Below is an article from La Jornada. originally by Hermann Bellinghausen and translated by myself.
The original is here: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/05/30/index.php?section=politica&article=016n1pol
Military mobilisation in Chiapas "as has not been seen for years" accuses NGO.
The second half of May saw increased Army action in indigenous regions of Chiapas, especially, but not exclusively, in Zapatista communities of the jungle and the Northern zone. A variety of organisations consider this as not having happened for years.
This last weekend, the Good Government Junta (JBG) Camino de futuro, of the Caracol of La Garrucha, confirmed the denunciation of a military and police operative in the ejido of San Jerónimo Tuliljá (of the independent municipality Ricardo Flores Magón, and official municipality of Chilón) that took place 10 days ago and was documented by human rights groups.
On the 19th of May, a military helicopter flew over the Tzotzil and Chol community, and later a convoy of the 18 infantry battalion of the Army arrived, which is based in Tabasco, as well as members of the Federal Agency of Investigation (AFI) and the State Preventive Police (PEP), “that surrounded the three streets where there is major presence of EZLN support bases”, details the JBG.
The federal agents made death threats to the people there, and burst into three houses without presenting/displaying orders or explanations. Later they fell back several hundred metres and remained there until the 20th.
The JBG indicated: “there is no reason that necessitates the entrance of these military bodies”, and condemned “the violent attitudes of the three levels of government (federal, state and municipal)”.
On the 22nd federal troops entered indigenous communities of the municipality Venustiano Carranza. On the 23rd, the Human Rights Centre Fray Bartolomé de las Casas received the testimony of settlers of the communities Cruz Palenque, Usipá, Retorno Miguel Alemán and Nuevo Limar (municipality of Tila, in the Northern zone), “worried by the presence of armed elements of the Army at the crossing of Cruz Palenque and Usipá”, in order to penetrate into Jolaco, Usipá, Cruz Palenque and Nuevo Limar “with unknown motives”.
There is fear in the Chol communities, as “the Army has begun taking positions in different points throughout the state, in addition to the constant mobilisation in the mentioned communities, such as has not been seen in several years”.
That same Friday 23, the Organización Campesina Emiliano Zapata (OCEZ) denounced that for more than two hours “an Army helicopter remained flying at a very low altitude over the zone of the communities of El Carrizal y Río Florido (Ocosingo), both belonging to the OCEZ-FNLS”.
The situation brought about fear and insecurity in the population, “mainly due to the persistent and intimidatory attitude of the helicopter flights, with machine guns mounted in the stirrups of the apparatus, aimed towards the houses and people”.
Other military incursions have been reported in the border region of Marqués de Comillas. Although apparently isolated incidents, they happen suddenly, and in no case have the troops or police agents offered explanations. As the OCEZ comments, “this is not the first time that we in Chiapas suffer the humiliating effects of militarisation, we already know what it is”.
ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN CHIAPAS
1. ATTACKS ON ZAPATISTA COMMUNITIES
There has been a change in the nature of the threats, intimidation and aggression against Zapatista communities recently. While the paramilitary groups remain active, there has been a very worrying increase in incursions from the forces of the state and municipal authorities: a recent gathering in Mexico City itemised more than 20 acts of aggression and harassment from the military and police forces that had taken place against Zapatista communities so far this year.
This represents an intensification of the campaign on behalf of the Mexican government against all social and resistance movements, aimed at the destruction of opposition, in particular of the Zapatista’s support base, by creating a climate of fear, displacement, imprisonment, torture and aggression. This continues to be further enforced through the granting of land reclaimed and worked by the Zapatistas to other indigenous groups, promoting conflict.
The change in the nature of the state aggression coincides with the US government approving Plan Mexico, a multi-million dollar package to provide resources, equipment and training to the Mexican police and military forces, ostensibly for the “war against drugs” but in reality to be used against civilians, activists and indigenous communities. Amnesty International has just stated that there is a general, and in some states systematic, violation of human rights in Mexico, characterised by an excessive use of force.
INCIDENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN MAY 2008
CARACOL OF MORELIA
Ejido Morelia – the seat of the JBG of Morelia has experienced an attack by the police and PRI authorities aimed at taking the land on which the Caracol is situated. People were imprisoned in their houses, beaten, and attacked with sticks, stones and machetes. Doors and windows were broken and a number of people were injured, 6 of them hospitalised. 300 PRIistas cut the electricity supply to some of the houses, the next day a large number of masked support bases reinstalled it. There is a state of alarm in the community and the situation is very serious.
CARACOL OF OVENTIC
Zinacantan - a continuation of a long-term systematic precess of harassment, characterised by the deprivation of the water supply (an ancestral spring) to the community of Sok’on since 2002. This week a man from the community of Elambo Alto was abducted by the PRD authorities of Zinacantan.
Huitepec – again there is a long-term campaign to take the land from the Zapatista ecological reserve – the most recent incident being the deliberate poisoning of a well.
CARACOL OF LA GARRUCHA
San Jeronimo Tulilja: Military helicopters overflew this community, followed by a convoy of army vehicles containing 300 agents of the Mexican army and military police. They were accompanied by an armed civilian who showed them where the Zapatista authorities live. Verbal threats were issued, and houses entered.
MILITARY MOVEMENTS IN NORTH CHIAPAS
There have been military incursions into various populations in the Tila region. 2 people were arrested and interrogated in Tila last week. On 27 April the community of Cruzton was attacked by 500 state preventive police guided by 7 armed civilians who issued threats, beatings, damage and destruction and threatened to finish off the community.
From the UK Zapatista Solidarity Network. More news to follow.