I have a long report written in Spanish, which I am willing to send
to anyone interested, through regular mail. I am also editing a video
in two versions, the original Spanish version, and one with voice over
in English. I am not a professional editor, but some of the takes are
beautiful, and it gives a good idea of what the communities I lived in
are like. If you want a copy just send me a blank tape, together with a
self-addressed manila envelope with the necessary postage. You may edit
it further, since there are no copyrights, to fit your own particular
audience.
Also, I will not go into too much detail as to the practical
aspects of my experience (which are important if you decide to join, as
a volunteer, the Civilian Peace Camps.) I'd rather answer individual
questions through personal E-Mail.
I spent a total of close to two months in Chiapas. After checking
in, and being accredited at the Fray Bartolome' de las Casas Center for
Human Rights,in San Cristo'bal de las Casas, I left for Prado Pacayal in
the Can~ada of Patihuitz, with two extremely young(most volunteers are
extremely young,)bright and cheerful Mexican students (I forgot to say
they were women,like 80% of the volounteers I later encountered.)
The dirt roads you have to take in Chiapas to get to Zapatista
territory are now, for the first time in history, being taken care of by
the government, to allow Federal Army vehicles to "cruise" them. Before
January 1st, 1994, those "roads", which look and feel like river beds, were
completely abandoned by the state, and federal governments, as were
the almost half million indians and poor mestizo farmers who used them. I
happened to wonder outloud why the government isn't investing all that
effort, time, and money to build asphalt roads, instead of playing
Sisyphus, after every dayly downpour. Apparently the actual process
benefits many middle men, and is one more tactic of the low intensity war
being waged against the Zapatistas.
The first community I stayed in is called Prado Pacayal. It is
located in one of the canions that lead to the Lacandon jungle, and it is
inhabited by Tzeltal Indians who are, for the most part, monolingual. The
community fled to the mountains on February 9th of this year, when the
Federal Army invaded it, and destroyed the community's food supply,
primitive agricultural tools, and meager household belongings.
Many of you will remember Sub-Commander Marcos' communique', where he
tells the story of how Ton~ita found her little tea cup broken upon her
return to Prado Pacayal, on March 8th of this year. All you can see now in
Prado(corn mills, radios, clothing, etc.) has been donated by NGO and
other organizations. Subcommander Marcos lived there for some time, and
one can visit his former quarters which were literally ransaked by the
army who also left its signature on the walls of the wooden huts. A
signature made up of an array of three letter words directed against the
EZLN.
Prado Pacayal is about 99 % Zapatista. It's easy to detect the
other 1%. They have more money, and they drink heavily. Since February
9th of this year there are no longer Zaptista checkpoints to stop the
introduction of alcohol and drugs into communities which had been highly
alcoholized by the Spaniards, and the Indian and mestizo caciques. This
is only a testimony, so I won't go into all the intricate political, and
even religious implications of this very serious problem.
In Prado Pacayal, while I was there, the army presence was not
overwhelming, because of the location of the "Ejido". We heard them go
by every day, and we saw the helicopters overhead, but the army did not
enter Prado Pacayal while I was there, the way it entered La Garrucha and
La Soledad (this was reported in "La Jornada" at the time.)
In Prado Pacayal, as in the other two communities I spent time in,
the Peace Volunteers spent most of the day teaching. Prado Pacayal had no
benches and, no tables for children to sit and learn. In Patihuitz, a
community which is divided among Zapatistas and PRI followers, the
Zapatistas built an alternative school, with benches for the children ,
and they designated three young literate Tzeltal men to teach the children
the basic skills in Spanish and Tzeltal, so that the Peace Volunteers
could help the Tzeltal teachers, and the more advanced bilingual students,
and also teach Spanish to the students. I was impressed by the Patihuitz
model, and I hope that soon it can be implemented in Prado Pacayal, an
otherwise very well organized community.
Prado Pacayal is known as a five star camp, because, thanks to the
solar cells they managed to hide from the Federal Army in a nearby cave,
they have electricity in the evenings. They also have running water which
they bring from the nearby lovely river where one can actually swim. There
is also a very clean outhouse located right outside the camp. Everything
you have read about Prado, and other communities in Zapatista territory in
Sub-Commander Marcos' communique's is true, as it is true that you fall in
love with the children, and the men and women of these communities.
In Patihuitz, my second stop, I was also a witness to how the
PRI-Government is dividing a Tzeltal community.
The Peace Camp is right across from the Aric Oficial, and anyone could see how
the Aric buys half of the Tzeltal farmers with bags of MASECA flowr
(Raul Salinas de Gortari's monopoly), sugar, cooking oil, and all the products
not available to the farmers who are Zapatista sympathizers. I was also a
witness (it can be seen on film) to how the PRI farmers got lifts in army
vehicles.
Patihuitz has no electriciy and no running water. It is a split
community, and yet an admirable one from every point of view. Patihuitz
lost five very young men, aged 15 to 20 during the battle of Ocosingo. I
was trusted to film the chappel where they were burried. By the way, when
the 5 year olds in Patihuitz see an army helicopter they say in Spanish
(although their language is Tzeltal) "puta, puta puta" ( "whore, whore,
whore".) The army camp which is just outside of Patihuitz brings
prostitutes from Tabasco for the troops every weekend!!!!!!
The third, and last community I stayed in is called San Jose' del
Ri'o, and it is located in the "can~ada" of Margaritas, on the original
road that Zapatistas were trying to get control of during the talks with
the PRI-government in San Andre's of the Poor (Larra'inzar.)It is about
an hour from La Realidad and Guadalupe Tepeyac by dirt road in the rainy
season. It is a Spanish speaking mestizo community which settled near a
beautiful river about ten years ago. Most of its inhabitants come from
San Antonio de las Rosas (two hours walk from San Jose'.)
For a number of reasons my stay at San Jose' del Ri'o was much more
fruitful than my saty at Prado and Patihuitz. The most important being
that there was no language barrier, and I was able to interact with the
members of the community at many different levels. I somehow earned their
trust (and it ain't easy,) participated in their lay celebrations, and
their religious ones. I shared everything with them, from 5 A.M. until
dusk, and I videotaped, and videotaped, and in the evening that would be
their show(under the pouring rain.) Watching themselves dancing, playing
the marimba, singing during the school hours, playing football, and
watching army convoys go by morning and afternoon...
I had never been a witness to true democracy before in my life.
In San Jose' del Ri'o EVERYTHING is decided by majority vote, even the
length of a dance (party) or the building of a bread oven and, although,
as a feminist, there were times I had to bite my tongue, significant
advances are being made to include women in decision making positions.
I don't want to make this too long because I am busy with the
referendum at this point, and classes will start soon.
Although I was not a witness to any direct human rights abuses, I
was a witness to the low intensity warfare being waged against defenseless
farmers. I brought back samples of my students drawings, especially the
little boys. Helicopters, machine guns, tanks...and they don't watch T.V.
What the EZLN has been able to do in and for these communities in only 10
years of silent work is amazing. I apologize for my poor English, in
Spanish I have a much better, and more beautiful text, but I still don't
know how to send it via internet. Thanks for your patience ML.