From the sacred land of the martyrs of Acteal

Chenalhó, Chiapas, México

22 of April, 2009

To all social and political organizations

To all human rights defenders

To the national and international press

To the civilian population in general

To the “otra campaña” and

To public opinion

Brothers and sisters, today we are united again to commemorate the martyrs who lost their lives on this sacred land on the 22^nd of december 1997. Although the “bad government” doesn’t want justice, we continue working for it and continue organising ourselves to achieve it. Because, just like now is the time to plant our corn and beans, so that our families have good food, it’s time to continue planting the example of the pacifist struggle to our children so that they learn to defend our people and live in a place of real justice, like our forefathers taught us.

Our ancestors gave us the inheritance of respect for our mother earth and to care for all the animals, plants, rivers, mountains as well as the land that provides a home for them, because we live together. But times have changed, now it’s the bad government that only acts in it’s economic interests, to rob the earth and exploit it. Our governments only align to repress those who chose to organize so they can steal our land. For example, it’s no coincidence that days before the arrival of president Obama to Mexico, the Senate of the Mexican Republic decided to formalize the agreement that mexican soldiers can be trained by the US military. So upon the arrival of president Obama the path has been cleared to continue with “Iniciative Mérida” that both governments have been collaborating developing. The agreement involves the acceptance of using US intelligence in Mexico with the pre-text of combatting drug trafficking.

We know that drug trafficking is a real problem in Mexico, but militarizing the country is no solution. Even less valid is the concept of having this militarization run by a gringo government characterized for many years for its destruction and economic ambition. We won’t let the Calderon administration continue to sell off and hand over control of our country. It’s an embarrassment to see that many countries in Latin America are working to create new free political structures which refuse to let the US continue it’s policies of intervention while the Calderon administration does the exact opposite leaving the doors open for US intervention.

We can’t believe what Filipe Calderon says when he talks about combatting organized crime and that he wants security for Mexico. How can he combat crime when he protects the impunity of criminals, like those that perpetrated the Massacre of Acteal? How are we going to believe that he wants security for our people when the government itself violates the rights of the people like the miners from Cananea?

We see our brothers from Motozintla are protesting because the mexican government has given 56 permissions to Canadian and US compaines to exploit our mineral resources. The situation that has developed with the miners from Cananea Sonora is a clear example of what can happen in Chiapas if we let foreign companies in. First they say that the mines will create jobs, then they sack everyone and repress the workers because the companies don’t care about jobs, they just care about profits.

While ever the bad government of Mexico doesn’t take true and concrete acts we will continue to denounce it’s hidden agendas and deceptions.

Our Civil Organisation of Las Abejas is in solidarity with all the struggles and protests of our brothers that are defending their land and work to create a different world.

We give our support:

• To our brothers“Pueblo Católico” (Catholic people) from Motozintla who have mobilized to defend their lands from multinational mining companies.

   

• To the community of Mitsitón, Municipal of San Cristóbal who are defending their lands against the construction of a new highway that the government has decided to build without asking the people.

   

• To the campaign for the liberation of the prisoners of Atenco who are also defending their land. We are united with Jtotic Samuel Ruiz and Jtotic Raúl Vera who yesterday visited Ignacio del Valle and the prisoners of Atenco.

• To the recently formed Coordinadora de la Zona Costa de Chiapas para la Resistencia (Coordination of the Coastal Zone of Chiapas in Resistance) and we will join them on the national day of resistance on the 29^th of April against the excessive tariffs and the privatization of the electricity industry.

We denounce:

• The repression against of our Zapatista comrades from the Municipio Autónomo San José en Rebeldía (Autonomous Muincipal San José in Rebelion) and the adherents to the Otra Campaña (the other campaign) from the land collective Ejido San Sebastián Bachajón, Mcpio. de Chilón. We demand the immediate liberation of those detained.

• The repression and the harassment from the government of Ulises Ruiz against our brothers of San José for progress, Ocotlán, Oaxaca who also defend their land against Canadian mining companies and against the harassment of these same governors against our comrades of CACTUS-UCIZONI one year on from the assassination of the Triqui female radio presenters “La Voz que Rompe el silencio” (The voice that breaks the silence).

To all our comrades that are in the struggle we wish for you to be strong of heart and that god blesses you to continue testifying for an active and dignified population.

 

S I N C E R E L Y

The voice of the civil society of Las Abejas and the directors council

Sebastian Pérez Vázquez – President, Mariano Gómez Pérez – Secretary, Pedro Jiménez Arias – Vice president, Francisco Gómez Pérez – Treasurer, Francisco Pérez Gómez – assistant treasurer

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