SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, CHIAPAS
JANUARY 4-8, 1996
SPONSORED BY National Indigenous Assembly for Autonomy,ANIPA, in
conjunction with the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN)
The future of indigenous communities in Mexico is to be outlined in the
next several days. The EZLN is presently involved in negotiating the rights
of the indigenous communities of our country through panel discussions with
the Mexican government. The fundamental program of ANIPA has been to
establish the right of indigenous communities for Self Determination. ANIPA
itself was established on April 10, 1995 with the goal of elaborating on a
proposoal to change the Mexican Constitution to incorporate the rights of
indigenous peoples for autonomy. The issue of autonomy is a point in which
ANIPA and the EZLN agree. The EZLN has considers the issue of
self-determination and autonomy peremptory within its panel of discussions.
As a result, the EZLN is co-coordinating the Fifth National Indigenous
Assembly for Autonomy to be held January 4-8 1995 in San Cristobal de Las
Casas, Chiapas at the National Indigenous Forum. More than two hundred
organizations and indigenous communities will participate in this meeting.
Our fourth assembly which took place the 7 & 8 of December 1995, also in
San Cristobal de las Casas, included more than 500 delegates and numerous
invites.
Presently, the Fifth National Indigenous Assembly for Autonomy this January
4-8, 1996 includes the following agenda:
1. Indigenous Peoples Rights for Autonomy
2. Guarantees of Justice towards Indigenous Peoples
3. The Political Participation and Representation of
Indigenous Peoples
4. The Present Situation and Rights of Indigenous Women
5. Access to the Different Mediums of Communication
6. The Promotion and Development of Indigenous Cultures
and Tradition.
Interested parties in this extraordinary forum, contact:
FIP/ANIPA (5) 783-8002, telfax: FIPI/Regiones Autonomas Plurietnicas
de Chiapas (967) 869-98, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas.
For interested parties in the Mexico City vicinity, contact:
Adriana Lopez at (5) 655-0463; Teresa Rendon (5) 606-9750;
Paz Carmona (5) 563-7313; Javier Nunez (5) 674-0803;
Rodrigo Medellin (5) 208-2118, (5) 533-2491
Airline Mexicana de Aviacion flies to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas from Mexico
City. Colective Taxis outside of the Tuxtla airport charge US$7 to San
Cristobal de las Casas. Once in San Cristobal the office's headquarters
(Regiones Autonomas, formerly the offices of the Instituto Nacional
Indigenista) are located proximate to the Santo Domingo Cathedral. Please
be aware that San Cristobal's climate is cool with frequent rains.
Summarized with ANIPA's permission by SAIIC. Information about the above
assembly is also available from SAIIC tel: (510) 834-4263, fax: (510)
834-4264.