France, Alternative Libertaire AL - Dossier: Chiapas http://alternativelibertaire.org/?Chiapas (fr)

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A compilation of articles and press releases, as well as the political struggles in Mexico 
and the indigenous peoples of the South American continent. By joining the "Sexta" 
Zapatistas, Alternative libertarian intends to defend the autonomy of peoples and 
self-organization and self-management experiences. ---- The uprising ---- The Zapatista 
uprising of January 1, 1994 has shed light on social and political issues specific to 
indigenous peoples of Mexico as elsewhere. Land use, political representation, loss of 
crops, racial discrimination, these themes are found on the front of the Mexican and 
international scene, and the uprising has caused or strengthened many other indigenous 
movements and sparked a wave of solidarity international.

A Zapatista march.

The relationships developed with Mexican and international civil society, as well as 
intense political preparation of the Zapatistas during the ten years preceding the 
uprising, led to a movement with a strong organizational ability, broad popular support, 
and an inspiring speech for many struggles. The anti-capitalist rhetoric, horizontal 
practices, demands for autonomy, attended among others popularized this movement in 
libertarian circles worldwide.

The goal here is to trace the history of the movement, but to see where it stands today 
and what it can bring to us in our struggles.

A new round of the Zapatista movement

Once the fighting ended in 1994, the EZLN forged ties with Mexican civil society and 
anti-globalization movements through the steps of Chiapas to Mexico or international 
meetings on their territory. At the same time the Zapatistas have organized their autonomy 
in during the uprising "recovered territories". After two years of intense work with 
Mexican and international civil society (around the 6th declaration) in 2006 and 2007, 
they are focused and they are-on the development of productive capacities, political, social.

You are in Zapatista rebel territory. Here the people and control the government obeys.
The "power" of the EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation) was transferred to 
civilian authorities, the Juntas buen gobierno, and many educational projects, health, 
agriculture, communications have been or strengthened. The living conditions of the 
Zapatista communities have improved, despite continued crackdown by the local and federal 
governments. The media and many political movements hostile to the Zapatistas took 
advantage of this moment of reduced visibility to declare the demise of the movement. But 
the onset of a new phase of mobilization since December 2012 proved them wrong.

December 21, 2012, approximately 40,000 bases de apoyo (support base) Zapatistas marched 
silently through the five cities that the EZLN had taken by force on 1 January 1994 The 
press release issued that day only said "YOU HAVE HEARD I need regular. It's the sound of 
your world falling apart, This is one of our re-emerges. The day was day was night and 
night is the day that will be the day. ".

A few days later, the EZLN began issuing press releases at a steady pace, explaining the 
relative silence of the previous years and will return to work of national and 
international communication, the appointment of a new Subcomandante, and entry a new phase 
of their movement: "the time yes." That is to say, an active phase of another company 
rather than simple opposition or resistance to the company's existing construction. Then, 
detailing the first steps in this new phase, the small school (small school), so popular 
university organized by the Zapatistas in their communities from August 2013 until early 
2014 to share their experience with self-es and organizations national and international 
social supporters. recovery of a unit working with other Mexican indigenous movement, 
especially through the Catedra Tata Juan Chavez on 17 and 18 August 2013.

The entrance into this new phase of mobilization time meets a particular context.

On one hand, the widespread violence. Mexico has become in recent years one of the most 
violent countries in the world, with the outbreak of the "war against drugs" under the 
term of President Calder?n (2006-2012) of the PAN (National Action Party, right-wing 
conservative Catholic ), which has 60,000 people including many of the "collateral 
damage". This violence has added to the corruption and authoritarianism of the Mexican 
political class, destroying even more the social fabric, and masking the repression 
(murders, disappearances, imprisonment) suffered the social and indigenous movements.

On the other hand, the return of the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) in power. The 
PRI ruled Mexico for 70 years in a row until the arrival of PAN to power in 2000, 
symbolizes the corruption, cronyism, repression, the neoliberal turn, the mafia state 
(practices the NAP kept alive with pleasure), and his return to power in late 2012 can 
only do fear the worst.

Finally, the implementation of the neoliberal agenda of North American elites. Trade 
integration benefiting multinational resource extraction wild, looting of biological 
resources, privatization (education, energy, etc.), with disastrous socio-economic 
consequences for the majority of the population, especially for indigenous peoples 
dispossessed of their lands and their cultures.

A key element in this new phase of mobilization is also cultural and spiritual. December 
21, 2012 is in the Mayan world view the transition to a new cycle of their calendar, the 
14th Baktun, each baktun for about 394 years. This cultural aspect has determined the 
choice of the date of mobilization of December 21, and gives the meaning of the press 
release issued at that time, entering a new cycle to be accompanied by an entry in another 
model of society Zapatistas are trying to build.

More recently, following the attack on the Caracol La Realidad and murder compa Galeano, 
perpetuated by paramilitaries, the Zapatistas, through the voice of Subcomandante Marcos, 
confirmed the commitment in this new phase of the movement. Indeed, deciding the 
"disappearance" of the character of Marcos, they show the world that their movement is 
self-managing and horizontal. Evolution is known, as shown in this excerpt from the press 
release Light and Shadow of the EZLN:

"During the past twenty years, a complex and multi-layered succession has occurred within 
the EZLN.

Some saw only what was more obvious: the generational change.
Aujourd ' hui, indeed, are those who are very young or were not even born at the beginning 
of our struggle and uprising that led the resistance.
However, some scholars have not been aware of the other shifts that have taken place:
A succession of class: the transition from a middle class home lit a peasant indigenous.
A succession race: mestizo leaders, there has been much to indigenous leaders.
And most importantly, notes thought. From the avant-garde revolutionary, we went to the 
"command by obeying"; the seizure of power from on high to the creation of power from 
below; professional to everyday political policy; leading to communities; of gender 
segregation in the direct participation of women; mockery towards each other in the 
celebration of difference. "

Aternative libertarian adheres to the Sexta, that is to say, to the Sixth Declaration of 
the Lacandon Jungle , written in 2005, this text has helped to create a new network of 
these groups struggle.

The EZLN and the Zapatista movement have shown over the past few decades that there was 
nothing inevitable in this world dominated by neoliberalism, injustice and governments to 
boot capitalists. Even the poorest, most forgotten-es, can stand and shout Ya Basta! 
Enough! And choose a different path, based on justice, democracy, dignity, solidarity and 
equality.

What has been successful in building the Zapatistas since the creation of the EZLN is a 
source of optimism and inspiration to all the men and women who fight for a better world. 
The political, social, cultural, are not the same in France and in Chiapas, and does not 
call for the same answers, but a common desire is to animate us, as everywhere on this 
planet: take back control of our lives. And in this respect there, the Zapatistas are an 
example.

Alternative libertarian has long fought against all forms of oppression: capitalism, 
state, patriarchal, racist. We participate to the best of our abilities to social 
movements and struggles in our workplaces, and disseminate our ideas as much as possible 
to create a libertarian communist society free from all forms of domination.

San Cristobal de las Casas
Since the Zapatista uprising, we have followed with interest the development of solidarity 
and the struggle, and have aired in the pages of our newspaper. But we've never formalized 
our solidarity, nor have we participated in meetings and activities organized by the 
Zapatistas and solidarity movements. Unfortunately it is difficult to engage on all 
fronts. But today, that economic, social and ecological consequences of neoliberalism are 
more dramatic and irreversible, it seems important to participate in the new dynamic that 
the Zapatistas are trying to boost. That's why we decided to join the Sexta Declaraci?n of 
the Lacandon Jungle.

In recent months, the 20th anniversary of the uprising, we participated in different 
cities of France in solidarity activities in common with other groups and group support 
the Zapatistas, with public discussions, meals solidarity and participation in rallies of 
support. With these collective, we try as best they can to provide help.

And we want to spread the Zapatista struggle for autonomy and the indigenous peoples of 
Chiapas and elsewhere, and require the application of the San Andres, the release of 
political prisoners and an end to military harassment and political violence which are too 
often victims peoples of Chiapas and the rest of Mexico.

See: Links:at:

http://alternativelibertaire.org/?Chiapas
The site of the EZLN with the founding documents and news communities.
The Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle in French.
Articles and news available on the website of Libertarian Alternative:

nternational support to zapatist @ s against the war against insurgency in Chiapas
ince the Sixth in the world: Gaza lives and resist!
hiapas-EZLN: The Zapatistas share their experience
hiapas Justice Galeano and solidarity with the Zapatistas
ith the Zapatista people for Galeano murdered
ndigenous Struggles: The year of the Zapatista
ow Intensity War in Chiapas: state terrorism and paramilitary
hiapas: The insurgency against
hiapas: Zapatista Autonomy: The Emergence of a regional power.
ossier self Chiapas: Zapatista Autonomy
994: The Zapatistas spoil the neoliberal triumph
exico three days with Zapatista women
ZLN and the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Forest
exico: European support for the Zapatistas
ltermondialisation: Zapatismo and social movements.

Some links to the political struggles in Mexico

Political prisoner-era-s:

exico: Release them
Outside we are not free"

Oaxaca:

axaca: people power against state power
axaca (Mexico): a region in revolt
exico: State Repression in Oaxaca
exico - Oaxaca: Siege at San Juan Copala

More broadly in Mexico

nterview with Miguel Cruz Moreno, member of the CIPO and CNI
exico: Torturers returned to power
exico: "Water does not sell"
iolence in Mexico: anti-narcotic Tactics
resentation Centre social libertarian "Ricardo Flores Mag?n" in Mexico City
iolence in Mexico: anti-narcotic Tactical
exico: Resisting the PRI is to resist the worst
older Mexico: December 1910: A call to arms to the cry of "Tierra y Libertad"

The struggles of indigenous peoples in South America:

razil: the revolt, the anarchists and the indigenous peoples
olombia: Self-organization of indigenous peoples
ictims "big blows to the FARC" are still indigenous peoples
uban Libertarian Movement: On the 6th Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle and the New Left 
Latin American (1/2)
ile rebellious world: Latin America: A continent in revolt

The Zapatista Europe:

The site of Europa Zapatista , gathering the collective solidarity in Europe.

Some links to local public in France:

ommittee of Solidarity with the Peoples of Chiapas in Struggle (CSPCL) Hope Chiapas 
associations support Zapatista coffee cooperatives: Mut Vitz 13; Mut Vitz 31; Mut Vitz 34; 
Exchanges solidarity ....