I have received the following information and request for urgent
action from a colleague in Mexico. The point is to organize the sending of
as many letters as possible to both Zedillo, Clinton and Chretien from
academics. A letter directed to Zedillo and which was to appear today in La
Jornada from Mexican scholars is attached. I have translated all the
following adding or substracting as I saw appropriate. The text should be
modified only slightly depending on the sender's national position.
Gerardo Otero
The gravity of the situation is expressed in the new language used
by the government. From two "facts" -- the finding of two arsenal houses and
the identification of several EZLN leaders' "civil identity" -- the
government has found legitimacy in ordering their arrest as well as that of
their supporters. The latter can easily result in the extreme abuse of human
rights. The legal argument is that they are accused of "rebelion, terrorism
and appology of delinquency." The latter makes it possible for the State to
accuse anyone who has defended the EZLN as an "appologist of delinquency."
Hence official press buletins are stressing the secret personality of
Marcos, Rafael Guillen, who was presumably "educated by Jesuits and is a
friend of Carlos Heredia". Heredia works at an NGO called Equipo Pueblo,
which has produced very good information and analysis on the Chiapas
situation and the downside of NAFTA.
There is the suspicion in academic circles of Mexico that recent
state actions form part of commitments acquired as a condition of the
financial bail-out. If this is so, it is extremely important to keep the
U.S. out of Mexican politics as well as to reduce its intent to support the
Mexican government.
The letter sent by Mexican scholars to Zedillo follows:
Mexico D.F. a 9 de febrero de 1995
Sr. Ernesto Zedillo
Los Pinos
Once more the supreme government deceives and defrauds the people of Mexico,
just as it happened with the supposed national economic solidity, except
that this time the deceipt could have far more somber consequences that we
do not want to live through. You offered to resolve the Chiapas conflict
through negotiation and today you have announced to have opted for a
solution of force.
History has demonstrated that authoritarian regimes have always used
pretexts invented by themselves to initiate hostilities against their enemy,
which always turns out to the people. The Mexicans that sign these letter
demand that you keep your word and immediately suspend the military and
police actions in Chiapas and the rest of the country, and that you start a
frank and honest dialogue with the EZLN.
We persist in our conviction that the only solution to the social, political
and economic problems that originated the conflict is truthful commitment to
peaceful negotiation.
You and only you will be responsible for any aggression suffered by our
Indian brothers and sisters, as well as by the people of religious and
social organizations and political parties that oppose the use of force to
resolve an ancestral problem.
_______________________________________________________________________
A letter similar to this could be sent not only to Zedillo , but
also to Clinton and Chretien.
Zedillo's address:
>Sr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon
>Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
>Los Pinos
>Mexico D.F.
>
>Su numero de fax es (525)- 2711764
>