Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 To: •••@••.••• From: David Briars <•••@••.•••> Subject: MILITARY INVASION BEGINS IN CHIAPAS Mime-Version: 1.0 Sender: •••@••.••• Precedence: bulk Reply-To: •••@••.••• Subject: MILITARY INVASION BEGINS IN CHIAPAS Date: 12 Jun 1998 From: •••@••.••• *Summary*: Since the early morning of the 10th of June, hundreds of soldiers, policemen and paramilitaries have entered San Juan de la Libertad and other communities in Chiapas, to attack the support basis of the Zapatista army (EZLN). They have bombed the communities, massacred the population, burned the houses, arrested and tortured large groups of people, etc. The army shows intentions to extend its operations to other communities. This could be the last straw that would ignite an open war in Chiapas, in the anniversary of the student massacre done by the army in Mexico DF on the 10th of June 1971. Only a quick and effective intervention from the international civil society (occupying Mexican embassies, writing protest letters, organising demonstrations, etc) can stop this criminal assault of the army, which is aimed at forcing the EZLN to defend the Zapatista communities, giving the army a pretext to launch a generalised military attack against all the Zapatistas. ************************************** URGENT: STOP THE WAR! Mexico City, June 10, 1998 To the committees, collectives, groups, political parties and social organizations in solidarity with the zapatista communities: To the national and international press: The serious events which occurred today, June 10, in the municipality of San Juan de la Libertad, demonstrate that the federal government has embarked, openly, on the road to war and repression. This event represents the attack of the greatest magnitude that the government has carried out against the indigenous communities in Chiapas since the Acteal massacre, and announces a new phase in the escalation of the war on the part of the government. It also represents the cynical response of the Mexican government to the Conai's decision to dissolve itself, at the same time it deepens its attacks against the zapatista bases of support, instead of seeking new paths to dialogue and to the installation of the mediators necessary for that. The police-military incursion which, seemingly, produced a confrontation of unknown dimensions, is an act of provocation which tries to force EZLN compañeros to defend the zapatista communities. In this way they hope to find a pretext for declaring that the EZLN has attacked the government, and to launch a military offensive against them. Because of this, we call on international civil society, on political and social organizations, on committees and collectives in solidarity with Chiapas, to realize that the incidents in San Juan de la Libertad are not just one more incident, but rather the spark that can burn down the country. The International Commission of the Zapatista Front of National Liberation (We include the communiques of the autonomous municipality of San Juan de la Libertad, and statements of NGOs in San Cristobal de las Casas.) ------------------------------------------------------------- SAN JUAN DE LA LIBERTAD (previously, EL BOSQUE) CHIAPAS, June 10, 1998 TO PUBLIC OPINION TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO TO ALL HUMAN RIGHTS' ORGANIZATIONS TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY We, the representatives of the communities of the Municipality of San Juan de Libertad, denounce in front of public opinion, in front of the Nation and in front of the world, the wave of violence and oppression in which we are living in our municipality at this moment, ordered by the Government of Roberto Albores Guillén and Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. As of yesterday and last night, hundreds of public security forces, federal and judicial soldiers, and even paramilitary groups, have entered into the municipal seat, and into several communities, to attack the support bases of the EZLN and the Autonomous Municipal Council. Since last night many public security forces and federal and judicial soldiers have entered the community of Unión Progreso, at this moment they have occupied the town and are destroying houses, all belongings and are persecuting the residents . . . In the community of Chabajebal, many public security forces and federal soldiers entered, firing weapons, and now there are several dead and wounded zapatista bases of support. At this moment , many soldiers and public security forces are mobilizing by land and air, to continue entering the communities and capture the EZLN bases of support. We are living at this moment in a situation of terror and persecution in our municipality, but there is also a great military threat to other municipalities in the highlands of Chiapas; what we are seeing here at this moment is going to make it difficult to avoid a clash or some confrontation with the zapatistas. Because of all of this, we urgently request the intervention of human rights' organizations, national and international, and the presence of the International Red Cross, the Center for Human Rights Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, and national and international civil society, to intervene in order to stop this war and persecution, unleashed and provoked by the Government of Chiapas, by Roberto Albores Guillén, and by the federal government of Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León against the indigenous peoples of Chiapas, who are fighting for their rights and to defend their dignity as a people. We ask the media to come to these places we mentioned in order to bear witness and to speak the truth of these events. SINCERELY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITIES AND AUTONOMOUS MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF SAN JUAN DE LA LIBERTAD (previously, EL BOSQUE), CHIAPAS, MEXICO ____________________________________________ DENUNCIATION BY THE ZAPATISTA BASES OF SUPPORT OF THE AUTONOMOUS MUNICIPALITY OF SAN JUAN DE LA LIBERTAD June 10, 1998 TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS' ORGANIZATIONS TO STATE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION The support bases of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) are broadcasting through radio station XEWM, with headquarters in the city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, in order to transmit before public opinion the following terrible events that occurred on June 10, 1998, and which are the following: a) At 3 AM on the morning of June 10, 1998, forces from the State Public Security, State and Federal Judicial Police, together with PRI militants from the municipal seat, took over the office of the President of the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan de la Libertad, all of those who were standing guard at that office were intimidated, beaten, tortured and then they were taken to the Cerro Hueco jail. b) At 4 AM on the morning of June 10, 1998, elements of State Public Security, State and Federal Judicial Police and federal soldiers attacked the community of Chabajeval, municipality of San Juan de la Libertad, massacring innocent families, and, in addition, helicopters were participating in the massacre from the air, dropping bombs in order to destroy the houses in that community. c) At 4:30 AM, on June 10 of this year, elements of State Public Security, State and Federal Judicial Police surrounded and attacked the community of Unión Progreso, municipality of San Juan de la Libertad, Chiapas; as of this moment there are deaths and many disappeared, and two helicopters were participating in this repression. d) At almost the same time on the morning of June 10 of this year, elements of State Public Security, State and Federal judicial police, attempted to enter the community of Obregón, municipality of San Juan de la Libertad, with the intention of attacking the community, but the people were able to block the road in a peaceful manner so that the repressors could not gain access. Upon seeing that they could not enter, the repressors warned that they would return to attack the community. THE SUPPORT BASES OF THE ZAPATISTA ARMY OF NATIONAL LIBERATION (EZLN), ON JUNE 10, 1998 _____________________________________ DECLARATION OF SOCIAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, CHIAPAS CHIAPAS, June 10, 1998 TO PUBLIC OPINION TO THE GENERAL PRESS TO CIVIL SOCIETY Today, June 10, 1998, we remember that only civil society, that is to say, we, can stop the Federal government's strategy of war and achieve profound changes in Chiapas and in the nation. We remember the young students who, on June 10, 1971, were assassinated in Mexico City by the paramilitary group "The Falcons," for the sole crime of defending their rights. Today we also remember the call made by the EZLN at the first National Democratic Convention for dialogue with civil society and to stop the incipient attacks of the Federal government against the indigenous communities of Chiapas. Today, June 10, 1998, the Federal and State governments are again carrying out a police and military operation against the mountain communities and the autonomous municipal center of San Juan de la Libertad. We call to all social and political organizations, and to civil society in general, so that we may stop this new wave of violence that the Federal and State governments are carrying out. SINCERELY BACOSAM CIAM ENLACE CIVIL, AC FOCA FZLN KINL ANTZETIK 1----------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. McLibel Support Campaign Email •••@••.••• PO Box 62 Phone/Fax 802-586-9628 Craftsbury VT 05826-0062 http://www.mcspotlight.org/ Archive: <http://www.envirolink.org/arrs/maiLists/mclibel/> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to the "mclibel" electronic mailing list, send email To: •••@••.••• Subject: <not needed> Message: subscribe mclibel To unsubscribe, change the message to: "unsubscribe mclibel" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------- a political discussion forum - •••@••.••• To subscribe, send any message to •••@••.••• A public service of Citizens for a Democratic Renaissance (cadre) (mailto:•••@••.••• http://cyberjournal.org) ---------------------------------------------------------- Non-commercial reposting is hereby approved, but please include the sig up through this line and retain any internal credits and copyright notices. .--------------------------------------------------------- To see the index of the ppi archives, send any message to: •••@••.••• To subscribe to our activists list, send any message to: •••@••.••• ---------------------------------------------- A community will evolve only when the people control their means of communication. -- Frantz Fanon
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