Re: AUT: Source of quotation

[Zeynep <zeynept@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I asked the source because the quote sounds a lot like many other things we
attribute to the indigenous villagers in Chiapas, that I find to be
doubtful. I agree that the Encuentros, the way the EZLN leadership and
especially Sub. Marcos tries to speak out to the world is pretty close to
Massimo's interpretation. However, I think, and I say this without any tone
of disapproval or disappointment, most of the indigenous peasants
understand solidarity in terms of:

1- How can we (the international activists) keep the Mexican army off their
backs
2- What kind of resources can we offer them

and, I personally think those are pretty traditional forms of solidarity. I
think Marcos in particular and some of the EZLN leadership in general has a
much broader understanding of a different kind of solidarity, a common
struggle of various oppressed groups, but I find it difficult and
problematic to attribute that "new internationalism" to the Zapatistas as a
whole. I have a lot of respect for what they have achieved and what they
are striving to achieve. I am trying to understand the difference between
the previous, say the FMLN, internationalism and the EZLN internationalism,
especially at the grassroots level. I find a variety of quotes and urban
legends like the one Massimo and you quoted which seem to float around as
proof.

The peasants in the area I was in did NOT know anything even about
Nicaragua. Not even the more connected EZLN people of the village knew of
any other struggle in anywhere else in the world. I completely agree that
the kind of internationalism put forth in that quote represents an
important step away from "let's all give up our struggles for the main
struggle" internationalism and various similar brands of solidarity. The
question remains, is it really that attributable to the Zapatistas? As I
conceded, maybe it is. I am trying to learn more.

Same with the indigenous democracy. I will get back to that in another
post. The shortcomings of representative democracy are pretty obvious to me
and I applaud all searches for direct, participatory, democracy. I fail to
see how the indigenous communal decision making represents a good example
of participatory democracy. Yes, there are interesting aspects of it which
can be useful to try to understand and perhaps duplicate in various ways.
But, as it stands, it is not about emancipation and empowerment. It is
about working from dawn to dusk in the same village from the day you are
born until the day you die, facing the same people every day, trying to
survive under very harsh conditions. These small communities generally but
not always try to make their decisions by discussion, generally only with
the men participating actively, and almost always with the elders having
more say. There is almost no education, very little information about the
rest of the world. There is no room for and individual difference or
deviation. Women are married long before they are 18 (unless in the army)
and they take care of children for the rest of their lives.

I am not condemning anything. These communities are trying to survive under
very difficult conditions, and they are trying to do it through their own
struggle rather than asking for handouts. All this is very laudable and one
can only respect the resilience of the human spirit. What I fail to
understand is how, why and to what degree these communities represent an
example to anywhere else, especially for urban, larger settings. What is
the moral of the story for us?

Zeynep

>Folks: When I found the quote, I contacted the author of the article in
>which it appeared for the original source. That person promised to find it
>for me but never has. Either it's somewhere out there in print, or its a
>nice piece of indigenous urban folklore. The quality of the statement and
>the response it has evoked suggests that ultimately it doesn't matter
>where it came from, although us scholarly types will continue to ask
>around.
>
>Harry




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