1996-09-26 Local Press - CHIAPAS

Article Index

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CHIAPAS

Army Pressuring Zapatista Zones

EZLN Sub-Commander Marcos said that the government is lying when it says that it isn't carrying out military maneuvers in the conflict zone and that it hasn't modified its military position for a year and a half. "The government is very far from restarting the dialogue and the federal army is advancing toward war," Marcos said. He added that the government is trying to "pressure us militarily to return to the useless and deceitful discussion." Marcos also said that under the disguise of social service, northern Chiapas is being militarized.

On the 11th anniversary of the 1985 earthquake in Mexico, Marcos recognized the important role that civil society has played in Mexico over the past eleven years. "This new force, civil society, that bothers government officials so much ... today gives us hope that it is possible to rebuild the country, even with the destruction wrought by the neo-liberal project on the Mexican nation." (Reforma, 20 September)

Reporters Under Investigation in Chiapas

Representatives of national and international associations of journalists are demanding that the Mexican government respect journalists' rights after a series of reporters have been harassed by Mexican authorities seeking information about the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR). The most recent incident happened in Chiapas, when an agent from the Attorney General's Office, visited the home of a local reporter who covered one of the EPR's clandestine press conferences, to ask where/how she got her information. Similar incidents have occurred in Oaxaca and Guerrero. (La Jornada, 22 September)

Civil War in Northern Chiapas?

Several non-governmental organizations asked the mediation commissions CONAI and COCOPA to visit the northern zone of Chiapas to understand "the situation of civil war that prevails in the region." After having spent a month in the region, various human rights groups noted that "the violence in the north of the state shows characteristics of a civil war." (La Jornada, 18 September)

Army's Social Service

Around 675 Mexican army troops were sent to the Chiapas jungle for 15 days to distribute 500 tons of food and 25 tons of medicines. (La Jornada, 18 September)

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