Zapatistas Condemn Drug Trafficking and Illegal Vehicles

The Government and Political Parties are Committing Crimes as a Pretext to Gaining Access to and Hassling Indigenous Communities in Chiapas

By The Good Government Council
Heart Center of the Zapatistas in Front of the World

February 10, 2007

THE COMMITTEE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT
HEART CENTRE OF THE ZAPATISTAS IN FRONT OF THE WORLD

SNAIL IZOBOMBAIL YU UN LEKIL J’AMTELETIK
TA O’IOL YO’ON ZAPATISTA TA STJK’IL SAT YELOB SJUNUL BALUMIL

8th February 2007

TO PUBLIC OPINION
TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS
TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY
TO HUMAN RIGHTS AGENCIES
BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Those of us endorsing this report: the JBG (Good Government Council) and the seven autonomous town councils: San Andrés Sakamch’en de los Pobres, San Juan de la Libertad, Magdalena de la Paz, San Pedro Polhó, Santa Catarina, San Juan Apóstol Cancuc, and 16 de Febrero, belonging to the Altos de Chiapas zone.

Through this report we are making public knowledge of the problem and existence of illegal vehicles and the planting, trafficking and consumption of drugs in the various towns of Altos de Chiapas that the official federal and state authorities surely know about. So we are saying the following:

First: for years the EZLN has circulated instructions to all Zapatista communities, towns, and territories about the total prohibition of the sale, use, and circulation of illegal vehicles(chocolates) and also the growing, trafficking, and consumption of drugs. That is why signs were put up in the main Zapatista towns, communities, roads and paths.

Second: When autonomous towns were formed the same instructions were applied; these instructions were sometimes not respected, even made fun of, and the signs were destroyed by people involved in buying and selling illegal vehicles, drug growers and traffickers, and paramilitary groups allied to the different political parties.

Third: In 2003 when the caracoles were formed, the committees of good government sent out the same instructions again for all Zapatista territories: total prohibition of the illicit activities mentioned, and that those who do not adhere to the instructions will be severely punished by the Good Government Councils and the Autonomous Councils.

Four: However, in our Altos de Chiapas zone there are some who do not respect these instructions, continually committing these crimes in various towns where the number of illegal vehicles and the growing and trafficking of drugs is increasing. Those committing these illicit acts are people belonging to different political parties or pro-government organizations in complicity with or under protection of official local or state authorities.

Five: All Zapatista Autonomous towns and communities have been instructed not to get involved in these illicit actions and to keep giving recommendations and guidance through the Autonomous authorities and community radio, because the EZLN considers the buying, selling, and circulation of illegal vehicles in our towns as a crime.

Six: With respect to the growing, trafficking, and consumption of drugs; it is totally prohibited in Zapatista territories, but there are people belonging to different parties who do not care about Zapatista instructions and still grow, traffic, and consume drugs; also in complicity with official local authorities who neither do or say anything to control their people.

Seven: When the federal forces, state public security, police, PGR, AFI, and AEI come they say “destroy the marijuana plants” but they only destroy those that are ready for harvest and they leave the little ones so that within a few months they have the pretext to return to our communities. But they are not investigating the owners of the land and crops.

So the army and police operations are just a strategy to justify entering indigenous communities and not to totally destroy the marijuana crops or investigate, detain and punish those involved in this illicit activity.

Eight: Faced with these problems of illegal vehicles and drug growing we, as Good Government Council authorities of this zone, cannot stay silent, because we know that these illicit activities bring very serious consequences for our people and we do not want our autonomous towns and communities affected or becoming places of refuge and protection for people involved in illicit activities.

We, as authorities of the autonomous towns and the Good Government Council, continue to denounce and fight against these injustices and human rights violations.

Even though in doing so we know we are going to receive threats and persecution, along with our people, from those involved in these illicit activities. But it does not matter because it is our obligation as authorities to tell the truth about what happens in our towns and villages.

Nine: In the end we are making a call to every person in the different communities and towns who is involved in the buying, selling, and use of illegal vehicles and also the growing, trafficking and consumption of drugs: that they have a conscience and consider the serious consequences for themselves and our people.

FOR NOW, THAT IS OUR REPORT.

SIGNED

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT COUNCIL
CENTRAL HEART OF THE ZAPATISTAS AND THE AUTONOMOUS COUNCILS OF LOS ALTOS DE CHIAPAS

ALFREDO DE LA TORREZ – CARLOS PEREZ DIAZ

JAVIER PEREZ SANTIZ – ROSALINDA GOMEZ LOPEZ

CORNELIO LOPEZ RUIZ – JUVENCIA PEREZ SANTIZ

AGUSTIN PEREZ PARCERO – LUCAS PEREZ GOMEZ

SAN PEDRO POLHO COUNCIL – CANCUC COUNCIL

MARIA DE JESUS HERNANDEZ – ANTONIO GOMEZ HERNANDEZ

COUNCIL OF SAN JUAN DE LA LIBERTAD – COUNCIL OF SAN ANDRES

MARTIN PEREZ HERNANDEZ – MARCOS RUIZ JIMENEZ

COUNCIL OF MAGDALENA DE LA PAZ – MUNICIPIO SANTA CATARINA

RUBEN GONZALEZ RUIZ
16 DE FEBRERO MUNICIPALITY