<nettime> 3000 THOUSAND OF ZAPATISTAS RECOVER SAN ANDRES AUTONOMOUS MUNICIPALITY

[ricardo dominguez <rdom@thing.net>]

DEMONSTRATION OF 3000 INDIGENOUS IN SAN ANDRES

4/8/99
Jesus Ramirez

San Andres Sacamach'en, Chiapas.

More than 3000 tzotzil zapatistas peacefully re-took the council
facilities that the chiapaneco government had snatched 24 hours ago.  In a
large demonstration, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN)
indigenous sympathizers reaffirmed that they are in the majority in this
municipality. 

Yesterday, the state government tried to forcefully establish a local
government that had not secured the support of the people, in spite of
their having promoted division and the buying of consciences with public
monies. Nor could it be accomplished through threats by paramilitaries,
soldiers and police officers against the indigenous rebels. 

San Andres is one of the hearts of zapatismo.  The tzotiles who marched
today demonstrated that.  In a political act they re-established the
autonomia authorities who will be attending to the communities in the
recovered offices. 

Benjamin, speaking for the reunited peoples, warned:  "we want peace, a
peace with justice and dignity.  We do not want confrontation between
brothers, and because of that, if the government returns with their police
in order to dislocate us, we will withdraw in order to avoid a
confrontation, but we will continue protesting the arbitrary acitons of
governor Albores." 

"This action was a decision made by the people, and the people are giving
possession to the true San Andres authorities again," Jacinto summed up,

before noting that the communities would be setting up guards in order to
protect the Autonomous Municipality. 

The zapatistas made one thing clear during the march:  "PRI brothers, you
are not our enemy."  Later, during a message read at the rally, they
added: 
 "what they have done by dislocating the peoples' authorities is a true
provocation, if something serious occurs in the municipality, you will be
directly responsible, along with the assassin government." 

Hundreds of men, women and children from the different communities in the
municipality began gathering together this morning at the three access
points to this old city.  The 13th Infantry Battery withdrew their control
point a little later in response to the massive presence of the
indigenous. 

At noon, in three simultaneous marches, hundreds of indigenous - with
their faces covered with scarves and ski-masks - walked through the main
roads of the town and headed through the plaza to the municipal building
in question. 

In the midst of slogans against the presence of the Army and the police,
chanting "viva's" to the EZLN and to Subcomandante Marcos, the indigenous
formed a single column, filled the plaza and occupied the offices recently
used by the PRI council that ordered them to paint the walls. 

Next to the municipal president's office, two trucks and a van from the
Public Security police remained parked, full of officers from that body,
armed with tear gas and R-15 rifles.  They found themselves surrounded by
hundreds of indigenous who began to demand their withdrawal.  The police
commander in charge talked with the zapatista representatives, and, in
response to pressure from the people, decided to remove themselves at full
speed towards the outskirts of town.  The euphoric indigenous shouted at
them, and some of them threw trash at them.  With thunderous applause, the
crowd celebrated the symbolic departure of the police. 

They then proceeded to occupy the building, and they held a sit-in.  "We
have come to demonstrate our strong protest and repudiation of the dirty
and shameful action of Roberto Albores, the imposed governor of Chiapas,
for having dislocated our authorities, democratically elected by the
majority," said Benjamin, who was wearing a black woolen ski-mask. 

Two authorities, two paths, two realities.  The autonomia authorities gave
the reunited people possession, and, through security commisisons, that
town protected them.  In contrast, yesterday the government gave
possession to the constitutional government with a smaller group of
townspeople and more than 3000 police. 

As a poples' revenge, the zapatistas took down the picture of the
chiapaneco governor, along with two other former governors, and they broke
them and burned them in front of the people.  They thus did away with the
only government act that the PRI council had performed:  hanging the
photograph of the interim of the interim governor of Chiapas. 

The 12 Autonomous Municipalities of Los Altos region read a message that
noted:  Albores does not tire of promoting and provoking violence and
confrontation in order to spill more indigenous blood in Chiapas.
Nonetheless, he is still trying to conceal his crimes and his evilness,
speaking of peace and of the well-being of the indigenous peoples." 

"In the name of law and order he incarcerates and assassinates indigenous
and campesinos, in the name of peace and justice he seeks violence and
confrontations among the indigenous," Benjamin read in front of those who
were present. 

The zapatistas sent a message to Albores, considered by the residents of
San Andres to be a "criminal" the bloodiest in the history of Chiapas:"
"the just struggle of the indigenous peoples cannot be stopped by the
dictatorship and arrogance of an assassin government." 

"The indigenous peoples who are conscience and who are willing to struggle
are not going to be discouraged or surrender because of threats, and even
less by the taking away of a building or by invading a piece of space;
because their just struggle is not enclosed by four walls, nor does it
have borders, because their cause is justice, liberty, democracy, and
peace with justice and liberty." 

"Albores is not satisfied with having assassinated dozens of indigenous
and hundreds of innocents;  if justice existed in Mexico, Albores, like
others, would no longer be free, provoking more violence, he should be in
jail for the multiple crimes he has committed against the indigenous
peoples," Benjamin concluded. 


**************************************

Date:   Thursday, April 8, 1999 18:14:47 -0500

THOUSANDS OF ZAPATISTAS RECOVER
SAN ANDRES AUTONOMOUS MUNICIPALITY

(This morning, April 8, 1999, thousands of zapatista sympathizers from Los
Altos in Chiapas demonstrated in San Andres Sakamch'en de los Pobres and
recovered the Presidential office of the Autonomous Municipality.  This is
the communique that was read during the act.  Following it is the
denunciation from the Women for Dignity cooperative, whose shop was siezed
yesterday). 

San Andres Sakamch'en de los Pobres, April 8, 1999

TO PUBLIC OPINION
TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS
TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY
TO THE PEOPLES AND GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD

We, the men and women, the residents of the municipality of San Andres
Sakamch'en, together with other brothers from different municipalities in
Los Altos of Chiapas: 

Today, April 8, 1999, we have come to express our most vigorous protest
and repudiation of the dirty and shameful action of Roberto Albores
Guillen,the imposed governor of Chiapas, for having removed our
authorities, democratically elected by the majority, and for having
dismantled our municipality on April 7 of this year. 

Albores has once more demonstrated - to the nation and to the world - his
cowardice, his evil will, his cynicism and his criminal attitude towards
the peace desired by all Mexicans and by the world.  Albores does not tire
of promoting and provoking violence and confrontation in order to spill
more indigenous blood in Chiapas.  Nonetheless, he is still trying to
conceal his crimes and his evilness, speaking of peace and of the
well-being of the indigenous peoples. 

But in the name of law and order he incarcerates and assassinates
indigenous and campesinos, in the name of peace and justice he seeks
violence and confrontations among the indigenous, in the name of liberty
and democracy he dislocates, jails and persecutes the authorities
democratically elected by the majority of the town, and he imposes PRI
authorities in order to reinforce division, in order to create and
strengthen the paramilitaries, and thus provoke violence and confrontation
among the indigenous communities and municipalities;  in the name of peace
and tranquility, Albores "lies" to the nation and to the world, saying all
is at peace. 

That is why we have come to tell Roberto Albores, the criminal, the
bloodiest in the history of Chiapas, that the just struggle of the
indigenous peoples cannot be stopped by the dictatorship and arrogance of
an assassin government, even though he may tell many lies and make many
promises, he will not be able to convince, nor to buy the consciences, of
conscience peoples. 

The indigenous peoples who are conscience and willing to struggle are not
going to be discouraged or surrender because of threats, and even less by
the taking away of a building or by invading a piece of space;  because
their just struggle is not enclosed by four walls, nor does it have
borders, because their cause is justice, liberty, democracy and peace with
justice and liberty. 

Even though San Andres Sakamch'en is recognized nationally and
internationally as a symbol of the hope for a peace with justice and
dignity and for Chiapas and for Mexico;  since Albores and his accomplices
are not interested in peace, or the well-being and lives of the indigenous
peoples, Albores is not satisfied with having assassinated dozens of
indigenous and hundreds of innocents;  if justice existed in Mexico,
Albores, like others, would no longer be free, provoking more violence, he
should be in jail for the multiple crimes he has committed against the
indigenous peoples. 

We also want to say that it causes us much pain that there are still
indigenous brothers who allow themselves to be used and bought by the
government, indigenous brothers who allow themselves to be had for a
little money or for the promises made by the bad government, and thus
deliver themselves to the powerful as humble slaves and servants, but they
turn proud and furious against the brothers of their own race, making
themselves accomplices in the lie and the crimes of the bad leaders. 

This is why we demand justice for the multiple crimes committed by Roberto
Albores and that they immediately leave our State, in order to avoid the
spilling of more indigenous blood in Chioapas. 

To our PRI indigenous brothers and their authorities, if you truly wish
the tranquility of our municipality, you should think carefully about what
you are doing, and you should analyze the consequences they can bring, but
do not let yourselves be had by the lies and the promises of a bad
government or by some PRI leaders who are only seeking their own personal
benefit. 

What you have done by dislocating the town authorities is a true
provocation, if something serious were to happen in the municipality, you
will be held directly responsible, with an assassin government whom you
have confidence in, but, if you want to be accomplices, then go right
ahead. 

But do not forget that justice cannot be bought nor sold with money. 

SINCERELY

MUNICIPAL AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE AUTONOMOUS MUNICIPALITIES OF
CHIAPAS

Manuel Hernandez Hernandez
Manuel Gonzalez Gonzalez
Manuel Teratol Ruiz
Mario Santiz Gomez
Manuel Ruiz Lopez
Jose Ruiz Gomez

***************************************

DENUNCIATION FROM THE
"WOMEN FOR DIGNITY" OF SAN ANDRES

April 8, 1999

TO PUBLIC OPINION
TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS
TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY
TO NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Those of us who are signing this letter are the authorities of the
Artisanal Cooperative Society of Women for Dignity S.C.L., for the purpose
of letting the nation and the world know that we were dislocated from our
cooperative yesterday, April 7, we still managed to take some of the
crafts from our shop, but all the furniture and kitchen equipment was
left, because the PRI president with a group of PRI's, accompanied by
Public Security and the judicial police, threatened us that, if we did not
hand over the key to the cooperative, they were going to take as prisoner
one of our clients who was accompanying us in taking our crafts out, also
one of our clients took a record player, but the PRI's took it away,
although he returned it later, but they robbed the cassette with
recordings and they also demanded the key to our shop by force. 

A thread store, also the property of the same cooperative society, has not
yet been able to get anything out, it remains in the hands of the PRI
president and watched over by Public Security. 

We express our dissent in the face of this arrogant attitude of the PRI
municipal president, our cooperative society is not illegal, our artisanal
cooperative society of Women for Dignity is a legally constituted
organization, registered and recognized by the law, but even so they do
not respect our cooperative and they dislocated us, in spite of the fact
that we are a legal organization. 

SINCERELY

ADMINISTRATION COUNCIL AND SECURITY COUNCIL
OF THE WOMEN FOR DIGNITY
        ARTISANAL COOPERATIVE SOCIETY

*********************************************

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