Zapatistas Done For

[Forward Union]

A few weeks ago a review described Marcos as "Vulnerable, doubting about the strategy undertaken 14 years ago by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN)" "We are out of fashion" says (Subcomandate marcos)

At the Last ecuentro he said "Those of us who have made war in the past know what preparations for war look like" the EZLN has withdrawn from The Other Campaign to prepair for war in the jungle. Below is whats been happening, all reports are from May 08. The Zaps are under attack like never before and Marcos has said to a news outlet that he'll probably never give an interview again.

My friend translated these and put them on Libcom, I've posted segments here to give people an uptdate;



CARACOL OF MORELIA
Ejido Morelia – the seat of the JBG of Morelia has experienced an attack by the police and PRI authorities aimed at taking the land on which the Caracol is situated. People were imprisoned in their houses, beaten, and attacked with sticks, stones and machetes. Doors and windows were broken and a number of people were injured, 6 of them hospitalised. 300 PRIistas cut the electricity supply to some of the houses, the next day a large number of masked support bases reinstalled it. There is a state of alarm in the community and the situation is very serious.



CARACOL OF OVENTIC
Zinacantan - a continuation of a long-term systematic precess of harassment, characterised by the deprivation of the water supply (an ancestral spring) to the community of Sok’on since 2002. This week a man from the community of Elambo Alto was abducted by the PRD authorities of Zinacantan.
Huitepec – again there is a long-term campaign to take the land from the Zapatista ecological reserve – the most recent incident being the deliberate poisoning of a well.



In the early hours of Thursday morning, state police removed residents from the village of Cuauhtémoc in the muncipality of Ixtapa, Chiapas from the site of a farm holding owned by Grupo Pecuario San Antonio. The residents had been blockading the property in an attempt to close it down, claiming that it has caused health problems in the area and polluted the local atmosphere. Tens of women and children have been infected by noxious gases.

(my emphasis)

lastly an Article in La Jornada



ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN CHIAPAS

Military mobilisation in Chiapas "as has not been seen for years" accuses NGO.
The second half of May saw increased Army action in indigenous regions of Chiapas, especially, but not exclusively, in Zapatista communities of the jungle and the Northern zone. A variety of organisations consider this as not having happened for years.

This last weekend, the Good Government Junta (JBG) Camino de futuro, of the Caracol of La Garrucha, confirmed the denunciation of a military and police operative in the ejido of San Jerónimo Tuliljá (of the independent municipality Ricardo Flores Magón, and official municipality of Chilón) that took place 10 days ago and was documented by human rights groups.

On the 19th of May, a military helicopter flew over the Tzotzil and Chol community, and later a convoy of the 18 infantry battalion of the Army arrived, which is based in Tabasco, as well as members of the Federal Agency of Investigation (AFI) and the State Preventive Police (PEP), “that surrounded the three streets where there is major presence of EZLN support bases”, details the JBG.

The federal agents made death threats to the people there, and burst into three houses without presenting/displaying orders or explanations. Later they fell back several hundred metres and remained there until the 20th.

The JBG indicated: “there is no reason that necessitates the entrance of these military bodies”, and condemned “the violent attitudes of the three levels of government (federal, state and municipal)”.
On the 22nd federal troops entered indigenous communities of the municipality Venustiano Carranza. On the 23rd, the Human Rights Centre Fray Bartolomé de las Casas received the testimony of settlers of the communities Cruz Palenque, Usipá, Retorno Miguel Alemán and Nuevo Limar (municipality of Tila, in the Northern zone), “worried by the presence of armed elements of the Army at the crossing of Cruz Palenque and Usipá”, in order to penetrate into Jolaco, Usipá, Cruz Palenque and Nuevo Limar “with unknown motives”.

There is fear in the Chol communities, as “the Army has begun taking positions in different points throughout the state, in addition to the constant mobilisation in the mentioned communities, such as has not been seen in several years”.

That same Friday 23, the Organización Campesina Emiliano Zapata (OCEZ) denounced that for more than two hours “an Army helicopter remained flying at a very low altitude over the zone of the communities of El Carrizal y Río Florido (Ocosingo), both belonging to the OCEZ-FNLS”.
The situation brought about fear and insecurity in the population, “mainly due to the persistent and intimidatory attitude of the helicopter flights, with machine guns mounted in the stirrups of the apparatus, aimed towards the houses and people”.

Other military incursions have been reported in the border region of Marqués de Comillas. Although apparently isolated incidents, they happen suddenly, and in no case have the troops or police agents offered explanations. As the OCEZ comments, “this is not the first time that we in Chiapas suffer the humiliating effects of militarisation, we already know what it is”.


http://photos-262.friendster.com/e1/photos/26/23/22233262/1_448403153l.jpg

[Joe Hill's Ghost]

I think the problem is abandoning the other campaign. Withdrawal and isolation are the last things the EZLN needs right now. If the Mexican government wants to take them out then they need as much outside solidarity as possible. They'll lose any real one on one conflict. We need to start preparing for solidarity actions becuase if this is coming, we need to think about a strategy sooner rather than later.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

As much as I oppose the repression of these folks by the capitalist state, I can't say that I'm surprised at all. The EZLN, from the start, has been a group of armed-reformists. The sit-and-wait base/defensive strategy proved itself long ago to be a failure. When the toilers take up arms, it must be with the intent of smashing the capitalist state and seizing power, not influencing the capitalist government (who are going to regroup and strike back, as is the case here).All gains under capitalism can be rolled back, and eventually will if we don't continue to push forward. As I've said many times before, the end result of the EZLN will either be its military elimination or the liquidation of its leadership into the realm of bourgeois politics.

[MarxSchmarx]

As much as I oppose the repression of these folks by the capitalist state, I can't say that I'm surprised at all. The EZLN, from the start, has been a group of armed-reformists. The sit-and-wait base/defensive strategy proved itself long ago to be a failure. When the toilers take up arms, it must be with the intent of smashing the capitalist state and seizing power, not influencing the capitalist government (who are going to regroup and strike back, as is the case here).All gains under capitalism can be rolled back, and eventually will if we don't continue to push forward. As I've said many times before, the end result of the EZLN will either be its military elimination or the liquidation of its leadership into the realm of bourgeois politics.

True, and to be fair, the EZLN did realize it was becoming way too isolated. Whatever limitations the practical implementations had, there's as legitimate need to consolidate one's gains. Forging ahead doesn't always work. It is way too easy, for those of us who didn't have to put up with all the shit the EZLN has, to after the fact say "Oh, they didn't act decisively enough, therefore they got screwed".

[Joe Hill's Ghost]

Yeah its not for us to hark about their ''flawed strategy," we have to prepare to do whatever we can do to help them out in the coming months. Outside support saved them once, it can save them again.

[BIG BROTHER]

Yeah its not for us to hark about their ''flawed strategy," we have to prepare to do whatever we can do to help them out in the coming months. Outside support saved them once, it can save them again.

That's true, if they make their presence known once again, the people will surely rally behind their cause, as a lot of people are sympathetic towards them, but since they haven't done much for a while people forget about them.
I find it weird why this incidents have happened though? I mean I always though that after the government saw that they weren't a real military treat, and accorded to tolerate them, they would be left alone.

[Joe Hill's Ghost]

That's true, if they make their presence known once again, the people will surely rally behind their cause, as a lot of people are sympathetic towards them, but since they haven't done much for a while people forget about them.
I find it weird why this incidents have happened though? I mean I always though that after the government saw that they weren't a real military treat, and accorded to tolerate them, they would be left alone.

Yeah, I guess they just got tired of em. Anyway the Zaps need to start organizing outside of chiapas, so that if they strike at their communities, people everywhere else stand up. But damn, why did they pull back? It was the exact opposite of what they were supposed to do.

[BIG BROTHER]

Yeah, I guess they just got tired of em. Anyway the Zaps need to start organizing outside of chiapas, so that if they strike at their communities, people everywhere else stand up. But damn, why did they pull back? It was the exact opposite of what they were supposed to do.

Do you think that they might fear that they follow EPR's example. I mean even though they have distanced themselves from the EPR maybe the government is still worried that they will end up getting more aggressive anyways.

[Joe Hill's Ghost]

Do you think that they might fear that they follow EPR's example. I mean even though they have distanced themselves from the EPR maybe the government is still worried that they will end up getting more aggressive anyways.

Isn't there strong evidence that the EPR had ties to the Mexican state. I heard from a couple of folks from Oaxaca that the EPR's sudden reemergence is mostly to act as an agent provocateur.

[BIG BROTHER]

Isn't there strong evidence that the EPR had ties to the Mexican state. I heard from a couple of folks from Oaxaca that the EPR's sudden reemergence is mostly to act as an agent provocateur.

I have never heard that before. I wouldn't think that the EPR has ties to the Mexican government, since apparently some of their members have been kidnapped unofficially by the government, and the EPR has sabotaged PEMEX's pipe lines.

But knowing the shit "our" government has done before I wouldn't disscard that possibility either.

[Joe Hill's Ghost]

I have never heard that before. I wouldn't think that the EPR has ties to the Mexican government, since apparently some of their members have been kidnapped unofficially by the government, and the EPR has sabotaged PEMEX's pipe lines.

But knowing the shit "our" government has done before I wouldn't disscard that possibility either.

It seems like its not definitively established, but there's definite rumblings about it. Since the EPR pretty much came out of nowhere.


The renaissance of the EPR last July took the form of several bomb attacks in the El Bajío region of central Mexico on gas lines owned by Pemex, the nationalised oil company. It was quickly followed by bombs in department stores and banks in Cuidad de Oaxaca before another bombing of a Pemex gas line, this time in Veracruz. Rumour is rife of the involvement of government agents in the newly active EPR faction(s), and some whispers centre around government attempts to orchestrate a situation similar to the Strategy of Tension (http://libcom.org/history/1969-the-strategy-of-tension-in-italy) in Italy in the 1970s, in which government agent provocateurs committed terrorist acts and blamed them on anarchists and revolutionaries in order to vindicate their subsequent repression. As of yet, these claims are just speculation, although such underhand tactics have been the intermittent modus operandi of the post-revolutionary Mexican state.

http://libcom.org/news/state-terror-dirty-war-year-state-recuperation-mexico-08102007

[BIG BROTHER]

Interesting, I think we'll just need to wait and see how this develops. So far I read somewhere that EPR issued a statement where they claimed that Mexican citizens(obiosly not referring to the gov') shouldn't fear them, and that they wouldn't be harmed.

But then, there are the "porros" which are a group of students paid by the government to do their dirty work, and blame real students for what they do, so yea with the EPR coming out all of the sudden anything could be true.

I'm still more skeptical about them being connected to the government though.

But whatever is the case and coming back to the EZLN, yea their strategy wasn't the best, but we need to give them our support in the face of this threat.

[Mather]

What is the nature of the relationship between the Mexican anarchist groups and the EZLN?

Is there any chance of the EZLN reaching out or joining forces with other groups and movements in Mexico?

[Forward Union]

AsThe EZLN, from the start, has been a group of armed-reformists. The sit-and-wait base/defensive strategy proved itself long ago to be a failure. When the toilers take up arms, it must be with the intent of smashing the capitalist state and seizing power,

But their first declaration stated;

"
• First: Advance to the capital of the country, overcoming the Mexican federal army, protecting in our advance the civilian population and permitting the people in the liberated area the right to freely and democratically elect their own administrative authorities. "
But sadly Ideology and intent wasn't enough to beat back the US backed Federal army. So they had to try something else. Which, like you, I do have criticisms of. But the Armed reformist comment is a bit of a tired record.

They openly advocate the destruction of capitalism, and believbe in building an international movement against it. I don't see how this is reformist. The fact that they have fought for reforms in the mean time is, in my opinion, a good thing.

But you're right to some extent, they have fucked up a few times. But the important thing for us is to support the people of Chiapas in the face of vicious state represion.

[Forward Union]

What is the nature of the relationship between the Mexican anarchist groups and the EZLN?

Is there any chance of the EZLN reaching out or joining forces with other groups and movements in Mexico?

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/4554/thfacepalmst3.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Other_Campaign

[Forward Union]

That's true, if they make their presence known once again, the people will surely rally behind their cause, as a lot of people are sympathetic towards them, but since they haven't done much for a while people forget about them.
I find it weird why this incidents have happened though? I mean I always though that after the government saw that they weren't a real military treat, and accorded to tolerate them, they would be left alone.

Theres been constant debate within the government on what to do about them. The Manhatten back told the Mexican government to get rid of them, and alot of the right-wing of the ruling party want to wipe them out.

The Zapatistas haven't been doing nothing. They've been building the other campaign which openly declares that there should be revolution in 2010. The last revolution was in 1910, and before that 1810... so it's a bit of a tradition. The Government wants to get rid of them before then

[An archist]

Some pictures from chiapas IMC:
http://chiapas.indymedia.org/article_156418
And a video:
http://chiapas.indymedia.org/article_156476

[Forward Union]

Some pictures from chiapas IMC:
http://chiapas.indymedia.org/article_156418


Good find man

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6695/army1tj4.gif

[Colonello Buendia]

the position the zapatistas find themselves in is quite bad, they have been unable to gather alot of support among other movements and have pretty much stayed alienated and sorrounded by the federal army and police. in the run up to 2010 their postion will get much word because the government will want to break their back before then. one thing which has always intersted me is that the zapatistas are peasant based while most anarchists are prole based. Mexico seems like an odd place for a proletarian anarchist revolution. given the limited industrialisation.

[DancingLarry]

What I find most disconcerting is the defeatist nature of the statements coming from the Zapatistas. They don't seem to only be indicating military defeat, but political obliteration as well. That would suggest a movement/organization that is already demoralized, fractured, and unable to organize itself in advance for a continuing underground presence. Moreover, the EZLN have always, since the very first days, been keenly attuned and quite adept at getting their messages out, and using those messages as part of their strategic struggle. That they are putting out messages preemptively announcing the end of their own existence suggests a movement that is already politically broken, perhaps internally, defeated before the final assault by the forces of repression.

[Forward Union]

the position the zapatistas find themselves in is quite bad, they have been unable to gather alot of support among other movements and have pretty much stayed alienated and sorrounded by the federal army and police. in the run up to 2010 their postion will get much word because the government will want to break their back before then. one thing which has always intersted me is that the zapatistas are peasant based while most anarchists are prole based. Mexico seems like an odd place for a proletarian anarchist revolution. given the limited industrialisation.

The Zapatistas are Peasants, but there are other groups and movements i Mexico, theres large industry in Oaxaca, D.F Veracruz and all the areas around Chiapas as well as in the rest of the country. Of course there are struggles elsewhere, constant strikes, and occasionally larger clashes like in Oaxaca and Atenco. Both of which claimed some affinity with the Zaps and vice verca.

[Devrim]

Mexico seems like an odd place for a proletarian anarchist revolution. given the limited industrialisation.


Mexican population is increasingly urban, with close to 75% living in cities.


The economy of Mexico is the 12th largest in the world


Importance of the Agriculture to Mexico's economy Agriculture, as a percentage of GDP, has been steadily declining, and now resembles that of developed nations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_nation), in that it plays a smaller role in the economy. In 2006, agriculture accounted for only 3.9% of GDP,[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico#cite_note-CIA-5) down from 7% in 1980,[39] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico#cite_note-INEGI_banco-38) and 25% in 1970.[40] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico#cite_note-Hufbauer_Agriculture-39) Nonetheless, given the historic structure of ejidos, it still employs a considerably high percentage of the work force: 18% in 2003,[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico#cite_note-CIA-5) mostly of which grows basic crops for subsistence, compared to 2–5% in developed nations in which production is highly mechanized.


Devrim

[Joe Hill's Ghost]

I second Dev here. Nafta and its offspring put the final nail in the campesino's coffin. Mexico will only get more urbanized as the ejidos gradually succumb to market, political, and social pressure. Though a strong enough economic flop might change that.

[BIG BROTHER]

Theres been constant debate within the government on what to do about them. The Manhatten back told the Mexican government to get rid of them, and alot of the right-wing of the ruling party want to wipe them out.

The Zapatistas haven't been doing nothing. They've been building the other campaign which openly declares that there should be revolution in 2010. The last revolution was in 1910, and before that 1810... so it's a bit of a tradition. The Government wants to get rid of them before then

yea, I exaggerated a little too much, the other campaign, could be something that makes the government uneasy about them. Especially since they got support from various groups and movements in Mexico. I guess now that Calderon is in power, he decided to indeed put an end to them.

[Pawn Power]

200 Soldiers Invade Zapatista Land
by anarcentric Tuesday, Jun 10 2008, 12:32am
[email protected]
north america / mexico (http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?region=northamericamexico) / community struggles (http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?topic=communitystruggles) / press release (http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?type=pressrelease)



"Comrades of the Other Campaign in Mexico and other countries, we ask you to be on the alert because the soldiers said they’ll be back in two weeks. We don’t want war. We want peace with justice and dignity. But we have no other choice than to defend ourselves, resist them, and eject them when they come looking for a confrontation with us in the towns of the Zapatista support bases...All we can tell you is to look and see
where the provocation is coming from. We’re now informing you of what’s going on, hopefully in time."TOWARDS A NEW DAWN
RESISTANCE CARACOL

ROAD TO THE FUTURE
GOOD GOVERNMENT COUNCIL
CHIAPAS, MÉXICO

JUNE 4, 2008

DENUNCIATION

ACT OF PROVOCATION

From the Road to the Future Good Government Council (Junta de Buen
Gobierno El Camino del Futuro)

To the people of Mexico and the world, to the comrades in the Other
Campaign in Mexico and the world, to the national and international
news media, to human rights defenders, to the honest non-governmental
organizations

The Road to the Future Good Government Council makes the following
denunciation:

1. A column was sighted consisting of a military convoy and public
safety police, municipal police, and judicial agents at 9:00 in the morning
southeastern time; there were 2 big trucks and 3 small trucks of
soldiers, 2 public safety trucks, 2 municipal police trucks, an anti-riot tank,
and a truckload of judicial agents.

2. All in all there were around 200 provocateurs.

3. Before entering the town of Garrucha, the headquarters of the
Caracol, about 30 meters from the edge of the town, 3 trucks from the convoy
stopped and 4 soldiers got out of a truck as if to outflank the town of
Garrucha by using the road to our collective cornfield.
The people reacted and organized themselves to eject the convoy.
The soldiers immediately got back in their truck and continued along the road.
Those in front were intimidating the people, taking photos and filming them as they waited
for the other provocateurs.

4. Arriving at the spot where the soldiers from Patiwitz were
stationed,another military convoy joined the column, which continued on its way
to engage in another provocation.


5. They arrived at Rancho Alegre, a community known as Chapuyil.


6. They got out of the trucks and headed for the town of Hermenegildo
Galeana, where all the people are Zapatista support bases, accusing the
townspeople of growing marijuana in their fields.

7. People throughout the Zapatista area of Garrucha, including the
autonomous authorities, are witness to the fact that no such fields
exist.The Zapatistas here work in their cornfields and banana plantations.
They are willing to struggle for freedom, justice, and democracy and resist
any provocation whatsoever.

8. Around 100 soldiers, 10 public security police, and 4 judicial
agents headed for the town of Galeana. All the repressors painted their faces
to confuse people and to avoid being recognized in the hill country.
They walked for a while on the road and then went into the hills on their
way to the town.

9. The federal column was guided by a person named Feliciano Román
Ruiz,who is known to be from the Ocosingo municipal police.

10. The townspeople of Galeana ––men, women, girls, and boys––
organized themselves to eject the troops, come what may.

11. They met up with the troops in the middle of the road and the melee
began. All the Zapatista women, men, boys, and girls told the soldiers
in no uncertain terms, “Go back to where you came from, you aren’t
needed here. We want freedom, justice, and democracy ––not soldiers.”

12. The soldiers said, “We came here because we know there’s
marijuana here and we’re going on ahead come hell or high water.
” That’s when the people took out their machetes, shovels, rocks, slingshots, ropes and
whatever was at hand, and drove them back.

13. The soldiers said, “Well, this time we’re not going any
further, but we’ll be back in two weeks and we’re going in there come hell or
high water.”

14. They took another road down to the village of Zapatista support
bases called San Alejandro where 9 vehicles with 40 soldiers and 10 policemen
were waiting for them.

15. On their way down, they trampled the cornfield, which is the
town’s only food source.

16. In the Zapatista town of San Alejandro, the 60 repressive agents
took up their positions, ready for a confrontation.

17. The people reacted and used everything at hand to drive back the
federal forces.

18. Soldiers from Toniná, Patiwitz, and San Quintín participated in
the confrontation.

19. People of Mexico and the world, we want to tell you that it won’t
be long before another confrontation occurs, provoked by Calderón and
Juan Sabines and Carlos Leonel Solórzano, the municipal president of
Ocosingo,who’ll call out their dogs from all the forces of repression.

We are not drug dealers. As you know, we are brothers and sisters of
Mexico and the world. It’s clear that they’re coming for us
Zapatistas. All three levels of the bad government are coming after us, and we’re
ready to resist them if that’s what’s necessary, just as our slogan
says: We’ll live for our homeland or die for freedom.

20. People of Mexico and the world, you know that our struggle is a
peaceful, political one. As it says in the Sixth Declaration of the
Lacandon Jungle, it’s a peaceful, political struggle known as the
Other Campaign. Just look where the violent provocation is coming from.

21. Comrades of the Other Campaign in Mexico and other countries, we
ask you to be on the alert because the soldiers said they’ll be back in
two weeks. We don’t want war. We want peace with justice and dignity.
But we have no other choice than to defend ourselves, resist them, and eject
them when they come looking for a confrontation with us in the towns of the
Zapatista support bases.

22. All we can tell you is to look and see where the provocation is
coming from.

We’re now informing you of what’s going on, hopefully in
time.

That’s all we have to say.


RESPECTFULLY YOURS,
La Junta de Buen Gobierno
Elena Gordillo Clara Claribel Pérez López
Freddy Rodríguez López Rolando Ruiz Hernández


http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=9095