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January 4
Officials of Mexico and the United States: International news media and humanrights sources are saying that the Mexican Army has occupied Las Margaritas, and with helicopters and airplanes has entered and later withdrew from La Realidad in Chiapas, Mexico, zone of the general command of the EZLN (Ejercito Zapatista Liberacion Nacional). They also say that the five Aguascalientes Zones in Chiapas, inhabited by Zapatista supporters, have also been surrounded by the Mexican military. This threatening assault, even if a symbolic action, is contrary to the conditional amnesty granted to members of the EZLN in 1995 in the pursuit of peace negotations begun since the indigenous uprising in January 1994. You all have power in some form or other to demand peaceful rather than military solutions to the terrible oppressive conditions that the indigenous people of Chiapas must live under in the presence of the military and paramilitary assaults, including the Acteal massacre, assaults known to be supported by the ruling governing party -- the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). The military action is also contrary to the statements of the new Secretario de Gobernacion (Secretary of the Interior), Francisco Labastida Ochoa, made today that he would seek a peaceful, negotiated solution to the extraordinary difficulties in Chiapas. Reports also say that some commands were heard in English in Las Margaritas, which suggests the possibility of U.S. involvement. I urge you all to use the power in your command to do all that is possible to end the military and paramilitary hostilities ongoing in Chiapas and to continue to course of peaceful negotiations so that terrible conditions of oppression in Chiapas may be eased and even lifted. Rev. Wes Rehberg, Ph.D. SPAN/--Strategic Pastoral Action Questions and comments? BOES.ORG can send you the e-address to whom it concern. Subject: "Mexico Forward" BOES.ORG Main INDEX Protest-letter and addresses Christmas in Mexico Update A Update B Update C Update D - International Action Day, Jan 12 Update E Update F Link to www.spanweb.org |