Clarification by the CCRI-CG of the EZLN and the Sixth Commission About Recent Events in the State of Chiapas

by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Sixth Commission

The Attacked in Montes Azules “Are Not Zapatista Bases of Support”

November 25, 2006

To the adherents of the Sixth Declaration and the Other Campaign:
To the visitors of this web page:

Compañeras y compañeros:

Greetings. According to what has been reported by our compañero administrators of the Enlace Zapatista page, there have been some commentaries showing unease over the EZLN’s silence regarding the confrontation among indigenous, in recent days, in Viejo Velasco, Chiapas, Mexico, where supposedly Zapatista bases of support had been assassinated. Some ask what happened and others try to attack us and discredit us. For those who question with sincere concern, we make a small clarification here. To the others we say “whatever,” they will have to keep looking for real arguments in order to speak ill of us. Oh well.

First: The indigenous in the confrontation, the dead and wounded WERE NOT EZLN SUPPORT BASES NOR DO THEY BELONG TO ANY ZAPATISTA CIVILIAN OR MILITARY SUPPORT STRUCTURE. When someone from the EZLN is attacked, the EZLN says so clearly and assigns with certainty the blame and cause of the aggression.

Second: They are tendentious journalistic reports and they come from other organizations THAT ARE NOT ZAPATISTAS, or that are anti-Zapatista, those that insist LYING that this is about EZLN support bases. On the same day as the lamentable events occurred, the Sixth Commission with the CCRI (Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee) confirmed that they were not Zapatista compass. Some hours later this was clarified for La Jornada’s special correspondent on the tour of the Sixth Commission in the North of Mexico.

We remained silent because we don’t speak for anyone other than our own dead, at least if we are not asked to speak for other groups, organizations, collectives or families.

Third: Since their foundation, the caracoles and Good Government Councils are the places where one can obtain direct, trustworthy and true information about what happens with our compañeros and compañeras. At times due to sloth, at times with malice (news about the death of an indigenous Zapatista “sells” better than that about one that isn’t), they don’t go to ask questions at the place where the true answer exists. In this case, it would suffice to go to the Good Government Council in the caracol (autonomous municipal seat) of La Garrucha, to be informed as to whether this story is about Zapatista support bases or not.

Fourth: Supposedly the organization Xinich, according to declarations reported by the La Jornada correspondent in Chiapas, said that this story was about EZLN bases of support and not about Xinich. But if there is something that Xinich does not know it is the matter of who is and who is not a Zapatista. We don’t understand why Xinich purports to represent something that it doesn’t even have a distant relationship with.

Fifth: It is common and frequent in Chiapas that groups and organizations call themselves EZLN support bases (without being so) in order to obtain some cover or benefit. We don’t contradict them if there is not an explicit reason to do so. When someone is attacked, and claims to be a Zapatista, although he is not, we don’t contradict him so as not to put him further at risk. That is what has occurred with some towns in Montes Azules. If we now clarify this, it is because of the lies that Xinich and La Jornada spread which have served to plant confusion among some sympathizers and for the malicious ones that slander us.

That is all.

Revolutionary Indigenous Clandestine Committee – General Command of the EZLN
Sixth Commission of the EZLN
Mexico, November of 2006