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Press Release - November 4, 1999

Nearly 300 International Religious Leaders Honor Bishop Samuel Ruiz and the Diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas

Nearly 300 religious leaders from 26 countries have joined together to issue a statement honoring retiring Bishop Samuel Ruiz of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico for "40 years of prophetic and pastoral ministry." The statement, entitled "Choose Life," was released at a Solemn Mass in the Cathedral of Peace in San Cristobal on November 3 celebrating Msgr. Ruiz' 75th birthday, the mandatory retirement age for Roman Catholic bishops.

Signers include the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the President of the Latin American Council of Churches, the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, four Nobel Peace laureates, and numerous bishops, heads of religious congregations, denominational executives, and leaders of other faith-based organizations. In addition to many Christian denominations, the statement was also endorsed by international leaders from the Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist faiths.

"Like the prophet Samuel, through the years Bishop Samuel has been a judge, a counselor and a wise man of discrimination," reads the statement. "Always leading from within the people, he has articulated from that perspective a vision that has resounded as one of the deepest truths we know: that the God of Life calls us to justice, mercy and humility, and only when we 'choose life' shall we know true liberation and happiness."

Citing Bishop Ruiz' modeling of "servant leadership," the statement extols the remarkable achievements of his diocese in a number of areas, including the inculturation of the Catholic faith within indigenous cultures, the development of thousands of lay deacons, the prioritization of the needs of the poor and marginalized and the fostering of community organizations for that purpose, the nurturing of tolerance, and the promotion of ecumenical dialogue and cooperation.

The statement praises all the pastoral workers who have joined together in these efforts, including Ruiz' likely successor, Coadjutor Bishop Raul Vera, whom it called "a true follower of Jesus of Nazareth, sharing in the lives of the people with wisdom and compassion."

The role of Bishop Ruiz in promoting peace during the Zapatista rebellion received special mention. Calling him "the critical link between the opposing sides," the statement praised "his wise counsel" and his "living testimony of hope," noting that his resignation as mediator "left a huge hole in peace efforts that still remains to be filled." (Bishop Ruiz resigned in 1998. The Zapatistas refuse to return to peace talks until the government implements existing agreements.)

"This extraordinary outpouring of international support for a faraway bishop illustrates how he has become a beacon of hope for people all over the world who share a common faith in the dignity of each individual and in God's promise of life in abundance," said Phil McManus, Chair of the Steering Committee of SIPAZ (Servicio Internacional para la Paz/International Service for Peace). SIPAZ, which initiated the statement, is a coalition of North American, Latin American and European organizations formed in 1995 to support the peace process in Chiapas. SIPAZ combines violence reduction and peacebuilding strategies in Chiapas with efforts to inform and mobilize the international community.

Choose Life

Religious leader thank Don Samuel Ruiz - 3 de noviembre de 1999

"See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways...then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering...I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live."
Deuteronomy 30: 15-16,19

TO SAMUEL RUIZ GARCIA, UPON HIS RETIREMENT AS ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, CHIAPAS, MEXICO

TO RAUL VERA LOPEZ, CO-ADJUTOR BISHOP OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE DIOCESE OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We come together as leaders of religious bodies from around the world to celebrate and express our heartfelt thanks for the 40 years of prophetic and pastoral ministry of Bishop Samuel Ruiz of the Diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas.

The twentieth century has witnessed crises and unparalleled challenges in every part of the planet. At times we feel desperate for our people and fearful of the future.

We have been blessed, however, that God has raised up from among us leaders deeply rooted in their people who use these critical times to turn darkness into light, fear into courage, and despair into hope. Bishop Ruiz has been one of those leaders for us.

Bishop Ruiz has often spoken of how, as a new bishop, he encountered the face of Christ in the indigenous communities of Chiapas and how those encounters awakened him to a profoundly new understanding of God's Word in our lives. Through his pastoral ministry, he has enabled the voiceless to speak.

We are grateful for - and humbled by - the vision of liberation that the people of Chiapas have prophetically proclaimed. In response we have come to look at our own lives in a fresh way. Many of us who have had the privilege of visiting you have felt our hearts open and have learned that it is often we who are the captives in a strange land. We have returned to our own countries with renewed energy for the creation of the Reign of God in our midst.

Like the prophet Samuel, through the years Bishop Samuel has been a judge, a counselor and a wise man of discrimination. Always leading from within the people, he has articulated from that perspective a vision that has resounded as one of the deepest truths we know: that the God of Life calls us to justice, mercy and humility, and only when we "choose life" shall we know true liberation and happiness.

During his tenure, Bishop Ruiz modeled servant leadership by learning well from his people and acting in concert with their deepest needs and aspirations. In a truly exemplary manner, the Catholic faith was inculturated in an indigenous setting, always consonant with its abiding truths while at the same time celebrating the richness of our diversity. Thousands of indigenous deacons and catechists were commissioned to share the word of God in their communities. The Diocese of San Cristobal became a place where the "preferential option for the poor" was incarnated. The long-postponed needs of the marginalized became a focal point for action. Community organization, the building block of civil society, was fostered.

For the thousands who have been displaced during the six-year-old conflict in Chiapas, the Diocese has been a lifeline of support. Earlier, during the 1980s, Bishop Ruiz welcomed the thousands of refugees who fled the horrific repression in Guatemala. Under his leadership, the entire Diocese worked together to take them in, sharing with them not only bread for their bodies but the living Bread of God for their souls. And when intolerance led to the dispossession of thousands of evangelicals in Chiapas, the Diocese actively supported housing projects in their new settlements.

Bishop Ruiz' commitment to inter-religious dialogue and action, overcoming false divisions among the people of God, has been unwavering. He demonstrated this through his promotion of many inter-religious conferences, including Christians and non-Christians, Mexicans and internationals alike, that served as a forum in which all could have their voice.

When the rebellion broke out in Chiapas in 1994, Bishop Ruiz became the critical link between the opposing sides, and he worked tirelessly for reconciliation. There have been many times since then when Chiapas has teetered on the brink of war and might have plunged into chaos. His wise counsel was like a rudder that kept the storm-tossed ship on course, always promoting peace, decrying violence, and providing a living testimony of hope. His work as President of CONAI (National Mediation Commission) was crucial in the first years of the peace process. The dissolution of CONAI in 1998 left a huge hole in peace efforts that still remains to be filled. Bishop Ruiz' dedication to peace, justice, and reconciliation has earned him immense international respect, as evidenced by his membership in the Peace Council and his repeated nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.

We recognize that Bishop Ruiz has not acted alone, and that he has been surrounded by a "cloud of witnesses." We give profound thanks for those who have gone before, as well as for the men and women religious, pastoral agents, and catechists who pastor today with the people in the mountains of Chiapas. Bishop Vera has been distinguished among them as a true follower of Jesus of Nazareth, sharing in the lives of the people with wisdom and compassion and leading them in the light of the God of Life.

We are grateful for the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church and its commitment to the liberation of all persons from slavery to sin in the forms of hunger, misery, oppression and ignorance. We are deeply appreciative to the Holy See for sending to San Cristobal leaders such as Bishop Ruiz and Bishop Vera who make that commitment a living reality.

Bishop Ruiz, we wish you many years of happiness and joy as you begin a new chapter of your life. Be assured that our prayers go with you. You will always be in our hearts in a profound way as a sign of God's grace and will for peace in the world.

Shalom

Endorsers/Firmantes

This statement, initiated by SIPAZ, has been endorsed by nearly 300 religious leaders from 26 countries. Some of the endorsrs are listed below. For a complete list, contact the SIPAZ.

* affiliation for identification purposes only

Pastor Dr. Walter Altmann
Presidente, Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI)
São Leopoldo, Brasil

Rev. Oscar Bolioli
Director, Departamento para América Latina y el Caribe
Consejo Nacional de Iglesias de Cristo de los Estados Unidos
New York, NY USA

Rev. Marcus Braybrooke
Joint President, World Congress of Faiths
Consultant, International Interfaith Centre (Oxford)
United Kingdom

Rev. Joan Brown Campbell
General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
New York, NY USA

*S. Simone Campbell, SSS
General Director, Sisters of Social Service
Los Angeles, CA USA

Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
Former Prioress, Benedictine Sisters, Mount St. Benedict
Erie, PA USA

Dr. Luis G. Collazo
Coordinador, Conferencia Bautista por la Paz - Puerto Rico
Camuy, Puerto Rico

Sister Heloise Cruzat, O.P.
Prioress, Dominican Sisters
Houston, TX USA

Etienne De Jonghe
International Secretary, Pax Christi International
Brussels, Belgium

Bishop William E. Franklin
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
Davenport, IA USA

Eckehard Fricke General Secretary, Eirene International
Neuwied, Germany

Bishop Richard Garcia
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
Sacramento, CA USA

Samdech Preah Maha Ghosananda
Supreme Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism
Co-founder, Inter-religious Mission for Peace
Cambodia

Brother Stepen Gloder, SM
President, Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes
Washington, DC USA

Dr. Daniel A. Gómez-Ibáñez
Executive Director, International Committee for the Peace Council
Madison, WI USA

*Joe Gunn
Director, Social Affairs Office, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
Canada

H.H. Tenzin Gyatso
Fourteenth Dalai Lama
1989 Nobel Peace Laureate

Dr. Richard Hamm
General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Indiana, USA

Georges Hellinghausen
President, Justice and Peace Commission of Luxembourg
Luxembourg

Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville
Louisville, KY USA

Gloria Keylor, S.P.
President, Canadian Religious Conference
Montreal, Canada

Anke Kooke,
General Secretary, International Fellowship of Reconciliation
Alkmaar, The Netherlands

Fr. Joseph Lapauw, CICM
Superior General, Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Arlington, VA USA

Marthe Lapierre
Chargee de programmes
Developpement et Paix
Montréal, Québec, Canada

Brother Barry Lynch
Province Leader, Christian Brothers of Canada
Toronto, Canada

Mairead Maguire
Co-founder, Peace People (Northern Ireland)
1976 Nobel Peace Laureate
Belfast, Ireland

Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful
Center Coordinating Team
Maryknoll, NY USA

Bishop John McCarthy
Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
Austin, Texas USA

Imam W. Deen Mohammed
International President, World Conference of Religion and Peace
Member, World Supreme Council of Mosques
Calumet City, IL USA

Dr. Chandra Muzaffar
President, International Movement for a Just World
Board of Directors, International Movement Against All Forms of
Discrimination and Racism
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kara Newell
Executive Director, American Friends Service Committee
Philadelphia, PA USA

Efrain Olivera
Coordinador General, Servicio Paz y Justicia en América Latina (SERPAJ-AL)
Montevideo, Uruguay

Rev. Kenneth R. Olsen
Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA)
Chicago, IL USA

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
Premio Nobel de la Paz 1980
Coordinador, Servicio Paz y Justicia - Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jorge Pixley
Profesor de Biblia, Seminario Teológico Bautista
Managua, Nicaragua

Thomas E. Quigley
Office of International Justice and Peace
United States Catholic Conference
Washington, DC USA

Rev. Konrad Raiser
General Secretary, World Council of Churches
Geneva, Switzerland

Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche
Chairman, Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies
Director, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies
Banaras, India

Ann Rutan, CSJP
President, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
Washington, DC USA

Bishop Sylvester D. Ryan, D.D.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey
Monterey, CA USA

Swami Chidananda Saraswati
President, Divine Life Society
Rishikesh, India

Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Albuquerque, NM USA

Rev. C. Joseph Sprague
Bishop, Northern Illinois Conference, United Methodist Churc
Chicago, IL USA

Bishop Walter F. Sullivan
Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Richmond, VA USA

Nancy Sylvester, IHM
President, Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Monroe, MI USA

Elsa Támez
Rectoria, Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana
San José, Costa Rica

* John H. Thomas
President, United Church of Christ
Cleveland, OH USA

Most Rev. Desmond M. Tutu
Professor of Theology, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
1984 Nobel Peace Laureate
South Africa

Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman
Rabbi, Reform Jewish Congregation in Jerusalem, Kehilat Kol Haneshama
Jerusalem, Israel

Background on Samuel Ruiz Garcia and Chiapas

Samuel Ruiz Garcia was born on November 3, 1924. He was ordained a priest in 1949 in Rome where for several years he studied Theology and Sacred Scripture. In 1960, after serving for a time as rector of the seminary in Leon, Guanajuato (Mexico), he was named Bishop of the Diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas.

As a young bishop, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council, an experience that marked him deeply. Even more significant, according to Bishop Ruiz, was the education he received in the course of his encounters with indigenous communities, many of which he visited on horseback, in the remote mountains of Chiapas.

On January 1, 1994 the Zapatista Army of National Liberation rose in revolt in Chiapas. After 12 days of bloody fighting, and in part due to the efforts of Bishop Ruiz, a cease-fire was initiated. From that moment, he played the central mediator role in subsequent attempts to achieve a resolution of the conflict between the Zapatistas and the Mexican government.

In February 1996, an initial agreement, the San Andres Accords on Indigenous Rights and Culture, was signed by the opposing sides. After months of subsequent wrangling over the language of the implementing legislation, COCOPA (the congressional mediation body) announced that it would draft the legislation, based on the comments of the two sides, but that it would only accept a 'yes' or 'no' response; no amendments. The EZLN agreed to the COCOPA proposal but the federal government rejected it, instead introducing a modified version that many observers critiqued as inconsistent with the signed agreements. The Zapatistas have refused to continue peace talks (in which several themes remain to be discussed) until several conditions have been met, including implementation of the existing agreements.

In June 1998, in the face of strong government resistance to his mediation efforts, Bishop Ruiz resigned as President of CONAI (National Mediation Commission) and CONAI dissolved.

In the meantime, the presence of the Mexican Army has expanded throughout the conflict zone. While it is difficult to fix the number of troops there (estimates run from 30,000 to 70,000), the pervasive presence of the Army is indicated by the fact that between 1995 and 1998, the number of Army installations in Chiapas grew from 74 to 233. Indigenous communities continually complain about the repression, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, and other problems that accompany the Army presence in their communities.

The biggest source of killings in recent years has not been either the Federal Army or the Zapatista Army but rather the paramilitary groups now found throughout the conflict area. These groups are for the most part closely tied to local PRI (ruling party) officials, and funding from the state government has been documented. They are widely believed to have received training from Army personnel and they have been seen to operate in coordination with state police. In September, federal Attorney General Jorge Madrazo acknowledged the existence of fifteen such "armed groups" in Chiapas. "In this country," he said, "there is no real culture of respect for the law," and he pointed to the problem of impunity as the result.

Since the cease-fire was declared in 1994, hundreds of people have been killed in political violence in Chiapas and 15,000-20,000 have been forced to flee their homes. Most of them continue to live in refugee camps. For the displaced, living in extremely marginal circumstances, bereft of their homes and the land that is the life source for indigenous peasants, each day brings more suffering.

The worst single incident of violence was the December 1997 massacre in Acteal in which a PRI-affiliated paramilitary group killed 45 people, mostly women and children. The slaughter continued for six hours, while state police sat idly by less than a kilometer away. In the face of stinging national and international criticism, the Mexican government replaced some state and federal officials and arrested over 100 persons in an unusually energetic response. In the last few months, 55 persons have been sentenced to prison terms of 32 to 35 years for their role in the massacre. Virtually all of them are local indigenous people. They were rounded up haphazardly, and it seems quite possible that some are innocent. To date, little has been done to pursue government officials who played a role in the massacre and subsequent attempts to cover it up.

The Mexican government continues to be subjected to withering criticism from international human rights groups. Most recently, the UN Special Rapporteur, Asma Jahangir, stated at the end of her investigation in Mexico, "Injustice owing to selective impunity is a political question in Mexico...It is the result of policies and a judicial system that have failed." The fact that in 1998, 144 foreign observers and humanitarian aid workers were forced to leave Mexico after having visited Chiapas only heightens the perception that the Mexican government has something to hide.

Today the peace talks remain frozen. On September 7, the government made a new proposal to get the dialogue moving again. While it falls short of the Zapatistas conditions for renewing talks, it does contain some shifts in the government's position. The Zapatistas have not yet issued a definitive response. However the extreme distrust that now exists between the two sides presents a big obstacle to any real progress before the July 2000 national election.

November 1999


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