Anonymous on Sat Apr 21 00:07:55 2001


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Stalbaum, entitled "An Anchor for Witnessing". We make this request in =
order to=20
celebrate the shift in policy by the new Mexican government towards the=20
Zapatista communities this December 1, 2000, when the new Mexican =
government=20
came into power. The splash page is based on a java applet which =
mediates an=20
art-conceptual performance strategy that had been included in previous =
Virtual=20
Sit-In=92s performed by EDT using the FloodNet software developed by =
EDT. In the=20
custom versions of EDT=92s FloodNet electronic protests system, the =
applet had=20
been used to flood the error logs of the past President of Mexico's =
(Zedillo)=20
web servers with the names of the 45 Tzotzil Mayan women, children and =
men who=20
were gunned down (after gathering in a chapel), by PRI supported =
paramilitaries=20
in the town of Acteal, December</FONT><FONT size=3D2> 22nd, 1997. This =
was done as=20
a symbolic return of the dead to the machines of those responsible for =
the=20
massacre. As a distributed anchor for witnessing this injustice. The =
technique=20
was also used to flood the search engine on the same web site with =
search=20
queries like "justice" and "egalitarianism", all of which are search =
terms that,=20
not surprisingly, yield no relevant documents on the website of the PRI=20
presidency responsible for the ethnic cleansing and forced relocation of =
the=20
Mayan people of southern Mexico.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>The EDT splash page presented on Rhizome.org uses this =
latter=20
strategy ironically and in a visually apparent manner, without flooding =
the=20
Mexican Presidents website. The green frame on the left contains the =
applet,=20
which uses a database of search terms to form a search URL on the =
targeted site.=20
(http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/) This URL is called into the middle =
(white)=20
frame, actually calling the search results from the President of =
Mexico's server=20
into that frame. The results are always similar to the following: "No =
documents=20
matching the query: 'Equality and Peace'." In the right (red) frame, the =
names=20
of the Acteal dead scroll upwards as an act of bearing witness. The =
green, white=20
and red frames symbolize the Mexican flag, inside of which search =
queries for=20
justice can not be found. Since the project depends upon the search =
engine on=20
another web site for it's ironic political critique, (meaning that the =
behavior=20
of this website could be changed without notice by Mexican=20
authorities).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>EDT realizes that this shift in policy, maybe, yet =
another trick=20
in a long line of governmental efforts to destabilize the</FONT><FONT =
size=3D2>=20
autonomous communities in Chiapas with more talks followed by very =
little=20
action. But, a small glimmer of light has appeared</FONT><FONT size=3D2> =
in the=20
Lacandona dawn and so for now we will stand down. This does not mean =
that we=20
will not be vigilant, like many others, EDT will continue to keep our =
gaze and=20
hearts on constant alert and ever watchful of the new Mexican =
governments=20
gestures. EDT will be ready to return if the need arises. We hope that =
will not=20
be necessary and that a new the morning in Chiapas will indeed flourish. =

</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>EDT would like to thank Rhizome.org and The Thing=20
(bbs.thing.net), as well as the many other individuals and groups who =
have=20
supported our electronic actions and the Zapatistas during these past 3=20
years.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Zapata Vive!!</FONT></P></FONT><I>
<P></I><FONT size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.ezln.org/">http://www.ezln.org</A></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Electronic Disturbance Theater</FONT><FONT =
size=3D2></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.thing.net/~rdom/ecd/ecd.html">http://www.thing.net/~rd=
om/ecd/ecd.html</A></FONT></P><FONT=20
size=3D1>
<P><FONT size=3D2>P.S. Dear Zaps we will ride our digital horses into =
Mexico City=20
D.F. with you on Feb 14, 2001. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>A Day of True Hearts!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>*********</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>A note from Harry Cleaver</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>A Time to Celebrate<BR><BR>Fox's order for a =
withdrawal of=20
military forces from Zapatista<BR>communities, and the rescinding of the =

immigration citation of the<BR>Italians bringing a generator to La =
Realidad=20
should not only be seen as <BR>steps in the right direction --toward the =

reversal of the Mexican<BR>government's terrorist policies in Chiapas-- =
they=20
must also be seen, and <BR>appreciated, as victories for the Zapatista=20
communities that have held out<BR>with so much courage during these long =
years=20
of repression. <BR><BR>Whatever happens next, these current actions, =
that=20
reportedly include the<BR>dismantling of military checkpoints on roads =
and a=20
pull back from Amador<BR>Hernandez, should be celebrated as the fruits =
of these=20
years of struggle.<BR>Let us give credit where credit is due: to the=20
communities, to the EZLN<BR>and to everyone everywhere whose actions =
have staved=20
off worse repression<BR>and forced these reversals in government=20
policy.<BR><BR>Assuming these first steps are followed by continued =
withdrawal=20
and that<BR>Fox sends Cocopa's version of the San Andres Accords to=20
the<BR>Mexican congress and it passes, the Zapatista movement will gain=20
greatly<BR>enhanced room for manoeuvre and autonomous activity. At the =
very=20
least, we<BR>can hope for the level of freedom from repression the =
Zapatistas=20
enjoyed<BR>before the February 9, 1995 military assault. Hopefully, =
there will=20
be<BR>more than that. If the military withdraws to its positions before=20
1994,<BR>rather than before February 9, 1995 things will be even=20
better.<BR><BR>A Time to Stay on Guard<BR><BR>At the same time, however, =
not=20
only has that withdrawal not yet taken<BR>place, but there are a whole =
panoply=20
of other forces arrayed against the<BR>Zapatistas that need to be =
"withdrawn"=20
--from the corrupt local, state and<BR>national police forces to the=20
paramilitaries they have financed, armed and<BR>allowed to act with =
great=20
impunity. The dismantling of this apparatus of<BR>repression and state =
terror=20
must be accomplished, and, as with what has<BR>been achieved so far, it =
is=20
likely to be accomplished only through<BR>continued pressure on the =
Mexican=20
government. While we should savor each<BR>victory in this process, it is =
only=20
through vigilance and continued<BR>mobilization that victory will follow =

victory. It is way too soon to<BR>relax.<BR><BR>Moreover, while Fox has =
given=20
the orders, he is also firmly committed to<BR>the pursuit of the very =
economic=20
policies that led to the uprising in the<BR>first place: neoliberal =
policies=20
that subordinate the desires of people to<BR>those of business for =
profits and=20
social control. The Zapatistas rose up<BR>in response to such policies,=20
including NAFTA, and they have continued to<BR>denounce them and oppose =
them.=20
The encounters they organized, beginning<BR>with the Continental and=20
Intercontinental Encounters in 1996 (that begat<BR>the Geneva, Seattle =
and=20
Prague protests) were Encounters "For Humanity,<BR>Against =
Neoliberalism." The=20
reduction of direct police and military<BR>repression will not remove =
the more=20
subtle repression of neoliberal<BR>economic policies. The struggle will =
continue=20
in Chiapas as it is<BR>continuing in the rest of the world. And we can =
be=20
certain that such state<BR>repression is not about to be removed from =
the=20
capitalist bag of tricks,<BR>neither in Mexico, or elsewhere as the =
police=20
arrests and beatings in<BR>Prague made quite clear, as so many examples =
of=20
continuing repression<BR>constantly remind us.<BR><BR>Fox's policies vis =
a vis=20
Chiapas, and the grassroots movements<BR>throughout Mexico, seem likely =
to take=20
the form of a mix of<BR>repression (currently we hope being reduced) and =

co-optation --just like<BR>those of the PRI before him. His embrace of =
"free=20
market" policies (an<BR>oxymoron of course) may involve support for =
small=20
business in an attempt<BR>to differentiate people and communities, a la =
Hernando=20
de Sota, buying<BR>time for the final enclosure of the countryside to =
take place=20
(whose basis<BR>was laid by Salinas who ended protection for ejidal =
lands).=20
Fox's man in<BR>Chiapas, Pablo Salazar, due to take over as governor of =
Chiapas,=20
has<BR>toured the US soliciting business investment in Chiapas, offering =

peace<BR>and cheap labor for maquiladora development, another arrow in =
the=20
quiver<BR>of neoliberalism, another arrow aimed at the heart of=20
indigenous<BR>communities and everything non-capitalist about =
them.<BR><BR>It is=20
impossible to say, at this point, exactly how Fox et al will =
pursue<BR>their=20
goals (which were also those of Salinas and Zedillo and Wall =
Street<BR>and the=20
IMF) but they WILL pursue them. Assuming their tactics shift<BR>from =
police=20
state repression to more subtle means, so must ours. Unless<BR>"human =
rights"=20
advocates shift their understanding of repression in such a<BR>manner as =
to=20
grasp economic repression as well as police state repression<BR>as a =
problem,=20
such changes in strategy may well strip the Zapatista<BR>support network =
of many=20
of its militants. At the moment it seems unlikely<BR>that those who have =

volunteered as international observers to stand<BR>between the Zapatista =

communities and their oppressors will know how to<BR>replicate something =
like=20
that role vis a vis neoliberal economic<BR>development. Up to the =
present, and=20
probably for some time to come, their<BR>role has been vital, but if Fox =
really=20
carries out these kind of shifts,<BR>then other strategies and other =
kinds of=20
action will be needed.<BR><BR>Beyond the problem of resistance, however, =
is the=20
more appealing problem<BR>of building better worlds. Reduced pressure on =
the=20
Zapatista communities<BR>will mean greater latitude for pursuing their =
own=20
agendas, and greater<BR>ease for others to support those agendas. Beside =

inspiring through their<BR>courage, the Zapatistas have inspired through =
their=20
vision of and efforts<BR>to create alternatives to the current =
subordination of=20
humanity to<BR>capital. In domains as diverse as agriculture, education =
and=20
politics they<BR>have pursued, as much as circumstances have allowed,=20
alternatives paths.<BR>There is no reason to assume that any strategy by =
Fox to=20
undermine such<BR>efforts will succeed. On the contrary, evidence =
suggests that=20
despite all<BR>the repression and expenditures by the PRI, Salinas' =
efforts to=20
undermine<BR>collective land in Mexico has mostly failed and indigenous=20
communities<BR>everywhere continue to carve their own roads into the =
future.=20
With less<BR>repression it will be easier for those of us elsewhere to =
learn=20
about and<BR>learn from such efforts, as well as to share our own =
efforts with=20
those in<BR>Mexico. Such accelerated circulation of experience should =
strengthen=20
the<BR>struggle against capitalism everywhere as it becomes clearer and=20
clearer<BR>that very real alternatives are possible.<BR></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>*******</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>2 Communiqu=E9s by the EZLN</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Zapatista Army of National =
Liberation<BR>Mexico.<BR></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>November of 2000.<BR>To the National and International =

Press:<BR><BR>Ladies and Gentlemen:<BR><BR>Here once again. The letters =
are off,=20
for the one who is now leaving<BR>(fortunately), and an invitation for =
you to a=20
press conference. We will do<BR>everything we can to not get hung up and =
be on=20
time.<BR><BR>Vale. Salud, and, no, you don't have to worry, Martha =
Sahagu'n is=20
not going<BR>to be here.<BR><BR>&gt;From the Mountains of the Mexican=20
Southeast.<BR><BR>Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos<BR><BR>Mexico, =
November of=20
2000.<BR><BR>(Zedillo's last moments!)<BR><BR>Yepa! Yepa! =
Yepa!<BR>Andale!=20
Andale! Andale!<BR><BR>Arriba! Arriba! Arriba!<BR><BR><BR>PLAYWRIGHT's =
(ja!) PS=20
WHICH SAYS WHAT IT SAYS. -<BR><BR>First Act. - Characters: the political =
class,=20
announcer, the headlines,<BR>the public.<BR><BR>Place: Mexico. Date: =
Prior to=20
the elections of July 2, 2000.<BR><BR>(The curtain goes up. There are a=20
television and a radio on the stage,<BR>turned up at full volume. In the =

background, the headlines of a national<BR>newspaper. The audio on the =
TV and=20
the radio is the same: commercial<BR>jingles. The newspaper headlines =
are=20
changing as they are signaled.)<BR><BR>The political class: "We are in =
the=20
media, therefore we exist. We should<BR>now confront our greatness with =
the most=20
difficult test in the supreme art<BR>of governing: the ratings. Call for =
the=20
image consultants! (clapping of<BR>hands)."<BR><BR>The headlines: "THE =
IFE IS=20
CREATED, THE FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF POLLS. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>The bother of going to the voting booths will be =
eliminated,=20
says its boss."<BR><BR>The consultant (entering from the right): "Here I =
am=20
(turning to the<BR>public). Modern political science consists not just =
of=20
discovering which<BR>product will have the best acceptance in the =
marketplace,=20
but - and here I<BR>have the science - in converting anything into =
something=20
which resembles<BR>that product as far as possible (he takes a complete =
makeup=20
kit out of his<BR>briefcase) (He painstakingly apples cosmetics to the =
face of=20
the political<BR>class)."<BR><BR>The headlines: "CYBERNETIC CHALLENGE A=20
DEMOCRATIC ADVANCE: EZPL"<BR><BR>The political class (sneezing): "Achoo! =
I think=20
I'm allergic to this<BR>dust. What is it?"<BR><BR>Consultant (offering a =

handkerchief): "Bless you! It is the latest word<BR>in fashion, it is=20
democratizing dust."<BR><BR>The political class (sighing in =
resignation): "Okay,=20
anything to survive"<BR><BR>The headlines: "CANDIDATES' PRICES WILL BE =
GOING=20
DOWN: SECOFI."<BR><BR>Announcer (entering hurriedly from the left): =
"Quickly!=20
Hurry up! The<BR>sponsors are getting anxious! We have to tape the=20
program."<BR><BR>Consultant: "The sponsors? I thought the members of the =

audience would be<BR>the ones who were anxious..."<BR><BR>Announcer: =
"No, no,=20
no. The rhythm of politics is not set by clocks or<BR>calendars, but by =
program=20
times. Hurry up! We don't have much time<BR>between the commercial=20
breaks."<BR><BR>The political class (fixing itself up in front of a =
mirror being=20
held by<BR>the consultant): "Good, how do I look?"<BR><BR>Consultant =
(smiling in=20
satisfaction): "Magnificent! You are<BR>unrecognizable..."<BR><BR>The =
political=20
class (to itself): "Commercial breaks! In the good old days<BR>there =
were no=20
breaks other those produced by the happy sound of the rattles<BR>and =
slogans of=20
"You can see it, you can feel it, the PRI is omnipotent."<BR><BR>(The =
consultant=20
moves to one side).<BR><BR>Announcer: "Lights! Camera! =
Action!"<BR><BR>Announcer=20
(turning to the public): "Welcome to our program: 'The Modest<BR>Truth'! =
Today,=20
as a special guest, we have...the political class! (loud<BR>applause is =
heard,=20
the public is still, but an audio tape is keeping them<BR>from the =
grueling task=20
of having to applaud)."<BR><BR>The political class (turning to the =
announcer):=20
"Is my tie okay?"<BR><BR>Announcer: "Tell us, political class, excuse =
me, can I=20
call you 'tu'?"<BR><BR>The political class (fixing a decal which looks =
like a=20
smile on its mouth):<BR>"Of course."<BR><BR>Announcer: "Good, tell us, =
what can=20
the audience expect from the upcoming<BR>election?"<BR><BR>(The =
political class=20
moves its lips, but no sounds at all come out).<BR><BR>Announcer: "Very=20
interesting! Almost as interesting as these commercial<BR>messages from =
our=20
sponsors!"<BR><BR>The political class (to the announcer): "Are we still=20
taping?"<BR><BR>Announcer: "No. It went perfectly. Now we're waiting for =
the=20
consultant<BR>to send us the audio of your response after he's done his=20
marketing<BR>studies."<BR><BR>The political class: "Then can I leave=20
now?"<BR><BR>Announcer: "Yes."<BR><BR>(The political class leaves. =
Someone comes=20
and turns off the radio and<BR>television. The headlines disappear. The =
curtain=20
falls. The audience<BR>yawns. An audio breaks into enthusiastic=20
applause.)<BR><BR><BR>Second Act - Characters: The political class, =
Senora X, a=20
young man, Y; <BR>and Senor Z.<BR><BR>Place: Mexico. Date: July 2,=20
2000.<BR><BR>(The curtain rises. There is only an empty street on the=20
stage).<BR><BR>The political class (to itself): "We see faces, we do not =
know=20
votes."<BR><BR>Senora X: "No."<BR><BR>The young man, Y: =
"No."<BR><BR>Senor Z:=20
"No."<BR><BR>The political class (to the public): "We see faces, we do =
not know=20
votes."<BR><BR>The public (breaking into the script, to everyone's =
shock):=20
"No!"<BR><BR>This play is a problem. Those directing it are making a =
huge effort=20
to<BR>convince the audience that it's already over. Not only is the =
public=20
not<BR>leaving the premises, they're also insisting on getting up on the =
stage.=20
<BR>The director and the actors are tearing their hair out. It is no=20
longer<BR>possible to know where the stage is and where the seats are.=20
Suddenly,<BR>apparently without an agreement having been reached, and =
with=20
stern<BR>expressions on their faces, all the members of the public yell: =

"Third<BR>act! Third act! Third! Let's begin."<BR><BR>Does the curtain=20
fall?<BR><BR><BR>What? You didn't like it? Well, La Mar did. Okay, at =
least she=20
smiled. <BR>What? Dari'o Fo, Carballido, Gurrola, Savariego and Lenero =
are going=20
to<BR>reprove me? Let them do so. They reproved Einstein for his hygiene =

(or<BR>was it for his mathematics?).<BR><BR>The Sup in the box=20
office.<BR><BR>***************************************************<BR><BR=
>#2=20
<BR><BR>Zapatista Army of National =
Liberation.<BR>Mexico.<BR><BR>November of=20
2000.<BR><BR>To Senor Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon.<BR><BR>Enroute to=20
nowhere.<BR><BR>Planet Earth.<BR><BR>Senor Zedillo:<BR><BR>Six years ago =
I wrote=20
to you in the name of all zapatistas, welcoming the<BR>nightmare. Many =
now think=20
we were right. Throughout this administration,<BR>your term of office =
has been a=20
long nightmare for millions of Mexican men<BR>and women: assassinations, =

economic crises, massive impoverishment, the<BR>illicit and brutal =
enrichment of=20
a few, the selling off of the national<BR>sovereignty, public =
insecurity, the=20
strengthening of ties between the<BR>government and organized crime, =
corruption,=20
irresponsibility, war...and bad<BR>jokes badly told.<BR><BR>Throughout =
your=20
administration you have striven to destroy the indigenous<BR>who rose up =
in=20
defiance of everything that you represent. You strove to<BR>destroy=20
them.<BR><BR>When you came to power you were free to choose how to =
confront=20
the<BR>zapatista uprising. What you chose and what you did is now =
history.=20
In<BR>your role as Commander-in-Chief of the federal army - and with all =

the<BR>power given to the head of the Executive - you could have chosen =
the=20
path<BR>of dialogue and negotiation. You could have given signals of =
de'tente.=20
You<BR>could have carried out what you signed in San Andre's. You could=20
have<BR>reached peace.<BR><BR>You did not do so.<BR><BR>You chose, =
rather, the=20
double strategy of feigning a willingness to<BR>dialogue and of =
continuing the=20
path of violence. In order to achieve that,<BR>you tried to repeat the =
history=20
of the Chinameca betrayal (February 9,<BR>1995), you squandered =
thousands of=20
millions of pesos trying to buy the<BR>consciences of the rebels. You=20
militarized the indigenous communities (and<BR>not just in Chiapas). You =

expelled international observers. You trained,<BR>equipped, armed and =
financed=20
paramilitaries. You persecuted, jailed and<BR>summarily executed =
zapatistas=20
(remember Unio'n Progreso, June 10, 1998) and<BR>non-zapatistas. You =
destroyed=20
the social fabric of the chiapaneco<BR>countryside. And, following the =
slogan of=20
your putative child, the Red<BR>Mask paramilitary group ("We will kill =
the=20
zapatista seed"), you ordered<BR>the massacre of children and pregnant =
women in=20
Acteal on December 22, 1997.<BR><BR>We could understand why, being able =
to=20
follow the path of dialogue, you<BR>opted to make war against us. It =
could have=20
been because they sold you the<BR>idea that you could take us prisoners, =
that=20
you could defeat us militarily,<BR>that you could achieve our surrender, =
that=20
you could buy us, that you could<BR>deceive us, that you could make the =
Mexicans=20
forget us and our struggle,<BR>that you could make people from other =
countries=20
give up their solidarity<BR>with the indigenous cause. In short, that =
you could=20
win the war against<BR>us. That we could understand. But, Senor Zedillo, =
why=20
Acteal? Why did<BR>you order the assassination of children? Why did you =
order=20
your henchmen<BR>to finish pregnant women off with machetes who, wounded =
or=20
terrified, were<BR>unable to escape the massacre?<BR><BR>What, in fact, =
did you=20
not do in order to finish off the zapatistas?<BR><BR>But were they =
finished off?=20
They slipped through your ambush of February<BR>9, 1995. They rebelled =
once more=20
against your failure to fulfill the San<BR>Andre's Accords. They escaped =
from=20
your military siege as often as they<BR>wanted. They resisted your =
ferocious=20
offensive, directed by the<BR>'croquetas' Albores, against the =
Autonomous=20
Municipalities. Over and over<BR>again they demonstrated with =
mobilizations that=20
their demands had the<BR>support of millions of Mexicans. No, the =
zapatistas=20
were not finished off.<BR><BR>And not only were they not finished off. =
In=20
addition, they spread<BR>throughout the world. Do you remember the times =
that=20
you had to leave,<BR>surreptitiously, through emergency exits, events =
being held=20
in other<BR>countries, while zapatista solidarity committees were =
protesting=20
your<BR>Chiapas policies? Is there any ambassador or consul who has not=20
reported<BR>to you with desperation the actions carried out by =
international=20
zapatistas<BR>at Mexican government events and buildings abroad? How =
often was=20
your<BR>foreign affairs service estranged because of the failure to =
carry out=20
the<BR>San Andre's Accords, for the militarization of Chiapas and the =
lack=20
of<BR>dialogue with the zapatistas? And, when you ordered the expulsion=20
of<BR>hundreds of international observers, did solidarity actions =
throughout=20
the<BR>world diminish?<BR><BR>And what do you have to say to me about =
Mexico?=20
Instead of remaining<BR>"limited to 4 chiapaneco municipalities," =
zapatismo=20
spread to the 32 states<BR>of the federation. It became worker, =
campesino,=20
indigenous, teacher,<BR>student, employee, driver, fisherman, rocker, =
painter,=20
actor, writer, nun,<BR>priest, sportsman, housewife, neighbor, =
independent=20
unionist, homosexual,<BR>lesbian, transsexual, soldier, sailor, small =
and=20
medium-sized business<BR>owner, street vendor, handicapped person, =
retiree,=20
pensioner, people.<BR><BR>Such were these 6 years, Senor Zedillo. Being =
able to=20
choose between peace<BR>and war, you opted for war. The results of this =
election=20
are obvious: you<BR>lost the war.<BR><BR>You did everything you could to =
destroy=20
us.<BR><BR>We simply resisted.<BR><BR>You are going into =
exile.<BR><BR>We will=20
still be here.<BR><BR>Senor Zedillo:<BR><BR>You came to power through a =
crime=20
which still continues unpunished. And<BR>your administration has been =
filled=20
with unpunished crimes. In addition to<BR>carrying forward the =
privatization=20
policies of your predecessor (and now<BR>open enemy), Salinas de =
Gortari, you=20
disguised as law that other crime<BR>which is called FOBAPROA-IPAB, =
which=20
involves not just poor Mexicans<BR>"rescuing" the rich and making them =
richer,=20
but also causing that heavy<BR>burden to affect several future=20
generations.<BR><BR>For more than 70 million Mexicans, the country's =
purported=20
economic<BR>solidity has meant poverty and unemployment. While you have=20
been<BR>scrupulously attending to the invasion of foreign capital, =
medium and=20
small<BR>businesses were disappearing in the national market. During =
your term=20
of<BR>office, the borders which divide government and organized crime=20
were<BR>erased, and the continuous scandals caused serious problems in =
the=20
press: <BR>it was impossible to deduce which news stories belonged in =
the=20
political<BR>section and which in the crime blotter: "suicides," former=20
governors on<BR>the run, prosperous businessmen who were "only" =
tortured, police=20
officers<BR>"specialized" in fighting organized crime taking over=20
universities.<BR><BR>Today, the same as your predecessor, you are =
leaving with=20
those who<BR>worshipped you, served you, and who served themselves, =
having now=20
become<BR>your worst enemies, prepared to pursue you. And so, Senor =
Zedillo,=20
you<BR>will know, beginning tomorrow, what it is to be pursued day and =
night.=20
And<BR>it will not last for only 6 years. Because, beginning tomorrow, =
the=20
line<BR>will be very long of those who want to make you pay for what you =
owe=20
them<BR>and for insults.<BR><BR>It is clear that we were right when, 6 =
years=20
ago, the zapatistas told you<BR>welcome to the nightmare. But, now that =
you are=20
going, is it over yet?<BR><BR>Yes and no.<BR><BR>Because, for us, the =
nightmare=20
with you is ending today. Another could<BR>follow it, or the dawn could =
finally=20
appear, we do not know, we shall do<BR>everything possible so that it =
will be=20
the morning which flourishes. But<BR>for you, Senor Zedillo, the =
nightmare will=20
only continue...<BR><BR>Vale. Salud, and it does not matter where you =
hide,=20
there will be<BR>zapatistas there as well.<BR><BR>&gt;From the mountains =
of the=20
Mexican Southeast.<BR><BR>Subcomandante Insurgente =
Marcos.<BR><BR>Mexico,=20
November of 2000.<BR><BR>PS - By the way, before I forget: a year ago, =
in=20
September of 1999, you<BR>sent us an open letter thorough your Secretary =
of=20
Government (and current<BR>candidate for the presidency of the PRI). I =
believe=20
the letter was called<BR>"One More Step To the Abyss," "A More =
Ignominious=20
Step," "A More Cynical<BR>Step", or something like that. In it, only 3 =
years=20
late, your government<BR>was supposedly responding, with lies, to the =
conditions=20
which we had set<BR>for the renewal of dialogue in September of 1996! =
The open=20
letter was an<BR>attempt, more than deceiving us, of tricking national =
and=20
international<BR>opinion. Something which it certainly did not achieve. =
Whatever=20
it was,<BR>the lying letter told us we would be pleased with what was =
stated=20
there,<BR>and it invited us to return to dialogue. It would be =
discourteous on=20
our<BR>part to let it go without a response, especially now that you are =

leaving<BR>(finally!). Excuse the delay, but allow me to take advantage =
of=20
these<BR>lines in order to respond. Our answer is: NO!<BR><BR>You are =
welcome.=20
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>******</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>December 2, 2000.<BR><BR>Communique' from the =
Clandestine=20
Revolutionary Indigenous Committee -<BR>General Command of the Zapatista =
Army of=20
National Liberation Mexico.<BR><BR><BR>To the people of =
Mexico:<BR><BR>To the=20
peoples and governments of the world:<BR><BR>Brothers and=20
sisters:<BR><BR>Considering:<BR><BR>1. That it is not possible to =
conceive of a=20
dignified Mexico without a<BR>dignified place for the country's =
indigenous=20
peoples.<BR><BR>2. That the constitutional recognition of the rights and =
culture=20
of the<BR>indigenous peoples is unresolved, and its resolution cannot be =

deferred any<BR>longer.<BR><BR>3. That the people of Mexico and the =
peoples of=20
the world have been<BR>sensitive to the indigenous demands, and they =
have been=20
in solidarity with<BR>them according to their abilities.<BR><BR>4. That =
the EZLN=20
has supported the importance of the indigenous cause.<BR><BR>5. That =
everyone is=20
aware of the current federal Executive's commitment<BR>to the =
fulfillment of the=20
San Andre's Accords and to sending the indigenous<BR>legislative =
proposal drawn=20
up by Cocopa in December of 1996 to the Congress<BR>of the =
Union.<BR><BR>The=20
Zapatista Army of National Liberation declares:<BR><BR>First: It calls =
on the=20
National Indigenous Congress, on national and<BR>international civil =
society, on=20
political and social organizations and on<BR>everyone in general, to a =
great=20
mobilization for the purpose of obtaining<BR>the Mexican Congress of the =
Union's=20
constitutional recognition of<BR>indigenous rights and culture, =
according to the=20
Cocopa proposal.<BR><BR>Second: That it has decided to send a delegation =
of the=20
CCRI-CG of the<BR>EZLN to Mexico City for the purpose of heading this=20
mobilization in order<BR>to address the honorable Congress of the Union =
and to=20
argue the goodness of<BR>the so-called "Cocopa indigenous legislative=20
proposal."<BR><BR>Third: That said delegation will be made up of 24 =
members of=20
the CCRI-CG<BR>of the EZLN, these companeros and companeras represent =
the=20
Tzotzil,<BR>Tzeltal, Tojolabal, Chol, Zoque, Mame and mestizo ethnic =
groups,=20
their<BR>names are:<BR><BR>Comandante David<BR>Comandante =
Eduardo<BR>Comandante=20
Tacho<BR>Comandante Gustavo<BR>Comandante Zevedo<BR>Comandante=20
Sergio<BR>Comandante Susana<BR>Comandante Omar<BR>Comandante=20
Javier<BR>Comandante Filemo'n<BR>Comandante Yolanda<BR>Comandante=20
Abraham<BR>Comandante Isai'as<BR>Comandante Daniel<BR>Comandante=20
Bulmaro<BR>Comandante Mister<BR>Comandante Abel<BR>Comandante=20
Fidelia<BR>Comandante Moise's<BR>Comandante Alejandro<BR>Comandante=20
Esther<BR>Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos<BR>Comandante =
Maxo<BR>Comandante=20
Ismael<BR><BR>Fourth: That the zapatista delegation will travel to =
Mexico City=20
in the<BR>month of February of the year 2001, on a date that shall be=20
subsequently<BR>specified.<BR><BR>Fifth: That we are calling on the =
National=20
Indigenous Congress, and on<BR>all the Indian peoples of Mexico - =
independent of=20
their political<BR>affiliation -to organize themselves, mobilize and =
come=20
together with our<BR>delegation, in order to demand the recognition of=20
indigenous rights and<BR>culture from the Congress of the =
Union.<BR><BR>Sixth:=20
That we are calling on Mexican civil society to organize<BR>themselves =
and to=20
mobilize in order to support this demand.<BR><BR>Seventh: That we are =
calling on=20
solidarity committees, groups and<BR>individuals throughout the world to =
speak=20
out regarding this demand.<BR><BR>Eighth: The zapatista delegation is =
calling=20
for, and hoping for, the<BR>accompaniment of civil society as a whole, =
without=20
distinction or<BR>preference, for which it will shortly be announcing =
the=20
program and route<BR>of the trip to Mexico City, whose organization will =
be in=20
the sole and<BR>exclusive hands of the EZLN.<BR><BR>Ninth: The trip by a =

zapatista delegation to Mexico City will take place<BR>regardless of =
whether or=20
not the dialogue with the federal government has<BR>been resumed. We are =
going=20
to address the Legislative Branch, certain that<BR>we shall find the =
sensitivity=20
to be =
heard.<BR><BR>Democracy!<BR><BR>Liberty!<BR><BR>Justice!<BR><BR>&gt;From =

the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.<BR>By the Clandestine =
Revolutionary=20
Indigenous Committee -<BR>General Command of the Zapatista Army of =
National=20
Liberation.<BR><BR>Subcomandante Insurgente=20
Marcos.<BR></FONT></P></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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