AUT: Post Electoral Troop Movements in Chiapas (fwd)

["Harry M. Cleaver" <hmcleave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks: Things are NOT looking up here.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 09:54:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: tedlewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: gx-mexiconews-action@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Post Electoral Troop Movements in Chiapas

La Jornada
October 17, 1998

TROOPS AND ARTILLERY TOWARDS LOS ALTOS AND THE LACANDONA

(Translated by: NUEVO AMANECER PRESS)

Hermann Bellinghausen, correspondent
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas
October 16, 1998

Without any official confirmation on the subject, various observers in the
zone - including this correspondent - have been able to observe an
irrefutable fact:  intensive combat troop and artillery movements are being
made towards the conflict zone.

Continuous convoys are leaving this city towards Los Altos region, where
dozens of Hummers and 5-ton trucks are carrying hundreds of troops.  Later,
these convoys are returning empty, every day.

Between yesterday and today alone, this correspondent saw one thousand
federal Army troops going towards San Cristobal de Las Casas, and at least
ten long-range bazookas, similar to those used in the attacks on Chavajeval
and Union Progreso, some months ago.

The vehicular military traffic is clogging the PanAmerican Highway,
especially along the Tuxtla Gutierrez-Rancho Nuevo portion.

At the same time, in the most conflictive spots in Los Altos and the Selva
Lacandona, deployments and reinforcements of troops and artillery are
continuous.  San Quintin, Taniperla, La Garrucha, Guadalupe Tepeyac,
Altamirano and Ocosingo, as well as San Andres, Chenalho and Pantelho, are
the scenes of this mobilization.

Meanwhile, helicopter and plane flights are continuing over the zapatista
communities and the five Aguascalientes.

ALARMING SIGNS

Beneath the apparent calm on the horizon following the elections, a new
level of institutional violence is being incubated.  At least, that is the
indication of certain signals and symptoms.  In addition, of course, to the
strengthening of the military encirclement of the rebel communities.

The election results, openly celebrated by the interim and substitute
Governor, Roberto Albores Guillen, as a personal triumph, have tipped the
chiapaneco municipal geography towards a scheme which favors the PRI
paramilitary groups, particularly the MIRA.

As is well-known, that group - supported by PRI and official ARIC leaders -
has one of its epicenters in the canada of Taniperla, but it extends to
other parts of Ocosingo, Oxchuc, Altamirano and the areas surrounding
Chilon.

It was just these four municipalities, currently governed by the PRD
opposition, which were returned to the hands of the PRI.

With voting in the state not reaching 30% of those eligible, the PRI
regained Sitala, and once more won all the constitutional municipalities of
the tzotzil region, where abstention ranged from 65% to 80%, and where
numerous EZLN support bases exist.

Nonetheless, the PRI did not recover the mayorality of Tuxtla Gutierrez,
where the PRI candidate was a friend of Albores, and who received the
widest journalistic and institutional support which has been seen in years.
 The tricolor also lost the municipalities adjacent to the capital, all
PAN:  Alcala, Berriozabal and Suchiapa.

This did not keep the government from installing a large portrait of
Governor Albores on the outskirts of Chiapa de Corzo, where he may be seen
smiling broadly, almost emphatically.  Next to him are noted some
statistics of the achievements of his administration, of less than one
year.  Few governors have given such emphasis to their personal presence as
the state executive.  He is also the first in years to state that he is
"winning."

Simultaneously, according to statements by indigenous and human rights
observers, tension within the communities, and the activities of armed and
trained groups affiliated with the PRI, are increasing.

In Taniperla the situation is exceptionally serious.  Threats against
zapatista and PRD families are constant.  Many are living in hiding in the
mountains in order to save their lives.  Harassment of campesinos by Public
Security is continuous.

Two observers commented separately today that Taniperla is experiencing an
atmosphere of provocation "very similar" to that which was going on in
Chenalho last year, during the paramilitary offensive which caused 10,000
people to flee from their communities, and which ciulminated in the Acteal
massacre.  The municipalities in the northern zones were also won by the
PRI:  Huitiupan, Simojovel, Tila, Sabanilla and Salto de Agua, places where
Development, Peace and Justice operates, another paramilitary organization.

The Albores' jubilation has to do, perhaps, with this territorial
strengthening of the counterinsurgency.  All the municipalities encompassed
by the massive federal Army occupation were won by the PRI.  The
paramilitaries are the government.  It will not be the first time someone
in Chiapas decides they feel like it is the moment to act "in the name of
the state of law."

On the other hand, perhaps in anticipation of future and unsettling
international observers in the region, an absolute control over the entry
of foreigners has been established in the chiapaneco capital, at the
airport and at the bus stations.  Now, in all the arrival and departure
terminals, National Migration Institute agents are found, carrying lists of
all foreigners arriving and departing from Tuxtla Gutierrez.

___________________________________________________
NUEVO AMANECER PRESS- N.A.P.To know about us visit:
http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm
General Director: Roger Maldonado Director Europe: Darrin Wood
Coordinator: USA-Mexico-Europe: Susana Saravia (Anibarro)
Correspondent and Advisor: Guillermo Michel (Mexico)
Correspondents and translation: irlandesa (USA) and
Maria Elena Hope (Mexico)
Board of Directors: Mexico
*When reproducing NAP's translations; please give credit*
e-mails: amanecer@xxxxxx and amanecer@xxxxxxx




-------------------------------------
Global Exchange
2017 Mission St., Rm. 303
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415.255.7296 Fax: 415.255.7498
 http://www.globalexchange.org
______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe from this mailing list send mail to
gx-mexiconews-action-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
with the word "unsubscribe" in the body.



     --- from list aut-op-sy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---