On not asking permission.

Originally published in Spanish by the EZLN ************************** Translated by irlandesa [Comandanta Esther’s Words in Oventik, August 9, 2003] Brothers and sisters: Through my voice speaks the voice of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation: Indigenous Brothers and Sisters of the People of Mexico: We, the indigenous, wish to speak to you of our right to be Mexicans. We do not need to change our culture, our clothing, our language, our way of prayer, our way of working and respecting the land, we cannot stop being indigenous in order to be recognized as Mexicans. They cannot take what we are way from us. Yes, we are dark-skinned. They cannot turn us into whites. Because our grandparents resisted more than 500 years of contempt, humiliation and exploitation. And we continue to resist. Now they will never be able to humiliate us or do away with us. The politicians betrayed the Indian peoples of Mexico. All the political parties, the PRI, as well as the PAN, as well as the PRD, made an agreement to deny us our rights, because they did not approve the indigenous rights and culture law. They want to treat us like children and silence us. They thought they were going to be able to do so, but then they saw that they could not, and that they would never be able to do what they wanted. Now we ourselves must exercise our rights. We do not need permission from anyone, especially not from some politicians who only deceive the people and steal money. That is why, indigenous brothers and sisters of the people of Mexico, we are calling on all of you to enforce the law of the San Andrés Accords. We have the right to govern and to govern ourselves according to our own thoughts in every municipality and in every state in the Mexican Republic. No one can prevent us, let alone imprison us, for exercising our rights which we deserve. Now is the time to put the autonomy of the indigenous peoples into practice and to act on it throughout the entire country of Mexico. No one needs to ask permission to form their autonomous municipalities. As we, who are doing so and practicing it, have not asked permission. Even though the bad government does not recognize it, for us it is our law, and we shall defend ourselves with it. We are also inviting everyone, indigenous brothers and sisters, to embrace it and to build autonomy and authorities so that the government of the Mexican people shall govern obeying and in order to defend and administer the San Andrés Accords. In the same way, we are inviting all indigenous Mexican women to organize themselves so that, together, we can exercise autonomy and practice our rights which we deserve as women. It is no longer the moment to be silent or to humiliate ourselves in front of men, nor to ask them for the favor of respecting us. Now is the moment for acting on our own and for making men respect our rights. Because, if we do not do so, no one is going to do it for us. It is up to us now, men and women, to act and to carry on, in order to build our autonomy and to move it forward. These are my words. Democracy! Liberty! Justice! From the mountains of the Mexican southeast. By the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. Mexico, August 9, 2003.