Introducing

THE EDINBURGH- CHIAPAS SOLIDARITY GROUP

Formed in late 2002 by a small group of Zapatista supporters, most of whom had worked as volunteers in Chiapas south-east Mexico, the group really took off after a huge public meeting in December and now has members from Greece, Spain, USA, Mexico, Sweden, Italy – and Scotland.

We stress the importance of raising awareness of the Zapatista struggle in the ‘communities in resistance’ and of raising practical help and support for the besieged communities. We are currently doing this in a number of ways. We offer advice and assistance to people who want to travel to Chiapas to work in the Zapatista villages, including help to obtain essential clearance from Enlace Civil, the Zapatista community umbrella organisation. Group members have gone to Chiapas to give practical help – helping to build a school, to install computers in another school (the Zapatistas have their own education system), as a human rights observer, and on a Kiptik village water project.

The Kiptik Water Project (formerly IPHAT) is supported by the Edinburgh-Chiapas Solidarity Group. Kiptik is a UK-Based solidarity group that works alongside Zapatista villagers in constructing clean drinking water systems in remote rural communities. Kiptik has been co-ordinating such projects in the Autonomous Zones since May 2000.

The Edinburgh-Chiapas Solidarity Group is also in the process of twinning with a Zapatista community, to build stronger, more localised bonds and to monitor for attacks on the communities. The group publishes articles, shows films and holds meetings to raise awareness of what is going on in Chiapas – a matter of some urgency now as recent Zapatista reports tell of increasing troop and paramilitary incursions, especially in the Montes Azules region which multinationals are eager to plunder. Current group initiatives are: setting up a website, helping to create similar groups throughout Scotland, and importing Zapatista produce for sale. Why not join us – we need all the help we can get.


CONTACT:

 edinchiapas@yahoo.co.uk
ECSG,
17 W. Montgomery Place,
EH7 5HA

Phone: (0131) 557 6242