AUT: URGENT ACTION, August 22, 1999

["SIPAZ, Servicio Internacional para la Paz" <mcintire@xxxxxxx>]

URGENT ACTION, August 22, 1999

San Crist=F3bal de las Casas, Chiapas, August 22, 1999 =20


New Military Incursion in La Selva
=20
We hereby wish to call the attention of the international community on the
tense situation in the Amador Hern=E1ndez community in the Lacandon Jungle=
 of
Chiapas. This area is being occupied by hundreds of soldiers from the
Mexican Federal Army. Since August 12, 1999 the soldiers have been
harassing and intimidating the indigenous population and members of the
Mexican civil society who had gone there in solidarity.=20

The facts and context:

On August 12, 1999, there was a military incursion in the Lacandon Jungle,
in Amador Hern=E1ndez community, in the municipality of Ocosingo, at the=
 edge
of the Montes Azules reserve biosphere. Around 500 soldiers of the Mexican
Federal Army entered this community by land and air with the use of
paratroopers. They arrived 19 kilometers from La Realidad, where
Subcommander Marcos and commanders of the Zapatista army (the EZLN) were
staying. Subsequently, two military helicopters transporting another 50
soldiers arrived. Up to the date of this Urgent Action, the helicopters are
continuing to fly over this area, some of them are transporting equipment
and food supplies for the army.=20

The army has installed military bases and surrounded the community with
barbed wire. On Sunday August 15, they fired tear gas at the population and
at students and teachers from the Anthropology and History School and the
National Autonomous Mexican University (UNAM), leaving 4 people injured.
The students and teachers were there participating in a national encounter
on "Defense of the Cultural Heritage, taking place in La Realidad. This
encounter was convened by the EZLN to discuss government proposal of the
Cultural Heritage General Law, that seeks the privatization of the
historical heritage. After finding out about the military incursion, the
students and teachers walked 12 hours to Amador Hern=E1ndez to observe and
witness the events.=20

The authorities are about to release arrest orders against the Mexican
students who formed part of the observation civil camp in Amador Hern=E1ndez
for the following offenses: instigating violence, obstructing public roads,
kidnapping and attacking the army. Anti-riot squads and various federal and
state security corps already installed checkpoints at the entrance of the
state capital and on the roads leading to the Highlands and  the Jungle
region in order to stop caravan members that are now coming from various
regions of Mexico to observe the events in the aforementioned community, in
order to stop them.=20

Furthermore, the federal and state governments are carrying out a strong
campaign to discredit and slander the students through a wide range of
regional and national mass media. They are portraying them as "ultras" or
extremists of the striking student movement at UNAM and accusing them of
"manipulating" the indigenous. Those who returned to San Crist=F3bal de las
Casas were intimidated at the checkpoints on their return. It is obvious
that this participation of other sectors of the Mexican civil society from
other areas of the country  who are taking part in activities or encounters
with the EZLN or the formation of an observation civil camp in indigenous
community in Chiapas is not acceptable the federal government.=20

In the meantime, the State Governor, Roberto Albores Guill=E9n, issued a
warning that he would not accept the presence of anymore national or
international observers, since he considers them "destabilizing" actors. In
an official statement, he stated,  "We, the people of Chiapas, are losing
our patience... Enough of the blackmail and manipulation... [on the part of
the]... agitators [who] take advantage of the political conflicts and who
infect the society."

The arguments that the governmental and military sources use to sustain the
military presence in Amador Hern=E1ndez are: The protection of the
topographers who will be doing the measurements for the construction of the
road from San Quint=EDn to Amador Hern=E1ndez. Yet, according to media and
observer sources that visited the community, the people of this community
do not want this road, since it would facilitate the entry of the Army.
There is an important military base next to the San Quint=EDn community.=20

Earlier, 6000 militaries arrived to the zone to carry out a reforestation
campaign in the Jungle (La Selva). This campaign was strongly criticized by
development, environmental, human rights and non-governmental organizations
who stated that this activity should be carried out by civilians.=20

The Mexican Army has succeeded again, now under the guise of reforestation
and the construction of new roads, to  successfully transfer their military
troops, to implement numerous military camps, put up roadblocks and other
military constructions in the conflict zone of Chiapas.=20

On the one hand, the government employs an abundant variety of discourse in
different  forms of the media. They state that they are seeking a dialogue
with the EZLN. However, on the other hand, they accuses the EZLN of turning
down any possibility of talking with the government. This latest
military-police incursion questions the government's true intentions and
its willingness to really solve the conflict through dialogue.=20

Call for action:
=20
We consider these latest actions of the Mexican Federal Army and the police
of adding to and not improving the tense climate in Chiapas, nor do these
actions promote the possibility of a true dialogue. If these kind of
operations continue, they might cause violent eruptions between the
security forces and Zapatista solidarity bases. We therefore, call upon you
to write to the different actors involved. Express your concern about the
actual situation and ask them in a brief and polite way the following:

To the Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ernesto Zedillo: =20
=B7 to promptly assure the end of the military-police operations in the=
 Selva
Lacandona as a clear message to promote dialogue in order to resolve the
conflict in Chiapas

To the general of the VII Military Region, General Jos=E9 G=F3mez Salazar:
=B7 to order the immediate return of the soldiers to their barracks and that
the  army respect the rights and liberties of Mexican citizens

To the State Governor, Roberto Albores Guill=E9n:
=B7 to ensure the respect of the national observers' constitutional rights=
 of
free transit, free association and free expression
=B7 to ensure the respect of journalists' constitutional rights of free
transit and free expression
=B7 to ensure the respect of the international observers, in accordance with
the recent United Nation's Declaration (December 1998) which affirms the
right and duty of any person to watch over the fulfillment of human rights

We furthermore ask you to disseminate this information as broadly as
possible and send a copy of your message to the Chiapas State Congress,
members of the federal Deputy Chamber, and to the members of the Commission
of Concordance and Pacification (COCOPA)

Presidente de la Rep=FAblica
Lic. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Le=F3n
Palacio Nacional
06067 M=E9xico, DF - M=E9xico
Fax: (int - 52) 5 271 1764 / 5 515 4783

Ej=E9rcito Nacional Mexicano
VII Regi=F3n Militar
General de Divisi=F3n Jos=E9 G=F3mez Salazar
Carretera Panamericana, KM 1089
CP 29000, Tuxtla Guti=E9rrez, Chiapas
Tel./Fax: (int - 52) 961 41666

C=E1mara de Diputados
Palacio Legislativo "San L=E1zaro"
Av. Congreso de la Uni=F3n s/n,
C.P. 15690, Col. El Parque, M=E9xico, D.F.
Fax. (int - 52) 5 208 7863

COCOPA
Paseo de la Reforma # 10, piso 17
06018 M=E9xico, D.F. - M=E9xico
Fax: (int - 52) 5 140 3288

Gobernador del Estado
Roberto Albores Guill=E9n
Palacio de Gobierno 1er piso
Tuxtla Guti=E9rrez, Chiapas
Tel/fax (961) 209 17/124 18
E-mail: comsocgo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Congreso del Estado de Chiapas
Palacio de Gobierno 2o piso
Tuxtla Guti=E9rrez
Chiapas
E-mail: hcongreso@xxxxxxxxx


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