Words to rebel youth.

Originally published in Spanish by the EZLN ************************************ Translated by irlandesa, based on transcription of recording [Words of Comandante Omar in Oventik, August 9, 2003] Good afternoon, young people. Good afternoon to everyone here. Brothers and sisters of the world and of Mexico. Especially for the young people and for all those who are here and those who are not here but who are listening to us, close by or far away. We find ourselves in this place today, where, just a few hours ago, as you already know, the “Resistance and Rebellion For Humanity” Caracol was born. Revolutionary greetings to all of you, and we hope you are all fine but tired from the dance at this great, and so very important, fiesta, so that the tiredness doesn’t matter. It does make me jealous, though, since I can’t dance. Young students, unemployed young people, from this planet earth and this country, Mexico, who are trying to continue studying in the universities, and they don’t accept you. If you finish your studies, you look for work and they don’t give it to you. And if they do give you a job, they pay you a pittance. And so there’s no opportunities, in education or in work. And they don’t respect the way you want to live your youth. They persecute you for being different. They want us to be already old so they won’t have to worry. They don’t want us, they hate us, but they’re afraid of us because we’re young people and we’re capable of organizing ourselves. And that’s where they’re wrong, because we won’t be old, because some die and others take their place. And so the struggle is always going to stay young. What the governments, their teams of gangsters - which is what all the different kinds of businessmen are – do with our youth is to offer you work, but on a condition: that you obey them, that you remain in their service, and then they pay you just a crumb. That is how they take advantage of our youthful strength. Brothers and sisters: here in Chiapas, in Mexico and in the world, we are demonstrating, as the young people we are, that we are indeed capable of organizing ourselves. It makes no difference what corner of the world we’re in to demand our rights and our own destiny, the future which we want, and in that way to further our culture, our way of being who we are, according to our town or group, depending on where we are. Fight, along with us, the zapatistas. We are giving you an example that there is nothing that cannot be done. Fighting and resisting, there are no bombs or governments or money that can stop you. What the powers of money do is to trap you into stealing, drugs, alcoholism, prostitution, so they can say then that they killed someone who was a thief or put him in jail for so long. Not to mention when you just dress the way you like or defend your rights or your culture. It’s time to wake up. Let us not die like the rich and the government want us to. And, if one must die, then it should only be while fighting, so that our death isn’t for nothing, but for a better future for those who are growing up, so they don’t suffer as we have. We must stand up and look straight ahead, like the revolutionary heroes said, one should die on one’s feet, and not on one’s knees. On another subject, I am telling you not to believe that the governments of the world or those who support globalization are going to improve the economy in the countries of the world. It’s not true. They are only going to steal from us in all of our patrias. That is why we need to join forces as young people, in some organization engaged in honest struggle, and then you’ll see that you can fight in this world and not remain silent out of fear. You have to be courageous, and not just to score. Don’t mind me, I’m joking. Fight and keep on fighting, without stopping. Don’t surrender or sell out. That is how we will be more dignified for our peoples. Not for a position or money, but so that there will be a people with justice and dignity on this planet earth. The parties and the governments of the rich just want you to be resigned to everything, so that you’ll say nothing is happening, that everything’s going fine for the future of young people in the countries. That is why we say: Viva the rebel youth of the world! Viva the rebel youth of Mexico! Viva the Zapatista Army of National Liberation! Vivan the Zapatista Caracoles! Vivan the Rebel Autonomous Municipalities! 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. Gracias.