Chiapas in Crisis, Solidarity Needed Now by Mia Butzbaugh, Labor
Notes
Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo has proclaimed the finding
of two caches of weapons as the reason for his February 9th issue
of six arrest warrants for leaders of the Zapatista movement in
the State of Chiapas. Without a prior declaration of a state of
emergency, these and the 2,500 warrants he has since issued are
against the Mexican Constitution.
Though Zedillo claims that this action does not "signify that
the government prefers to go the way of violence to resolve the
conflict in Chiapas," his policy of using the Federal Army to
enforce the arrest warrants effectively declares war upon the
people of Chiapas. The warrants and the advancement of federal
troops into Zapatista territory break the conditions of the cease-
fire, some conditions of which Zedillo never attempted to fulfill.
This action comes less than a month after Wall Street's Chase
Bank wrote in its "Political Update on Mexico" that "the
government will have to eliminate the Zapatistas to demonstrate
their effective control of the national territory and security
policy." Essentially, Chase has made the $40 billion bailout of
Mexico's economy contingent upon the crushing of all civilian
opposition to the PRI. Zedillo must show himself to be a pawn of
foreign investors by quelling their fears of the peasant movement
whose demands center around issues of poverty, housing, and basic
human rights.
As of February 10th, there have been reports of Chiapas
peasants being subjected to illegal searches, detainment,
intimidation, bombings, gunfire, and rape. US military personnel
have been seen in Chiapas, and Guatemalan police are reportedly
obstructing Mexican civilians' crossing into their country.
It is clear that Zedillo's military actions threaten all
Mexicans who act through civil and non-violent means. The official
Mexican News Agency (NOTIMIEX) has named Carlos Heredia, a
prominent economist critical of the PRI, as linked to the
Zapatistas.
Rallies of solidarity have been planned and enacted in
several US cities. The National Commission for Democracy in Mexico
will hold an open meeting on March 18 and 19 in Chicago to develop
a national plan of action. For more information or for updates on
the situation, contact them at 601 N. Cotton, Ste. A-103, El
Paso, TX, phone-fax 915/532-8382, email:moonlight@igc.apc.org
Write to your congressperson and fax President Zedillo at
011-525-271-1764 to demand an immediate cease-fire and an inquiry
into the US's role inthis military action.