Title: MEXICO: Extended Truce Greets Initiation of Dialogue
By Diego Cevallos
MEXICO CITY, Jan 18 (IPS) - An extended truce and direct dialogue
have brought hope to the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, where
tensions have been high since the rebel uprising one year ago.
Just as renewed hostilities seemed nearly inevitable, talks
were held between the government of President Ernesto Zedillo and
the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN). Each recognised
peace efforts by the other side and agreed on further measures.
Rebel leaders announced late Tuesday that they had ordered a
''unilateral cease of offensive fire for an undefined period'' in
order to facilitate contact between the negotiators and the
establishment of a lasting peace.
Guerrilla representatives met with Interior Minister Estaban
Moctezuma this weekend, while the government's withdrew its
troops from two Chiapas towns and reduced military patrols.
It is too early to guarantee that these measures will lead to
a final resolution of the conflict, but they are undeniably a
step, easing tensions for the first time since Jan. 1, 1994.
Also positive was an agreement for democratisation through
electoral reform, signed Tuesday night by the government and all
political parties represented in Parliament.
While the agenda of the talks has not been revealed, no one
expects a rapid solution, as some of the EZLN demands are seen as
extreme or difficult to satisfy.
The rebel demands include political and economic changes, the
president's resignation, revisions to the North American Free
Trade Agreement with Canada and the United States, autonomy for
indigenous communities and an immediate end to the injustices
they have suffered.
''The conflict will not be resolved quicly because it is a
national problem, not a local one. This has been known since the
beginning of the rebel movement,'' said Bishop Samuel Ruiz, who
leads the National Intermediation Commission (Conai).
However, Ruiz added that the new environment of cooperation
would facilitate a solution.
The EZLN promised Tuesday to suspend military actions, remove
mines from access routes and facilitate Conai's actions, adding
that these measures would be maintained ''as long as necessary
for the establishment of a stable, lasting truce.''
They added that dialogue this weekend included talks on
''bilateral measures to ease the hostile climate and reduce the
danger of violent conflict between the two armies.''
Recognising the government's efforts for peace as sincere, the
EZLN declared the reinitiation of ''the search for a political,
just and worthy solution'' in Chiapas.
On Jan. 1, 1994, some 14,000 Zapatista rebels - mostly
indigenous people - occupied towns and roads in the state of
Chiapas, declaring war on the government. After 11 days,
offensive measures were suspended and political contact begun.
While the fragile cease-fire was never broken, it has often
been threatened by troop movements and the exchange of accusations
and threats by the two sides.
The first direct contact between the two sides since May, the
weekend talks came on the heels of a sharp increase in tension.
In December, the rebels broke through the military ranks that
surrounded their territory, taking over 30 of the 110 towns in
Chiapas. No shots were fired, but the army called in more troops,
bringing the total to more than 60,000.
Meanwhile, local residents opposed to the government occupied
several towns, demanding the resignation of Chiapas Governor
Eduardo Robledo of the ruling party. Most of them withdrew when
they learned that contact had been reestablished between the
government and the rebels.
One of the EZLN demands for a lasting peace in Chiapas is the
resignation of the governor and his replacement by Amado
Avendano, who lost to Robledo in August elections widely
denounced as fraudulent.
Avendano's supporters ''inaugurated'' him as the governor of
an unofficial ''rebel transition government'' recognised by the
rebels, the political opposition and indigenous residents of
Chiapas. (END/IPS/trd-so/dc/ag/jt/np/95)
Origin: San Jose/MEXICO/
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