Fwd: Gathering against Neoliberalism and for Humanity, EZLN

["Gonzalez, Francisco" <GONZALEZ@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

  In view of the ongoing discussion regarding the "Sendero Luminoso"/
MRTA  operations in Peru. I thought it would be appropriate to forward
this information about the latest project of the "Zapatista" rebels in
Mexico. IMO the "Zapatistas" pragmatism, political and media savvy, have
developed a model that could prove more successful in achieving social
change in Latin America, than the "classic"

armed insurrection model. The fact that the Zapatistas, with a poorly
armed and numerically insignificant force, have managed to seriously
undermine the status-quo in Mexico (aided, of course, by other events not
of their making) WITHOUT resorting to extreme violence, and (an even more
significant achievement) despite the fact that the US is just across the
border!

   I think that it would be a valid discussion to compare the "Zapatista"
in Mexico, to "Sendero" in Peru.

Francisco J. Gonzalez

gonzalez@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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                 ******* ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS *******

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The following is an invitation to the world from the EZLN to a World

Gathering against Neoliberalism and for Humanity. It appeared in La
Jornada

today and was translated by the National Commission for Democracy in
Mexico

(I made a few corrections in the translation). Gerardo Otero

______________________________________________________________________

                La Jornada, January 30, 1996

                         "The EZLN calls for an

                         intercontinental anti-liberalism

                         gathering"



             First Declaration of La Realidad

          Against Neoliberalism and For Humanity



"I have arrived, I am here present, I the singer.

Enjoy in good time, come here to present yourselves those

who have a hurting heart.

I raise my song".



Nahuatl Poetry.



To the people of the world:



Brothers and Sisters:



During the last years, the power of money has presented a

new mask over its criminal face.  Above borders, no matter

race or color, the Power of money humiliates dignities,

insults honesties and assassinates hopes.  Re-named as

"Neoliberalism", the historic crime in the concentration

of privileges, wealth and impunities, democratizes misery

and hopelessness.



A new world war is waged, but now against the entire

humanity.  As in all world wars, what is being sought is a

new distribution of the world.



By the name of "globalization" they call this modern war

which assassinates and forgets.  The new distribution of

the world consists in concentrating power in power and

misery in misery.



The new distribution of the world excludes "minorities".

The indigenous, youth, women, homosexuals, lesbians,

people of color, immigrants, workers, peasants; the

majority who make up the world basements are presented,

for power, as disposable.  The new distribution of the

world excludes the majorities.



The modern army of financial capital and corrupt

governments advance conquering in the only way it is

capable of: destroying.  The new distribution of the world

destroys humanity.



The new distribution of the world only has one place for

money and its servants.  Men, women and machines become

equal in servitude and in being disposable.  The lie

governs and it multiplies itself in means and methods.



A new lie is sold to us as history.  The lie about the

defeat of hope, the lie about the defeat of dignity, the

lie about the defeat of humanity.  The mirror of power

offers us an equilibrium in the balance scale: the lie

about the victory of cynicism, the lie about the victory

of servitude, the lie about the victory of neoliberalism.



Instead of humanity, it offers us stock market value

indexes, instead of dignity it offers us globalization of

misery, instead of hope it offers us an emptiness, instead

of life it offers us the international of terror.



Against the international of terror representing

neoliberalism, we must raise the international of hope.



Hope, above borders, languages, colors, cultures, sexes,

strategies, and thoughts, of all those who prefer humanity

alive.



The international of hope.  Not the bureaucracy of hope,

not the opposite image and, thus, the same as that which

annihilates us.  Not the power with a new sign or new

clothing.  A breath like this, the breath of dignity.  A

flower yes, the flower of hope.  A song yes, the song of

life.



Dignity is that nation without nationality, that rainbow

that is also a bridge, that murmur of the heart no matter

what blood lives it, that rebel irreverence that mocks

borders, customs and wars.



Hope is that rejection of conformity and defeat.



Life is what they owe us: the right to govern and to

govern ourselves, to think and act with a freedom that is

not exercised over the slavery of others, the right to

give and receive what is just.



For all this, along with those who, above borders, races

and colors, share the song of life, the struggle against

death, the flower of hope and the breath of dignity . . .



The Zapatista Army of National Liberation



Speaks . . .



To all who struggle for human values of democracy, liberty

and justice.



To all who force themselves to resist the world crime

known as "Neoliberalism" and aim for humanity and hope to

be better, be synonymous of future.



To all individuals, groups, collectives, movements,

social, civic and political organizations, neighborhood

associations, cooperatives, all the lefts known and to be

known; non-governmental organizations, groups in

solidarity with struggles of the world people, bands,

tribes, intellectuals, indigenous people, students,

musicians, workers, artists, teachers, peasants, cultural

groups, youth movements, alternative communication media,

ecologists, tenants, lesbians, homosexuals, feminists,

pacifists.



To all human beings without a home, without land, without

work, without food, without health, without education,

without freedom, without justice, without independence,

without democracy, without peace, without tomorrow.



To all who, with no matter to colors, race or borders,

make of hope a weapon and a shield.



And calls together to the First Intercontinental Gathering

for Humanity and Against Neoliberalism.



To be celebrated between the months of April and August of

1996 in the five continents, according the following

program of activities:



First: Continental preparation assemblies in the month of



April of 1996 in the following sites:



1.- European Continent: Site in Berlin, Germany



2.- American Continent: Site in La Realidad, Mexico



3.- Asian Continent: Site in Tokyo, Japan



4.- African Continent: Site to be defined



5.- Oceanic Continent: Site in Sidney, Australia.



Note:  The continental sites can change if the organizing

groups decide to do so.





Second: The Intercontinental Gathering for Humanity and

Against Neoliberalism, from July 27th to August 3rd of

1996, in the Zapatista "Aguascalientes", Chiapas, Mexico.





With the following Bases: Agenda: Table 1.- ECONOMIC

aspects of how one lives under neoliberalism, how one

resists, how one struggles and proposals of struggle

against it and for humanity.



Table 2.- POLITICAL aspects of how one lives under

neoliberalism, how one resists, how one struggles and

proposals of struggle against it and for humanity.



Table 3.- SOCIAL aspects of how one lives under

neoliberalism, how one resists, how one struggles and

proposals of struggle against it and for humanity.



Table 4.- CULTURAL aspects of how one lives under

neoliberalism, how one resists, how one struggles and

proposals of struggle against it and for humanity.



Organization: The preparation meetings in Europe, Asia,

Africa and Oceania will be organized by the Committees in

Solidarity with the Zapatista Rebellion, related

organisms, and citizenship groups interested in the

struggle against neoliberalism and for humanity.  We call

upon groups of all countries so that they work united in

the organization and achievement of the preparation

assemblies.



The intercontinental gathering for humanity and against

neoliberalism, to be celebrated from July 27th to August

3rd of 1996 in Chiapas, Mexico, will be organized by the

EZLN and by citizens and Mexican non-governmental

organizations that will be made known in opportune time.



Accreditation: The accreditation for the preparation

assemblies in the 5 continents will be made by the

organizing committees formed in Europe, Asia, Africa,

Oceania, and America, respectively.



The accreditations for the gathering in Chiapas, Mexico,

will be done by the committees in solidarity with the

Zapatista rebellion, with the people of Chiapas, and with

the people of Mexico, in their respective countries; and

in Mexico, by the organizing commission, which will be

known in opportune time.



General and Intercontinental Note: All which has not been

completed by this convocation will be resolved by the

respective organizing committees regarding the

continental preparation assemblies, and by the

intercontinental organizing committees regarding the

gathering in Chiapas, Mexico.



Brothers and Sisters: Humanity lives in the chest of us

all and, like the heart, it prefers to be on the left

side.  We must find it, we must find ourselves.



It is not necessary to conquer the world.  It is

sufficient with making it new.  Us.  Today.



Democracy!



Liberty!



Justice!



>From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.



By the Clandestine Indigenous Revolutionary Committee



General Command of the Zapatista Army of National



Liberation.



Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos.







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