Zapatistas Establishing Camp With Cucapa Near Border

Zapatistas establish camp to protect Cucapa near US border on Monday

Subcomandante Marcos announced the Zapatistas will establish a peace camp in a community of Cucapa (Cocapah) near the U.S. border in Baja California, Mexico. The Cocopah and Quilihua peoples are struggling to survive because of the loss of fishing rights. A second peace camp will be estbalished near San Cristobal in March.

From Subcomandante Marcos:

International Invitation to Peace Encampments on Zapatista and Cucapá Territory To Be Installed February 26 in El Mayor, Baja California; March 13 in Huitepec, Near San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas

– By Subcomandante Marcos, EZLN
Translated by Narco News
February 22, 2007

ZAPATISTA ARMY OF NATIONAL LIBERATION
MEXICO

FEBRUARY 20, 2007

TO THE PEOPLES OF MEXICO AND THE WORLD:
TO THE OTHER CAMPAIGN:

The indigenous Cucapá people, the indigenous Quilihua people, the Other Campaign in Baja California, the Independent Francisco Villa Popular Front – UNOPII, the Party of Communists, Socialist and Worker Unity – UNIOS, the Good Government Council of the Chiapas Highlands and through its Sixth Commission, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation…

WE CONVOKE

The Indigenous National Congress, the Other Campaign on both sides of the northern border, the Zezta International, the national and international community in defense of indigenous culture and peace with justice and dignity for the original peoples, the civil organizations and environmental groups of the five continents, the peoples of Mexico and the world, and the alternative media to organize and participate directly or through representatives in…

THE ACTIVITIES AND MOBILIZATIONS THAT FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF MEXICO, REPECT FOR INDIGENOUS CULTURE AND THE DEFENSE OF MOTHER NATURE WILL OCCUR IN MEXICAN TERRITORY DURING THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL AND MAY 2007 UNDER THE BANNER:

THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN DEFENSE OF LIFE, CULTURE AND NATURE: BELOW AND TO THE LEFT

Cucapás, Quilihuas and Zapatistas united
In defense of the original peoples and Mother Earth

DURING THOSE MONTHS, IN INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES OF THE MEXICAN NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST, TWO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENCAMPMENTS FOR PEACE WILL BE INSTALLED:

THE FIRST OF THEM, IN THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF EL MAYOR, ON TERRITORY OF THE INDIAN CUCAPÁ PEOPLE, NEAR THE CITY OF MEXICALI, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO.

AND THE SECOND, IN THE TOWN HUITEPEC OCOTAL (SECTION II) IN THE TERRITORY OF THE INDIAN TZOTZIL PEOPLE, NEAR THE CITY OF SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS, CHIAPAS, MÉXICO.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, IN THE TERRITORIES OF THE GOOD GOVERNMENT COUNCILS, A CAMPAIGN TO CONSERVE THE FORESTS AND IMPEDE THE HARVEST AND TRAFFICKING OF PRECIOUS HARDWOODS WILL BEGIN, AS WELL AS THE ENACTMENT OF THE INDIGENOUS LAWS FOR PROTECTION OF NATURE.

In Baja California, in the Cucapá indigenous community of El Mayor, the peace encampment will have the mission of accompanying the Cucapá and Quilihua indigenous peoples of the Northwest of Mexico. It will be formally installed on February 26, 2007, at 9:30 a.m., with a traditional ceremony by the indigenous Cucapás. The encampment will be maintained during the months of February, March, April and May of this year of 2007 during the fishing season. The Sixth Commission of the EZLN will be present with one of its Zapatista indigenous delegations of maximum authority beginning in mid-March 2007 until the end of fishing season. The regulations and conditions for participation and attendance in this place will be determined by the Cucapá people. For this encampment we exhort all people who are going to attend to resolve the conditions of their food and lodging by their own means in a manner that does not burden the hard life conditions of the Cucapá and Quilihua peoples. Those peoples and other originals and migrants located in the northwest of our country will offer food and original crafts at fair prices to the participants of the encampment. The regulations for the encampment, decided by the Cucapá and Quilihua, will be able to be consulted in the Internet page of the Sixth Commission of the EZLN (enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx).

In Chiapas, on Huitepec Hill, outside of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, in the ecological reserve under the protection of the Zapatista Good Government Council of the Chiapas Highlands, the encampment will have the mission of protecting an important forest region in danger of being looted by international soft-drink and paper manufacturers. This encampment will be made known, in time, by the Good Government Council of the Chiapas Highlands and will be able to be consulted in the Internet page enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx.

We invite the alternative and free media to be present and, with their knowledge and abilities, link both encampments and contribute that way to the defense of nature and its original guardians, the Indian peoples, and the unity of the Northwest and Southwest of the Mexico from below.

We invite the national and international press to report and broadcast, first hand, the life conditions and history of the Indian peoples of the Northwest of Mexico for whom the evil governments only have disrespect and oblivion.

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR ATENCO!

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR OAXACA!

From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast,

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
México, February of 2007