ricardo dominguez on 21 Aug 2000 12:17:18 -0000 |
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[Nettime-bold] Fw: The zapatistas are indeed speaking,Aug 20 |
Originally published in Spanish by La Jornada _______________________ Translated by irlandesa La Jornada Sunday, August 20, 2000. The Zapatista Are Indeed Speaking * Neil Harvey * To the consternation of some observers of the conflict in Chiapas, Subcomandante Marcos has remained silent regarding the July 2 elections. He is criticized for his extensive communiques, postscripts and etceteras, and now he is being recriminated for his mute response to Vicente Fox's victory and the candidates for Alliance for Change. It appears that Marcos cannot win. If he speaks, he is a genial imposter. If he remains silent, he is a self-marginalized intransigent. But who has the right to ask Marcos to present himself in a manner which most suits one? What really disconcerts Marcos' critics is not that Marcos has remained silent, but rather that he has not agreed to speak in the terms of the Fox transition. The fifteen minute solution is not going to happen, not because Marcos is intransigent, but because the Fox team has still not grasped the magnitude of the conflict in Chiapas, nor does it understand that zapatismo is more than Marcos. Reducing the solution to a problem of contact between Fox and Marcos is worrisome, because it is an attempt to ignore the history of the San Andre's dialogues, in which the EZLN consulted with its support bases in the communities and with broad sectors of civil society and was represented not by the person of Marcos, but rather by its indigenous comandantes and delegates. If the Fox team really wants to know what the zapatistas are thinking at this moment, it would be enough to visit Chiapas, to see the level of militarization and paramilitarization which exists. To learn the problems of the displaced in depth, to recognize the willingness to participate in the elections, if, that is, the forces of the old regime respect them. To speak with the indigenous women who suffer sexual harassment by the "forces of order." To help those who are building, from the communities, the defense of human rights. That would be the most important step in the building of democracy in Chiapas. Ever since July 2, these grievances, demands and desires have been present in the actions and the words of many indigenous in Chiapas, and not just among the zapatistas. A few examples will suffice: the denuncias against the practice of vote buying on July 2. The dislocation of indigenous in El Parai'so, municipality of Yajalo'n, perpetrated by the Peace and Justice paramilitary group. The slow reaction by the police forces to that attack. The threats of similar dislocations in various other places in the state, most notably in the Northern region. The slander against observers of the August 20 election. The denuncia (a year ago now) by the indigenous of the Amador Herna'ndez ejido that the military base established in their community is illegal and should be removed. The ongoing demand for liberty by the indigenous who are still imprisoned in Cerro Hueco jail for political reasons. The yearning that - with the change at the national level - a new opportunity is presenting itself to respond to these grievances and demands, but also the uncertainty as to whether or not the new leaders will have the capacity and the will to make these dreams a new reality for Chiapas and for the rest of the country. Zapatismo is present, but not in the submissive, marginalized or exhausted way that some think or perhaps want. Nor is zapatismo reducible to the figure of Marcos. And so, if it is a question of building peace with dignity and justice (both fundamental elements for democracy), Fox's team will have to make a greater effort to listen to the zapatistas as and how they are, and not force them to speak in the terms which most suit the new political elite. Dialogue is the only path for achieving this end, which requires, as basic pre-conditions, demilitarization and the creation of new channels of mediation. The zapatistas are speaking. Will they be heard? To unsubscribe from this list send a message containing the words unsubscribe chiapas95 (or chiapas95-lite, or chiapas95-english, or chiapas95-espanol) to majordomo@eco.utexas.edu. Previous messages are available from http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html or gopher to Texas, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Economics, Mailing Lists. _______________________________________________ Nettime-bold mailing list Nettime-bold@nettime.org http://www.nettime.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/nettime-bold