First day of the Women´s Gathering in La Garrucha

by cenutrix | 30.12.2007 08:08

Compañeras of the 5 Zapatista Caracoles, among them children, shared their testimonies of how they where living with the landlords before they organized themselves. They also spoke about the process of the struggle to gain more participation in all the areas; in education, health, community responsibilities, and high level military ranking. They also commemorated the important work the Comandanta Ramona as an example of struggle to be followed.

December 29th - Morning session

The Gathering began with the participation of the compañeras from the Zapatista base communities, authorities of the Good Government Committee, and comandantas and insurgentas from the Caracol, La Garrucha.

The dialogue began with the Zapatista women explaining how life was before and how it is now. The 5 minutes for questions were not enough and there was only enough time to answer a few. This dynamic carried on all morning.

Two compañeras continued on to explain their process in organizing.

After a break we came back to listen to the words of the promoters of health and education of the Caracol who described all the advances that have been made throughout the last years in each of their areas of work and about the difficulties they have found as women, along the way.

The auditorium was filled with women of all areas of the autonomous and rebellious Zapatista municipalities, women from other places as well, in addition to a large number of photographers and video makers. The only ones using the equipment were women as the men were not permitted to film or even be present in the auditorium. All of the men were standing outside and listening close to the windows and through the cracks between the wooden boards but keeping their distance. They were more then expected, and it is surprising given the small presence of men in other movements when it comes to listening to the voice of their compañeras.

Afternoon...

After lunch came the participation of the compañeras of the Good Government Committee, the Autonomous (advisory) Council, and two compañeras, receiving the most vibrant applause, who talked about how their lives are thanks to the struggle of their elders.

Next, a compañera spoke carrying the voice of the Zapatista mothers and concluded the participation of the representatives of the Caracol of La Garrucha. She spoke on the subject of woman and the Other Campaign and highlighted the situation of the persecuted, repressed, and incarcerated compañeras of struggle. The women made clear that they are not against men; “agreement has to be reached from both sides, the man and the woman, and the family, otherwise we cannot struggle. Unity is necessary for a better life for all”.

At one point they announced that the men who had come to work on media coverage could enter to document the participation of the women. They were not allowed to interview, but they were permitted to film and record, "if they respect to us", said the Zapatista compañeras.

After the participation of the compañeras of Caracol III, we listened to the women of the Zapatista base communities, promoters of health and education, different committee members, comandantas and insurgentas, and children of Caracol IV, Morelia.

As the compañeras of La Garrucha did, many women from the Zapatista base communities began to talk abut how they used to live before the uprising of 1994 and how they are living now.

Comandanta Sandra described their organizing process and what kind of difficulties they had to overcome. On the inequality between men and women she underlined: "we don´t blame the compañeros, the damn system has to be blamed, women without men cannot struggle and men without women can’t either". Sandra thanked "our warriors", the first women of the Zapatista struggle, the ones who have fallen, she thanked the legacy they have left behind.

One comandanta talked briefly on how the work of the compañeras is organized at regional and local levels.

Comandanta Míriam, when answering a question from the public regarding the meaning of the Revolutionary Women´s Law, stated that it encourages a new space for the participation for the compañeras.

Other posts from the Womens' gathering

30.12.2007 11:57

Women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health and….revolution?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388598.html

A Women´s Gathering called Comandanta Ramona
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388584.html