ZAPATISTAS ASSASSINATED

1: NEWS ITEM
2: HOW YOU CAN HELP
3: LINKS FOR MORE INFO



1 : NEWS ITEM

The Zapatistas (www.ezln.org) of Chiapas Mexico, who have been the inspiration behind the 'globalisation' of the protest and resistance movements, are currently facing a major crisis. Four of their members have recently been assassinated and massive troop movements in the area are causing great fear within the communities, causing many to flee their homes.

The first assassination took place on August 7th, when Jose Santiz Lopez was shot eight times in front of his wife and children. Although one of his sons can identify one of the killers, and other witnesses can attest to the guilt of this man, local police have done nothing, at first blaming it on a hunting accident (EIGHT BULLETS!!).

Then on the 25th of August, in a schoolhouse where a meeting of autonomous spokespersons and local people was under way, paramilitaries beat then shot Lorenzo Martinez Espinosa, spokesperson for the Autonomous Council of Ricardo Flores Magon, and Jacinto Hernandez Gutierrez, Autonomous Agent for the Amaytik ranch. On the same day, in the Autonomous municipality of Olga Isabel, the paramilitary group known as Los Aguilares (named after Sebastian Aguilar a former soldier in the Mexican Federal Army whose relatives within the army are supplying his group with arms) assassinated Antonio Mejia in front of his wife who narrowly escaped in the midst of gunfire. The Mejias were three hundred metres from their village K'anakil, which is close to Reforma Anakil where paramilitaries have been living since 1994 . The paramilitaries have threatened to shoot anyone trying to recover the body.

The Mexican Federal Army has occupied the area with 30,000 troops (almost half the National Army) since the Zapatista uprising in January 1994. Within the last week there has been a massive mobilisation of troops, artillery vehicles and tanks in and around the Zapatista communities, causing a climate of great tension and fear.

The Zapatista communities hold the state and federal governments responsible. They are asking international civil society to help in their fight for justice by distributing this news as far and wide as possible and demanding through their local Mexican consulates that they stop the killing and investigate so that justice is done.

2. HOW YOU CAN HELP

Email, letter, fax campaign: to show your solidarity with the Zapatista communities, condemn the violence and aggression and impunity with which the paramilitaries operate, and demand that a proper and objective investigation is undertaken. A suggested letter and addresses follows below.

To President Vicente Fox
We call on President Fox, as commander and chief of the Mexican Armed Forces, to halt all military actions in Chiapas, considering that the Law for Dialog and Reconciliation is still in force. The increased
militarization only contributes to the deterioration and radicalization 0f the conflict in Chiapas, further distancing the possibility of true peace in the state. We also call for President Fox to testify on the military strategy initiated during the last 15 days, deploying hundreds of additional soldiers to the conflict zone. Finally, we call on President Fox to take the necessary measures so that soldiers who Commit human rights violations be punished.

To the Chiapas State government of Pablo Salazar

To Governor of Chiapas Pablo Salazar
We call on Governor Salazar to investigate the Organization for the Defense of Indigenous and Farmers Rights (OPDIC) and its leader Pedro Chulin, as well as other known paramilitaries organizations. These groups have, and continue to operate with absolute impunity. We call
Governor Salazar to prioritize the investigation into the murder of Jose Lopez Santiz, former inhabitant of the community 6 de agosto, municipality of Altamirano. Lopez Santiz' murder, as well as the homicides in the community of Amaytik, continue in the shadow of impunity.

To the Supreme Court
We call on the Supreme Court to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples as an integral component to true peace. We ask that the Court emit a favorable ruling with respect to the Constitutional appeals process against the Indigenous Rights and Culture counter-reform bill,
as an unmistakable example of their vote for peace

ADDRESSES:

MEXICAN CONSULATE IN LONDON:  consullondon@easynet.co.uk
MEXICAN EMBASSY IN LONDON:  mexuk@easynet.co.uk
PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX (the devil himself):  vicente@fox2000.org.mx


There is also an on-line petition to show support for the Zapatistas in their legal challenges to the constitutional reforms (concerning indigenous rights) that have been illegally implemented by the Fox government in a continuation of its policy of favouring multinational corporations over indigenous rights. The petition takes literally three minutes to sign and will be sent to many consulates of the Mexican government around the world. This petition can be found at: www.progressiveportal.org/letters/global/chiapas.

The FZLN, is the civil and political front, formed after a request by the zapatistas for civil society to mobilise in defence of Democracy, Liberty and Justice. They are currently running a campaign to take supplies to the poorest Zapatista communities. Details of this campaign can be found at their website : www.fzln.org.mx
The bank details for donations are:
BANCOMER
ACCOUNT No: 0447952597
BRANCH No: 0183
NAME: JULIO LOPEZ MONTOYA

Donations can also be made to the communties via Globalexchange, contact them at:  mexico@globalexchange.org


If anyone in the london area, or even nationally, would be interested in protesting at the consulate, if the future especially if the crisis worsens, or orginising any sort of campaign to raise awareness of this situation you can contact me at:  londonzaps94@yahoo.co.uk


3 : LINKS

www.ezln.org this is the official website (mainly in spanish)

www.chiapas.indymedia.org An excellent site for up to date events and archived material

www.chiapaslink.ukgateway.net Another great site, who also published a very informative book 'The Zapatistas- a rough guide', which you can also read on their website