Thoughts on my experiences in Zapatista communities from 1997 – 2001

Editor’s note – What follows in this post are excerpts from journal entries that will be included in my forthcoming book, “Reversing the Missionary Position: Learning Solidarity on Mayan Time.

We have a very important weapon which the government does not have. That weapon is called dignity. With this weapon no one and nothing can defeat us. They can kill us or jail us, but they will never defeat us. EZLN Communique, Sept. 12, 1997 after the murder of 45 campesinos in Acteal, Chiapas

In 1997, nearing the 4th anniversary of the indigenous-led Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, Mexico, I spent several weeks in the EZLN autonomous community of La Realidad.

December 9, 1997 

We finally found the right truck to bring us to La Realidad. We left early so as to avoid la migra. While on the trek, the sun came up creating a panorama that was breathtaking. It warmed up quickly which made the ride more grueling. On the way, we were passed by two different military convoys. After six hours, we finally arrived and were questioned by representatives of the community on our possessions and credentials. After a brief rest and escape from the sun, we were welcomed by the other internationals, most of whom have been here for just a few days. 

December 12, 1997 

It is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The village is alive with marimba and pots brewing the day’s nourishment. We just got back from counting soldiers as they made their daily trek through the village to do what Lucifer only knows. Packed with shovels, picks, radios, and chickens, they rolled past on a wet morning. The rains came during the night to give us a more interesting mode of maneuvering in the compound. 

December 17, 1997 

With the clear sky today, the view is amazing. To the north and south of us are mountain ranges. The south being closer and the one that includes the road that the military descends and ascends daily. Apart from the community, there are no openings in the selva – nothing but thick green foliage of trees and other plant life that creates a lush canopy in the horizon. With no industrial pollution, the sky is incredibly clean and blue. At night, the stars burn so bright that it makes for a constellation seekers paradise. 

December 31, Oventic, Chiapas 

This morning was one of the more moving experiences of my life. At about 5:30 am, several thousand people gathered on the road in front of Oventic. Their mission was to walk to the nearest army base and tell them to leave … now! Many from DF and international observers were invited to participate. 

After the first mile or so, we were greeted by another group marching from the south. We then took a side road that wove through the mountains to the army base. People carried signs that read, “Military Leave!,”  “Fulfill the Accords of San Andres!,”  “Release Political Prisoners!,” “Leave Already!,” and “Demilitarize Chiapas!” 

The morning was cloud covered, but you could tell when the sun was rising as it gradually became light. One thing that was impressive was the level of order and discipline that the participants showed. After about an hour’s walk, we finally arrived at the military base. The crowd immediately began chanting at the gate. A few soldiers walked down carrying their rifles and the few in the guard post held their position. Then the group decided to move past the first set of barbed wire, by crawling under it. While some entered, others threw paper airplanes at the soldiers who stood their ground. Again, the “Zapatista Air Force” was called in! 

People were now pressed up against the last gate, while others had panned out on both sides of the entrance, pressing up against the guard post structure. The chanting continued with statements such as, “Chiapas is not a barracks!” Then, catching the military and many of us off guard, the people forced their way onto the base. 

Trudging through the mud, the hundreds of supporters had backed the soldiers up against the barracks, now chanting, “ ¡Hoy, Hoy, Hoy!” and “ ¡Zapata Vive!” The look on many of the young soldiers’ faces was one of disbelief as villagers began telling them the pain that their presence has caused their families. 

After thirty minutes had passed, some of what appeared to be military officers came out to speak to the crowd. People kept demanding their immediate departure, and I overheard one of the officers tell a pleading man that they indeed were leaving today. The exchange between some of the villagers and the officer went on for some time, when all of a sudden, one of the communication antennas began to fall. I was able to turn quickly enough to capture it on film. The crowd cheered wildly as it hit the muddy terrain below. Later we found out that someone had cut the lines to prevent the soldiers from communicating for outside assistance. 

At one point, one of the villagers got the crowd to quiet down as a declaration was read out loud expressing their demands. When the reading was finished, as if on cue, the people began to sing the Zapatista anthem. By this time, more than two hours had passed and people eventually began filing out of the base and back to Oventic. 

The video below provides a visual representation of the December 31st, 2000 journal entry.