The FAC-MLN is an umbrella organization of proletariat and campesino organizations, human rights organizations, indigenous and women's groups,and individual groups concerned with the low-intensity war conducted in their communities. All struggle against neo-liberalism, repression, exploitation, injustice, impunity, discrimination and other forms of human rights abuse. The members work in a collective fashion, demanding consensus from all groups before they act.
The FAC-MLN of Chiapas is not a political arm of the EPR. At this moment, the FAC-MLN considers itself an independent democratic revolutionary mass movement of the populace. They acknowledge a segment of the EPR as having a long history of struggle for democratic change for more than 30 years. The Ejercito Popular Revolutionario is a union of 14 armed organizations; el Comando Francisco Villa, el Comando Morelos, Comandos Armandos Mexicanos, la Brigada Genaro Vazquez, la Brigada Vicente Guerrero, la Brigada Obera de Autodefensas, la Brigada 18 de Mayo, la Brigada Campesina de Ajusticiamiento, el Partido de los Probres y el Partido Revolucionaria Obrera Clandestion Union del Pueblo (PROCUP) la Organizacion Revolucionari,Armada del Pueblo, la ORAP,and la Organizacion Revolucionaria Ricardo Flores Magon among others.The Fac-MLN are in solidarity with the zapitista struggle for electorial power and wish to develop a dialogue with them in the future.
These are the names of some of the organizations in the FAC-MLN in the state of Chiapas: Frente Amplio Organizaciones del Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional (FAO-MLN which consisits of 12 organizations), AEDPCH (formerly CEOIC another umbrella group), Organizacion Emiliano Zapata (OCEZ-CNPA), Organizacion Proletaria Emiliano Zapata- Miembro del BLOQUE de FUERZAS PROLETARIAS (OPEZ-BFP), MOCRI, UGOCP, Frente Popular Miguel Hidalgo, Union Campesina Democratica, Movimiento Proletaria Independiente, Asociacion de Derechos Humanos Sur-Sureste, A.C., El Consejo de Derechos Humanos el Grijalba, El Consejo de Derechos Humanos de Tapachula, El Consejo de Derechos Humanos Tuxtla Gutierrez, together forming La Coalicion de Derechos Humanos para las Etnias de Chiapas A.C., etc.
The organization is in a growth process and is accumulating member organizations from a wide spectrum of the popular sector. One of the main goals of the First Congress of AEDPCH was to begin the construction of the FAC-MLN. The states with representatives at the Chiapas congress were Tabasco, Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.
On August 17-19, in Guadalajara, Mexico, organizations from various states met at the first national meeting of the FAC-MLN. I was invited to Guadalajara, but was unable to attend. I do not know how many other states joined at this time. I will be receiving an analysis on platforms decided upon at this assembly.
The agenda of the 1st Congress of AEDPCH was as follows:
Table I. Balance de la situacion sociopolitica de Chiapas y Mexico
(sociopolitical situation)
Table II. Balance del proceso de organizacion y lucha de la AEDPCH
(process of organization and struggle)
Table III. Estructura y definicion del proyecto politico de la AEDPCH
(structure and definition of political projects)
Table IV. Los derechos humanos en Chiapas (Human Rights)
The collective vision of the congress was to construct a economic, sociopolitical system and establish the character and process of the revolutionary democratic social movement in Mexico. I am expecting a fax of the analysis of the congress, demands, objectives and plans of action hopefully any day. I visited all four tables of discussion. I was unable to cover all the topics addressed. What follows are some of the discussions most memorable to me.
The mesa de la mujeres (indigenas women) reported on federal and state governments attempts to divide and destroy their organizations in their communities. They accused the government of acting against the positive advancement of women in society.
Included in discussions on development and housing: Problems centered on the need for land regulation, alternatives to land petitions not considered, problems with the government not honoring land titles and alternative solutions for those packet of campesino groups not included in the recent agrian agreements. The struggle for land is considered critical.
The lack of credit available for housing and agriculture production and credit available for small and collective commercial businesses were discussed at length. Rise in electricity rates; the lack of potable water, electricity, roads,transportation, schools and health centers in the communities were also discussed.
During the discussion on balancing the sociopolitical situation, Mexico was describe as a colony controlled by New York banks. Alternatives to combat neo-liberal economic policies were discussed. Unemployment and under-employment was said to be escalating at the rate of 1000 jobs a day.
Mexico was described as advancing rapidly into fascism. Zedillo was said to be a president not elected by the people, but imposed on them by United States imperialism. The growing militarization of the country, the massive arms build up, the army transports, French, South African and Bell Helicopters were for use in the low-intensity war conducted against their communities. An end to the impunity of paramilitary groups in various geographic regions that are systematically assassinating the population was demanded.
The congress agreed to support the hunger strike demands of Martin Hernandez Gutierrez director of the Regional Commission of Human Rights non-governmental Alonso Rodriguez Gamboa A.C. They asked the government to apprehend Hernan Villatoro Barrios, Horacio Enriquez Escobar and others responsible for homicide, beatings, kidnappings, violent evictions, destruction of homes and private property in 17 communities. Hernan and Horacio are members of OPEZ del PRI (a paramilitary group once infiltrated into OPEZ-BFP ). Martin Hernandez hunger strike lasted 45 days and Hernan and Horacio are now behind bars.
Statements from the human rights table: (The economical aspects of neo-liberal policies are disastrous. For example, privatization is a violation of the human rights of workers resulting in lose of jobs and services to the people...the reform of the constitution and the agrian question has adversely affected the campesinos.) Forced evacuations from the land, assassinations, torture, disaperances, beatings and massive political arrests stem from the desire to hoard or obtain the land and its resources.
A center to gather and analyze data on forced land evictions and human rights abuse of all organizations followed by a form of civil defense was proposed. (In this period of zapatismo, it is necessary in this congress AEDPCH y FAC-MLN to establish more clearly what is the political offense of the people on a state and national level.) Establishment of a network with non-governmental organizations and human rights organizations on a state, nacional and international level was proposed.
Reports of corruption of state and local officials, violent and repressive acts committed by the Mexican Army, the Judicial and State Police, paramilitary groups and the white guards (hired militia of the ranchers and large plantation owners) are in the process of being tabulated in 95 municipios (Chiapas counties). How many political prisoners, how many campesinos assassinated, how many tortured and disappeared, how many victims of the repression in all organizations are questions they seek answers for.
In many instances lack of resources, technology to speed communication (telephone, fax, computer), language barriers and remoteness of the regions have made the collection of this data a slow and difficult process.
Report on construction of military instalacions in Chiapas : Enrique Cervantes Aguirre, Nacional Defense Secretary supervised yesterday the construction of new facilities of the IV Regiment of Caballeria Motorizada that has that cost 22 million pesos in the border city of Tapachula.
Maneuvers of the officers of 34th Military Zone were observed, also detailed reports on the operations under way in the frontier between Mexico and Guatemala were obtained according to official sources.
Cervantes Aguirre ordered media access blocked at the facilities of the 34 th Military Zone of Tapachula. The Secretary of Defense, along with the Comander of the VII Military Region that controls Tabasco and Chiapas, Mario Renan Castillo Fernandez, and the comandante of the 36th Zone, Jorge Gonzalez Betancourt,traveled to the construction site of the new quarters.
The new instalations for the 4th Regimiento de Caballeria Motorizada consists of three plants, a maintenance workshop and service centers which could be finished by September 2, 1996. Also new quarters were (puente peatonal para unir) installed to station or link paramilitary or civil defense patrolls with the base at the 36th Military Zone. Cervantes Aguirre was in Tapachula for two hours before he departed for Mexico City.
The Secretary of Defese supervised the construction of Military Zone 16 and the Copalar Military Air Base with the amount of 18 million pesos, also the 83 Infantry Batallion, en the municipio (county) of Comitan. The major infaturucture of Sed and the building of the 39th Military Zone in the municipio of Ocosingo, also he constructed two regiment expansions in the region of Altamirano and Palenque.
Adding to this, the Mexican Armada constructed at the naval base in the municipio of Tonala, said to be an enforcement against illegal traffic and illicit actions in the region of the Pacific Ocean and the border of Guatemala.
Thanks again, PM