{"id":25987,"date":"2018-03-08T18:34:56","date_gmt":"2018-03-09T00:34:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/?p=25987"},"modified":"2018-04-01T13:44:16","modified_gmt":"2018-04-01T18:44:16","slug":"inicia-el-encuentro-internacional-de-mujeres-que-luchan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/?p=25987","title":{"rendered":"[:es]Palabras de las mujeres zapatistas al inicio del Primer Encuentro Internacional, Pol\u00edtico, Art\u00edstico, Deportivo y Cultural de Mujeres que Luchan[:en]Zapatista Women\u2019s Opening Address at the First International Gathering of Politics, Art, Sport, and Culture for Women in Struggle[:]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[:es]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>PALABRAS A NOMBRE DE LAS MUJERES ZAPATISTAS AL INICIO DEL PRIMER ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL, POL\u00cdTICO, ART\u00cdSTICO, DEPORTIVO Y CULTURAL DE MUJERES QUE LUCHAN.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">8 de marzo del 2018. Caracol de Zona Tzots Choj.<\/p>\n<p>Escucha aqu\u00ed: [podcast]https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Inauguracion_editada.mp3[\/podcast]<\/p>\n<p>BUENOS D\u00cdAS HERMANAS DE M\u00c9XICO Y DEL MUNDO:<\/p>\n<p>BUENOS D\u00cdAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS DE LA SEXTA NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL:<\/p>\n<p>BUENOS D\u00cdAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS DEL CONGRESO NACIONAL IND\u00cdGENA Y DEL CONCEJO IND\u00cdGENA DE GOBIERNO:<\/p>\n<p>BUENOS D\u00cdAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS COMANDANTAS, BASES DE APOYO, AUTORIDADES AUT\u00d3NOMAS, RESPONSABLES DE \u00c1REA, MILICIANAS E INSURGENTAS:<\/p>\n<p>ANTES QUE NADA, QUEREMOS MANDARLE UN GRAN ABRAZO A LA FAMILIA DE LA COMPA\u00d1ERA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, ELOISA VEGA CASTRO, DE LAS REDES DE APOYO AL CONCEJO IND\u00cdGENA DE GOBIERNO, QUIEN MURI\u00d3 CUANDO ACOMPA\u00d1ABA A LA DELEGACI\u00d3N DEL CIG EL PASADO 14 DE FEBRERO.<\/p>\n<p>ESPERAMOS HASTA ESTE D\u00cdA PARA SALUDAR LA MEMORIA DE ELOISA PARA QUE NUESTRO ABRAZO FUERA M\u00c1S GRANDE Y ALCANZARA A LLEGAR LEJOS, HASTA EL OTRO LADO DE M\u00c9XICO.<\/p>\n<p>Y ESTE ABRAZO Y ESTE SALUDO SON GRANDES PORQUE SON DE TODAS LAS ZAPATISTAS Y DE TODOS LOS ZAPATISTAS EN ESTE 8 DE MARZO PARA ESA MUJER QUE LUCH\u00d3 Y HOY NOS HACE FALTA: ELOISA VEGA CASTRO. VAYA NUESTRO SENTIMIENTO PARA SU FAMILIA.<\/p>\n<p>HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS QUE NOS VISITAN:<\/p>\n<p>GRACIAS A TODAS QUE YA EST\u00c1N PRESENTES AQU\u00cd EN ESTE PRIMER ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE MUJERES QUE LUCHAMOS.<\/p>\n<p>GRACIAS QUE HICIERON EL ESFUERZO PARA VENIR DE TODOS LOS MUNDOS A ESTE RINC\u00d3N EN QUE ESTAMOS.<\/p>\n<p>BIEN LO SABEMOS QUE NO FUE F\u00c1CIL LLEGAR HASTA AC\u00c1 Y QUE TAL VEZ MUCHAS MUJERES QUE LUCHAN NO PUDIERON VENIR A ESTE ENCUENTRO.<\/p>\n<p>MI NOMBRE ES INSURGENTA ERIKA, QUE AS\u00cd NOS LLAMAMOS LAS INSURGENTAS CUANDO NO HABLAMOS DE INDIVIDUAL SINO DE COLECTIVO. SOY CAPITANA INSURGENTE DE INFANTER\u00cdA Y ME ACOMPA\u00d1AN OTRAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS INSURGENTAS Y MILICIANAS DE DIFERENTES GRADOS.<\/p>\n<p>NUESTRO TRABAJO VA A SER CUIDAR ESTE LUGAR PARA QUE S\u00d3LO EST\u00c9N MUJERES Y NO DEJAR QUE SE META NING\u00daN HOMBRE. PORQUE LO SABEMOS QUE SON MA\u00d1OSOS.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES PUES NOS VAN A VER QUE ANDAMOS POR VARIOS LADOS Y ES PARA ESO DE VIGILAR QUE NO SE METAN HOMBRES Y SI SE METE UNO PUES LO VAMOS A AGARRAR Y LO VAMOS A SACAR PORQUE CLARO SE DIJO QUE NO EST\u00c1N INVITADOS HOMBRES Y POR ESO LES TOCA ESTAR ALL\u00c1 AFUERA Y YA LUEGO SE ENTERAN DE LO QUE PAS\u00d3 AQU\u00cd.<\/p>\n<p>USTEDES PUEDEN ANDAR DONDE QUIERAN. PUEDEN SALIR O ENTRAR LAS VECES QUE QUIERAN, S\u00d3LO NECESITAN EL GAFETE Y YA. PERO LOS HOMBRES NO PUEDEN ENTRAR HASTA QUE ACABE NUESTRO ENCUENTRO.<\/p>\n<p>HAY TAMBI\u00c9N COMPA\u00d1ERAS PROMOTORAS DE SALUD Y ALGUNAS DOCTORAS. ENTONCES SI ALGUIEN SE ENFERMA O SE SIENTE MAL, BASTA QUE NOS DIGAN A CUALQUIERA DE NOSOTRAS Y R\u00c1PIDO AVISAMOS PARA QUE ATIENDAN LAS PROMOTORAS Y SI ES NECESARIO REVISE LA DOCTORA Y SI ES NECESARIO PUES TENEMOS UNA AMBULANCIA LISTA PARA LLEVAR A UN HOSPITAL.<\/p>\n<p>HAY TAMBI\u00c9N COMPA\u00d1ERAS COORDINADORAS, T\u00c9CNICAS DE SONIDO, DE LA LUZ SI ES QUE SE VA, DE LA HIGIENE COMO DE LA BASURA Y LOS BA\u00d1OS Y PARA QUE ESTAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS TAMBI\u00c9N PUEDAN PARTICIPAR EN EL ENCUENTRO PUES LES PEDIMOS QUE CUIDEN DE LA BASURA, DE LA HIGIENE, DE LOS BA\u00d1OS.<\/p>\n<p>HOY SOMOS MUCHAS PERO COMO SI FU\u00c9RAMOS UNA SOLA PARA RECIBIRLAS Y QUE SE SIENTAN LO MEJOR QUE SE PUEDE SEG\u00daN NUESTRAS CONDICIONES.<\/p>\n<p>HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS:<\/p>\n<p>NUESTRA PALABRA ES COLECTIVA, POR ESO EST\u00c1N AQU\u00cd CONMIGO MIS COMPA\u00d1ERAS.<\/p>\n<p>A M\u00cd ME TOCA LEER, PERO ESTA PALABRA LA ACORDAMOS EN COLECTIVO CON TODAS LAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS QUE SON ORGANIZADORAS Y COORDINADORAS EN ESTE ENCUENTRO.<\/p>\n<p>PARA NOSOTRAS COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS ES UN ORGULLO MUY GRANDE ESTAR AQU\u00cd CON USTEDES Y LES DAMOS LAS GRACIAS PORQUE NOS DIERON UN ESPACIO PARA COMPARTIR CON USTEDES NUESTRAS PALABRAS DE LUCHA COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS QUE SOMOS.<\/p>\n<p>COMO HABLO EN NOMBRE DE MIS COMPA\u00d1ERAS, MI PALABRA VA A ESTAR REVUELTA PORQUE SOMOS DE DISTINTAS EDADES Y DE DISTINTAS LENGUAS, Y TENEMOS DISTINTAS HISTORIAS.<\/p>\n<p>PORQUE LO MISMO TRABAJ\u00c9 DE SIRVIENTA EN UNA CASA DE LA CIUDAD, ANTES DEL ALZAMIENTO, QUE CREC\u00cd EN LA RESISTENCIA Y REBELD\u00cdA ZAPATISTAS DE NUESTRAS ABUELAS, MAM\u00c1S Y HERMANAS MAYORES.<\/p>\n<p>LO MISMO MIR\u00c9 COMO EST\u00c1 LA SITUACI\u00d3N EN NUESTROS PUEBLOS DESDE ANTES DE LA LUCHA, UNA SITUACI\u00d3N MUY DIF\u00cdCIL DE EXPLICAR CON PALABRAS Y M\u00c1S DIF\u00cdCIL DE VIVIR, VIENDO C\u00d3MO MOR\u00cdAN DE ENFERMEDADES CURABLES NI\u00d1OS Y NI\u00d1AS, J\u00d3VENES, ADULTOS, ANCIANOS Y ANCIANAS.<\/p>\n<p>Y TODO POR FALTA DE ATENCI\u00d3N M\u00c9DICA, DE BUENA ALIMENTACI\u00d3N, DE EDUCACI\u00d3N.<\/p>\n<p>PERO TAMBI\u00c9N MOR\u00cdAMOS POR SER MUJERES Y MOR\u00cdAMOS M\u00c1S.<\/p>\n<p>NO HAB\u00cdA CL\u00cdNICAS Y DONDE S\u00cd HAB\u00cdA QUEDABA LEJOS. Y LOS DOCTORES DEL MAL GOBIERNO NO NOS ATIENDEN PORQUE NO SABEMOS HABLAR CASTILLA Y PORQUE NO TENEMOS DINERO.<\/p>\n<p>EN LA CASA DONDE TRABAJ\u00c9 DE SIRVIENTA NO TEN\u00cdA SALARIO, NO SAB\u00cdA HABLAR ESPA\u00d1OL Y NO POD\u00cdA ESTUDIAR M\u00c1S, APENAS APREND\u00cd UN POCO DE HABLAR.<\/p>\n<p>DESPU\u00c9S SUPE QUE HAY UNA ORGANIZACI\u00d3N QUE LUCHA Y EMPEC\u00c9 A PARTICIPAR COMO BASE DE APOYO Y SAL\u00cdA EN LAS NOCHES A ESTUDIAR Y REGRESAR YA AMANECIENDO PORQUE EN ESE TIEMPO NADIE LO SAB\u00cdA DE LA LUCHA QUE HAC\u00cdAMOS PORQUE ERA TODO CLANDESTINO.<\/p>\n<p>EN ESE TIEMPO PARTICIPABA EN TRABAJOS COLECTIVOS CON OTRAS MUJERES ZAPATISTAS COMO EN ARTESAN\u00cdA, FRIJOLAR, MILPA, GRANJA.<\/p>\n<p>Y TODO LO HAC\u00cdAMOS EN CLANDESTINO PORQUE SI TEN\u00cdAMOS REUNIONES O ESTUDIOS POL\u00cdTICOS, TEN\u00cdAMOS QUE DECIR DE OTRA MANERA PORQUE ALGUNOS NO SAB\u00cdAN NADA NI EN SUS PROPIAS FAMILIAS.<\/p>\n<p>PERO TAMBI\u00c9N NAC\u00cd Y CREC\u00cd DESPU\u00c9S DEL INICIO DE LA GUERRA.<\/p>\n<p>NACI Y CREC\u00cd CON LAS PATRULLAS MILITARES RONDANDO NUESTRAS COMUNIDADES Y CAMINOS, ESCUCHANDO A LOS SOLDADOS DECIRLES CHINGADERAS A LAS MUJERES NOM\u00c1S PORQUE ELLOS ERAN HOMBRES ARMADOS Y NOSOTRAS \u00c9RAMOS Y SOMOS MUJERES.<\/p>\n<p>PERO NO TUVIMOS MIEDO AS\u00cd EN COLECTIVO, SINO QUE DECIDIMOS LUCHAR Y APOYARNOS EN COLECTIVO COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS QUE SOMOS.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>AS\u00cd APRENDIMOS QUE PODEMOS DEFENDER Y QUE PODEMOS DIRIGIR.<\/p>\n<p>Y NO FUERON PALABRAS DE UN DISCURSO, SINO QUE EN VERDAD LO TOMAMOS LAS ARMAS Y PELEAMOS CONTRA EL ENEMIGO, Y EN VERDAD TOMAMOS EL MANDO Y DIRIGIMOS COMBATES CON MAYOR\u00cdA DE HOMBRES EN NUESTRAS TROPAS.<\/p>\n<p>Y S\u00cd NOS OBEDECIERON PORQUE NO IMPORTABA SI ERAS HOMBRE O MUJER SINO SI ESTABAS DISPUESTA LUCHAR SIN RENDIRTE, SIN VENDERTE Y SIN CLAUDICAR.<\/p>\n<p>Y AUNQUE NO TEN\u00cdAMOS ESTUDIOS, S\u00cd TEN\u00cdAMOS MUCHA RABIA, MUCHO CORAJE DE TODAS LAS CHINGADERAS QUE NOS HACEN.<\/p>\n<p>PORQUE VIV\u00cd EL DESPRECIO, LA HUMILLACI\u00d3N, LAS BURLAS, LAS VIOLENCIAS, LOS GOLPES, LAS MUERTES POR SER MUJER, POR SER IND\u00cdGENA, POR SER POBRE Y AHORA POR SER ZAPATISTA.<\/p>\n<p>Y S\u00c9PANLO BIEN QUE NO SIEMPRE ERA HOMBRE QUIEN ME EXPLOTABA, ME ROBABA, ME HUMILLABA, ME GOLPEABA, ME DESPRECIABA, ME MATABA.<\/p>\n<p>TAMBI\u00c9N MUCHAS VECES ERA MUJER QUIEN AS\u00cd ME HAC\u00cdA. Y TODAV\u00cdA AS\u00cd HACEN.<\/p>\n<p>Y TAMBI\u00c9N CREC\u00cd EN LA RESISTENCIA Y VI C\u00d3MO MIS COMPA\u00d1ERAS LEVANTARON ESCUELAS, CL\u00cdNICAS, TRABAJOS COLECTIVOS, Y GOBIERNOS AUT\u00d3NOMOS.<\/p>\n<p>Y V\u00cd FIESTAS P\u00daBLICAS, DONDE TODAS SAB\u00cdAMOS QUE \u00c9RAMOS ZAPATISTAS Y SAB\u00cdAMOS QUE EST\u00c1BAMOS JUNTAS.<\/p>\n<p>Y V\u00cd QUE LA REBELD\u00cdA, QUE LA RESISTENCIA, QUE LA LUCHA, ES TAMBI\u00c9N UNA FIESTA, AUNQUE A VECES NO HAY M\u00daSICA NI BAILE Y S\u00d3LO HAY LA CHINGA DE LOS TRABAJOS, DE LA PREPARACI\u00d3N, DE LA RESISTENCIA.<\/p>\n<p>Y MIR\u00c9 QUE DONDE ANTES S\u00d3LO POD\u00cdA MORIR POR SER IND\u00cdGENA, POR SER POBRE, POR SER MUJER, CONSTRU\u00cdAMOS EN COLECTIVO OTRO CAMINO DE VIDA: LA LIBERTAD, NUESTRA LIBERTAD.<\/p>\n<p>Y MIR\u00c9 QUE DONDE ANTES S\u00d3LO TEN\u00cdAMOS LA CASA Y EL CAMPO, AHORA TENEMOS ESCUELAS, CL\u00cdNICAS, TRABAJOS COLECTIVOS DONDE COMO MUJERES MANEJAMOS APARATOS Y DIRIGIMOS LA LUCHA, AUNQUE CON ERRORES PERO AH\u00cd VAMOS AVANZANDO, SIN QUE NADIE NOS DIGA C\u00d3MO DEBEMOS HACER SINO NOSOTRAS MISMAS.<\/p>\n<p>Y MIRO AHORA QUE S\u00cd HEMOS AVANZADO, AUNQUE SEA UN POCO PERO SIEMPRE S\u00cd ALGO.<\/p>\n<p>Y NO CREAN QUE FUE F\u00c1CIL. COST\u00d3 MUCHO Y SIGUE COSTANDO MUCHO.<\/p>\n<p>Y NO S\u00d3LO POR EL PINCHE SISTEMA CAPITALISTA QUE NOS QUIERE DESTRUIR, TAMBI\u00c9N PORQUE TENEMOS QUE LUCHAR CONTRA EL SISTEMA QUE LES HACE CREER Y PENSAR A LOS HOMBRES QUE LAS MUJERES SOMOS MENOS Y NO SERVIMOS.<\/p>\n<p>Y A VECES TAMBI\u00c9N, HAY QUE DECIRLO, MISMO ENTRE MUJERES NOS CHINGAMOS Y NOS MAL HABLAMOS, O SEA QUE NO NOS RESPETAMOS.<\/p>\n<p>PORQUE NO S\u00d3LO LOS HOMBRES, TAMBI\u00c9N HAY MUJERES DE LAS CIUDADES QUE NOS DESPRECIAN QUE PORQUE NO SABEMOS DE LA LUCHA DE MUJERES, PORQUE NO HEMOS LE\u00cdDO LIBROS DONDE LAS FEMINISTAS EXPLICAN C\u00d3MO DEBE SER Y TANTAS COSAS QUE DICEN Y CRITICAN SIN SABER C\u00d3MO ES NUESTRA LUCHA.<\/p>\n<p>PORQUE UNA COSA ES SER MUJER, OTRA ES SER POBRE Y UNA MUY OTRA ES SER IND\u00cdGENA. Y LAS MUJERES IND\u00cdGENAS QUE ME ESCUCHAN LO SABEN BIEN. Y OTRO COSA MUY OTRA Y M\u00c1S DIF\u00cdCIL ES SER MUJER IND\u00cdGENA ZAPATISTA.<\/p>\n<p>Y CLARO LO SABEMOS QUE NOS FALTA MUCHO TODAV\u00cdA, PERO COMO SOMOS MUJERES ZAPATISTAS, PUES NO NOS RENDIMOS, NO NOS VENDEMOS Y NO CAMBIAMOS NUESTRO CAMINO DE LUCHA, O SEA QUE NO CLAUDICAMOS.<\/p>\n<p>Y QU\u00c9 TANTO ES QUE PODEMOS HACER, PUES AQU\u00cd LO VEN EN ESTE ENCUENTRO, PORQUE LO ORGANIZAMOS ENTRE MUJERES ZAPATISTAS.<\/p>\n<p>PORQUE NO ES QUE FUE UNA IDEA AS\u00cd COMO AS\u00cd.<\/p>\n<p>DESDE HACE VARIOS MESES, CUANDO EL CONGRESO NACIONAL IND\u00cdGENA Y EL CONCEJO IND\u00cdGENA DE GOBIERNO DIJERON QUE COMO MUJERES VAMOS A DECIR QUE NO TENEMOS MIEDO O QUE S\u00cd TENEMOS PERO LO CONTROLAMOS, NOSOTRAS EMPEZAMOS A PENSAR EN COLECTIVO QUE TAMBI\u00c9N TENEMOS QU\u00c9 HACER ALGO.<\/p>\n<p>AS\u00cd QUE EN TODAS LAS ZONAS, EN LOS COLECTIVOS DE MUJERES GRANDES Y PEQUE\u00d1OS SE EMPEZ\u00d3 DISCUTIR QU\u00c9 HACEMOS COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS QUE SOMOS.<\/p>\n<p>Y EN EL COMPARTE DEL A\u00d1O PASADO SALI\u00d3 LA IDEA QUE S\u00d3LO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS VAMOS A HABLAR Y A HONRAR AL CONCEJO IND\u00cdGENA DE GOBIERNO. Y AS\u00cd HICIMOS, PORQUE S\u00d3LO MUJERES RECIBIMOS A NUESTRAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS DEL CONCEJO IND\u00cdGENA DE GOBIERNO Y LA VOCERA MARICHUY QUE AQU\u00cd EST\u00c1 PRESENTE.<\/p>\n<p>PERO NO S\u00d3LO, TAMBI\u00c9N EN LOS COLECTIVOS PENSAMOS Y DISCUTIMOS QUE TENEMOS QU\u00c9 HACER M\u00c1S PORQUE VEMOS ALGO QUE EST\u00c1 PASANDO.<\/p>\n<p>Y LO QUE VEMOS, HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS, ES QUE NOS EST\u00c1N MATANDO.<\/p>\n<p>Y QUE NOS MATAN PORQUE SOMOS MUJERES.<\/p>\n<p>COMO QUE ES NUESTRO DELITO Y NOS PONEN LA SENTENCIA DE MUERTE.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES PENSAMOS DE HACER ESTE ENCUENTRO Y DE INVITAR A TODAS LAS MUJERES QUE LUCHAN.<\/p>\n<p>Y LES VOY A DECIR POR QU\u00c9 PENSAMOS ESTO:<\/p>\n<p>AQU\u00cd EST\u00c1N PRESENTES MUJERES DE MUCHAS PARTES DEL MUNDO.<\/p>\n<p>HAY MUJERES QUE TIENEN GRANDES ESTUDIOS, QUE SON DOCTORAS, LICENCIADAS, INGENIERAS, CIENT\u00cdFICAS, MAESTRAS, ESTUDIANTES, ARTISTAS, DIRIGENTAS.<\/p>\n<p>BUENO, NOSOTRAS NO TENEMOS MUCHOS ESTUDIOS, ALGUNAS APENAS HABLAMOS ALGO DE ESPA\u00d1OL.<\/p>\n<p>VIVIMOS EN ESTAS MONTA\u00d1AS, LAS MONTA\u00d1AS DEL SURESTE MEXICANO.<\/p>\n<p>AQU\u00cd NACIMOS, AQU\u00cd CRECEMOS. AQU\u00cd LUCHAMOS. AQU\u00cd MORIMOS.<\/p>\n<p>Y VEMOS POR EJEMPLO ESOS \u00c1RBOLES QUE EST\u00c1N ALL\u00c1 Y QUE USTEDES DICEN QUE ES \u201cBOSQUE\u201d Y NOSOTRAS LE DECIMOS \u201cMONTE\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>BUENO, PERO LO SABEMOS QUE EN ESE BOSQUE, EN ESE MONTE, HAY MUCHOS \u00c1RBOLES QUE SON DIFERENTES.<\/p>\n<p>Y LO SABEMOS QUE HAY. POR EJEMPLO, OCOTE O PINO, HAY CAOBA, HAY CEDRO, HAY BAYALT\u00c9, Y HAY MUCHOS TIPOS DE \u00c1RBOLES.<\/p>\n<p>PERO TAMBI\u00c9N LO SABEMOS QUE CADA PINO O CADA OCOTE NO ES IGUAL, SINO QUE CADA UNO ES DIFERENTE.<\/p>\n<p>LO SABEMOS, S\u00cd, PERO CUANDO VEMOS AS\u00cd DECIMOS QUE ES UN BOSQUE, O QUE ES UN MONTE.<\/p>\n<p>BUENO, AQU\u00cd ESTAMOS COMO UN BOSQUE O COMO UN MONTE.<\/p>\n<p>TODAS SOMOS MUJERES.<\/p>\n<p>PERO LO SABEMOS QUE HAY DE DIFERENTES COLORES, TAMA\u00d1OS, LENGUAS, CULTURAS, PROFESIONES, PENSAMIENTOS Y FORMAS DE LUCHA.<\/p>\n<p>PERO DECIMOS QUE SOMOS MUJERES Y ADEM\u00c1S QUE SOMOS MUJERES QUE LUCHAN.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES SOMOS DIFERENTES PERO SOMOS IGUALES.<\/p>\n<p>Y AUNQUE HAY MUJERES QUE LUCHAN Y NO EST\u00c1N AQU\u00cd, PERO TAMBI\u00c9N LAS PENSAMOS AUNQUE NO LAS VEAMOS.<\/p>\n<p>Y TAMBI\u00c9N LO SABEMOS QUE HAY MUJERES QUE NO LUCHAN, QUE SE CONFORMAN, O SEA QUE SE DESMAYAN.<\/p>\n<p>Y ENTONCES EN TODO EL MUNDO PODEMOS DECIR QUE HAY MUJERES, UN BOSQUE DE MUJERES, QUE LO QUE LAS HACE IGUALES ES QUE SON MUJERES.<\/p>\n<p>PERO ENTONCES NOSOTRAS, COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS, VEMOS ALGO M\u00c1S QUE EST\u00c1 PASANDO.<\/p>\n<p>Y ES QUE TAMBI\u00c9N NOS HACE IGUALES LA VIOLENCIA Y LA MUERTE QUE NOS HACEN.<\/p>\n<p>AS\u00cd VEMOS DE LO MODERNO DE ESTE PINCHE SISTEMA CAPITALISTA. LO VEMOS QUE HIZO BOSQUE A LAS MUJERES DE TODO EL MUNDO CON SU VIOLENCIA Y SU MUERTE QUE TIENEN LA CARA, EL CUERPO Y LA CABEZA PENDEJA DEL PATRIARCADO.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES LES DECIMOS QUE LAS INVITAMOS PARA HABLARNOS, PARA ESCUCHARNOS, PARA MIRARNOS, PARA FESTEJARNOS.<\/p>\n<p>PENSAMOS QUE S\u00d3LO MUJERES PARA QUE PODEMOS HABLAR, ESCUCHAR, MIRAR, FIESTAR SIN LA MIRADA DE LOS HOMBRES, NO IMPORTA SI SON BUENOS HOMBRES O MALOS HOMBRES.<\/p>\n<p>LO QUE IMPORTA ES QUE SOMOS MUJERES Y QUE SOMOS MUJERES QUE LUCHAMOS, O SEA QUE NO NOS QUEDAMOS CONFORMES CON LO QUE PASA Y CADA QUIEN, SEG\u00daN ES SU MODO, SU TIEMPO, SU LUGAR, AH\u00cd LUCHA O SEA QUE SE REBELA. SE ENCABRONA PUES Y HACE ALGO.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES LES DECIMOS, HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS, QUE PODEMOS ESCOGER QU\u00c9 VAMOS A HACER EN ESTE ENCUENTRO.<\/p>\n<p>O SEA QUE PODEMOS ELEGIR.<\/p>\n<p>PODEMOS ESCOGER DE COMPETIR A VER QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S CHINGONA, QUI\u00c9N TIENE LA MEJOR PALABRA, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S REVOLUCIONARIA, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S PENSADORA, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S RADICAL, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S BIEN PORTADA, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S LIBERADA, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S BONITA, QUI\u00c9N EST\u00c1 M\u00c1S BUENA, QUI\u00c9N BAILA M\u00c1S MEJOR, QUI\u00c9N PINTA M\u00c1S BONITO, QUI\u00c9N CANTA BIEN, QUI\u00c9N ES M\u00c1S MUJER, QUIEN GANA EL DEPORTE, QUI\u00c9N LUCHA M\u00c1S.<\/p>\n<p>COMO QUIERA NO VA A HABER HOMBRES QUE DIGAN QUI\u00c9N GANA Y QUI\u00c9N PIERDE. S\u00d3LO NOSOTRAS.<\/p>\n<p>O PODEMOS ESCUCHAR Y HABLAR CON RESPETO COMO MUJERES DE LUCHA QUE SOMOS, PODEMOS REGALARNOS BAILE, M\u00daSICA, CINE, VIDEO, PINTURA, POES\u00cdA, TEATRO, ESCULTURA, DIVERSI\u00d3N, CONOCIMIENTO Y AS\u00cd ALIMENTAR NUESTRAS LUCHAS QUE CADA QUIEN TENEMOS DONDE ESTAMOS.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES PODEMOS ESCOGER, HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS.<\/p>\n<p>O COMPETIMOS ENTRE NOSOTRAS Y AL FINAL DEL ENCUENTRO, CUANDO VOLVAMOS A NUESTROS MUNDOS, VAMOS A DARNOS CUENTA DE QUE NADIE GAN\u00d3.<\/p>\n<p>O ACORDAMOS LUCHAR JUNTAS, COMO DIFERENTES QUE SOMOS, EN CONTRA DEL SISTEMA CAPITALISTA PATRIARCAL QUE ES QUIEN NOS EST\u00c1 VIOLENTANDO Y ASESINANDO.<\/p>\n<p>AQU\u00cd NO IMPORTA LA EDAD, SI SON CASADAS, SOLTERAS, VIUDAS O DIVORCIADAS, SI SON DE LA CIUDAD O DEL CAMPO, SI SON PARTIDISTAS, SI SON LESBIANAS O ASEXUAL O TRANSGENERO O COMO SE DIGA CADA QUIEN, SI TIENEN ESTUDIOS O NO, SI SON FEMINISTAS O NO.<\/p>\n<p>TODAS SON BIENVENIDAS Y, COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS, LAS VAMOS A ESCUCHAR, LAS VAMOS A MIRAR Y LES VAMOS A HABLAR CON RESPETO.<\/p>\n<p>NOS HEMOS ORGANIZADO PARA QUE EN TODAS LAS ACTIVIDADES, EN TODAS, HAYA ALGUNAS DE NOSOTRAS QUE LLEVE SU MENSAJE A NUESTRAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS EN LOS PUEBLOS Y COMUNIDADES.<\/p>\n<p>VAMOS A PONER UNA MESA ESPECIAL PARA RECIBIR SUS CR\u00cdTICAS, AH\u00cd PUEDEN ENTREGAR O DECIR LO QUE VEN QUE HICIMOS O HACEMOS MAL.<\/p>\n<p>AH\u00cd LO VAMOS A VER Y ANALIZAR Y, SI ES CIERTO LO QUE DICEN, LO VAMOS A VER C\u00d3MO HACEMOS PARA MEJORAR.<\/p>\n<p>Y SI NO ES CIERTO, PUES COMO QUIERA LO VAMOS A PENSAR POR QU\u00c9 NOS DICEN ESO.<\/p>\n<p>LO QUE NO VAMOS A HACER ES ECHARLE LA CULPA A LOS HOMBRES O AL SISTEMA DE LOS ERRORES QUE SON NUESTROS.<\/p>\n<p>PORQUE LA LUCHA POR NUESTRA LIBERTAD COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS QUE SOMOS ES NUESTRA.<\/p>\n<p>NO ES TRABAJO DE LOS HOMBRES NI DEL SISTEMA DARNOS NUESTRA LIBERTAD.<\/p>\n<p>AL CONTRARIO, COMO QUE SU TRABAJO DEL SISTEMA CAPITALISTA PATRIARCAL ES MANTENERNOS SOMETIDAS.<\/p>\n<p>SI QUEREMOS SER LIBRES TENEMOS QUE CONQUISTAR LA LIBERTAD NOSOTRAS MISMAS COMO MUJERES QUE SOMOS.<\/p>\n<p>LAS VAMOS A MIRAR Y A ESCUCHR CON RESPETO, COMPA\u00d1ERAS Y HERMANAS.<\/p>\n<p>DE LO QUE MIREMOS Y ESCUCHEMOS, SABREMOS TOMAR LO QUE NOS AYUDE EN NUESTRA LUCHA COMO MUJERES ZAPATISTAS QUE SOMOS, Y LO QUE NO, PUES NO.<\/p>\n<p>PERO NOSOTRAS NO JUZGAREMOS A NADIE.<\/p>\n<p>NO DIREMOS QUE ESTO EST\u00c1 BIEN O EST\u00c1 MAL.<\/p>\n<p>NO LAS INVITAMOS PARA JUZGARLAS.<\/p>\n<p>NI TAMPOCO LAS INVITAMOS PARA COMPETIR.<\/p>\n<p>LAS INVITAMOS PARA ENCONTRARNOS COMO DIFERENTES Y COMO IGUALES.<\/p>\n<p>AQU\u00cd HABEMOS COMPA\u00d1ERAS ZAPATISTAS DE DIFERENTES LENGUAS ORIGINARIAS. YA VAN A ESCUCHAR LAS PALABRAS COLECTIVAS DE LAS MUJERES DE CADA ZONA.<\/p>\n<p>NO ESTAMOS TODAS.<\/p>\n<p>SOMOS MUCHAS M\u00c1S Y ES MUCHA M\u00c1S LA RABIA Y EL CORAJE QUE TENEMOS.<\/p>\n<p>PERO NO NADA M\u00c1S POR NOSOTRAS ES NUESTRA RABIA, O SEA NUESTRA LUCHA, SINO QUE POR TODAS LAS MUJERES QUE SON VIOLENTADAS, ASESINADAS, VIOLADAS, GOLPEADAS, INSULTADAS, DESPRECIADAS, BURLADAS, DESAPARECIDAS, PRESAS.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES TE DECIMOS, HERMANA Y COMPA\u00d1ERA, QUE NO LES PEDIMOS QUE VENGAN A LUCHAR POR NOSOTRAS, AS\u00cd COMO TAMPOCO VAMOS A IR A LUCHAR POR USTEDES.<\/p>\n<p>CADA QUIEN CONOCE SU RUMBO, SU MODO Y SU TIEMPO.<\/p>\n<p>LO \u00daNICO QUE S\u00cd LES PEDIMOS ES QUE SIGAN LUCHANDO, QUE NO SE RINDAN, QUE NO SE VENDAN, QUE NO RENUNCIEN A SER MUJERES QUE LUCHAN.<\/p>\n<p>Y YA PARA TERMINAR LES PEDIMOS ALGO ESPECIAL EN ESTOS D\u00cdAS QUE VAN A ESTAR CON NOSOTRAS.<\/p>\n<p>VIENEN DE VARIAS PARTES DE M\u00c9XICO Y DEL MUNDO, HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS YA DE EDAD, \u201cDE JUICIO\u201d LES DECIMOS NOSOTRAS.<\/p>\n<p>SON MUJERES QUE YA TIENEN A\u00d1OS Y QUE LUCHAN.<\/p>\n<p>ENTONCES LES PEDIMOS QUE LES TENGAN RESPETO Y CONSIDERACI\u00d3N ESPECIAL, PORQUE NOSOTRAS QUEREMOS LLEGAR A SER COMO ELLAS, LLEGAR A TENER EDAD Y SABER QUE SEGUIMOS LUCHANDO.<\/p>\n<p>QUEREMOS LLEGAR A SER MAYORES DE EDAD Y PODER DECIR QUE TENEMOS MUCHOS A\u00d1OS Y QUE CADA A\u00d1O QUIERE DECIR UN A\u00d1O DE LUCHA.<\/p>\n<p>PERO PARA ESO TENEMOS QUE ESTAR VIVAS.<\/p>\n<p>POR ESO ESTE ENCUENTRO ES POR LA VIDA.<\/p>\n<p>Y NADIE NOS VA A REGALAR ESO, HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS.<\/p>\n<p>NI EL DIOS, NI EL HOMBRE, NI EL PARTIDO POL\u00cdTICO, NI UN SALVADOR, NI UN L\u00cdDER, NI UNA L\u00cdDER, NI UNA JEFA.<\/p>\n<p>TENEMOS QUE LUCHAR POR LA VIDA.<\/p>\n<p>NI MODOS, AS\u00cd NOS TOC\u00d3 A NOSOTRAS, Y A USTEDES HERMANAS Y COMPA\u00d1ERAS, Y A TODAS LAS MUJERES QUE LUCHAN.<\/p>\n<p>TAL VEZ, CUANDO YA ACABE EL ENCUENTRO, CUANDO REGRESEN A SUS MUNDOS, A SUS TIEMPOS, A SUS MODOS, ALGUIEN LES PREGUNTE SI SACARON ALG\u00daN ACUERDO. PORQUE ERAN MUCHOS PENSAMIENTOS DIFERENTES LOS QUE LLEGARON EN ESTAS TIERRAS ZAPATISTAS.<\/p>\n<p>TAL VEZ ENTONCES USTEDES RESPONDEN QUE NO.<\/p>\n<p>O TAL VEZ RESPONDEN QUE S\u00cd, QUE S\u00cd HICIMOS UN ACUERDO.<\/p>\n<p>Y TAL VEZ, CUANDO LES PREGUNTEN CU\u00c1L FUE EL ACUERDO, USTEDES DIGAN \u201cACORDAMOS VIVIR, Y COMO PARA NOSOTRAS VIVIR ES LUCHAR, PUES ACORDAMOS LUCHAR CADA QUIEN SEG\u00daN SU MODO, SU LUGAR Y SU TIEMPO\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Y TAL VEZ TAMBI\u00c9N RESPONDAN \u201cY AL FINAL DEL ENCUENTRO ACORDAMOS VOLVER A ENCONTRARNOS EL A\u00d1O QUE VIENE EN TIERRAS DE LAS ZAPATISTAS PORQUE ELLAS NOS INVITARON OTRA VUELTA\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>ES TODA NUESTRA PALABRA, GRACIAS POR ESCUCHARNOS.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a1QUE VIVAN TODAS LAS MUJERES DEL MUNDO!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a1QUE MUERA EL SISTEMA PATRIARCAL!<\/p>\n<p>Desde las monta\u00f1as del Sureste Mexicano.<\/p>\n<p>Las mujeres zapatistas.<\/p>\n<p>Marzo 8 del 2018, Chiapas, M\u00e9xico, el Mundo.[:en]Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx\/2018\/03\/26\/zapatista-womens-opening-address-at-the-first-international-gathering-of-politics-art-sport-and-culture-for-women-in-struggle\/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EnlaceZapatista+%28Enlace+Zapatista%29\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enlace Zapatista<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Zapatista Women\u2019s Opening Address at the First International Gathering of Politics, Art, Sport, and Culture for Women in Struggle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Listen here (in Spanish): [podcast]https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Inauguracion_editada.mp3[\/podcast]<\/p>\n<p>March 8, 2018. Caracol in the Tzots Choj zone.<\/p>\n<p>Good morning, sisters of Mexico and the world:<\/p>\n<p>Good morning, compa\u00f1eras from the national and international Sixth:<\/p>\n<p>Good morning, compa\u00f1eras from the National Indigenous Congress:<\/p>\n<p>Good morning, compa\u00f1eras who are comandantas, bases of support, autonomous authorities, project coordinators, milicianas, and insurgentas:<\/p>\n<p>First, we want to send a big hug to the family of the compa\u00f1era Elo\u00edsa Vega Castro, from the Indigenous Governing Council support network in Baja California Sur, who died while accompanying the CIG delegation this past February 14.<\/p>\n<p>We waited until today to honor the memory of Eloisa so that our embrace could be even bigger and reach even farther, all the way to the other end of Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>This hug and this greeting are huge because they\u2019re from all the Zapatista women and all the Zapatista men on this day, March 8, for that woman who struggled and whom we miss today: Eloisa Vega Castro. May our condolences reach her family.<\/p>\n<p>Sisters and compa\u00f1eras who are visiting us:<\/p>\n<p>Thank you to all of you who are here at this First International Gathering of Women in Struggle.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for making the effort to come from your many worlds to this little corner of the world where we are.<\/p>\n<p>We know well that it was not easy for you to get here and that perhaps many women who struggle were not able to come to this gathering.<\/p>\n<p>My name is Insurgenta Erika\u2014that\u2019s how we refer to ourselves when we\u2019re speaking about the collective rather than the individual. I am an insurgenta captain of infantry, accompanied here by other insurgentas and milicianas of various ranks.<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->Our work will be to watch over this space to make sure only women are here and to not allow any men to come in. Because we know how sneaky they are.<\/p>\n<p>So you\u2019ll see us walking around in order to keep watch and make sure no men come in, and if one does then we\u2019ll grab him and kick him out. Because it was stated clearly that men are not invited; they have to stay outside and find out later what happened here.<\/p>\n<p>You can walk wherever you\u2019d like. You can leave or enter whenever you like, all you need is your nametag. But men can\u2019t enter until our gathering is over.<\/p>\n<p>There are also compa\u00f1eras who are health promoters and some who are doctors here. So if anyone gets sick or feels ill, just tell any of us and we\u2019ll quickly let the promotoras know so that they can attend to you, and then the doctor can see you if necessary. We also have an ambulance ready to take you to a hospital if necessary.<\/p>\n<p>There are also compa\u00f1eras coordinating various areas, including sound technicians, those in charge of the electricity if it goes out, and those in charge of keeping things clean like the trash and the bathrooms. So that those compa\u00f1eras can also participate in the gathering, we ask all of you to be mindful of the trash, hygiene, and bathrooms.<\/p>\n<p>There are many of us here today, but together it\u2019s as if we are one, welcoming and hosting you the best we can given our conditions here.<\/p>\n<p>Sisters and compa\u00f1eras:<\/p>\n<p>Our word is collective, that\u2019s why my compa\u00f1eras are here with me on stage.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m responsible for reading this text, but we agreed upon it collectively among all of the compa\u00f1eras who are organizers and coordinators of this gathering.<\/p>\n<p>As Zapatista women, we are very proud to be here with you and we thank you all for giving us a space in which to share with you our words of struggle as Zapatista women.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on behalf of my compa\u00f1eras, my word will be mixed up because we are of different ages and different languages and have distinct histories.<\/p>\n<p>Because just as I worked as a servant in a house in the city before the uprising, I also grew up in the Zapatista rebellion of our grandmothers, mothers, and older sisters.<\/p>\n<p>I saw what it was like in our communities before the struggle, a situation difficult to explain in words and even more difficult to live through, seeing how boys and girls, youth, adults, and elders died from curable diseases.<\/p>\n<p>And all because of lack of medical attention, good nutrition, and education.<\/p>\n<p>But we also died, and more of us, because we were women.<\/p>\n<p>There were no clinics, and when there were, they were very far away. The bad government\u2019s doctors didn\u2019t take care of us because we didn\u2019t speak Spanish and because we didn\u2019t have any money.<\/p>\n<p>In the house where I worked as a servant, I didn\u2019t have a salary. I didn\u2019t know how to speak Spanish and I couldn\u2019t study, I only learned how to speak a little.<\/p>\n<p>Later I learned that there was an organization in struggle and I began to participate as a base of support. I would go out at night to go study and come back as the sun was coming up, because back then nobody knew about our struggle; it was all clandestine.<\/p>\n<p>During that time, I participated in collective work with other Zapatista women in areas such as traditional crafts, the production of beans and corn, and raising animals.<\/p>\n<p>And we did everything clandestinely\u2014if we had meetings or political education classes, we had to say we were off to go do something else because some people didn\u2019t know anything about it, sometimes not even within our own families.<\/p>\n<p>But I also was born and grew up after the beginning of the war.<\/p>\n<p>I was born and grew up with the military patrols surrounding our communities and roads, listening to the soldiers say fucked up things to the women just because they were armed men and we were, and are, women.<\/p>\n<p>But as a collective, we weren\u2019t afraid; rather, we decided to struggle and support one another collectively as Zapatista women.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s how we learned that we can defend and we can lead.<\/p>\n<p>And we weren\u2019t just making speeches about all this; we were actually taking up arms and fighting against the enemy. We actually commanded troops and lead battles with mostly men under our command.<\/p>\n<p>And they obeyed us, because what mattered wasn\u2019t whether you were a man or a woman but the fact that you were willing to fight without giving up, selling out or giving in.<\/p>\n<p>And even though we hadn\u2019t studied, we were full of rage and anger over all the fucked up things they had done to us.<\/p>\n<p>Because I experienced the disdain, the humiliation, the mockery, the violence, the beatings, the deaths for being a woman, for being indigenous, for being poor, and now for being a Zapatista.<\/p>\n<p>And you should know that it wasn\u2019t always men who exploited me, robbed me, humiliated me, beat me, scorned me, and murdered me.<\/p>\n<p>Often it was women. And it still is.<\/p>\n<p>And I also grew up in the resistance and saw how my compa\u00f1eras built schools, clinics, collective work projects, and autonomous governments.<\/p>\n<p>I saw public celebrations, where we all knew that we were Zapatistas and we knew that we were together.<\/p>\n<p>I saw that rebellion, resistance and struggle are also a celebration, even though sometimes there\u2019s no music or dancing, just the sweat and blood of the work, the preparation, and the resistance.<\/p>\n<p>I saw that where before being indigenous, being poor, and being a woman only meant death, now we were collectively building another path for life: freedom, our freedom.<\/p>\n<p>I saw that whereas before we women only had our houses and fields, now we have schools, clinics, and collective work projects where we women operate equipment and guide the struggle. We make mistakes of course, but we\u2019re moving forward, with no one telling us what to do but ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>And now I see that we have indeed advanced\u2014even if only a little bit, we always manage to advance somehow.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t think it was easy. It was very hard, and it continues to be very hard.<\/p>\n<p>Not just because the fucking capitalist system wants to destroy us: it\u2019s also because we have to fight against the system that makes men believe that we women are less than, and good for nothing.<\/p>\n<p>And sometimes, it must be said, even as women we screw each other over and speak badly of each other, that is, we don\u2019t respect each other.<\/p>\n<p>Because it\u2019s not just men: there are also women from the cities who look down on us because they say we don\u2019t know about women\u2019s struggle, because we haven\u2019t read books where the feminists explain how it should be. They give a lot of commentary and critique without knowing what our struggle is like.<\/p>\n<p>Because it\u2019s one thing to be a woman, another to be poor, and another thing altogether to be indigenous. The indigenous women listening know this very well. And it is yet another and more difficult thing to be a Zapatista indigenous woman.<\/p>\n<p>Of course we know there\u2019s still much to do, but since we are Zapatista women, we don\u2019t give up, we don\u2019t sell out, and we don\u2019t veer off our path of struggle\u2014that is, we don\u2019t give in.<\/p>\n<p>You can see what we\u2019re capable of, because we organized this gathering among Zapatista women.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t just some idea that somebody had one day.<\/p>\n<p>When the National Indigenous Congress and the Indigenous Governing Council said many months ago that as women we\u2019re going to say that we\u2019re not afraid, or that we are but we control our fear, we women began to think collectively that we too have to do something.<\/p>\n<p>So in all the zones, among the large and small women\u2019s collectives, we began to discuss what to do as Zapatista women.<\/p>\n<p>At CompArte last year the idea was put forth that only we Zapatista women would present and honor the Indigenous Governing Council. And that\u2019s what we did, because it was only women who received our compa\u00f1eras from the Indigenous Governing Council and the spokeswoman Marichuy, who\u2019s here today.<\/p>\n<p>But that wasn\u2019t all. In our collectives, we also considered and discussed the fact that we have to do more, because we see that something is happening.<\/p>\n<p>What we see, sisters and compa\u00f1eras, is that they\u2019re killing us.<\/p>\n<p>And that they\u2019re killing us because we\u2019re women.<\/p>\n<p>As if that\u2019s our crime and they\u2019re giving us the death penalty.<\/p>\n<p>So we came up with the idea of having this gathering and inviting all women in struggle.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m going to tell you why we thought to do this:<\/p>\n<p>There are women present here from many parts of the world.<\/p>\n<p>There are women who have studied a lot and have degrees, who are doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, teachers, students, artists, leaders.<\/p>\n<p>We ourselves haven\u2019t studied much; some of us barely speak a little Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>We live in these mountains, the mountains of the Mexican southeast.<\/p>\n<p>We are born here, we grow up here, we struggle here, we die here.<\/p>\n<p>Wee for example those trees over there, which you call \u201cforest\u201d and we call \u201cbrush.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Well, we know that in that forest, in that brush, there are many trees that are different.<\/p>\n<p>And we know that, for example, there is pine, mahogany, cedar, and bayalt\u00e9 there are many kinds of trees.<\/p>\n<p>But we also know that each pine or each ocote is not the same. Each one is different.<\/p>\n<p>We know this, yes, but when we see it we say that it\u2019s a forest or brush.<\/p>\n<p>Well, here we are like a forest or brush.<\/p>\n<p>We are all women.<\/p>\n<p>But we know that we are of different colors, sizes, languages, cultures, professions, schools of thought and forms of struggle.<\/p>\n<p>But we say that we are women and what\u2019s more, we are women in struggle.<\/p>\n<p>So we are different but we are the same.<\/p>\n<p>There are many women in struggle who are not here, but we are thinking of them even if we can\u2019t see them.<\/p>\n<p>We also know that there are women who are not in struggle, who resign themselves, who falter and lose heart.<\/p>\n<p>So we can say that there are women all over the world, a forest of women, and what makes them the same is that they\u2019re women.<\/p>\n<p>But we Zapatista women see that something else is going on.<\/p>\n<p>What also makes us the same is the violence and the death carried out against us.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s how we see the modern condition of this fucking capitalist system. We see that it made a forest of all the women of the world with its violence and death which have the face, body and idiot brain of the patriarchy.<\/p>\n<p>So we say to you that we invited you so we can speak to one another, listen to one another, see one another, and celebrate together.<\/p>\n<p>We thought it should only be women so that we can speak, listen, see, and celebrate without the gaze of men, whether they\u2019re good men or bad men.<\/p>\n<p>What matters is that we\u2019re women and that we\u2019re women in struggle, that is, that we don\u2019t resign ourselves to what\u2019s happening and that each of us\u2014according to her way, her time, and her location\u2014struggles. She rebels. She gets pissed and does something about it.<\/p>\n<p>So we say to you, sisters and compa\u00f1eras, that we can choose what we\u2019re going to do in this gathering.<\/p>\n<p>That is, we can decide.<\/p>\n<p>We can choose to compete to see who\u2019s more badass, who\u2019s the best speaker, who\u2019s more revolutionary, who\u2019s the best thinker, who\u2019s more radical, who\u2019s the best behaved, who\u2019s the most liberated, who\u2019s the prettiest, who\u2019s the hottest, who dances better, who paints better, who sings best, who\u2019s more of a woman, who wins at sports, who struggles the most.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever it is, there won\u2019t be any men saying who wins and who loses. Only us women.<\/p>\n<p>Or we can listen and speak with respect as women in struggle; we can give each other the gift of dance, music, film, video, painting, poetry, theater, sculpture, fun, and knowledge, and by doing so nourish the struggles that each of us has wherever we are.<\/p>\n<p>So we can choose, sisters and compa\u00f1eras.<\/p>\n<p>Either we compete among ourselves and at the end of the gathering, when we return to our worlds, we\u2019ll realize that nobody won.<\/p>\n<p>Or we can agree to struggle together, as different as we are, against the patriarchal capitalist system that is assaulting and murdering us.<\/p>\n<p>Here your age doesn\u2019t matter; it doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re married, single, widowed or divorced, if you\u2019re from the city or the countryside, if you\u2019re affiliated with a political party, if you\u2019re lesbian or asexual or transgender or however you may call yourself, if you\u2019re educated or not, if you\u2019re feminist or not.<\/p>\n<p>All are welcome and as Zapatista women, we\u2019re going to listen to you, we\u2019re going to see you and we\u2019re going to speak to you with respect.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve organized ourselves so that in all the activities\u2014all of them\u2014there are some of us there who can carry your message to our compa\u00f1eras in our villages and communities.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to set up a special table to receive your criticisms. You can turn them in there or tell us what you see that we did or are doing badly.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll look at them and analyze them and, if what you say is true, we\u2019re going to figure out how to do it better.<\/p>\n<p>And if it\u2019s not true, well then either way we\u2019ll think about why you told us that.<\/p>\n<p>What we\u2019re not going to do is blame men or the system for errors that are our own.<\/p>\n<p>Because the struggle for our freedom as Zapatista women is ours.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not the job of men or the system to give us our freedom.<\/p>\n<p>On the contrary, the work of the patriarchal capitalist system is to keep us in submission.<\/p>\n<p>If we want to be free, we have to conquer our freedom ourselves, as women.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to look at you and listen to you with respect, compa\u00f1eras and sisters.<\/p>\n<p>And whatever we see and hear, we will know what to take from it to help our struggle as Zapatista women. What won\u2019t help, we won\u2019t take.<\/p>\n<p>But we will not judge anyone.<\/p>\n<p>We will not say that something is good or bad.<\/p>\n<p>We did not invite you here to judge you.<\/p>\n<p>Neither did we invite you to compete.<\/p>\n<p>We invited you so we can encounter one another, different and the same.<\/p>\n<p>We have Zapatista compa\u00f1eras here from different originary languages. You will hear the collective words from women from each zone.<\/p>\n<p>But we are not all here.<\/p>\n<p>There are many more of us, and our rage and anger is much greater.<\/p>\n<p>But our rage, that is, our struggle, is not only for us; it is for all the women who are assaulted, murdered, beaten, insulted, disparaged, mocked, disappeared, and imprisoned.<\/p>\n<p>So we say to you, sister and compa\u00f1era, that we are not asking you to come and struggle for us, just like we are not going to struggle for you.<\/p>\n<p>Each of us knows her way, her mode and her time.<\/p>\n<p>The only thing we do ask of you is to keep struggling, don\u2019t give up, don\u2019t sell out, don\u2019t renounce being women in struggle.<\/p>\n<p>To close we\u2019re asking you for something special during these days you\u2019re here with us.<\/p>\n<p>Some elder sisters and compa\u00f1eras, \u201cwise women\u201d we call them, have come here from all over Mexico and the world.<\/p>\n<p>They are women who are elders and who struggle.<\/p>\n<p>We ask that you respect them and give them special consideration, because we want to end up like them, to grow old and know we are still in struggle.<\/p>\n<p>We want to grow older and be able to say that we have been alive for many years and that each year was a year of struggle.<\/p>\n<p>But in order for that to happen, we have to be alive.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why this gathering is for life.<\/p>\n<p>And nobody is going to give that to us, sisters and compa\u00f1eras.<\/p>\n<p>Not god, not man, not a political party, not a savior, not a leader, not a female leader, and not a female boss.<\/p>\n<p>We have to struggle for life.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s our lot, sisters and compa\u00f1eras, and the lot of all women in struggle.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps when this gathering is over, when you return to your worlds, to your times, to your ways, someone will ask you if we reached some agreement. Because there were many different kinds of thought that came to these Zapatista lands.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps you will respond, no.<\/p>\n<p>Or perhaps you will respond, yes, we did reach an agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe when they ask you what the agreement was, you will say, \u201cWe agreed to live, and since for us to live is to struggle, we agreed to struggle, each according to her way, her place and her time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And maybe you\u2019ll also respond, \u201cand at the end of the gathering we agreed to come back together again next year in Zapatista territory because they invited us for another round.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That is all our words for now, thank you for listening to us.<\/p>\n<p>Long live all the women of the world!<\/p>\n<p>Death to the patriarchal system!<\/p>\n<p>From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast,<\/p>\n<p>The Zapatista Women.<\/p>\n<p>March 8, 2018, Chiapas, Mexico, the World.[:]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[:es] PALABRAS A NOMBRE DE LAS MUJERES ZAPATISTAS AL INICIO DEL PRIMER ENCUENTRO INTERNACIONAL, POL\u00cdTICO, ART\u00cdSTICO, DEPORTIVO Y CULTURAL DE MUJERES QUE LUCHAN. 8 de marzo del 2018. Caracol de Zona Tzots Choj. Escucha aqu\u00ed: [podcast]https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Inauguracion_editada.mp3[\/podcast] BUENOS D\u00cdAS HERMANAS DE M\u00c9XICO Y DEL MUNDO: BUENOS D\u00cdAS COMPA\u00d1ERAS DE LA SEXTA NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL: BUENOS D\u00cdAS [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":25988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,51,6,955,118,954,961,935],"tags":[644,56,926,1180],"class_list":["post-25987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-audio","category-autor","category-chiapas","category-ezln-temas","category-ezln","category-mexico","category-mujeres","category-temas","tag-comunicados-ezln","tag-encuentros","tag-ezln","tag-mujeres-que-luchan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiozapatista.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}