Freedom and Justice for
San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López”

http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/

ORGANIZING TOOLBOX

Compañeras and compañeros:

Receive many embraces from the Mexican immigrants of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York. We hope that everyone is well and in good health. We would like to share with you this brief update regarding the “Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López” Campaign.

As is the case in any organizing campaign, this one serves as a wonderful opportunity to continue building both locally and globally. The dignified struggle of the Zapatistas, now and since their birth, inspires us to fight, grow, and liberate ourselves in our own corners of the world. For this reason, many of our “Comités” continue to consolidate themselves in their respective communities, connecting the struggle of our Zapatista sisters and brothers with their own local struggles. In the events and activities that are organized in conjunction with our campaign, many compas, for example, continue to draw more people into the struggle for justice. This is truly something powerful and is in line with the spirit of Zapatismo. We therefore encourage everyone to continue building in this way, slowly and from below, because it is the only way in which we shall win what we deserve: a new, just, and dignified world.

That said, to enrich and promote the expansion of our campaign, we have put together an “organizing toolbox” featuring a wide variety of useful resources that can be utilized during our events, activities, and actions. This toolbox has downloadable materials in different languages, including fliers, pamphlets, photos, posters, the campaign logo in ten languages and the UK Worldwide Declaration.

Designed to facilitate our campaign organizing activities, the toolbox is already up and available on our website to be used to meet the educational, news, or organizing needs of the compañer@s in this campaign:

http://sanmarcosaviles.wordpress.com/material/

All the materials have been used during organizing activities by individuals and organizations in many countries. Hopefully, this “organizing toolbox” continues to be of use for all.

If you are looking for more information, images, or ideas for your committee or activity in support of San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López, please visit this page on our website – which, aside from this toolbox, features content and news in 10 languages.

Likewise, if you would like suggestions for your activities, please write to us at the email address listed below. We also invite you to collaborate with us to continue building this organizing toolbox and its contents. More materials are always needed, and there is a particular need for translations.

Lastly, we have the San Marcos Avilés video-message in high-definition format suitable for film screenings. Please let us know if you would like a copy.

Regarding this and all other matters mentioned here, please write to us at:

laotranuevayork@yahoo.com

Thank you very much, compas. We hope these small resources help to strengthen our respective efforts and, in turn, our shared campaign.

With love and solidarity,

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

“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas:
Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and
Francisco Sántiz López”

http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/

“Those from above have declared war on the Zapatista communities, a war which these days is focused on the community in resistance of San Marcos Avilés and the Zapatista political prisoner Francisco Sántiz López.” – Raúl Zibechi

Compañeras and compañeros:

Another letter in support of our Zapatista sisters and brothers is born amidst the global consciousness raising activities which form a strategic part of the first phase of the “Worldwide Echo in support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López” campaign.

This time the words of solidarity come to us from Uruguayan lands by way of the pen of the thinker and activist Raúl Zibechi. Like in the previous letters, these words are full of truth, anger, and dignity. Our compa Raul sums up for us the true goal of those from above in their war against the Zapatista communities–“to defeat a dream made ​​reality, one which we can see in the Good Government Junta of Oventic, and in so many other places.”

That dream is ours as well.

Here is Raúl Zibechi’s letter in full:

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Those from above have declared war on the Zapatista communities, a war which these days is focused on the community in resistance of San Marcos Avilés and the Zapatista political prisoner Francisco Sántiz López.

The information sent to us by the compañeros and compañeras of the Movement for Justice in El Barrio shows us the nature of this offensive: it is aimed at eliminating all resistance at a time when capital is unleashing hunger and misery upon those from below in order to increase and protect its gigantic profits. To safeguard their continued accumulation of wealth, it is necessary to wipe from the face of the earth all obstacles, every kind of resistance.

What the media and the “experts” call crisis, is actually part of this offensive to remove from the scene the peoples and the individuals who refuse to give way. Those from above are not in crisis. It is we, our strategies to survive and change the world, who have entered a crisis after decades of being anaesthetized with electoral illusions which promote the idea that it is possible to build an Other World without struggling, without addressing the hatred and the crimes of those from above.

It is not a coincidence that the Zapatista communities are being repressed. They have shown millions, throughout the whole world, a path of resistance and construction that is multiplying in the most remote places. For those from above, destroying the Zapatista movement would be a double victory: against the peoples and communities of Chiapas and against all those in the world who find inspiration in their example. It would mean bringing down a dream made flesh, like the one we can see in the Good Government Junta of Oventic, and in so many other places.

For all these reasons, solidarity with San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López is as essential as it is urgent.

Raúl Zibechi

CALL TO ACTION
“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas:
Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López”
http://sanmarcosaviles.wordpress.com/

Second Phase:
From Truth to Action, Stopping the Repression
October 12th until November 17th

To our sisters and brothers, the family members and allies of San Marcos Avilés:
To our sisters and brothers, the family members and allies of Francisco Sántiz López:
To our Zapatista sisters and brothers:
To our compañer@s of The Other Campaign:
To our compañer@s of the Zezta Internazional:
To our compañer@s, adherents to the International Campaign in Defense of El Barrio and all our allies from around the world:
To Civil Society in Mexico and in the world:
The following is an urgent call to action from Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York, to carry out the:

Second Phase:
From Truth to Action, Stopping the Repression
“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas:
Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Sántiz López”

Sisters and brothers:

Receive an affectionate embrace from the Mexican migrants of Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York. We hope that you are well, and ready to continue the struggle.

In order to expand the reach of the ongoing activities taking place as part of the current First Phase of our Campaign: “Walking the True Word”, which will continue until October 11, we are writing to you to propose that we join forces once more to carry out the Second Phase: “From Truth to Action, Stopping the Repression.”

This new phase will be different from the current first one – which aims to raise awareness in our communities about the dire situation that our Zapatista compas of San Marcos Avilés and the Zapatista political prisoner, Sántiz López, are facing – this second phase will be a period of direct action and protest from October 12 to November 17. As you will understand, these dates were chosen for their great significance in the history of indigenous struggles throughout the world: the Day of Indigenous Resistance and the anniversary of the Birth of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN).

If you would like to join our efforts and accept our proposal, please let us know as soon as possible, by sending an e-mail to:

laotranuevayork@yahoo.com.

For further background and to keep up-to-date with the phases and developments in this campaign, we invite everyone to read the first call to action, released on July 25, which is available here:

http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/1st-call-to-action/

SECOND CALL TO ACTION:
“FROM TRUTH TO ACTION, STOPPING THE REPRESSION”

First and foremost, we would like to thank all the people who are continuing to give light and breath to this worldwide campaign, which for over a month now we have been creating and shaping together. Thank you for sharing this path with us and for continuing to walk alongside us.

Since its beginning at the end of July, when the first call to action was released, the “Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López” International Campaign has been a meeting point for thousands of people of good heart who have responded to call of the Zapatistas for support and solidarity.

In addition, in many countries, solidarity cells called “Committees of the True Word” have been organized around this meeting point, and are continuing to build support networks and raise public awareness about the repression currently being faced by the Zapatista community of San Marcos Avilés and the Zapatista political prisoner Sántiz López.

More of these “Committees” continue to be set up every day, as more groups and people of good conscience join the campaign.

Together, we have all started the work of, to borrow a phrase from the wise Old Antonio, “walking the true word” by organizing in our respective communities, ejidos, towns, neighborhoods, and countries to sow the words of San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López like seeds which will grow, in their turn, into the struggle in their support.

More and more people are finding each other every day, seeking and meeting in the darkness and obscurity of lies and indifference which those from above have constructed in order to keep us divided. Fumbling in the dark, we continue to meet each other, and searching, day after day, for a way to break through into the light. As our ancestors say, our collective words contain the essence of life on this planet: memory – and, once spoken and shared, our words become fire.

We remember that this darkness was both born in and gave rise to, that time the EZLN describe as “the long night of those 500 years.” While the political, economic, cultural, and social systems of those from above continue to move our lives and Mother Earth closer towards total extinction, the resistances of those from below continue to build other exits to escape this obscurity.

To prevent us from joining hands and rising from this darkness, those from above have committed to douse all the lights radiating from dignified people. This is why they are deploying their strategies of violence and destruction, and are attacking, imprisoning, repressing, assaulting, violating, robbing, silencing, and lying to us.

This is also why those from above, those who have created this long night, have chosen as their main target the indigenous peoples of the world, who have made such significant contributions to the struggle against the darkness.

Faced with this threat of planetary extinction, we must mobilize urgently to defend each and every light that illuminates our path towards the construction of another possible world. And as the True Word was and is the first form of light, it is vital that we defend those words which Old Antonio tells us were the first three in every language: “democracy, freedom, justice.”

It is no coincidence that these three words cannot be found in the governments, jails, schools, mass media, or the other institutions serving the privileges of those from above. Nor is it a coincidence that these same three words are alive, in many different ways, among the dignified people from below, especially the indigenous people of Mexico and the world. While those from above continue to attack and destroy these lights, we will continue to defend and create more lights, more exits, more worlds.

Even though those from above are using the lies which give the night its darkness to keep us divided, in our hearts we carry that which makes the light shine…This is called truth.

In order to actively support the defense of the light that shines from the Zapatistas, an exemplary indigenous movement, whose struggle has always been for and with both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples alike, we call on and invite everyone once again to join this campaign, and to carry out its second phase, which will consist of a month of strategic and direct actions.

Beginning on October 12, the Day of Indigenous Resistance, and lasting until November 17, the anniversary of the birth of the EZLN, we invite everyone to organize actions – according to our own ways and abilities – in our respective communities and countries during this period, so as to echo the call of the indigenous Zapatista community of San Marcos Avilés and the indigenous Zapatista political prisoner Francisco Sántiz López.

As our compas from San Marcos Avilés explain in their video-message, available below, they have endured a constant nightmare at the hands of a local attack group, backed by political party members, for having opened their own autonomous school “Emiliano Zapata” in 2010. From forced displacement to sexual assault, these compas have suffered numerous forms of violence and repression solely for wanting to live with dignity and freedom as indigenous peoples.it

Their video-message, which has already had over 30,000 views! It can be watched here:

At the same time, our compañero Francisco Sántiz López, a Zapatisa support base member and indigenous Tzeltal, has been imprisoned since December 2011 for crimes that he did not commit. His only offense, as has been stated over and over again, is that of being a Zapatista Support Base member. For this reason, he is being held as a hostage of the Mexican State.

For background on this, please consult the video-message from the Zapatistas about Francisco Sántiz López here:

For those who wish to learn more about the background and progress of this campaign, please visit the San Marcos Avilés website here:

http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/

We hope that the videos and website continue to be useful tools in this struggle, which is already spoken in 10 languages and is seen in dozens of countries in our world. Hopefully it will continue to grow, reaching new places and peoples.

Lastly, if you accept this proposal and will participate in the Second Phase, we ask that you please let us know as soon as possible by sending an email to:

laotranuevayork@yahoo.com

From our brown and dignified heart, from this Barrio of migrants, we send you our warmest greetings and embraces.

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR SAN MARCOS AVILÉS & FRANCISCO SÁNTIZ LÓPEZ!
LONG LIVE THE ZAPATISTAS!
LONG LIVE THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES!

Sorry, this entry is only available in Mexican Spanish. 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.

Crónica de la actividad del
Comité de la Palabra Verdadera de Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Haz clic aqui para ver fotos y la crónica:
http://sanmarcosaviles.wordpress.com/campana-mundial/

“Eco Mundial en Apoyo a l@s Zapatistas:
Justicia y Libertad para San Marcos Avilés y Francisco Sántiz López”

Nosotros vivimos en un país donde desde el año 1500 se realizan muchas injusticias contra las comunidades indígenas. Las violaciones, por más brutales y vergonzosas que son, todavía son repetidamente practicadas en la actualidad.

Por tanto apoyamos la lucha de los hermanos Zapatistas, pues es simbólica, para que las violaciones dejen de ocurrir a través del mundo, incluyendo en Brasil. Las comunidades quilombos (comunidades de afro-descendentes marginadas) sufren de los mismo males. Y el mal, así como en México, también proviene de un “Mal Gobierno”, que se constituye de gobernadores de estado que ordenan sus policías a actuar en nuestras comunidades de modo injusto y cobarde.

Nuestra acción quiso sensibilizar a los jóvenes estudiantes sobre la situación actual de las comunidades indígenas, en especial las comunidades Zapatistas. Proyectamos vídeos sobre los actos de violencia que la llamada cultura superior blanca comete en contra de la Naturaleza de un modo general, así como demonstrar las contradicciones hipócritas de adoración a una naturaleza idealizada, dócil, que existe para ser sumisa al ser humano. Conversamos sobre los actos brutales de violencia que padecen esas comunidades, su aislamiento en las zonas marginadas y desvalorización del territorio y el consecuente golpe que se da contra sus costumbres culturales por lo tanto.

Hablamos en especial sobre la posibilidad que representa una comunidad indígena con respecto a la convivencia humana. Sobre la base de una lógica diversa del capitalismo, ustedes demuestran que sí es posible hacer otro mundo, basado en otro sistema de valores donde se hacen protagonistas todos los miembros de la comunidad, a través del aprendizaje de valores tales cuales la solidaridad, la autonomía, el respeto, la coparticipación y la amistad. Creemos en estos valores y por lo tanto los admiramos. ¡Tenemos mucho que aprender con ustedes!

Como dice un miembro de la comunidad Zapatista sobre el miedo del Mal Gobierno en la película “Zapatistas – crónica de una rebelión”:

“El Poder nos teme.
Por eso nos persigue y nos cerca.
Por eso nos encarcela y nos mata.
En realidad somos la posibilidad que lo puede derrotar.”

Ustedes lo son. Ustedes inspiran otro mundo posible, y esto es una amenaza a un sistema basado en las injusticias y desigualdades; en la explotación a oprimidos por opresores.

“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López”
http://sanmarcosaviles.wordpress.com/

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY Sisters and brothers:

Please receive warm greetings and hugs from Movement for Justice in El Barrio, The Other Campaign New York. We would like to share with you this important news report on the progress of our campaign “Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz Lopez”.

To summarize, the first phase, “Walking the True Word”, is being extended until 11 October due to the overwhelming interest generated by it. Immediately after, in recognition of the Day of Indigenous Resistance, October 12, the second stage, that of worldwide action, will begin. Lasting over a month, this second phase will end on November 17, in honour of the historic birth of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), which was formed on that day in 1983.

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, THE FIRST PHASE IS BEING EXTENDED

First of all, we would like to thank everyone who has called for the First Phase, “Walking the True Word”, of the campaign to be extended. Because of this, this phase is being extended and will continue for the entire month of September and until 11 October, to give us all even more time to disseminate information on the situation of San Marcos Avilés and Sántiz Lopez, and to invite others to join this campaign in time for the start of the second phase.
It has been a month now since we started this struggle, and already many “Committees of the True Word” have been born in many parts of our planet, with their main responsibility to carry and sow the names and faces of “San Marcos Avilés” and “Francisco Sántiz Lopez” as seeds of dignity and rebellion.

Day after day, solidarity actions and activities are being carried out in communities, neighborhoods, towns, and villages in many corners of the world. In order to disseminate the histories and realities which our Zapatista compas are suffering, dignified people from many countries have been working on getting the word out and building networks of support and solidarity to contribute positively to the defense of the EZLN Support Base community of San Marcos Avilés and the struggle to free Francisco Sántiz Lopez. We can see that, in this way, we are consolidating our forces and exposing the lies coming out of the mouth of the bad government of Mexico, in order to take concrete action in defense of that other possible world which the Zapatista communities have been building through their project of autonomy.

As mentioned above, the second phase of our international campaign, “Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz Lopez”, will take place from October 12 to November 17. These dates were chosen for their historical significance. They are symbols of our various struggles and a compass pointing towards a dignified future. The peoples of the world, in spite of the more than 500 years of oppression they have experienced, not only still live, but are key players in the struggles for a better, dignified and rebel world. In their resistance and struggle for autonomy, the EZLN are planting seeds and building alternatives to this unjust system which is imposed on us from above. For this reason, they are beacons and examples for us all. With this in mind, let us hope we can all carry on organizing more activities and reaching out to more people to continue to increase the pressure and demand for justice and freedom for our Zapatista brothers and sisters.

To finish, here once more is the link to the video message from San Marcos Avilés, which is at the same time a call and a tool for worldwide solidarity:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY-8CBt3Vkg

Please carry on circulating it.

Well, compas, our hearts are full of emotion, courage, and hope. All the collective efforts we are making together, united, truly touch our hearts and are having an important impact.

We will continue to fight, continue to grow…

With love and solidarity,

Movement for Justice in El Barrio The Other Campaign New York

“Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos  Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López”

http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/

The UK-based National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts
Declares it’s Support for San Marcos Avilés and Sántiz López

From the United Kingdom, the National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts (NCAFC) has issued the following declaration endorsing the international  “Worldwide Echo in Support of the Zapatistas: Freedom and Justice for San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López” Campaign.

In opposition to the destructive trend towards privatization that is destroying higher education the world over, the nearly 8,000 student and education worker activists who form the NCAFC have fought since February 2010 for a just system of higher education that is free and funded by “the taxation of the rich and business.” The following statement approved by the NCAFC joins the thousands of individuals, collectives, and organizations from dozens of countries worlwide who stand in firm solidarity with San Marcos Avilés and Francisco Sántiz López. In doing so, the NCAFC makes the necessary connection between the struggle for autonomous education in San Marcos and the struggle for socially just education at the global level. 

Statement of the National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts (NCAFC)

200 Zapatista supporters in the indigenous community of San Marcos Avilés in Chiapas, Mexico, are at very serious risk of violent assault and displacement. The threats made against them have increased sharply since the Mexican elections in July 2012.

The aggressors are government supporters organised in paramilitary style groups who are heavily armed with shotguns, rifles and pistols, and are specifically threatening the women and children. They have already stolen the land, crops and livestock of the community, leaving them without a food supply and destroyed their free autonomous school. Observers report that the situation is one of siege, and that the families are heavily traumatised.

In 2010, 170 men women and children were forced to take refuge in the open on the mountainside during the rainy season for 33 days. The current situation is one where it is feared another such tragedy may occur at any time. The aggressors are threatening to kidnap the community authorities and forcibly displace the rest of the population. Anyone denouncing this harassment, they say, will be locked away like Francisco Santiz Lopez, political prisioner since December 2011.

In the face of this alarming situation, an international solidarity campaign was launched recently, and a Worldwide Declaration in support of the community of San Marcos Avilés has been issued calling for an immediate end to the repression.  

WE DEMAND

–An immediate end to all death threats, verbal and physical harassment, and threats against the property and well-being of the Zapatista Support Base members by elements of the political parties in the San Marcos Avilés ejido

–Protection for the lives and safety of the Zapatista support base members of San Marcos Avilés

–Respect for the Zapatista Support Base community’s inalienable right to autonomy as indigenous peoples, as enshrined in the internationally recognized ILO Convention No. 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, both of which the government of Mexico has signed

–Immediate release of Francisco Santiz Lopez

For further information, please see:    http://sanmarcosavilesen.wordpress.com/

If you’d like to actively participate in the campaign please contact:   laotranuevayork@yahoo.com