[asia-apec 329] INDIGENUOS RIGHTS IN MEXICO

[Liliana Rodríguez Mayn]

Re:  EZLN communique- English  
  
  
>From owner-ncdm-ally at igc.org Sat Jan  4 06:12:03 1997  
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Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 08:38:47 -0800 (PST)  
From: moonlight at igc.apc.org  
Subject: EZLN communique- English  
To: ncdm-ally at igc.org  
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Communique of the Revolutionary Indigenous Clandestine Committee  
General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation  
  
January 1, 1997  
  
To the people of Mexico:  
To the people and governments of the world:  
Brothers and Sisters:  
     In regards to the proposals on Constitutional reforms in 
regards to indigenous matters presented by the Cocopa to the 
federal government and the EZLN, the CCRI, General Command of the 
EZLN declares:  
 
FIRST~ That on the 19th day of December of 1996 a sub-commission of 
the Cocopa presented itself in the community of La Realidad in the 
Lacandon jungle to meet with a delegation of the CCRI_CG of the   
EZLN.  In this meeting the Cocopa gave the EZLN a document with  
observations made by the federal government  on the proposal 
elaborated by the legislative entity (Cocopa) regarding 
constitutional  reforms on indigenous matters.    
 
SECOND~ The Cocopa recognizes that it was unaware of the content 
and ramifications of such observations and that more time was 
needed to analyze the proposal of Mr. Ernesto Zedillo; the response 

of Mister Zedillo to the Cocopa was neither a yes or a no as the 
Cocopa, the EZLN and public opinion expected.  However, as a sign 
of good will the EZLN responded that along with its team of 
advisors and the National Indigenous Congress it would analyze the 
document sent by the federal government to the Cocopa.    
 
THIRD~ The EZLN and the Cocopa agreed to a new tripartite meeting 
between the Cocopa, the EZLN  and the Conai to decide its positions 
on the 11th and 12th day of 1997 in the community of La Realidad. 

FOURTH~ The EZLN would like to make it clear that at no time have 
the negotiations been re-opened regarding the agreements of San 
Andres on indigenous rights and culture nor on the Cocopa 
initiative which reflects the agreements of San Andres signed by 
the federal government and the EZLN 11 months ago regarding 
indigenous matters.  
 
FIFTH~ The EZLN from the beginning of the discussion on the 
indigenous issue has summoned important national sectors, 
specialists and the best of the independent national indigenous 
movement to struggle for a new relationship with the indigenous 
peoples and the Mexican nation; the Zapatista flag of "everything 
for everyone, nothing for us" is a reality, and that is why the  
EZLN calls upon the National Indigenous Congress and its team of 
advisors to an important work session that will take place in the 

next days.  At that time, the EZLN will make know its decision 
regarding this issue; and the Cocopa has given its word to do the 
same.  The EZLN is not alone in this struggle nor will it be alone 
in its response.  
 
Democracy, Liberty, Justice  
>From the mountains of the Mexican southeast  
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos  
Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee  
General Command   
Zapatista Army of National Liberation  
Thirteenth year of the Struggle  
Fourth year of the war against oblivion  
January 1997  
Fourth year of war  
Mexico, 1997  
  
Message from the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee  
in commemoration of the third anniversary of the rebellion of 
January 1st 1994  
To the insurgent troops;  
To the militias;  
To the bases of support of the Zapatista Army of National 
Liberation;  
To the people of Mexico;  
To the peoples of the world;  
 
     Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the war of the 
Zapatista rebels.  It has been 1095 days of war against oblivion. 

It has now been three years of resistance for the memory we have 
given ourselves in order to live.  
 
     Three years ago the insurgent Zapatistas began a war against 
oblivion and silence. A war which was and is not for political 
power but to have respect and to defend the dignity of the men and 
women who carry in their heart the blood of the first inhabitants 
of the land, who carry on their lips the truth of the oldest 
wisemen, who go upon the path of the pace of dignity of all true 
men and women.  
 
     In these three years the Power has not ceased in its 
persecution of us and it tries to forget us in order to stop us, 
make us surrender and annihilate us. The Power uses all its Force, 
many and large are its machines of war which fill our land and our 

skies, many and large are the deaths with which the Power attacks 
our lives.  
 
     Here we are.  We are still here.  We have not been silent.  We 
have not surrendered.  In order to defeat us, the Power buys words 
and consciences, the Power asked for peace yet behind its promise 
came treachery and death.  
 
     To our truth the Power puts up the lie against our memory and 
launches oblivion.    
 
We are here.  We continue to be here.  We have not forgotten.  We 
will not surrender. Our war was and is so that memory recover its 
place in history.  There will not be peach as long as oblivion 
remains our only future.  Our war was and is so that the truth of 
all who are different may be heard and understood so that all in 
the world may have a place in the world.  
 
     There will not be peace as long as the lie is the only word to 
be heard, as long as intolerance and cynicism remain the only 
banner.  We the Zapatistas do not speak for ourselves, we bring the 
word of all our dead who died very silent.  We speak for them.  In 

our words the dead speak.  All the silent ones of forever will 
resist until the words of the forgotten are taken into account.  
 
     We will struggle until the silences of the silent ones speak. 

We will die until the dead live. In these three years of war marked 
today, the anxiety is fulfilled because the Power has no other word 
but the Lie.  Whether four years will be of war or of peace depends 
on whether the Supreme Power accepts or does not accept history.  
It depends on whether it recognizes those who are different because 
the different deserve a place for their word and their step.  This 
fourth year will be like all which have preceded it. We must live 
for the nation or die for liberty.  
 
>From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast  
CCRI-CG of the EZLN  
  
 
------------------------------------------------  
  
Red Mexican de Accio'n frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC) 
(Mexican Action Network on Free Trade)  
Godard 20,          Tel/Fax: (52) (5) 355 1177  
Guadalupe Victoria, E-mail: rmalc at laneta.apc.org  
C.P. 07790  
Me'xico D.F.  
MEXICO  
  
Pagina Web: http://www.laneta.apc.org/rmalc/rmalcesp.htm