The first session of the day on the theme “Zapatismo: 10 years on” was titled “Piqueteros and Argentinean (sub)urban Zapatismo” and started with three short films. “Escrache a los Medios” dealt with mainstream media bias and misinformation in the popular uprising of December 2001; “Informe sobre el Jaguel” remembered the murder of a piquetero by the police; and “Guernica, lo que no se va”, although without English subtitles – so my understanding may be flawed – showed communities self-organising autonomous social services: schools, libraries, and health services.

The incremental battle to win back space from capital with local action was a recurring theme.

In the afternoon the Edinburgh-Chiapas Solidarity Group updated people on Zapitista activity in the previous year, including the creation of the autonomous Assemblies of Good Governance, which have rotating delegates. The second speaker focused on autonomous health centres that are being self-organised to counter the racism against the indegenous peoples and the general lack and indifference to indigenous health issues by government health services in Chiapas.

For more info on the Edinburgh-Chiapas Solidarity Group see:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/scotland/2003/03/57647.html and  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/scotland/2003/09/277376.html