Words for non-zapatista indigneous brothers and sisters.

Originally published in Spanish by the EZLN ************************************ Translated by irlandesa, based on transcription of recording [Words of Comandante David in Oventik, August 9, 2003] Words For Indigenous Brothers Who Are Not Zapatistas I am going to speak a few words for those indigenous brothers who are not zapatistas. Non-zapatista indigenous brothers and sisters who live in the towns, in the areas and in the rebel zapatista Autonomous Municipalities. The Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the EZLN is addressing all of you in order to tell you the following: It is not necessary to be zapatista in order to be served and respected by the Autonomous Municipalities in any part of our territory. By being a member of the community or of the municipality to which you belong, you have the right to be served. If you live in the same community and in the same municipality, you are brothers of raza, of color and of history, and there should not, then, be any reason for fighting and confrontations between brothers, because we suffer the same injustices of discrimination and humiliation. We are living in the same conditions of hunger and poverty. We suffer the same contempt, marginalization and ignoring by the bad government and the powerful, for being indigenous and the color of the earth. What I am asking those who are not zapatista, those who are not in agreement with us or those who do not understand the just cause of our struggle, is that you respect our organization. That you respect our communities and Autonomous Municipalities and their authorities. And respect the Good Government Juntas in all the regions, in all the areas. Those which have been formally constituted today, witnessed by many thousands of indigenous and non-indigenous brothers and sisters in our country Mexico and in many countries throughout the world. We, the zapatistas, are not going to attack anyone, nor impose anything on the brothers who are not zapatista. We will be respectful with all our indigenous brothers, without regard to their organization, their party or their religion, always and as long as they respect us and respect our communities, our Autonomous Municipalities and their authorities, so that our indigenous towns can exercise their rights to autonomy and free determination, as provided for in the San Andrés Accords, which was signed by the federal government and the EZLN, and made into the legislative proposal by the COCOPA in November of 1996. But yes, we want to make it quite clear, that we will not remain with our arms crossed when our compañeros, our communities and our municipalities are attacked by any group of persons of any party or of any paramilitary group, because it is our right to defend our compañeros and to demand that they be respected. Brothers and sisters: Today, zapatismo is larger and stronger. Never before in our history have we had the strength we have today. For some time now, we have reached far beyond the boundaries of the southeastern State of Chiapas, and more, we have control even in communities where there are Federal Army and Public Security Police garrisons. Our word has also reached into the barracks and to those who inhabit them. We are not boasting, we are merely informing. As a sign of good will, and offering respect in advance to those who respect us, who are not zapatistas, they will not be harassed, persecuted or attacked at our initiative. We will give a sign. In the name of the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the EZLN, I am giving the following orders: As of today, all those zapatista checkpoints that have been installed on federal, state and local roads and bridges will be lifted. And all charges to individuals on roads and highways within rebel territories will be eliminated. Violations of this regulation should be reported to the respective Good Government Junta so that, pending confirmation, the individual may return the money and the individual or authority who has committed the offense may be punished. Only those vehicles will be searched which could be illegally transporting wood, drugs or weapons, the trafficking in which is strictly forbidden on zapatista lands. In compliance with the demands of indigenous women, the confirmed introduction of alcohol into the communities will be punished by the seizure of the liquor and a fine to the vehicle’s owner. In order to enter the zapatista communities, the same criteria and methods will be maintained which have been operating up to this point, and which have to do with security and protection measures for the zapatista civil population. This is our word. 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. Muchas gracias.