The Zapatista Army of National Liberation alerted the state and federal governments about the "tense situation in some of the communities in the municipality of Palenque". They stated that groups of white guards harass Zapatista indigenous people to provoke confrontations with PRI members.
"The state and federal government divides us and wants us to confront other indigenous people because of religious and political issues; they want to provoke a civil war like that which exists in the municipalities of Tila, Sabanilla, Tumbala, and Salto de Agua", stated Captain Abel while being interviewed in the Aguascalientes facilities that the Zapatistas constructed in December 1995.
Abel, one of the highest ranking leaders of the EZLN in this remote community in northern Chiapas, stated that the Zapatista communities of the region are on alert and he confirmed that one hundred indigenous members of the EZLN left the village of Agua B lanca Serrania.
He emphasized the "grave situation" that various communities around Palenque are living in: the brothers in Agua Blanca Serrania were beaten, shot and evicted; in Progreso the same situation could happen, in two other communities near the Aguascalientes o f Roberto Barrios the State Judicial Police has searched homes and harassed the indigenous people.
"The division amongst the communities here is growing. It is clear that the government is trying to provoke something, as the government favors the white guards. The intention is to divide the communities even more, and strike a blow against the Zapatistas", he stated.
All of the families of the EZLN who live in Agua Blanca Serrania left the village last Tuesday and Wednesday for fear of being attacked by members of the PRI. They fled to the mountains and to a nearby community.
In its last report CONPAZ denounced that in the area of the community of Roberto Barrios there was a military training camp.
"The community is concerned about the training that the soldiers are conducting with people from the nearby communities in order to form white guards, with the intention of dividing the community, and pointing out who are the leaders of the Aguascalientes . Many have been threatened that they will be killed one by one, " emphasized the document written by national and international observers.