Newsletter
Coca-Cola is present in almost all of the 194 countries that exist in the world today. It is estimated that the average global consumption of Coke is more than 1 billion cans or bottles daily, or about 12,500 per second. And while for many of us, Coke has been a big part of our lives, the corporation that produces it does serious damage to the world's communities and resources. Coca-Cola is notorious for their anti-union stance and their affront on public health and the environment. Here in Mexico, currently the number one Coca-Cola consuming nation in the world, the situation is even more serious. The impact that Coca-Cola has had on the water supply in Mexico, and more specifically here in Chiapas, is astounding, and has created a crisis that shows no sign of improving.
By Monica Wooters
These cases we are going to talk about are just three of many cases of repression that are taking place all over the world.
From the Editor- Lilia López
December is here and the holiday season is in full swing in San Cristóbal. The town Christmas tree towers in front of the Cathedral, religious processions are a weekly occurrence and not a night goes by without the crack of fireworks and rockets exploding in the capacious Chiapas sky. But despite all the holiday bustle, the Zapatistas are never far from our thoughts. They have announced a number of new initiatives in recent weeks including a major decision involving the Zapatista National Liberation Front (FZLN). As a result, we’ve dedicated a special section of this month’s newsletter to EZLN news.
Written by Lilia Lopez
Having arrived here in San Cris just over a month ago, my initial days here were slightly out of the ordinary.
Article written by Melissa Mundt Miguel stands at the makeshift podium. To his right are the 15 masked men and women of the Zapatista comandancia, in front of him are over 2,000 people from throughout Mexico. He says, "I am a teacher, a revolutionary, and a homosexual." He tells the story of his friend who died of AIDS without anyone knowing he was infected; so great are the levels of shame surrounding the disease. He says, "I have my feminine side too that comes out sometimes, her name is Brenda, and she is beautiful!" The crowd cheers wildly and someone shouts, "Todos Somos Brenda!" (A reference the familiar chant of Zapatista solidarity, "Todos Somos Marcos, " or "We are all Marcos") This is the first plenary meeting of the Other Campaign, or "Otra Campaña," in the Caracol of La Garucha. It is a time to do the hard work of consolidating a movement. A time to put forth proposals and try to hammer out the ethics of alliances: who they would collaborate with, how they would incorporate difference, how they would work together while maintaining each group's autonomy and strengths. It is by no means easy and meetings are heated and last late into the night. Yet it's a miraculous feat to see artists, homosexuals, animal rights activists, anarchists, Maoists, labor rights activists, indigenous groups, Marxists, women's groups, and university activists (to name just a handful), all sitting in the same room, listening and supporting one another.
Not surprisingly, this experience has made me think a lot about movement building. To paraphrase one participant, "listening needs to be thought of not as a means to an end, but as an ongoing strategy of resistance in and of itself." If anyone can teach us the power of listening, it's the Zapatistas, who in these last few months have patiently allowed everyone to speak their mind virtually without limitations. The Mexican left is by no means perfect and has nearly insurmountable obstacles to overcome. But the diversity, humility, openness and patience I have seen expressed in the Other Campaign is truly inspiring. In this newsletter you will find: All these articles represent different strands in a vast web of people defending their communities, their rights and dignity. How can we all work together-- that's truly the challenge. Melissa Mundt is the current Peace House field coordinator based in Chiapas.
Article written by Simon Walker From the Editor, Simon Walker Another month has flown by. I must say that in recent weeks my attention has been drawn to the horrible destruction wrought by hurricane Katrina in the southeastern US.
Article written by Simon Walker From the Editor, Simon Walker
The period of uncertainty and questioning that the EZLN’s red alert provoked was a time for all of us in the Peace House to step back and examine our work here in Chiapas, both as a group and as individuals. We consulted with NGOs and partner organizations here in San Cristóbal to gauge reactions, and see how we might be of assistance during the alert. For myself, it was a time of relative tranquility, as the red alert put a halt to the work I was doing at the Oventic bicycle workshop. The flurry of EZLN communiques that was released in July set everything in motion once again. With the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, presented in three parts at the beginning of last month, the Zapatistas have launched an “Other Campaign” of non-electoral politics of the left in Mexico. In the declaration, they propose “to go about building, along with those people who, like us, are humble and simple, a national program of struggle, but a program which will be clearly of the left, or anti-capitalist, or anti-neoliberal, or for justice, democracy and liberty for the Mexican people.” On July 15, the red alert lifted and the caracoles opened once again. All are welcome once again to take up their labors and projects in Zapatista communities. As for those of us at the Peace House, we have been quite busy. Summer is high season for travelers here, and we’ve been working with several delegations, giving workshops, translating, and also visiting communities in the Chiapas highlands and at the border with Guatemala. This week I will once again travel to Oventic to work with the compañeros at the bike workshop, before moving on to other caracoles in the northern and jungle regions. These are busy days indeed. As the Zapatistas prepare to meet with indigenous peoples, NGOs and civil society groups from Mexico and the international community, we are all anxious to see what shape this “Other Campaign” will take, and how we can plug in. In this edition of the newsletter, read about the celebration in Oventic after the red alert was lifted, a direct action carried out in Mexico City's zocalo, the resurgence of paramilitary groups in northern Chiapas, and traditional healing techniques practiced at the Museum of Mayan Medicine here in San Cristóbal. Contents
- News Updates
- Volunteer Weblog
- Essays & Analysis
Article written by Melissa From the Editor, Melissa Mundt
June has been a month of transition and change in Chiapas. At the Peace House we bid farewell to our wonderful spring volunteers and welcomed new volunteers, friends and housemates. We are preparing for what will be an exciting summer of hosting delegations, networking with other organizations and creating educational materials on immigration and human rights issues in Oaxaca. The end of this month, the EZLN Red Alert, made us, and most of Chiapas stop in its tracks. We are all relieved to see that the Mexican Army and EZLN have both stated that they will take no offensive action, and that the “next phase” of the Zapatista Rebellion seems to be a continuation and elaboration of their original stance against neoliberal development in the world and fighting for justice, rights and dignity of indigenous peoples. Read more about the Red Alert in this newsletter. Also in this newsletter volunteers reflect on working with children in an Abejas community and the power of zines as a pedagogical tool, the “death train” which carries thousands of illegal Central Americans through Mexico every month, and the rise of AIDS in Chiapas communities. As always check our website for new events, announcements and news updates. Contents - News Updates
- Volunteer Weblog
- Essays & Analysis
Article written by Melissa Mundt Spring is turning into summer here in Chiapas. We're gearing up to receive our summer volunteers who will work in areas ranging from permaculture agriculture to health education for indigenous women. There are many experiences and skills volunteers acquire through the Peace House and their time in Chiapas. One aspect we're currently putting emphasis on is creating and facilitating workshops. Recently volunteers have created, faciliated and attended workshops for Peace House volunteers and local communities on conflict mediation, immigration issues, globalization, water privatization, militarization and strategies of resistence, the situation of the Navajo people in Arizona, fundraising, technology politics and nanotechnologies, autonomous projects in Chiapas, bike mechanics, book making and privilege and international solidarity. In coming months we will organize these materials and resources to make them publically available through our website with the hope that you will share this information with your friends and community! In this newsletter volunteers write on immigration and the teachers and health workers strike, themes that have been important this month in Chiapas. Contents - Announcements
- News and Analysis
- Reflection
Article written by Melissa Mundt The rains have begun! Here at the Peace House we have accepted 5 new talented volunteers for the summer. Applications for Fall 2005 will be due July 15th. AnnouncementsNews and AnalysisReflection
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