Cerezo No. 1, Cerro Hueco.
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas.
May 10, 2002.

To the Local, National and International Media.
To the Peoples of the World.

We, the political prisoners, zapatista support bases in the Voice of Cerro Hueco, are still engaged in the struggle for LIBERTY WITH JUSTICE AND DIGNITY.  We shall not rest until it is achieved, even though the bad government is trying to plunge us into obscurity, our struggle is made stronger, because right is on our side.  We shall not stop as long as they continue to imprison more compañeros, who now, as of today, total 17 new prisoners.  For those who continue to assert that there are no more zapatista support base prisoners, we are now letting it be known that the following belong to the Voice of Cerro Hueco:

Cerro Hueco:  Efraín Hernandez Sanchez, Victorio Gómez Núñez, Andres Díaz Ruiz and Antonio Díaz Ruiz.
San Cristóbal L. C.:  Jorge López Díaz, Juan Velasco Gómez, Martín Díaz Núñez, Diego Mendez Hernandez, Javier López Mendez, Juan Vazquez Gutierrez, Domingo Hernandez Entiznó, Alonso Santís Hernandez and Alonso Meza Domínguez.
Yajalón:  Honorio Gómez López, Juan Bernabe Cruz Aguilar and Manuel Guzman Gómez.
Playas de Catazaja:  Manuel Hernandez López

Today, at 10:00 in the morning, the new zapatista support base prisoners joined a hunger strike, along with our compañeros from Tabasco, as part of a peaceful resistance in order to demand our freedom, but never pardon, since we are in jail because we are fighting for the recognition of our rights as indigenous peoples, and incarceration will not stop us.

It is not up to us to speak for the EZLN who, in consensus with the indigenous communities, will decide the moment when conditions are suitable, but we do support the three minimal conditions which the Indian peoples want to see fulfilled.

Recognition of the San Andres Accords as expressed in the COCOPA law, demilitarization of the indigenous communities and freedom for the zapatista prisoners.  We continue, and shall continue, to remember that there are three minimal conditions for opening the path to peace.  It is not stubbornness, as those in power say, it is historic justice.

We are only stating a reality:  the existence of our zapatista support base prisoners, who are in resistance against unjust incarceration.  Having made things clear, we would only like to add that we still do not understand why there are still people who are seeking only to grandstand and who are stating that they are securing government pardon for us.  In response to this mockery, we return once again to the question:  For what are they going to pardon us?  If we are in jail, it is because we are indigenous and we do not wish to cease being so.  That is our struggle, and we shall never ask pardon from the ones who imprison us, harass us and keep us marginalized.

FOR LIBERTY WITH JUSTICE AND DIGNITY,

‘THE VOICE OF CERRO HUECO’

Alejandro Mendez Días

Gustavo Estrada

NOTE:  Today, May 10, at 1:00 in the afternoon, we, the 4 prisoners of The Voice of Cerro Hueco who are on hunger strike, were removed.  We were treated with disrespect and violence, but we are continuing our strike next to the jail’s telephone booth.  We are not afraid, on the contrary, their intimidations and threats have strengthened us.

Cerezo No. 1

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