Today, Chiapas is in a critical state of emergency that could explode even more violently at any moment.  The recent murders of Zapatistas by paramilitary groups, along with large-scale mobilizations of the Mexican Army, have increased tensions in Chiapas.   In order to show the ascending nature of violence in these last 18 months, we present a chronology elaborated by Enlace Civil, along with a summary of the denunciations by the Autonomous Municipalities from 2001-2002, since the first months of President Vicente Fox and Governor Pablo Salazar Mendiguchía’s governments.  The chronology is from Enlace Civil’s website where you can consult the complete letters and denunciations (www.enlacecivil.org.mx).

Among the events that form the context necessary to understand this increase in violence are: 

The discussion of the Electric sector Reform in Congress, as a fundamental element to consolidate the Puebla-Panama Plan and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).  Also, the process of investigation of the PEMEX fraud and the governmental television ad campaign trying to justify foreign investment in the extraction of gas and petroleum and in electric energy. 

The imminent resolution of the National Supreme Court regarding the constitutional complaints presented against the Indigenous Reforms approved by Congress in 2001, and that violate the San Andres Accords. 

The Presidential Address that will take place on September 1st. 

The August 16th mobilization of Pueblo Creyente in San Cristóbal de las Casas, where more than 12,000 indigenous people from 40 municipalities of the region protested against the Puebla-Panama Plan, the construction of dams, and against the Vatican’s decision to not ordain any more permanent indigenous deacons. 

The recent authorization in August 2002 for Monsanto corporation to plant 3,000 hectares of transgenic soya bean in Chiapas, which will be tolerant to the glyphosate that Monsanto also produces and includes in all of its agrochemicals (Faena, Rangel, Rival, Herbipol, etc.). This will endanger organic Chiapan coffee and it’s biodiversity.  This will also devastate  the producers of natural soya in the state, and is one more declaration of war against campesinos and Indigenous people that the Chiapan governor does nothing to stop. 

The recent victory of the campesinos of Atenco against the new international airport in México City.  The cancellation of this mega-project provoked a chain reaction in various Mexican states of resistance against other mega-projects, and strengthened local struggles and resistance. 

The government granted a new patent on Maize to DuPont corporation, that will lead the way to a monopoly of the seed market.  The same company distributes it’s patented corn in Chiapas, with the assistance of government rural “support” programs.  

The World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesberg, South Africa, where the themes of environmental contamination and the greenhouse effect by the industrialized countries will be discussed.

The deepening of the economic crises in Argentina and Uruguay that have provoked an escalation in the violence against popular mobilizations and the same discontent that the World Bank and IMF blame for the crises they have helped foster. 

Zone of Altamirano

08-27-2002: Autonomous Municipality Olga Isabel denounces the murder of Antonio Mejía by the paramilitary group “Los Aguilares.”  The autonomous council holds this paramilitary group as well as the federal and state governments responsible.

08-20-2002: The Autonomous Municipalities in Rebellion announce that they will not let the murder of their compañero go unpunished.  They will continue to protest and seek justice.  They call for civil society to join together and work for justice with dignity. 
08-19-2002: Autonomous Municipality “November 17th” demands that the government detain the murderers of José López Santis, and it also denounces threats and harassment by paramilitary groups. 

08-19-2002: Autonomous Municipalities in Rebellion “November 17th#, “January 1st”, Olga Isabel, Che Guevara, Vicente Guerrero, Miguel Hidalgo, and Lucio Cabañas denounce the violation of their human rights and ask that those responsible for the murder leave this city and region because they only cause poverty, death and desperation.  
08-15-2002:  Autonomous Municipality 17 de Noviembre once again denounces the murderers of  José López Santis and also denounces the patrols and harassment that the public security police carry out near the community’s sit in.  They ask civil society to accompany them in this struggle. 

08-11-2002: Autonomous Municipality 17 de Noviembre denounces the murder of José López Santis from the community 6 de Agosto, and demands the arrest of those responsible for the crime.

07-06-2002:  Autonomous Municipality Olga Isabel denounces the construction of a road that they say they will block until the government complies with the San Andres Accords.  At the same time, the municipality denounces patrols by soldiers and

police forces that harass and terrorize their communities. 
06-21-2002: Different autonomous municipalities in the zone of Altamirano denounce the harassment and threats of eviction by the Federal Army, which has been present in the commercial center El Nuevo Amanecer del Arcoiris.

05-26-2002: Yet again there is an increase in the number of soldiers and public security police and their threats to communities in the autonomous municipality Primero de Enero.  This has provoked unease in the communities, that also denounce violent harassment of members of the campesino organization ORCAO.

05-26-2002: Autonomous Municipality Ernesto Che Guevara denounces the constant harassment and increase in Federal Army soldiers and vehicles, that have been patrolling in these communities along with the Public Security Police. 

04-07-2002: Autonomous Municipality Miguel Hidalgo denounces that Chanal’s municipal President wants to build a new road.  They say that there is already a road that is used for the traffic of wood, and not to help the community as the President claims.  In addition, they denounce that some indigenous people in the community plant marijuana and the municipal president offers them protection and supports them. 

04-07-2002 Autonomous Municipality 17 de Noviembre expresses it’s concern about the events which occurred on the 6th in Morelia, when the police entered to recover the cadaver of a person who was beaten to death with a machete by PRI members.  Earlier, the municipality declared that the PRI members plant marijuana, and that they have denounced this to the soldiers and public security police in the area.  The municipality manifested against the sale, consumption and planting of marijuana and anything else that harms health and life. 

04-06-2002: The authorities of the Autonomous Municipality Primero de Enero turns over Marcos Méndez Sánchez to the ORCAO and were given the community members retained by the ORCAO.  Since then, they have received various threats against the Zapatista support communities.  They say they will hold the state and federal government responsible for anything that could happen in this situation. 

04-05-2002: Autonomous Municipality Primero de Enero publicizes the arbitrary detentions of the 4th. They also denounce the paramilitary group run by ORCAO, and demand the liberation of their compañeros, announcing that they will continue their road blockade and the detention of ORCAO member Marcos Méndez Sánchez.

04-04-2002:  Autonomous Municipality 1° de Enero denounces the arbitrary detentions of members of the municipality by ORCAO, and holds this organization responsible for any aggression against the autonomous municipality and it’s inhabitants.  Three people have been seriously wounded, and there have been confrontations between ORCAO members and Zapatista bases in the community Patria Nueva.  At the same time, the municipality holds the state government responsible for backing ORCAO’s actions.

04-02-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces harassment by paramilitary members at Ranchería de Nantze, municipality Altamirano, as well as incursions by the Public Security police into community Nueva Esperanza, autonomous municipality Vicente Guerrero.

03-23-2002: The authorities of the Ejido Morelia denounce harassment and aggressions by paramilitaries and PRI members in Morelia, and also denounce the threats of flooding the community and the Aguascalientes with public security police, soldiers and PRI members. 

03-23-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the violent events that have occurred in the community of Morelia, autonomous municipality 17 de Noviembre.

02-25-2002: The community Patria Nueva in the Autonomous Muncipality Primero de Enero denounces that today a Ocosingo Municipal police truck arrived to the community Valencia (land recuperated since 1994), where police stayed for 20 minutes on private property and shot 60 bullets.  The community says the police want to buy the recuperated lands.  The community holds the state government and the Municipal President of Ocosingo responsible for any violence that occurs. 

02-24-2002: The Authorities of the Autonomous Municipality Olga Isabel denounce that the organization CNPI (Coordinadora Nacional de Pueblos Indios de la región Chilón) is demanding photocopies of voting credentials, birth certificates and marriage certificates from Zapatista supporters, in order to privatize the lands recuperated in 1994. 

02-22-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces harassment and threats by the state Public Security Police to community members of San Miguel Chiptic,.

10-30-2001: Municipality Ché Guevara denounces that ORCAO continues the aggression in Cuxuljá.  

10-29-2001: The Autonomous Municipalities protest the ORCAO aggression in Cuxuljá.  

10-28-2001: ORCAO members take over the commercial center in Cuxuljá from Zapatista bases.

10-20-2001: The Autonomous Municipalities denounce military harassment against civilians and against the commercial center in Cuxuljá. 

10-01-2001: Threats of eviction of Zapatista sympathizers from the community 10 de Abril.

8-27-2001: Incursions by the Public Security police with the pretext of looking for robbers hiding in the fields near the community. 

06-13-2001: Harassment by the State Public Security Police.  Petition for withdrawal of checkpoints.  

03-15-2001:  Municipality Ché Guevara denounces that in the community El Carrizal there are military patrols and confrontations with OCEZ members and the police because of forest problems and harassment. 

01-05-2001: Municipality Primero de Enero denounces that in the community comunidad Tojtój unknown suspects emptied bottles of asunthol in the water supply and planted marijuana near the community.  This is thought to be so that the army has a pretext to enter the communities. 

Higlands Zone

08-19-2002: Autonomous Municipality San Pedro Polhó denounces the threats and aggressions against a community member by approximately 30 paramilitaries, and also denounce the false accusations against this person.  

07-28-2002: Autonomous Municipality San Juan de la Libertad denounces the provocations and harassment the communities suffer from the federal army and various police forces. 

07-09-2002: Zapatista supporters from the Ejido San Pedro Buena Vista denounce the aggressions and harassments that they have suffered from PRI and PRD members who want to expel them from their lands. 

06-03-2002: The community San Pedro Buena Vista denounces assaults, robberies and eviction from lands by PRI and PRD members from nearby communities. 

05-03-2002:  Autonomous Municipality San Pedro Polhó denounces the assault and battery of a teacher in displaced Camp number 8 by a supposed paramilitary member. 

03-21-2002: Inhabitants of the community Mitzitón, approach the Community Human Rights Defender to denounce the illegal detention of Andrés Heredia Hernández, by a group of evangelicals who are currently in a sit-in San Cristóbal de las Casas.  

03-12-2002: Members of Ejido Mitzitón, municipality San Cristóbal de la Casas, Chiapas denounce to the Network of Community Human Rights Defenders that since 1997, the entire community has endured harassment by a group of people led by Carmen Díaz López, Pablo Díaz López and Francisco Díaz López, who have provoked conflicts in order to divide the community. 

03-05-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces actions directed by Armando Gómez Luna, who presents himself as the Coordinator of the State Advisory of Indigenous and Campesino Professionals, in order to divide the displaced population in Polhó.

02-13-2002: Autonomous Municipality San Pedro Polhó denounces that a Federal Electricity Commission truck ran over an inhabitant of this municipality.  

01-24-2002: Communities in the Municipality San Juan de la Libertad denounce constant harassment by soldiers.  

2001-12-31: Municipality San Andrés denounces threats by the PRI official municipal president, and by other PRI members.  

08-13-2001: The Municipality San Juan de la Libertad denounces patrols and fly-bys by the federal army, public security and other police forces on the roads and in the communities of the municipality.  

08-11-2001: Increase in troops.  19 federal army vehicles entered the military base located in the community San Cayetano which is about 2 kilometers from the Aguascalientes II in Oventic, municipality San Andres. 

06-05-2001: Autonomous Municipality San Pedro Polhó denounces harassment and threats to the population by soldiers looking to cause confrontations.  

06-04-2001: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces actions by the Mexican Army, especially in the San Isidro, 31st Military Zone against the Indigenous community of  San Isidro el Ocotal.

06-03-2001: The Municipality San Pedro Polhó denounces harassment against the inhabitants of the community Poconichim by the PRI municipal president of Chenalhó.

05-24-2001: The authorities of Potobtic denounce aggressions, threats and provocations by paramilitaries against the inhabitants of this community and nearby communities.

05-11-2001  The Autonomous Municipality of Polhó denounces that 6 people were attacked in the community of Tzanebolom.  Three died and three were wounded, and they hold a Zapatista base responsible.  

05-07-2001:The Autonomous Municipality Polhó denounces that PRI members have burnt and destroyed houses and crops.  

02-15-2001: The Autonomous Municipality Polhó denounces that in the community Usithucum, paramilitary members threatened the displaced population, and they name Adán Hernández Pérez as responsible.

02-15-2001: The authorities of the community San Francisco K'ontontik denounce threats and assaults of Zapatista supporters by the public security police.

North Zone

07-28-2002: Zapatista base supporters from San Marcos denounce harassment by federal soldiers and state public security police who have been an intimidating present in the community. 

06-28-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the constant military harassment against inhabitants of the Ejido Lázaro Cárdenas, municipality Huitiupán.

06-24-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces actions by the Bases of Mixed Operations (BOM- include federal soldiers, state and federal police forces) that threaten and terrorize the community Masohá Shucjá.

06-20-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders of the northern zone denounce the lack of justice and impunity that continue, in spite of meetings they have carried out with Paz y Justicia members, PRD and government representatives in order to achieve peace.

06-11-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders of Salto de Agua denounce the military harassment in the Ejido Francisco Villa, as well as the public security police that disturb community life with their presence. 

05-29-2002: The Ejido Lázaro Cárdenas denounces more incursions and military harassment in this community, which has provoked fear in the population, and ask that these incursions stop because they are not delinquents. 

05-22-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces that Jerónimo Demeza Deara is constantly harassed, followed and threatened with detention by a group of people from the Ranch Bispuilja and Alan Sacun.

05-22-2002: The Ejido Lázaro Cárdenas denounces harassment and fear because of actions by the Federal Army and the police.  They say that this is how they clearly see that the government does not want peace. 

05-03-2002: The Ejido Lázaro Cárdenas denounces harassment and threats to their community members by the federal army, public security police, state police and paramilitary groups, and ask that the state and federal governments stop these incursions because their presence is not necessary.  

05-13-2002:  Zapatista supporters from the community Nueva Revolución, municipality Tila, denounce threats of eviction and estruction of their property by soldiers and police forces.  They fear that these threats could be carried out at any time.

04-16-2002: The Ejido Lázaro Cárdenas denounces the harassment that they suffer from constant incursions by the federal army, public security police, state police, and paramilitary groups.

04-25-2002: Autonomous authorities of the Ejido Roberto Barrios inform that they will not pay for electricity, nor the land taxes, even though the prices have been lowered, because their demands include not just a price decrease but the recognition of their rights as indigenous people. 

04-19-2002: The Autonomous Municipality El Trabajo denounces military incursions into various communities in the zone, denouncing that this is a strategy of counterinsurgency by federal, state and local authorities. 

03-29-2002: The autonomous authorities state that José Alirio was found dead and that today they entered the public ministry office and the forensic doctor’s office to revise the body, clarify the details of his disappearance and death, and ask for justice.  

03-29-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounce the disappearance of a PRI member from the Ejido Roberto Barrios, municipality of Palenque, Chiapas.  The autonomous authorities solicit that the person responsible be found, because they believe that this disappearance could be used as a pretext to harass them.

03-21-2002: The Autonomous Municipality El Trabajo denounces that a PRI community member of Roberto Barrios was disappeared by his own compañeros and they suspect that he was murdered.  For this reason, a man from this community solicits the presence of the state police in order to detain those responsible for this disappearance. 

03-18-2002: Zapatista supporters from the Northern zone denounce threats to various communities by the paramilitary group Paz y Justicia, given that they are opposed to the detention of their leaders.

03-18-2002: The community Nueva Revolución, Municipality Tila, denounces that 7 Zapatista base members are accused of being leaders of the paramilitary group Paz y Justicia.  Therefore, the judge of this municipality advises that they have an order of apprehension and they will be searched for and apprehended. 

03-19-2002:  The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders of the lower zone of Tila denounce the harassment by soldiers of inhabitants of the community Jolnixtié.

02-20-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the lies in Humberto Balcazar Mendoza’s declarations.  Mendoza is known in the ejido Roberto Barrios as one of the most radical paramilitary members, and claimed that young people and community members of the Zapatista Aguascalientes are responsible for the detention and rapes of teachers from the SEP.  

02-20-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the agreements made by the PRI Ejidal commission and PRI supporters, among which were to destroy the V Aguascalientes Cultural Center and take over the lands of the Cultural Center “Semilla Nueva,” as well as bring in public security forces in order to expel them from their lands.  

02-14-2002: The autonomous authorities of Roberto Barrios denounce harassment by paramilitary members and supporters of the official local government, as well as military and public security police fly-bys. 

02-14-2002: The autonomous authorities of Roberto Barrios denounce that supporters of the official local government threw stones at the community’s Cultural Center.  

02-01-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounce actions carried out by the paramilitary group  Paz y Justicia, now acting under the UCIAF (Unión Campesina Indígena Agropecuario y Forestal), in the community Progreso Agrario, municipality of Yajalón, Chiapas.

01-28-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the assaults and torture of three people detained on January 15th because of their suspected participation in the assault on a Telecom truck.

01-11-2002: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the murder of Zapatista base supporters in the community San José Bascán, municipality Salto de Agua.

12-30-2001: A Zapatista supporter is assaulted in the ejido Nuevo México, Ocosingo.

12-30-2001: Communities denounce a new position of the federal army base in the ejido Linda Vista, Palenque.

12-15-2001: Aggressions against inhabitants and civil observers in Roberto Barrios.

12-04-2001: Threats of eviction against communal land owners in the northern zone of  Chiapas.

11-21-2001: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders denounces the grave situation of 64 families in the northern zone, displaced since 1996 by paramilitary group Paz y Justicia.

10-07-2001: The authorities of Roberto Barrios denounce the theft of money belonging to a women’s cooperative in the ejido, as well as constant threats against the catechist of the community for informing people about the Puebla Panama plan. 

10-01-2001: Authorities of Roberto Barrios denounce aggressions by paramilitary members.

09-14-2001: Paramilitary members burn the house of a Zapatista supporter in Roberto Barrios.

09-13-2001: Members of Paz y Justicia harass and assault Zapatista bases in Roberto Barrios.

09-10-2001: PRI authorities from a community in Palenque harass Zapatista base supporters.  

09-02-2001: Paramilitary harassment against displaced people in the northern zone, the expulsion of 4 Zapatista base families and threats by a paramilitary member of Paz y Justicia.

08-18-2001: Provocations by PRI members and constant harassment as well as threats and the burning and destruction of houses. 

07-27-2001: The federal government built an all-weather road in the community Roberto Barrios with the pretext of helping the communities and so that the federal army could perform “social works.”  

07-26-2001: The army entered into the community of Santa Cruz with the pretext of doing social work, and causing fear among the inhabitants.

07-24-2001: The Network of Defenders denounces actions carried out by the Mexican Army, especially in the San Isidro, 31st Military Zone against the indigenous community San Isidro el Ocotal.

07-23-2001:  Autonomous Municipality Vicente Guerrero denounces incursions into their community and harassment by the Mexican army because this is a violation of human rights of community members.  

07-14-2001: Autonomous Municipality El Trabajo denounces constant aggressions and threats to bases of support in the community Roberto Barrios.

07-13-2001: The autonomous municipality El Trabajo denounces that PROGRESA (government agricultural support program) is being used in order to divide the communities.  

07-09-2001: The autonomous municipality El Trabajo denounces harassment, threats, and robbery of a community member of Roberto Barrios.

06-08-2001: The autonomous municipality El Trabajo denounces that the federal government has a project to convert part of the lands of the ejido Roberto Barrios into a tourist center, and in this way to destroy community life. 

12-11-2000: The Network of Community Human Rights Defenders notifies the PGR that the jailing of 10 Paz y Justicia members has not led to the dismantling of this paramilitary group.  The Network also denounces the detention of two people from the community Carmen, Misopá, Tila.

Here ends the chronology elaborated by Enlace Civil.  Facing the growing violence and tension in Chiapas, we the social and civil organizations of Chiapas make a call to national and international solidarity to manifest their inconformity and to organize caravans of accompaniment in the conflict regions.

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