The information
below attempts to provide a tool kit for those who wish to venture to the
southeast of Mexico. We have found our first trips to be an amazing, educational,
sometimes difficult and inspirational experience, which would have been considerably
easier, if we'd have had access to the information below. We hope it's a useful
starting point.
The situation is often changing rapidly in Chiapas so contact us or other groups to find out about the current situation.
What you can do
For individuals wishing to get involved in grassroots solidarity work there
are two main options. The first involves working as an International Peace
Observer in the civilian communities. The second is to enroll in the Spanish
language school in Oventic, one of the main Zapatista centres. For both options,
you will need a letter of recommendation from either Kiptik, or another recognised
UK solidarity group. Please contact us by email for more information.
International Peace Observation Work
Civilian Peace Camps started after the military offensive by the federal army
on February 9, 1995. Under the pretext of searching for Zapatista leaders,
the Mexican Federal Army ransacked civilian communities. As a result, the
communities asked for observers to stay with them because it made them feel
more secure. Today there are peace camps scattered throughout Zapatista territory.
Clearly they are a stop-gap measure set firmly in the context of the militarisation
of the conflict zone. Although the military tension has eased somewhat over
the past few years, the peace camps still exist and we are there at the invitation
of the indigenous communities.
one of 2 organistions in San Cristobal to get
out to the communities as an observer it is now possible to go straight
to one of the Caracoles and there the Junta de Buen Gobierno (Good
Government Assembly) will advise you on where to go. To get directions
on how to get to the different Caracoles and for further information and
orientation you can go to the offices of Enlace Civil or the Fray Bartolome
de las Casas Human Rights Centre.
Whereas a few years ago it was necessary to go through
ENLACE CIVIL:
(01967) 678 2104
FRAY BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS:
(01967) 678 3548
(01967) 678 7395
(01967) 678 7396
Spanish language school in Oventic
For those who speak little Spanish, it is possible to enroll at the Spanish
language school in Oventic. Oventic is one of the "Caracoles," (previously
the 'Aguascalientes') serving as a political and cultural centre for
the Zapatistas communities of the Highlands region. It is situated
1 1/2 hours by bus from the town of San Cristobal. The courses held
at the school last 5 days, from Mondays to Fridays. You are asked to
contribute the equivalent of 3 days minimum wage in your home country,
and classes are held for 3 hours every day, giving you time to get
to know the place and the people there. You are lodged and fed twice
a day, and there is a cafeteria open all day. To enroll, you need to
go to the offices of Enlace Civil, with your letter of recommendation.
Before you go
You will be expected to fund the entire trip yourself from flights to food
in Chiapas so start saving and fundraising now! In this section we've put
together a series of questions we asked ourselves about our motivations, a
list of suggested qualities for being a peace observer or solidarity group
volunteer, and practicalities of what to take.
Your motivations
As a group we pondered over the following questions as we planned the trip.
We thought they might be a useful starting point. First of all we tried to
ask ourselves honestly what our motivations were for going into a Zapatista
community. Was it for excitement? Adventure? Sunshine? Because we believed
in the Zapatista project and wanted to help? To see what is going on for ourselves?
To fight neoliberalism? Because we thought it would bring a/the revolution
closer? Because supporting other people's struggles provides a convenient
excuse for not doing anything in our own communities? Because we felt like
being charitable and helping the poor of Latin America?
Before you decide to pack a rucksack and head off to Chiapas you need to stop
and think! By the end of this section we hope you will be able to assess yourself
and your suitability for spending time in the Zapatista communities.
It should be noted that if you intend to carry out academic studies of the
communities of any sort you should make this clear to the organisation that
you are going to work with and the communities involved. You will probably
be ignored if you start fishing for information and we advise people not to
come to Chiapas with the intention of writing their theses on the Zapatistas:
they are not objects to be studied but people to learn from and share experiences
with. Similarly if you intend to publish articles based upon your experiences
then you must be open about this with everyone you deal with in Chiapas.
Skills
This list is meant to act as a starting point for assessing yourself. The
low intensity war being waged against the Zapatista communities continues
and is part of everyday life in Chiapas. Working in the conflict zone can
be an emotionally challenging experience.
· an ability to endure adverse conditions that are constantly changing
· to be flexible under pressure
· to be able to remain calm and level-headed
· adequate Spanish
· some experience of conflict resolution techniques
· an ability to be responsible for your own health and well-being
· some experience of working communally
· an ability to follow the advice and requests made by the elected
officials in the communities
· to be respectful of the social and cultural traditions in the communities
· a sense of humour and, most importantly, patience!
Practicalities
Before setting off to the southeast of Mexico, make sure you're prepared.
Familiarize yourself with the current situation in the conflict zone by visiting
one of the web sites (see our links page), or by talking to people who have
recently returned from Chiapas. If you are looking for a letter of recommendation
from Kiptik, please contact us in advance so we can meet you in person and
go through the necessary details.
You will need to take:
· letter of introduction/ reference
· phone number and contact address of your embassy in Mexico
· an emergency contact in the UK
· photocopies of your passport and visa (tourist visas are issued at
the point of entry to Mexico)
· two passport size photographs
· travellers cheques, cash card and Pesos.
· hammock (can be bought in San Cristobal), and a warm sleeping bag
(it can get cold at night...).
· mosquito net (can be bought in San Cristobal)
· boots
· rucksack
· torch/candles
· bio-degradable soap
· penknife
· water purifier (sold commercially in Mexico as Microdyne or Micropur)
· water bottle
· mosquito repellent
· hat for the sun
· raincoat
· camera
· notebook
Health and first aid
On arrival in Mexico most people suffer the inevitable stomach bug but, if
you take sensible precautions, this is the worst health problem you are likely
to encounter.
The information below is only a guideline. We suggest you get in contact with
your GP or herbalist for up to date information. Below is a basic list of
first aid items that proved useful on our trip:
· First Aid kit
· Diarolite for re-hydration (for the inevitable stomach bug)
· Anti-histamine tablets for insect bites and allergic reactions
· Herbal medicines such as tea tree oil, arnica cream for strains and
bruises, echinacea tablets to ensure your immune system is up to fighting
the onslaught of bugs and infections you are likely to be bombarded with,
and witch hazel cream for tick bites and cuts
· Malaria tablets – the recommended ones for Chiapas are chloroquine
(avoid Larium)
· Vaccinations (tetanus, polio, diptheria, hepatitis A, typhoid) –
see your GP
· Any specific drugs or medical items that you need but may not be
able to acquire in Mexico
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Visas
The Tourist Visa is usually handed out to you on the plane if you come by
air. Fill this in and hand it in when you go through immigration in Mexico.
The maximum allowed period without renewal of the Tourist Visa is 180 days
(6 months) but it is unusual to be granted the full amount. Normally you will
be given either 30, 60 or 90 days and it is sometimes worth showing your return
flight ticket at the immigration desk to try to extend the shorter periods.
Always keep your Tourist Visa to hand with your passport as you may be asked
to present it at road blocks or immigration check points. These are common
in all areas of Mexico and particularly in Chiapas.
If your Tourist Visa is going to expire then you will need to renew it, there
are several ways of doing this and taking advice from experienced solidarity
workers is the best way of dealing with this situation. Do not allow your
Tourist Visa to expire as this can cause problems.
Making contact with organisations in Chiapas
Both the Peace Observer organisations listed above have offices which are
open to the public in San Cristobal de las Casas. It is a good idea not to
be open with other tourists about why you're in Chiapas. Be sensible about
who you talk to. Also be aware that many hotels, restaurants, and people in
San Cristobal are anti-Zapatista, predominantly conservative, and often very
racist towards indigenous people. A similar attitude should be undertaken
when using open e-mails from Chiapas. It's better not to mention the names
of communities, names of companero/as or other volunteers, as well as phone
numbers and addresses. A simple key-word search program run by the powers
that be can single out important information from the thousands of emails
that come in and out of internet servers daily in Chiapas.
The situation in Chiapas is changing rapidly so it is vital to attend the
orientation sessions provided by the organisations you intend to work with.
They will provide you with accreditation, information about how to get to
and from the community you're going to, and advice on how to deal with the
military and immigration.
Getting in and out of the communities
The state of Chiapas is still heavily militarised. Getting in and out of the
conflict zone with the numerous federal army checkpoints can at times be a
frustrating experience. You may be stopped and questioned by the federal army.
They are not legally allowed to ask you for your passport, only the Immigration
are allowed to do so. Although you may be causing yourself more problems if
you refuse to hand over any ID. Make sure you keep a close watch on all soldiers
who search your bags- they have planted things on people and stolen personal
belongings.
Although they have no right to detain you they may attempt to intimidate you.
Keep calm and follow the advice of the organisation you are working for about
what to say. Stick to your story. There is a chance that you may be photographed,
which you would do best to try and avoid. There are also internal immigration
offices throughout the conflict zone and mobile immigration checkpoints. Although
it is very unlikely that you will be detained by immigration we have included
the section below for information purposes.
What to do if you are detained:
· Develop a plan. How will you respond if you are taken into custody?
· Always carry: passport, visa, list of emergency phone numbers (lawyer,
human rights organizations, media contacts in both the UK and Mexico, British
Embassy, family, friends) and a pen and paper.
· Do not travel in the conflict zone alone.
· If you are stopped and questioned, do not agree to go to an office
without first alerting someone you know and trust where you are going. Take
copious notes on the name and position of people, times, vehicle number-plates
etc. Do not allow officials to rush you. Take your time.
· If taken into custody, you have a right to see a lawyer and have
a translator present. Do not say anything until a lawyer and translator are
present.
· Do not offer any physical resistance, but question the reason for
every demand from officials.
· Do not sign anything.
· You are under no obligation to answer questions. If you agree to
be questioned, do not lie. If you feel uncomfortable with a question, refuse
to answer it. The interview is an exercise in intelligence gathering by the Mexican
authorities. Do not help them.
· You have the right to contact the British Embassy. Do it fast but
be under no illusions that they are there to represent your interests. Their
primary interest is to protect the interests of the UK government and big business,
which may not coincide with your interests.
· In custody, you have the right to use a telephone. Prioritise your
calls to make the most important first.
· In general, do not allow officials to dictate the pace of activities
in custody. Always take your time, demand the presence of a lawyer, access to
a telephone and the British Embassy.
· If you are denied any of these basic rights, or are mistreated in
any way during your detention, prepare a written report and send it to the
United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, Amnesty International and the
National Commission for Human Rights in Mexico.
"There is a strong network of Zapatista solidarity groups across Europe
that will respond to deportations of foreigners. This network which includes
the UK solidarity groups relies on people getting involved and taking action
in crisis situations. Make sure you let people know before you go and contact
your companeros in the UK if you are detained."
Your role in the communities
International Peace Observers are primarily in the communities to deter and
monitor human rights abuses. You are expected to keep a detailed record of
federal army troop movements in and around the village. In some communities
you will also be asked to act as a mediator between the community and federal
army in crisis situations. Sometimes you will also have the opportunity to
get involved with community projects. For the most part life in the communities
as a peace observer is a quiet and peaceful experience. At the end of your
visit you will be expected to produce a report for Fray Bartolome or Enlace
Civil.
Some do’s and don'ts we picked up during our visit are as follows.
· Always respect the customs and daily life of the community, dress
sensitively, and follow the requests of the elected officials.
· Never take any drugs or alcohol into the villages. Don't give presents
or money to individuals, create dependencies or make promises that could create
false expectations.
· Don't respond to or initiate any type of provocation with the federal
army if they enter the community.
· Make sure you take any non-biodegradable waste with you when you
leave the communities.
Getting back to the UK
This equally proved to be quite a culture-shock for many of us! In many ways
we felt that raising awareness about the situation in Chiapas and taking action
in our own country on return was as important as, or inextricably linked to
being in the communities.
If you have any new information to add to this section on going to Chiapas,
drop us a line or email at kiptik@eudoramail.com, and we will try to add it
to the website.
Giving talks, writing articles
When we arrived back to the UK we were bombarded with requests for talks and
articles about our experiences. If you are keen to talk about your time in
Chiapas, book a room in a community centre, make some posters, tell your mates,
get your photos made into slides and do a talk. The Zapatistas rely heavily
on foreigners spreading information in their countries of origin. Many publications
will take articles about your experiences. Link into your own networks. If
you work, contact your Union and see if they will publish a piece in their
magazine.
Personal support
In view of the fact that you may undergo some intense and harrowing experiences
in Chiapas, we advise going there with a friend or in a group. Personal support
is important and you should make sure you have people around you who you trust
and respect.
Their struggle, our struggle
Being with the indigenous communities even for very short periods of time
had a major impact on our lives. We also saw physical hardship, brutal gender
inequality, and realised there is a big difference between reading
Zapatista communiqués and the realities of being in a Zapatista community. Be
prepared to have your romantic illusions destroyed and prepare to find out
what it’s really like on the ground.
However, we also saw direct democracy, consensus decision-making and co-operative
living in action. We witnessed to different degrees what's possible when people
start to dream of a different reality and creatively begin to put their ideas
into action. We saw the struggle of everyday life and the extent of military
repression and divisions within communities. We hope that we have begun to
reflect on some of the Zapatistas ideas and integrate them into our own lives,
communities and networks.
"Our struggle doesn't end, nor does our cry end after the "Enough!"
we uttered on January 1st 1994. It is still a long walk. There are different
paths but one longing: Freedom! Democracy! Justice! We will continue to struggle
until we achieve the freedom that is our right, the democracy that is our
reason, and the justice that is our life!" (Subcommandante Marcos)