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SIPAZ International Presence and Accompaniment in Chiapas and Guerrero
SIPAZ Activities / October 2005 – January 15, 2006
“For the dead who gave us life…”
November 2, 2005. El Limar, Municipality of Tila, Northern Zone of the state of Chiapas, Mexico..
We find ourselves in the church of Limar. This church has been closed for several years because of the prevalent violence in the region, impeding the parishioners from using the temple. In the center of the church, an altar has been created with the same decorations used throughout the nation for the Day of the Dead celebrations. One by one, those who are present approach the altar, holding a lit candle and a small card that bears the name, the place of origin, and the date of death of one of their family members.
An older man holds a candle with the name Minerva Pérez Torres, originally from the community of Masoja Shucjá, and the date of her death: June 22, 1996. She was between 15 and 17 years old at the time. Minerva´s body was never found. Nevertheless, her death is attributed to the group “Development, Peace and Justice,” who has been accused of paramilitary activity against members of the opposition (sympathizers of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation –EZLN-, the Democratic Revolution Party –PRD-, or the Catholic Church).
This past 2nd of November, about 200 people of the Northern Zone of Chiapas, coming from 11 communities, met to commemorate the more than 120 individuals murdered and disappeared between 1994 and 2000. For the first time, they are meeting publicly to reclaim memory and justice. Many of them are among the more than 4,000 people who were displaced and forced to abandon everything to save their lives.
From October 28th to November 2nd, a series of political and cultural events were also held in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, as part of the “Week for the Dead, Disappeared, and Incarcerated.” This activity was proposed by the EZLN during the Plenary Session in mid-September for the Other Campaign. The plan was adopted by the civil society of San Cristóbal: street theater, videos, posters reclaiming the stories of recent years and victims of repression, singer-songwriters, and reflections were present throughout the center and in various neighborhoods of the city.
In both cases, the idea was to remember and revive all those who have died, been disappeared, or are being held as political prisoners for defending liberty and justice. A moment of collective historic memory aiming not only to keep memories alive, but also to nourish the current struggles and hopes in the construction of a better world for everyone…
:: SIPAZ ACTIVITIES
October 2005 – January 15, 2006
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AND ACCOMPANIMENT
CHIAPAS
In October, we spent ten days in various communities and cities of the Northern Zone of Chiapas, interviewing different actors in the region: those who have been displaced, leaders of various political groups, government agencies, church members, zapatista bases of support, and social and campesino organizations.
At the beginning of November, we returned to the Northern Zone to assist in the organization of an event in El Limar, with the families of more than 120 murdered and disappeared individuals (between 1994-2000). At this time, we also participated in the events organized in San Cristóbal de Las Casas for the week of the Day of the Dead, the disappeared and the incarcerated (see the article).
In December, we visited a number of communities in Chenalhó to meet with the religious actors (Primarily from Catholic and Presbyterian churches) who had participated in an exchange project SIPAZ organized in the municipality between 2001-2004. We were present at the commemoration of the Acteal massacre on December 22nd.
From January 1-14, we accompanied, as international observers, the tour of the “Subdelegate Zero” through the state of Chiapas (see the final report).
From January 8-15, we participated in the observation brigades in the area affected by Hurricane Stan, coordinated by the Fray Matías de Córdoba Human Rights Center.
In these months, we met with the Good Government Councils of the five Zapatista Caracoles.
GUERRERO
From October 13-15, we were present at the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Community Police in Pueblo Hidalgo, Guerrero (see the focus article). We also met with members of the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center of the Mountain.
At the beginning of December, we attended the forum “Defending the Territory” in Tlapa, Guerrero. The objective of this space was to analyze the issues related to the theme and to share experiences of defending territory.
INFORMATION
We received visitors, delegations, students, and journalists, primarily from Europe and the United States, with whom we shared information about the current situation in Chiapas and the work of SIPAZ.
In the past months, a member of the SIPAZ team completed her tour of a number of cities in Germany. Since the start of her tour in January 2005, she gave 75 presentations about Chiapas and SIPAZ, 180 puppet shows about the reality of indigenous communities in Chiapas, and 2 workshops about the transformation of conflicts.
In December, we met with members of the German Embassy in Mexico City.
We continue to participate in the seminar series “The Works of Immanuel Wallerstein: A Grammar for Understanding the Current World From a Critical Perspective,” coordinated by the Immanuel Wallerstein Center for Study, Information and Documentation.
In October, we attended a meeting in which the Latin American office of WSP (War-torn Societies Project) presented a analysis that they produced: “The Current Situation in Chiapas from the Perspective of the Local Actors.“
In December, we held interviews and gave presentations about the situation in Chiapas and the work of SIPAZ in Marseille, France and Amsterdam, Holland.
NETWORKING AND COLLABORATION
From November 16-18, we participated in the event “Accompanying for the Future: First Encounter of International Accompaniment“ organized by SweFOR, held in Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia.
On November 30th, we participated in the open space for analysis with a number of Mexican and Chiapan actors, organized by PROPAZ/ Serapaz, in San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
We continue to participate in the Network for Peace, a space for reflection and action, made up of 16 organizations that aim to support processes of peace and reconciliation in Chiapas.
At the end of November, we participated in a two-day meeting of the Mexican Network of Peace Builders, held in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. The primary project was the planning of activities fro 2006.
We had visits and meeting with members of our coalition: Peace Brigades International (PBI- Guerrero and Guatemala), SweFOR (Sweden), and CAREA (Germany).
:: SIPAZ WEBSITE:
New documents online:
Urgent Action: Denouncement of Murder Attempt on Human Rights Activist in Chiapas
http://www.sipaz.org/aauu/au1105_eng.htm
Following the Case of the Campesino Ecologist Albertano Peñaloza Domínguez. Six Months Since the Ambush, Still No Justice.
http://www.sipaz.org/gro_problem/albertano_e.htm
Account of the Events of the Delegado Zero´s Tour of Chiapas: Signs of Concern in Chiapas at the Start of the Other Campaign
http://www.sipaz.org/avisos/obsexta/obsextae2.htm
Frayba and Sipaz will provide human rights observation during the Sixth Commission´s (Comisión Sexta) tour of Chiapas
http://www.sipaz.org/avisos/obsexta/obsextae.htm
November 2, 2005. El Limar, Municipality of Tila, Northern Zone of the state of Chiapas, Mexico..
We find ourselves in the church of Limar. This church has been closed for several years because of the prevalent violence in the region, impeding the parishioners from using the temple. In the center of the church, an altar has been created with the same decorations used throughout the nation for the Day of the Dead celebrations. One by one, those who are present approach the altar, holding a lit candle and a small card that bears the name, the place of origin, and the date of death of one of their family members.
An older man holds a candle with the name Minerva Pérez Torres, originally from the community of Masoja Shucjá, and the date of her death: June 22, 1996. She was between 15 and 17 years old at the time. Minerva´s body was never found. Nevertheless, her death is attributed to the group “Development, Peace and Justice,” who has been accused of paramilitary activity against members of the opposition (sympathizers of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation –EZLN-, the Democratic Revolution Party –PRD-, or the Catholic Church).
This past 2nd of November, about 200 people of the Northern Zone of Chiapas, coming from 11 communities, met to commemorate the more than 120 individuals murdered and disappeared between 1994 and 2000. For the first time, they are meeting publicly to reclaim memory and justice. Many of them are among the more than 4,000 people who were displaced and forced to abandon everything to save their lives.
From October 28th to November 2nd, a series of political and cultural events were also held in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, as part of the “Week for the Dead, Disappeared, and Incarcerated.” This activity was proposed by the EZLN during the Plenary Session in mid-September for the Other Campaign. The plan was adopted by the civil society of San Cristóbal: street theater, videos, posters reclaiming the stories of recent years and victims of repression, singer-songwriters, and reflections were present throughout the center and in various neighborhoods of the city.
In both cases, the idea was to remember and revive all those who have died, been disappeared, or are being held as political prisoners for defending liberty and justice. A moment of collective historic memory aiming not only to keep memories alive, but also to nourish the current struggles and hopes in the construction of a better world for everyone…
:: SIPAZ ACTIVITIES
October 2005 – January 15, 2006
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AND ACCOMPANIMENT
CHIAPAS
In October, we spent ten days in various communities and cities of the Northern Zone of Chiapas, interviewing different actors in the region: those who have been displaced, leaders of various political groups, government agencies, church members, zapatista bases of support, and social and campesino organizations.
At the beginning of November, we returned to the Northern Zone to assist in the organization of an event in El Limar, with the families of more than 120 murdered and disappeared individuals (between 1994-2000). At this time, we also participated in the events organized in San Cristóbal de Las Casas for the week of the Day of the Dead, the disappeared and the incarcerated (see the article).
In December, we visited a number of communities in Chenalhó to meet with the religious actors (Primarily from Catholic and Presbyterian churches) who had participated in an exchange project SIPAZ organized in the municipality between 2001-2004. We were present at the commemoration of the Acteal massacre on December 22nd.
From January 1-14, we accompanied, as international observers, the tour of the “Subdelegate Zero” through the state of Chiapas (see the final report).
From January 8-15, we participated in the observation brigades in the area affected by Hurricane Stan, coordinated by the Fray Matías de Córdoba Human Rights Center.
In these months, we met with the Good Government Councils of the five Zapatista Caracoles.
GUERRERO
From October 13-15, we were present at the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Community Police in Pueblo Hidalgo, Guerrero (see the focus article). We also met with members of the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center of the Mountain.
At the beginning of December, we attended the forum “Defending the Territory” in Tlapa, Guerrero. The objective of this space was to analyze the issues related to the theme and to share experiences of defending territory.
INFORMATION
We received visitors, delegations, students, and journalists, primarily from Europe and the United States, with whom we shared information about the current situation in Chiapas and the work of SIPAZ.
In the past months, a member of the SIPAZ team completed her tour of a number of cities in Germany. Since the start of her tour in January 2005, she gave 75 presentations about Chiapas and SIPAZ, 180 puppet shows about the reality of indigenous communities in Chiapas, and 2 workshops about the transformation of conflicts.
In December, we met with members of the German Embassy in Mexico City.
We continue to participate in the seminar series “The Works of Immanuel Wallerstein: A Grammar for Understanding the Current World From a Critical Perspective,” coordinated by the Immanuel Wallerstein Center for Study, Information and Documentation.
In October, we attended a meeting in which the Latin American office of WSP (War-torn Societies Project) presented a analysis that they produced: “The Current Situation in Chiapas from the Perspective of the Local Actors.“
In December, we held interviews and gave presentations about the situation in Chiapas and the work of SIPAZ in Marseille, France and Amsterdam, Holland.
NETWORKING AND COLLABORATION
From November 16-18, we participated in the event “Accompanying for the Future: First Encounter of International Accompaniment“ organized by SweFOR, held in Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia.
On November 30th, we participated in the open space for analysis with a number of Mexican and Chiapan actors, organized by PROPAZ/ Serapaz, in San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
We continue to participate in the Network for Peace, a space for reflection and action, made up of 16 organizations that aim to support processes of peace and reconciliation in Chiapas.
At the end of November, we participated in a two-day meeting of the Mexican Network of Peace Builders, held in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. The primary project was the planning of activities fro 2006.
We had visits and meeting with members of our coalition: Peace Brigades International (PBI- Guerrero and Guatemala), SweFOR (Sweden), and CAREA (Germany).
:: SIPAZ WEBSITE:
New documents online:
Urgent Action: Denouncement of Murder Attempt on Human Rights Activist in Chiapas
http://www.sipaz.org/aauu/au1105_eng.htm
Following the Case of the Campesino Ecologist Albertano Peñaloza Domínguez. Six Months Since the Ambush, Still No Justice.
http://www.sipaz.org/gro_problem/albertano_e.htm
Account of the Events of the Delegado Zero´s Tour of Chiapas: Signs of Concern in Chiapas at the Start of the Other Campaign
http://www.sipaz.org/avisos/obsexta/obsextae2.htm
Frayba and Sipaz will provide human rights observation during the Sixth Commission´s (Comisión Sexta) tour of Chiapas
http://www.sipaz.org/avisos/obsexta/obsextae.htm
For more information:
http://www.sipaz.org
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