+ Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona +
+ +Originally published at Enlace Zapatista.
+Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona
+Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
+Mexico.
This is our simple word which seeks to touch the hearts of humble and +simple people like ourselves, but people who are also, like ourselves, +dignified and rebel. This is our simple word for recounting what our +path has been and where we are now, in order to explain how we see the +world and our country, in order to say what we are thinking of doing and +how we are thinking of doing it, and in order to invite other persons to +walk with us in something very great which is called Mexico and +something greater which is called the world. This is our simple word in +order to inform all honest and noble hearts what it is we want in Mexico +and the world. This is our simple word, because it is our idea to call +on those who are like us and to join together with them, everywhere they +are living and struggling.
+I – What We Are #
We are the zapatistas of the EZLN, although we are also called +„neo-zapatistas.“ Now, we, the zapatistas of the EZLN, rose up in arms +in January of 1994 because we saw how widespread had become the evil +wrought by the powerful who only humiliated us, stole from us, +imprisoned us and killed us, and no one was saying anything or doing +anything. That is why we said „Ya Basta!,“ that no longer were we going +to allow them to make us inferior or to treat us worse than animals. And +then we also said we wanted democracy, liberty and justice for all +Mexicans although we were concentrated on the Indian peoples. Because it +so happened that we, the EZLN, were almost all only indigenous from here +in Chiapas, but we did not want to struggle just for own good, or just +for the good of the indigenous of Chiapas, or just for the good of the +Indian peoples of Mexico. We wanted to fight along with everyone who was +humble and simple like ourselves and who was in great need and who +suffered from exploitation and thievery by the rich and their bad +governments here, in our Mexico, and in other countries in the world.
+And then our small history was that we grew tired of exploitation by the +powerful, and then we organized in order to defend ourselves and to +fight for justice. In the beginning there were not many of us, just a +few, going this way and that, talking with and listening to other people +like us. We did that for many years, and we did it in secret, without +making a stir. In other words, we joined forces in silence. We remained +like that for about 10 years, and then we had grown, and then we were +many thousands. We trained ourselves quite well in politics and weapons, +and, suddenly, when the rich were throwing their New Year’s Eve parties, +we fell upon their cities and just took them over. And we left a message +to everyone that here we are, that they have to take notice of us. And +then the rich took off and sent their great armies to do away with us, +just like they always do when the exploited rebel – they order them all +to be done away with. But we were not done away with at all, because we +had prepared ourselves quite well prior to the war, and we made +ourselves strong in our mountains. And there were the armies, looking +for us and throwing their bombs and bullets at us, and then they were +making plans to kill off all the indigenous at one time, because they +did not know who was a zapatista and who was not. And we were running +and fighting, fighting and running, just like our ancestors had done. +Without giving up, without surrendering, without being defeated.
+And then the people from the cities went out into the streets and began +shouting for an end to the war. And then we stopped our war, and we +listened to those brothers and sisters from the city who were telling us +to try to reach an arrangement or an accord with the bad governments, so +that the problem could be resolved without a massacre. And so we paid +attention to them, because they were what we call „the people,“ or the +Mexican people. And so we set aside the fire and took up the word.
+And it so happened that the governments said they would indeed be +well-behaved, and they would engage in dialogue, and they would make +accords, and they would fulfill them. And we said that was good, but we +also thought it was good that we knew those people who went out into the +streets in order to stop the war. Then, while we were engaging in +dialogue with the bad governments, we were also talking with those +persons, and we saw that most of them were humble and simple people like +us, and both, they and we, understood quite well why we were fighting. +And we called those people „civil society“ because most of them did not +belong to political parties, rather they were common, everyday people, +like us, simple and humble people.
+But it so happened that the bad governments did not want a good +agreement, rather it was just their underhanded way of saying they were +going to talk and to reach accords, while they were preparing their +attacks in order to eliminate us once and for all. And so then they +attacked us several times, but they did not defeat us, because we +resisted quite well, and many people throughout the world mobilized. And +then the bad governments thought that the problem was that many people +saw what was happening with the EZLN, and they started their plan of +acting as if nothing were going on. Meanwhile they were quick to +surround us, they laid siege to us in hopes that, since our mountains +are indeed remote, the people would then forget, since zapatista lands +were so far away. And every so often the bad governments tested us and +tried to deceive us or to attack us, like in February of 1995 when they +threw a huge number of armies at us, but they did not defeat us. +Because, as they said then, we were not alone, and many people helped +us, and we resisted well.
+And then the bad governments had to make accords with the EZLN, and +those accords were called the „San Andrés Accords“ because the +municipality where those accords were signed was called „San Andrés.“ +And we were not all alone in those dialogues, speaking with people from +the bad governments. We invited many people and organizations who were, +or are, engaged in the struggle for the Indian peoples of Mexico, and +everyone spoke their word, and everyone reached agreement as to how we +were going to speak with the bad governments. And that is how that +dialogue was, not just the zapatistas on one side and the governments on +the other. Instead, the Indian peoples of Mexico, and those who +supported them, were with the zapatistas. And then the bad governments +said in those accords that they were indeed going to recognize the +rights of the Indian peoples of Mexico, and they were going to respect +their culture, and they were going to make everything law in the +Constitution. But then, once they had signed, the bad governments acted +as if they had forgotten about them, and many years passed, and the +accords were not fulfilled at all. Quite the opposite, the government +attacked the indigenous, in order to make them back out of the struggle, +as they did on December 22, 1997, the date on which Zedillo ordered the +killing of 45 men, women, old ones and children in the town in Chiapas +called ACTEAL. This immense crime was not so easily forgotten, and it +was a demonstration of how the bad governments color their hearts in +order to attack and assassinate those who rebel against injustices. And, +while all of that was going on, we zapatistas were putting our all into +the fulfillment of the accords and resisting in the mountains of the +Mexican southeast.
+And then we began speaking with other Indian peoples of Mexico and their +organizations, and we made an agreement with them that we were going to +struggle together for the same thing, for the recognition of indigenous +rights and culture. Now we were also being helped by many people from +all over the world and by persons who were well respected and whose word +was quite great because they were great intellectuals, artists and +scientists from Mexico and from all over the world. And we also held +international encuentros. In other words, we joined together to talk +with persons from America and from Asia and from Europe and from Africa +and from Oceania, and we learned of their struggles and their ways, and +we said they were „intergalactic“ encuentros, just to be silly and +because we had also invited those from other planets, but it appeared as +if they had not come, or perhaps they did come, but they did not make it +clear.
+But the bad governments did not keep their word anyway, and then we made +a plan to talk with many Mexicans so they would help us. And then, first +in 1997, we held a march to Mexico City which was called „of the 1,111″ +because a compañero or compañera was going to go from each zapatista +town, but the bad government did not pay any attention. And then, in +1999, we held a consulta throughout the country, and there it was seen +that the majority were indeed in agreement with the demands of the +Indian peoples, but again the bad governments did not pay any attention. +And then, lastly, in 2001, we held what was called the „march for +indigenous dignity“ which had much support from millions of Mexicans and +people from other countries, and it went to where the deputies and +senators were, the Congress of the Union, in order to demand the +recognition of the Mexican indigenous.
+But it happened that no, the politicians from the PRI, the PAN and the +PRD reached an agreement among themselves, and they simply did not +recognize indigenous rights and culture. That was in April of 2001, and +the politicians demonstrated quite clearly there that they had no +decency whatsoever, and they were swine who thought only about making +their good money as the bad politicians they were. This must be +remembered, because you will now be seeing that they are going to say +they will indeed recognize indigenous rights, but it is a lie they are +telling so we will vote for them. But they already had their chance, and +they did not keep their word.
+And then we saw quite clearly that there was no point to dialogue and +negotiation with the bad governments of Mexico. That it was a waste of +time for us to be talking with the politicians, because neither their +hearts nor their words were honest. They were crooked, and they told +lies that they would keep their word, but they did not. In other words, +on that day, when the politicians from the PRI, PAN and PRD approved a +law that was no good, they killed dialogue once and for all, and they +clearly stated that it did not matter what they had agreed to and +signed, because they did not keep their word. And then we did not make +any contacts with the federal branches. Because we understood that +dialogue and negotiation had failed as a result of those political +parties. We saw that blood did not matter to them, nor did death, +suffering, mobilizations, consultas, efforts, national and international +statements, encuentros, accords, signatures, commitments. And so the +political class not only closed, one more time, the door to the Indian +peoples, they also delivered a mortal blow to the peaceful resolution – +through dialogue and negotiation – of the war. It can also no longer be +believed that the accords will be fulfilled by someone who comes along +with something or other. They should see that there so that they can +learn from experience what happened to us.
+And then we saw all of that, and we wondered in our hearts what we were +going to do.
+And the first thing we saw was that our heart was not the same as +before, when we began our struggle. It was larger, because now we had +touched the hearts of many good people. And we also saw that our heart +was more hurt, it was more wounded. And it was not wounded by the +deceits of the bad governments, but because, when we touched the hearts +of others, we also touched their sorrows. It was as if we were seeing +ourselves in a mirror.
+II. – Where We Are Now #
Then, like the zapatistas we are, we thought that it was not enough to +stop engaging in dialogue with the government, but it was necessary to +continue on ahead in the struggle, in spite of those lazy parasites of +politicians. The EZLN then decided to carry out, alone and on their side +(„unilateral“, in other words, because just one side), the San Andrés +Accords regarding indigenous rights and culture. For 4 years, since the +middle of 2001 until the middle of 2005, we have devoted ourselves to +this and to other things which we are going to tell you about.
+Fine, we then began encouraging the autonomous rebel zapatista +municipalities – which is how the peoples are organized in order to +govern and to govern themselves – in order to make themselves stronger. +This method of autonomous government was not simply invented by the +EZLN, but rather it comes from several centuries of indigenous +resistance and from the zapatistas‘ own experience. It is the +self-governance of the communities. In other words, no one from outside +comes to govern, but the peoples themselves decide, among themselves, +who governs and how, and, if they do not obey, they are removed. If the +one who governs does not obey the people, they pursue them, they are +removed from authority, and another comes in.
+But then we saw that the Autonomous Municipalities were not level. There +were some that were more advanced and which had more support from civil +society, and others were more neglected. The organization was lacking to +make them more on a par with each other. And we also saw that the EZLN, +with its political-military component, was involving itself in decisions +which belonged to the democratic authorities, „civilians“ as they say. +And here the problem is that the political-military component of the +EZLN is not democratic, because it is an army. And we saw that the +military being above, and the democratic below, was not good, because +what is democratic should not be decided militarily, it should be the +reverse: the democratic-political governing above, and the military +obeying below. Or, perhaps, it would be better with nothing below, just +completely level, without any military, and that is why the zapatistas +are soldiers so that there will not be any soldiers. Fine, what we then +did about this problem was to begin separating the political-military +from the autonomous and democratic aspects of organization in the +zapatista communities. And so, actions and decisions which had +previously been made and taken by the EZLN were being passed, little by +little, to the democratically elected authorities in the villages. It is +easy to say, of course, but it was very difficult in practice, because +many years have passed – first in the preparation for the war and then +the war itself – and the political-military aspects have become +customary. But, regardless, we did so because it is our way to do what +we say, because, if not, why should we go around saying things if we do +not then do them.
+That was how the Good Government Juntas were born, in August of 2003, +and, through them, self-learning and the exercise of „govern obeying“ +has continued.
+>From that time and until the middle of 2005, the EZLN leadership has +no longer involved itself in giving orders in civil matters, but it has +accompanied and helped the authorities who are democratically elected by +the peoples. It has also kept watch that the peoples and national and +international civil society are kept well informed concerning the aid +that is received and how it is used. And now we are passing the work of +safeguarding good government to the zapatista support bases, with +temporary positions which are rotated, so that everyone learns and +carries out this work. Because we believe that a people which does not +watch over its leaders is condemned to be enslaved, and we fought to be +free, not to change masters every six years.
+The EZLN, during these 4 years, also handed over to the Good Government +Juntas and the Autonomous Municipalities the aid and contacts which they +had attained throughout Mexico and the world during these years of war +and resistance. The EZLN had also, during that time, been building +economic and political support which allowed the zapatista communities +to make progress with fewer difficulties in the building of their +autonomy and in improving their living conditions. It is not much, but +it is far better than what they had prior to the beginning of the +uprising in January of 1994. If you look at one of those studies the +governments make, you will see that the only indigenous communities +which have improved their living conditions – whether in health, +education, food or housing – were those which are in zapatista +territory, which is what we call where our villages are. And all of that +has been possible because of the progress made by the zapatista villages +and because of the very large support which has been received from good +and noble persons, whom we call „civil societies,“ and from their +organizations throughout the world. As if all of these people have made +„another world is possible“ a reality, but through actions, not just +words.
+And the villages have made good progress. Now there are more compañeros +and compañeras who are learning to govern. And – even though little by +little – there are more women going into this work, but there is still +a lack of respect for the compañeras, and they need to participate more +in the work of the struggle. And, also through the Good Government +Juntas, coordination has been improved between the Autonomous +Municipalities and the resolution of problems with other organizations +and with the official authorities. There has also been much improvement +in the projects in the communities, and the distribution of projects and +aid given by civil society from all over the world has become more +level. Health and education have improved, although there is still a +good deal lacking for it to be what it should be. The same is true for +housing and food, and in some areas there has been much improvement with +the problem of land, because the lands recovered from the finqueros are +being distributed. But there are areas which continue to suffer from a +lack of lands to cultivate. And there has been great improvement in the +support from national and international civil society, because +previously everyone went wherever they wanted, and now the Good +Government Juntas are directing them to where the greatest need exists. +And, similarly, everywhere there are more compañeros and compañeras who +are learning to relate to persons from other parts of Mexico and of the +world,. They are learning to respect and to demand respect. They are +learning that there are many worlds, and that everyone has their place, +their time and their way, and therefore there must be mutual respect +between everyone.
+We, the zapatistas of the EZLN, have devoted this time to our primary +force, to the peoples who support us. And the situation has indeed +improved some. No one can say that the zapatista organization and +struggle has been without point, but rather, even if they were to do +away with us completely, our struggle has indeed been of some use.
+But it is not just the zapatista villages which have grown – the EZLN +has also grown. Because what has happened during this time is that new +generations have renewed our entire organization. They have added new +strength. The comandantes and comandantas who were in their maturity at +the beginning of the uprising in 1994 now have the wisdom they gained in +the war and in the 12 years of dialogue with thousands of men and women +from throughout the world. The members of the CCRI, the zapatista +political-organizational leadership, is now counseling and directing the +new ones who are entering our struggle, as well as those who are holding +leadership positions. For some time now the „committees“ (which is what +we call them) have been preparing an entire new generation of +comandantes and comandantas who, following a period of instruction and +testing, are beginning to learn the work of organizational leadership +and to discharge their duties. And it also so happens that our +insurgents, insurgentas, militants, local and regional responsables, as +well as support bases, who were youngsters at the beginning of the +uprising, are now mature men and women, combat veterans and natural +leaders in their units and communities. And those who were children in +that January of ,94 are now young people who have grown up in the +resistance, and they have been trained in the rebel dignity lifted up by +their elders throughout these 12 years of war. These young people have a +political, technical and cultural training that we who began the +zapatista movement did not have. This youth is now, more and more, +sustaining our troops as well as leadership positions in the +organization. And, indeed, all of us have seen the deceits by the +Mexican political class and the destruction which their actions have +caused in our patria. And we have seen the great injustices and +massacres that neoliberal globalization causes throughout the world. But +we will speak to you of that later.
+And so the EZLN has resisted 12 years of war, of military, political, +ideological and economic attacks, of siege, of harassment, of +persecution, and they have not vanquished us. We have not sold out nor +surrendered, and we have made progress. More compañeros from many places +have entered into the struggle so that, instead of making us weaker +after so many years, we have become stronger. Of course there are +problems which can be resolved by more separation of the +political-military from the civil-democratic. But there are things, the +most important ones, such as our demands for which we struggle, which +have not been fully achieved.
+To our way of thinking, and what we see in our heart, we have reached a +point where we cannot go any further, and, in addition, it is possible +that we could lose everything we have if we remain as we are and do +nothing more in order to move forward. The hour has come to take a risk +once again and to take a step which is dangerous but which is +worthwhile. Because, perhaps united with other social sectors who suffer +from the same wants as we do, it will be possible to achieve what we +need and what we deserve. A new step forward in the indigenous struggle +is only possible if the indigenous join together with workers, +campesinos, students, teachers, employees…the workers of the city and +the countryside.
+(To be continued…)
+From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.
+Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the +Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
+Mexico, in the sixth month of the year 2005.
+Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
+Mexico.
+(Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona)
+III – How We See the World #
Now we are going to explain to you how we, the zapatistas, see what is +going on in the world. We see that capitalism is the strongest right +now. Capitalism is a social system, a way in which a society goes about +organizing things and people, and who has and who has not, and who gives +orders and who obeys. In capitalism, there are some people who have +money, or capital, and factories and stores and fields and many things, +and there are others who have nothing but their strength and knowledge +in order to work. In capitalism, those who have money and things give +the orders, and those who only have their ability to work obey.
+Then capitalism means that there a few who have great wealth, but they +did not win a prize, or find a treasure, or inherited from a parent. +They obtained that wealth, rather, by exploiting the work of the many. +So capitalism is based on the exploitation of the workers, which means +they exploit the workers and take out all the profits they can. This is +done unjustly, because they do not pay the worker what his work is +worth. Instead they give him a salary that barely allows him to eat a +little and to rest for a bit, and the next day he goes back to work in +exploitation, whether in the countryside or in the city.
+And capitalism also makes its wealth from plunder, or theft, because +they take what they want from others, land, for example, and natural +resources. So capitalism is a system where the robbers are free and they +are admired and used as examples.
+And, in addition to exploiting and plundering, capitalism represses +because it imprisons and kills those who rebel against injustice.
+Capitalism is most interested in merchandise, because when it is bought +or sold, profits are made. And then capitalism turns everything into +merchandise, it makes merchandise of people, of nature, of culture, of +history, of conscience. According to capitalism, everything must be able +to be bought and sold. And it hides everything behind the merchandise, +so we don’t see the exploitation that exists. And then the merchandise +is bought and sold in a market. And the market, in addition to being +used for buying and selling, is also used to hide the exploitation of +the workers. In the market, for example, we see coffee in its little +package or its pretty little jar, but we do not see the campesino who +suffered in order to harvest the coffee, and we do not see the coyote +who paid him so cheaply for his work, and we do not see the workers in +the large company working their hearts out to package the coffee. Or we +see an appliance for listening to music like cumbias, rancheras or +corridos, or whatever, and we see that it is very good because it has a +good sound, but we do not see the worker in the maquiladora who +struggled for many hours, putting the cables and the parts of the +appliance together, and they barely paid her a pittance of money, and +she lives far away from work and spends a lot on the trip, and, in +addition, she runs the risk of being kidnapped, raped and killed as +happens in Ciudad Juárez in Mexico.
+So we see merchandise in the market, but we do not see the exploitation +with which it was made. And then capitalism needs many markets…or a +very large market, a world market.
+And so the capitalism of today is not the same as before, when the rich +were content with exploiting the workers in their own countries, but now +they are on a path which is called Neoliberal Globalization. This +globalization means that they no longer control the workers in one or +several countries, but the capitalists are trying to dominate everything +all over the world. And the world, or Planet Earth, is also called the +„globe“, and that is why they say „globalization,“ or the entire world.
+And neoliberalism is the idea that capitalism is free to dominate the +entire world, and so tough, you have to resign yourself and conform and +not make a fuss, in other words, not rebel. So neoliberalism is like the +theory, the plan, of capitalist globalization. And neoliberalism has its +economic, political, military and cultural plans. All of those plans +have to do with dominating everyone, and they repress or separate anyone +who doesn’t obey so that his rebellious ideas aren’t passed on to +others.
+Then, in neoliberal globalization, the great capitalists who live in the +countries which are powerful, like the United States, want the entire +world to be made into a big business where merchandise is produced like +a great market. A world market for buying and selling the entire world +and for hiding all the exploitation from the world. Then the global +capitalists insert themselves everywhere, in all the countries, in order +to do their big business, their great exploitation. Then they respect +nothing, and they meddle wherever they wish. As if they were conquering +other countries. That is why we zapatistas say that neoliberal +globalization is a war of conquest of the entire world, a world war, a +war being waged by capitalism for global domination. Sometimes that +conquest is by armies who invade a country and conquer it by force. But +sometimes it is with the economy, in other words, the big capitalists +put their money into another country or they lend it money, but on the +condition that they obey what they tell them to do. And they also insert +their ideas, with the capitalist culture which is the culture of +merchandise, of profits, of the market.
+Then the one which wages the conquest, capitalism, does as it wants, it +destroys and changes what it does not like and eliminates what gets in +its way. For example, those who do not produce nor buy nor sell modern +merchandise get in their way, or those who rebel against that order. And +they despise those who are of no use to them. That is why the indigenous +get in the way of neoliberal capitalism, and that is why they despise +them and want to eliminate them. And neoliberal capitalism also gets rid +of the laws which do not allow them to exploit and to have a lot of +profit. They demand that everything can be bought and sold, and, since +capitalism has all the money, it buys everything. Capitalism destroys +the countries it conquers with neoliberal globalization, but it also +wants to adapt everything, to make it over again, but in its own way, a +way which benefits capitalism and which doesn’t allow anything to get in +its way. Then neoliberal globalization, capitalism, destroys what exists +in these countries, it destroys their culture, their language, their +economic system, their political system, and it also destroys the ways +in which those who live in that country relate to each other. So +everything that makes a country a country is left destroyed.
+Then neoliberal globalization wants to destroy the nations of the world +so that only one Nation or country remains, the country of money, of +capital. And capitalism wants everything to be as it wants, in its own +way, and it doesn’t like what is different, and it persecutes it and +attacks it, or puts it off in a corner and acts as if it doesn’t exist.
+Then, in short, the capitalism of global neoliberalism is based on +exploitation, plunder, contempt and repression of those who refuse. The +same as before, but now globalized, worldwide.
+But it is not so easy for neoliberal globalization, because the +exploited of each country become discontented, and they will not say +well, too bad, instead they rebel. And those who remain and who are in +the way resist, and they don’t allow themselves to be eliminated. And +that is why we see, all over the world, those who are being screwed over +making resistances, not putting up with it, in other words, they rebel, +and not just in one country but wherever they abound. And so, as there +is a neoliberal globalization, there is a globalization of rebellion.
+And it is not just the workers of the countryside and of the city who +appear in this globalization of rebellion, but others also appear who +are much persecuted and despised for the same reason, for not letting +themselves be dominated, like women, young people, the indigenous, +homosexuals, lesbians, transsexual persons, migrants and many other +groups who exist all over the world but who we do not see until they +shout ya basta of being despised, and they raise up, and then we see +them, we hear them, and we learn from them.
+And then we see that all those groups of people are fighting against +neoliberalism, against the capitalist globalization plan, and they are +struggling for humanity.
+And we are astonished when we see the stupidity of the neoliberals who +want to destroy all humanity with their wars and exploitations, but it +also makes us quite happy to see resistances and rebellions appearing +everywhere, such as ours, which is a bit small, but here we are. And we +see this all over the world, and now our heart learns that we are not +alone.
+IV – How We See Our Country Which is Mexico #
Now we will talk to you about how we see what is going on in our Mexico. +What we see is our country being governed by neoliberals. So, as we +already explained, our leaders are destroying our nation, our Mexican +Patria. And the work of these bad leaders is not to look after the +well-being of the people, instead they are only concerned with the +well-being of the capitalists. For example, they make laws like the Free +Trade Agreement, which end up leaving many Mexicans destitute, like +campesinos and small producers, because they are „gobbled up“ by the big +agro-industrial companies. As well as workers and small businesspeople, +because they cannot compete with the large transnationals who come in +without anybody saying anything to them and even thanking them, and they +set their low salaries and their high prices. So some of the economic +foundations of our Mexico, which were the countryside and industry and +national commerce, are being quite destroyed, and just a bit of rubble +– which they are certainly going to sell off – remains.
+And these are great disgraces for our Patria. Because food is no longer +being produced in our countryside, just what the big capitalists sell, +and the good lands are being stolen through trickery and with the help +of the politicians. What is happening in the countryside is the same as +Porfirismo, but, instead of hacendados, now there are a few foreign +businesses which have well and truly screwed the campesino. And, where +before there were credits and price protections, now there is just +charity…and sometimes not even that.
+As for the worker in the city, the factories close, and they are left +without work, or they open what are called maquiladoras, which are +foreign and which pay a pittance for many hours of work. And then the +price of the goods the people need doesn’t matter, whether they are +expensive or cheap, since there is no money. And if someone was working +in a small or midsize business, now they are not, because it was closed, +and it was bought by a big transnational. And if someone had a small +business, it disappeared as well, or they went to work clandestinely for +big businesses which exploit them terribly, and which even put boys and +girls to work. And if the worker belonged to his union in order to +demand his legal rights, then no, now the same union tells him he will +have to put up with his salary being lowered or his hours or his +benefits being taken away, because, if not, the business will close and +move to another country. And then there is the „microchangarro,“ which +is the government’s economic program for putting all the city’s workers +on street corners selling gum or telephone cards. In other words, +absolute economic destruction in the cities as well.
+And then what happens is that, with the people’s economy being totally +screwed in the countryside as well as in the city, then many Mexican men +and women have to leave their Patria, Mexican lands, and go to seek work +in another country, the United States. And they do not treat them well +there, instead they exploit them, persecute them and treat them with +contempt and even kill them. Under neoliberalism which is being imposed +by the bad governments, the economy has not improved. Quite the +opposite, the countryside is in great need, and there is no work in the +cities. What is happening is that Mexico is being turned into a place +where people are working for the wealth of foreigners, mostly rich +gringos, a place you are just born into for a little while, and in +another little while you die. That is why we say that Mexico is +dominated by the United States.
+Now, it is not just that. Neoliberalism has also changed the Mexican +political class, the politicians, because they made them into something +like employees in a store, who have to do everything possible to sell +everything and to sell it very cheap. You have already seen that they +changed the laws in order to remove Article 27 from the Constitution so +that ejidal and communal lands could be sold. That was Salinas de +Gortari, and he and his gangs said that it was for the good of the +countryside and the campesino, and that was how they would prosper and +live better. Has it been like that? The Mexican countryside is worse +than ever and the campesinos more screwed than under Porfirio Diaz. And +they also say they are going to privatize – sell to foreigners – the +companies held by the State to help the well-being of the people. +Because the companies don’t work well and they need to be modernized, +and it would be better to sell them. But, instead of improving, the +social rights which were won in the revolution of 1910 now make one +sad…and courageous. And they also said that the borders must be opened +so all the foreign capital can enter, that way all the Mexican +businesses will be fixed, and things will be made better. But now we see +that there are not any national businesses, the foreigners gobbled them +all up, and the things that are sold are worse than the those that were +made in Mexico.
+And now the Mexican politicians also want to sell PEMEX, the oil which +belongs to all Mexicans, and the only difference is that some say +everything should be sold and others that only a part of it should be +sold. And they also want to privatize social security, and electricity +and water and the forests and everything, until nothing of Mexico is +left, and our country will be a wasteland or a place of entertainment +for rich people from all over the world, and we Mexican men and women +will be their servants, dependent on what they offer, bad housing, +without roots, without culture, without even a Patria.
+So the neoliberals want to kill Mexico, our Mexican Patria. And the +political parties not only do not defend it, they are the first to put +themselves at the service of foreigners, especially those from the +United States, and they are the ones who are in charge of deceiving us, +making us look the other way while everything is sold, and they are left +with the money. All the political parties that exist right now, not just +some of them. Think about whether anything has been done well, and you +will see that no, nothing but theft and scams. And look how all the +politicians always have their nice houses and their nice cars and +luxuries. And they still want us to thank them and to vote for them +again. And it is obvious, as they say, that they are without shame. And +they are without it because they do not, in fact, have a Patria, they +only have bank accounts.
+And we also see that drug trafficking and crime has been increasing a +lot. And sometimes we think that criminals are like they show them in +the songs or movies, and maybe some are like that, but not the real +chiefs. The real chiefs go around very well dressed, they study outside +the country, they are elegant, they do not go around in hiding, they eat +in good restaurants and they appear in the papers, very pretty and well +dressed at their parties. They are, as they say, „good people“, and some +are even officials, deputies, senators, secretaries of state, prosperous +businessmen, police chiefs, generals.
+Are we saying that politics serves no purpose? No, what we mean is that +THAT politics serves no purpose. And it is useless because it does not +take the people into account. It does not listen to them, it does not +pay any attention to them, it just approaches them when there are +elections. And they do not even want votes anymore, the polls are enough +to say who wins. And then just promises about what this one is going to +do and what the other one is going to do, then it’s bye, I’ll see you, +but you don’t see them again, except when they appear in the news when +they’ve just stolen a lot of money and nothing is going to be done to +them because the law – which those same politicians made – protects +them.
+Because that’s another problem, the Constitution is all warped and +changed now. It’s no longer the one that had the rights and liberties of +working people. Now there are the rights and liberties of the +neoliberals so they can have their huge profits. And the judges exist to +serve those neoliberals, because they always rule in favor of them, and +those who are not rich get injustice, jails and cemeteries.
+Well, even with all this mess the neoliberals are making, there are +Mexican men and women who are organizing and making a resistance +struggle.
+And so we found out that there are indigenous, that their lands are far +away from us here in Chiapas, and they are making their autonomy and +defending their culture and caring for their land, forests and water.
+And there are workers in the countryside, campesinos, who are organizing +and holding their marches and mobilizations in order to demand credits +and aid for the countryside.
+And there are workers in the city who do not let their rights be taken +away or their jobs privatized. They protest and demonstrate so the +little they have isn’t taken away from them and so they don’t take away +from the country what is, in fact, its own, like electricity, oil, +social security, education.
+And there are students who don’t let education be privatized and who are +fighting for it to be free and popular and scientific, so they don’t +charge, so everyone can learn, and so they don’t teach stupid things in +schools.
+And there are women who do not let themselves be treated as an ornament +or be humiliated and despised just for being women, but who are +organizing and fighting for the respect they deserve as the women they +are.
+And there are young people who don’t accept their stultifying them with +drugs or persecuting them for their way of being, but who make +themselves aware with their music and their culture, their rebellion.
+And there are homosexuals, lesbians, transsexuals and many ways who do +not put up with being ridiculed, despised, mistreated and even killed +for having another way which is different, with being treated like they +are abnormal or criminals, but who make their own organizations in order +to defend their right to be different.
+And there are priests and nuns and those they call laypeople who are not +with the rich and who are not resigned, but who are organizing to +accompany the struggles of the people.
+And there are those who are called social activists, who are men and +women who have been fighting all their lives for exploited people, and +they are the same ones who participated in the great strikes and +workers‘ actions, in the great citizens‘ mobilizations, in the great +campesino movements, and who suffer great repression, and who, even +though some are old now, continue on without surrendering, and they go +everywhere, looking for the struggle, seeking justice, and making +leftist organizations, non-governmental organizations, human rights +organizations, organizations in defense of political prisoners and for +the disappeared, leftist publications, organizations of teachers or +students, social struggle, and even political-military organizations, +and they are just not quiet and they know a lot because they have seen a +lot and lived and struggled.
+And so we see in general that in our country, which is called Mexico, +there are many people who do not put up with things, who do not +surrender, who do not sell out. Who are dignified. And that makes us +very pleased and happy, because with all those people it’s not going to +be so easy for the neoliberals to win, and perhaps it will be possible +to save our Patria from the great thefts and destruction they are doing. +And we think that perhaps our „we“ will include all those rebellions…
+(To be continued…)
+From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.
+Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the +Zapatista Army of National Liberation
+Mexico, in the sixth month of the year 2005.
+Zapatista Army of National Liberation
+Mexico.
+(Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona)
+V – What We Want To Do #
We are now going to tell you what we want to do in the world and in +Mexico, because we cannot watch everything that is happening on our +planet and just remain quiet, as if it were only we were where we are.
+What we want in the world is to tell all of those who are resisting and +fighting in their own ways and in their own countries, that you are not +alone, that we, the zapatistas, even though we are very small, are +supporting you, and we are going to look at how to help you in your +struggles and to speak to you in order to learn, because what we have, +in fact, learned is to learn.
+And we want to tell the Latin American peoples that we are proud to be a +part of you, even if it is a small part. We remember quite well how the +continent was also illuminated some years ago, and a light was called +Che Guevara, as it had previously been called Bolivar, because sometimes +the people take up a name in order to say they are taking up a flag.
+And we want to tell the people of Cuba, who have now been on their path +of resistance for many years, that you are not alone, and we do not +agree with the blockade they are imposing, and we are going to see how +to send you something, even if it is maize, for your resistance. And we +want to tell the North American people that we know that the bad +governments which you have and which spread harm throughout the world is +one thing – and those North Americans who struggle in their country, +and who are in solidarity with the struggles of other countries, are a +very different thing. And we want to tell the Mapuche brothers and +sisters in Chile that we are watching and learning from your struggles. +And to the Venezuelans, we see how well you are defending your +sovereignty, your nation’s right to decide where it is going. And to the +indigenous brothers and sisters of Ecuador and Bolivia, we say you are +giving a good lesson in history to all of Latin America, because now you +are indeed putting a halt to neoliberal globalization. And to the +piqueteros and to the young people of Argentina, we want to tell you +that, that we love you. And to those in Uruguay who want a better +country, we admire you. And to those who are sin tierra in Brazil, that +we respect you. And to all the young people of Latin America, that what +you are doing is good, and you give us great hope.
+And we want to tell the brothers and sisters of Social Europe, that +which is dignified and rebel, that you are not alone. That your great +movements against the neoliberal wars bring us joy. That we are +attentively watching your forms of organization and your methods of +struggle so that we can perhaps learn something. That we are considering +how we can help you in your struggles, and we are not going to send euro +because then they will be devalued because of the European Union mess. +But perhaps we will send you crafts and coffee so you can market them +and help you some in the tasks of your struggle. And perhaps we might +also send you some pozol, which gives much strength in the resistance, +but who knows if we will send it to you, because pozol is more our way, +and what if it were to hurt your bellies and weaken your struggles and +the neoliberals defeat you.
+And we want to tell the brothers and sisters of Africa, Asia and Oceania +that we know that you are fighting also, and we want to learn more of +your ideas and practices.
+And we want to tell the world that we want to make you large, so large +that all those worlds will fit, those worlds which are resisting because +they want to destroy the neoliberals and because they simply cannot stop +fighting for humanity.
+Now then, what we want to do in Mexico is to make an agreement with +persons and organizations just of the left, because we believe that it +is in the political left where the idea of resisting neoliberal +globalization is, and of making a country where there will be justice, +democracy and liberty for everyone. Not as it is right now, where there +is justice only for the rich, there is liberty only for their big +businesses, and there is democracy only for painting walls with election +propaganda. And because we believe that it is only from the left that a +plan of struggle can emerge, so that our Patria, which is Mexico, does +not die.
+And, then, what we think is that, with these persons and organizations +of the left, we will make a plan for going to all those parts of Mexico +where there are humble and simple people like ourselves.
+And we are not going to tell them what they should do or give them +orders.
+Nor are we going to ask them to vote for a candidate, since we already +know that the ones who exist are neoliberals.
+Nor are we going to tell them to be like us, nor to rise up in arms.
+What we are going to do is to ask them what their lives are like, their +struggle, their thoughts about our country and what we should do so they +do not defeat us.
+What we are going to do is to take heed of the thoughts of the simple +and humble people, and perhaps we will find there the same love which we +feel for our Patria.
+And perhaps we will find agreement between those of us who are simple +and humble and, together, we will organize all over the country and +reach agreement in our struggles, which are alone right now, separated +from each other, and we will find something like a program that has what +we all want, and a plan for how we are going to achieve the realization +of that program, which is called the „national program of struggle.“
+And, with the agreement of the majority of those people whom we are +going to listen to, we will then engage in a struggle with everyone, +with indigenous, workers, campesinos, students, teachers, employees, +women, children, old ones, men, and with all of those of good heart and +who want to struggle so that our Patria called Mexico does not end up +being destroyed and sold, and which still exists between the Rio Grande +and the Rio Suchiate and which has the Pacific Ocean on one side and the +Atlantic on the other.
+VI – How We Are Going To Do It #
And so this is our simple word that goes out to the humble and simple +people of Mexico and of the world, and we are calling our word of today:
+Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona
+And we are here to say, with our simple word, that…
+The EZLN maintains its commitment to an offensive ceasefire, and it will +not make any attack against government forces or any offensive military +movements.
+The EZLN still maintains its commitment to insisting on the path of +political struggle through this peaceful initiative which we are now +undertaking. The EZLN continues, therefore, in its resolve to not +establish any kind of secret relations with either national +political-military organizations or those from other countries.
+The EZLN reaffirms its commitment to defend, support and obey the +zapatista indigenous communities of which it is composed, and which are +its supreme command, and – without interfering in their internal +democratic processes – will, to the best of its abilities, contribute +to the strengthening of their autonomy, good government and improvement +in their living conditions. In other words, what we are going to do in +Mexico and in the world, we are going to do without arms, with a civil +and peaceful movement, and without neglecting nor ceasing to support our +communities.
+Therefore…
+In the World…
+-
+
-
+
We will forge new relationships of mutual respect and support with +persons and organizations who are resisting and struggling against +neoliberalism and for humanity.
+
+ -
+
As far as we are able, we will send material aid such as food and +handicrafts for those brothers and sisters who are struggling all over +the world.
+In order to begin, we are going to ask the Good Government Junta of La +Realidad to loan their truck, which is called „Chompiras,“ and which +appears to hold 8 tons, and we are going to fill it with maize and +perhaps two 200 liter cans with oil or petrol, as they prefer, and we +are going to deliver it to the Cuban Embassy in Mexico for them to send +to the Cuban people as aid from the zapatistas for their resistance +against the North American blockade. Or perhaps there might be a place +closer to here where it could be delivered, because it’s always such a +long distance to Mexico City, and what if „Chompiras“ were to break down +and we’d end up in bad shape. And that will happen when the harvest +comes in, which is turning green right now in the fields, and if they +don’t attack us, because if we were to send it during these next few +months, it would be nothing but corncobs, and they don’t turn out well +even in tamales, better in November or December, it depends.
+And we are also going to make an agreement with the women’s crafts +cooperatives in order to send a good number of bordados, embroidered +pieces, to the Europes which are perhaps not yet Union, and perhaps +we’ll also send some organic coffee from the zapatista cooperatives, so +that they can sell it and get a little money for their struggle. And, if +it isn’t sold, then they can always have a little cup of coffee and talk +about the anti-neoliberal struggle, and if it’s a bit cold then they can +cover themselves up with the zapatista bordados, which do indeed resist +quite well being laundered by hand and by rocks, and, besides, they +don’t run in the wash.
+And we are also going to send the indigenous brothers and sisters of +Bolivia and Ecuador some non-transgenic maize, and we just don’t know +where to send them so they arrive complete, but we are indeed willing to +give this little bit of aid.
+
+ -
+
And to all of those who are resisting throughout the world, we say +there must be other intercontinental encuentros held, even if just one +other. Perhaps December of this year or next January, we’ll have to +think about it. We don’t want to say just when, because this is about +our agreeing equally on everything, on where, on when, on how, on who. +But not with a stage where just a few speak and all the rest listen, but +without a stage, just level and everyone speaking, but orderly, +otherwise it will just be a hubbub and the words won’t be understood, +and with good organization everyone will hear and jot down in their +notebooks the words of resistance from others, so then everyone can go +and talk with their compañeros and compañeras in their worlds. And we +think it might be in a place that has a very large jail, because what if +they were to repress us and incarcerate us, and so that way we wouldn’t +be all piled up, prisoners, yes, but well organized, and there in the +jail we could continue the intercontinental encuentros for humanity and +against neoliberalism. Later on we’ll tell you what we shall do in order +to reach agreement as to how we’re going to come to agreement. Now that +is how we’re thinking of doing what we want to do in the world. Now +follows…
+
+
In Mexico…
+-
+
-
+
We are going to continue fighting for the Indian peoples of Mexico, +but now not just for them and not with only them, but for all the +exploited and dispossessed of Mexico, with all of them and all over the +country. And when we say all the exploited of Mexico, we are also +talking about the brothers and sisters who have had to go to the United +States in search of work in order to survive.
+
+ -
+
We are going to go to listen to, and talk directly with, without +intermediaries or mediation, the simple and humble of the Mexican +people, and, according to what we hear and learn, we are going to go +about building, along with those people who, like us, are humble and +simple, a national program of struggle, but a program which will be +clearly of the left, or anti-capitalist, or anti-neoliberal, or for +justice, democracy and liberty for the Mexican people.
+
+ -
+
We are going to try to build, or rebuild, another way of doing +politics, one which once again has the spirit of serving others, without +material interests, with sacrifice, with dedication, with honesty, which +keeps its word, whose only payment is the satisfaction of duty +performed, or like the militants of the left did before, when they were +not stopped by blows, jail or death, let alone by dollar bills.
+
+ -
+
We are also going to go about raising a struggle in order to demand +that we make a new Constitution, new laws which take into account the +demands of the Mexican people, which are: housing, land, work, food, +health, education, information, culture, independence, democracy, +justice, liberty and peace. A new Constitution which recognizes the +rights and liberties of the people, and which defends the weak in the +face of the powerful.
+
+
TO THESE ENDS… #
The EZLN will send a delegation of its leadership in order to do this +work throughout the national territory and for an indefinite period of +time. This zapatista delegation, along with those organizations and +persons of the left who join in this Sixth Declaration of the Selva +Lacandona, will go to those places where they are expressly invited.
+We are also letting you know that the EZLN will establish a policy of +alliances with non-electoral organizations and movements which define +themselves, in theory and practice, as being of the left, in accordance +with the following conditions:
+Not to make agreements from above to be imposed below, but to make +accords to go together to listen and to organize outrage. Not to raise +movements which are later negotiated behind the backs of those who made +them, but to always take into account the opinions of those +participating. Not to seek gifts, positions, advantages, public +positions, from the Power or those who aspire to it, but to go beyond +the election calendar. Not to try to resolve from above the problems of +our Nation, but to build FROM BELOW AND FOR BELOW an alternative to +neoliberal destruction, an alternative of the left for Mexico.
+Yes to reciprocal respect for the autonomy and independence of +organizations, for their methods of struggle, for their ways of +organizing, for their internal decision making processes, for their +legitimate representations. And yes to a clear commitment for joint and +coordinated defense of national sovereignty, with intransigent +opposition to privatization attempts of electricity, oil, water and +natural resources.
+In other words, we are inviting the unregistered political and social +organizations of the left, and those persons who lay claim to the left +and who do not belong to registered political parties, to meet with us, +at the time, place and manner in which we shall propose at the proper +time, to organize a national campaign, visiting all possible corners of +our Patria, in order to listen to and organize the word of our people. +It is like a campaign, then, but very otherly, because it is not +electoral.
+Brothers and sisters:
+This is our word which we declare:
+In the world, we are going to join together more with the resistance +struggles against neoliberalism and for humanity.
+And we are going to support, even if it’s but little, those struggles.
+And we are going to exchange, with mutual respect, experiences, +histories, ideas, dreams.
+In Mexico, we are going to travel all over the country, through the +ruins left by the neoliberal wars and through those resistances which, +entrenched, are flourishing in those ruins.
+We are going to seek, and to find, those who love these lands and these +skies even as much as we do.
+We are going to seek, from La Realidad to Tijuana, those who want to +organize, struggle and build what may perhaps be the last hope this +Nation – which has been going on at least since the time when an eagle +alighted on a nopal in order to devour a snake – has of not dying.
+We are going for democracy, liberty and justice for those of us who have +been denied it.
+We are going with another politics, for a program of the left and for a +new Constitution.
+We are inviting all indigenous, workers, campesinos, teachers, students, +housewives, neighbors, small businesspersons, small shop owners, +micro-businesspersons, pensioners, handicapped persons, religious men +and women, scientists, artists, intellectuals, young persons, women, old +persons, homosexuals and lesbians, boys and girls – to participate, +whether individually or collectively, directly with the zapatistas in +this NATIONAL CAMPAIGN for building another way of doing politics, for a +program of national struggle of the left, and for a new Constitution.
+And so this is our word as to what we are going to do and how we are +going to do it. You will see whether you want to join.
+And we are telling those men and women who are of good heart and intent, +who are in agreement with this word we are bringing out, and who are not +afraid, or who are afraid but who control it, to then state publicly +whether they are in agreement with this idea we are presenting, and in +that way we will see once and for all who and how and where and when +this new step in the struggle is to be made.
+While you are thinking about it, we say to you that today, in the sixth +month of the year 2005, the men, women, children and old ones of the +Zapatista Army of National Liberation have now decided, and we have now +subscribed to, this Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, and those +who know how to sign, signed, and those who did not left their mark, but +there are fewer now who do not know how, because education has advanced +here in this territory in rebellion for humanity and against +neoliberalism, that is in zapatista skies and land.
+And this was our simple word sent out to the noble hearts of those +simple and humble people who resist and rebel against injustices all +over the world.
+Democracy!
+Liberty!
+Justice!
From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.
+Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the +Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
+Mexico, in the sixth month, or June, of the year 2005.
+ +