:: OUR WORK IN MEXICO
The work of the SIPAZ team in Chiapas is organized into three areas:
 ACCOMPANIMENT AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
SIPAZ acts as a deterrent in the moments and places of greatest tension and thus assists in conflict prevention. The observation-work we engage in provides a measure of protection and violence-prevention, so that threatened persons and groups can continue their work in favor of peace and human rights. We monitor several organizational processes in different parts of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero that promotes the prevention of violence and the strengthening of those actors that favor this.
The consequences of the low-intensity warfare following many years of conflict are evident in the profoundly ruptured social fabric.
Working in such circumstances, we seek to assure that our presence as international observers will reduce tensions rather than contribute to generating more. Therefore, the SIPAZ team is careful to cultivate contacts among many different social actors: leaders of conservative groups, opposition forces, security agents, paramilitary groups, members of different churches, Zapatista support bases, rural and social organizations, NGOs, etc. Many of these groups are not in contact with each other; therefore, SIPAZ serves as a bridge for creating spaces of dialogue, easing tension and preventing possible human rights violations.
Our team has broadened its work to include other areas in Mexico, specifically the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero. This work will primarily consist of the monitoring of information, periodic visits and the exchange of information with organizations and movements present in these areas.
INFORMATION IN PROMOTION OF ACTION
Our relationships with different social and political actors allows us to produce and disseminate first-hand knowledge coupled with a comprehensive, objective analysis.
The SIPAZ team releases quarterly reports as well as urgent actions and collaborative articles about the current political situation that are disseminated via the Internet (list-serves, websites, Blog) and printed materials. SIPAZ also offers information and analysis to delegations, communication media, and diplomatic bodies that visit our office in Chiapas.
PEACE PROMOTION AND NETWORKING
EDUCATION FOR PEACE
SIPAZ aims to strengthen the skills of local actors in the construction of peace, primarily through workshops, classes and meetings dealing with the transformation of conflicts, active non-violence, peace, and human rights. We start from the understanding that peace is not only the absence of violence, but rather the effective realization of economic, political, social and cultural justice, which implies a respect for human rights, understood globally to include civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Given that we are a coalition composed of many faith-based groups, SIPAZ has always considered that religion, rather than being a source of division, can help bring together groups in conflict. SIPAZ seeks to strengthen the links among members of the different churches present in the conflict zones, participates in ecumenical gatherings, and looks for opportunities to promote ecumenical cooperation at local and international levels.
EXCHANGES AND NETWORKING
SIPAZ maintains contacts with several networks and organizations at the national and international level. We share with them the conviction that we can and should develop effective and practical structures for preventing violent conflicts, minimizing their reach when they do occur and reconstructing the social fabric damaged by the violence.
This means participating in regional, continental and international meetings and forums. The goal of these efforts is the strengthening of the crucial role of the international community, providing a source of credible information and analysis and advocating in critical moments in favor of peace efforts and the defense of human rights.
At the same time, this allows us to build channels for sharing experiences and information, communication and coordination among the different local, national and international actors in the construction of economic, social and cultural alternatives.
SIPAZ propelled the creation of the Network for Peace, a local space for action and reflection, which has sought since 2000 to promote processes of reconciliation and peace with organizations and communities in Chiapas.
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SIPAZ
team in Chiapas