The 16th February autonomous municipality presented the delegation with a
letter thanking us for all our solidarity to help them build the clinic,
and stressing their important need for support to buy more medicines and
to buy medical equipment – the equipment they have at present is only on
loan to the clinic. And while the clinic´s medical rooms have been built,
there is a real need for further construction to provide the clinic´s
health promoters with a training room, dormitories and a proper kitchen.

You still have time to make such a donation, which the Delegation can
deliver directly before they leave Chiapas. If you make your donation by
3nd March they will be able to take your money directly to the zapatista
committee of good government in the Chiapas Highlands. Please e mail
edinchiapas (at) yahoo.co.uk to say you have made the donation.

Autonomous health clinics are a vital part of the zapatista struggle for
autonomy. Along with the autonomous schools, the grass-roots democracy,
the collectives and the communal control of land, they form the fabric of
a new kind of self-managed society, independent from the state and
businesses, though as an island of autonomy in the ocean of capitalism
they face huge challenges. Nevertheless over 30 zapatista autonomous
municipalities now flourish, in five different regions of eastern Chiapas,
south east Mexico.

AUTONOMOUS HEALTH CARE IN ACTION

The Delegation write:
“We were given accommodation in the new 16th February clinic “San Antonio
de Padova” during our stay at 16th February. We could see the patients
arriving and being given consultations. One day we were in a meeting with
the clinic staff, the health promoters, when a patient was suddenly
wheeled out of the emergency room and transferred to the clinic´s
ambulance. The health promoters reported that during January they treated
50 patients, a figure they expect to rise significantly as the news
spreads that the clinic is now operational.

We were shown round the clinic. It is of a good size, and substantially
built. But their pharmacy has very few medicines. The little they have was
bought through contributions by the families in the municipality, which
they can hardly afford since they are living in poverty difficult for us
to imagine.

What´s more almost all the medical equipment in the Clinic is only on
loan, and will have to be replaced, at considerable cost. It was
originally destined for another new zapatista clinic, but since its
construction has been delayed, was instead lent to the 16th February
clinic. At some point, presumably sooner than later, 16th February will
have to either return the equipment, and buy their own equipment, or buy
equipment for the other clinic.

The zapatista ambulance based at the 16th February clinic is invaluable
for reaching patients too ill to travel. As we discovered during our visit
the municipality covers a large mountainous area, and public transport is
often scarce, and what is more often consists of an open lorry without
seats, hardly suitable for anyone seriously ill. Here again there is a
pressing need for donations to cover the costs of the ambulance´s
operation over the extremely rough terrain of the municipality.

NATURAL MEDICINE

Plans are also underway to develop a pharmacy of natural and herbal
medicines, to complement the conventional medical treatments.

We were very impressed by the dedication of the health promoters at the
clinic, men and women, who work without pay to help their community. While
we were there they holding meetings to prepare materials for a new course
to induct new health promoters. When someone had stomach problems a health
promoter was able to pick a local plant and boil it up to make a natural
medicine to help their ailment. Not only do the health promoters provide
the health care at the clinic, they share all the cleaning, cooking and
other essential duties.

The health promoters told us that the families of the municipality
suffered from many illnesses, many of them serious. Respiratory
infections, such as TB and chronic bronchitis, gastro entiritis, skin
infections, malaria, maternal death in child birth and infant mortality
were among the problems in the municipality.

You can help improve this situation immediately by making a donation now,
which will reach the health clinic within days.”

HOW TO DONATE

Pay money directly into our bank account, details are

Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group
Clydesdale Bank
Sort Code: 82-45-05
Account: 60129411

Send a cheque, made out out to EDINBURGH CHIAPAS
SOLIDARITY GROUP, to:

Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group
c/o ACE
17 West Montgomery Place
Edinburgh
EH7 5HA
Scotland

If you live locally, hand in a donation, either in
cash or as a cheque, in an envelope addressed to
Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group, at the Autonomous
Centre of Edinburgh at 17 West Montgomery Place,
currently open Saturday 10am-6pm, Tuesday 1-4pm, and
(for a film showing) Sundays 3pm-5/6ish. (Zapatista
coffee and handicrafts also available there!)

In all cases please make sure to e mail
edinchiapas (at) yahoo.co.uk to say the amount you have
donated, how, and when.

More info www.edinchiapas.org.uk