SIPAZ Activities (April – June 2006)

31/07/2006

In June, we spent 10 days in various communities and cities of the Northern and Jungle Zones of Chiapas in order to have interviews with various actors from the region: displaced peoples, leaders of different political groups, government agencies, church members, zapatista base communities, as well as campesino and social organizations. SIPAZ traveled to the region before the federal elections, and was present the day of the elections, to observe the context in which the electoral process was being developed in these zones.
In May and June, we were present as observers at the Civil Mission of Verification, convoked by the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center, to observe the current situation of the military presence and the conditions created by 12 years of conflict in the indigenous communities of Chiapas. (see the preliminary results from the Mission of Verification of the Circumstances of Exception in Chiapas, June 29th, 2006)
In May, as observers, we attended the Forum for the structuring of the National Front for the Struggle Towards Socialism (Chiapas).
On June 17th and 18th, as observers, we attended the state Forum for the National Plan of Struggle, convoked by members of the Other Campaign in Chiapas.
At the beginning of May, we were observers at several events of the Other Campaign in Mexico City.

We received visitors, delegations (including ones from coalition members Witness for Peace and Global Exchange), students, and journalists, primarily from the USA and Europe, providing information about the current situation in Chiapas and the work of SIPAZ.
At the beginning of May, a first bulletin was published about the violent events in San Salvador Atenco. Ten days later this document was updated.
We continue our collaboration with the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center, Civic Alliance, PROPAZ (Swiss Program of Observation and Peace Promotion in Chiapas), and Peace Watch- Switzerland in a program of observation and monitoring of political and civil rights of the peoples of Chiapas during the electoral process and the Other Campaign, which will continue until December. In June, a collaborative bulletin was published about the area affected by Hurricane Stan in 2005. (see: “The ‘Stan’ Zone: Social and Electoral Hotspot”)
At the end of June, SIPAZ along with other members of this same program, met with election observers from the European Union.
We continue to participate in the seminar series “The Works of Immanuel Wallerstein: A Grammar for Understanding the Current World From a Critical Perspective,” coordinated by the Immanuel Wallerstein Center for Study, Information and Documentation.

In June, we took part in an ecumenical space for reflection and prayer with members of various churches of Chiapas.

We continued to participate in the Network for Peace (Red por la Paz), an integrated space for action and reflection for 16 organizations working to support peace and reconciliation processes throughout Chiapas. In May, the Network for Peace designed and distributed some materials dedicated to the communities on the facts of violence occurred in San Salvador Atenco.
At the end of April, we took part in a meeting of the Mexican Network of Peace Builders in Mexico City. At the beginning of May, a joint statement was issued on the events in Atenco. We also participated in a meeting of the same Network in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, at the beginning of June. The topic discussed in this occasion was the features of the conflict in Chiapas today.
From 10-13 May, we participated to a forum in Vienna, Austria, called “”Linking Alternatives 2”, a meeting of social movements of Latin America, Europe and the Carribbean that took place while the presidents of these regions were also meeting. It was an opportunity to exchange experiences and alternative policies between social movements of Latin America and Europe.
At the beginning of June, we took part in a space promoted by PROPAZ and SERAPAZ (PROPAZ y SERAPAZ (Services and Support for Peace) aiming at sharing, analyzing and reflecting on the projects of Nation that are currently being debated. Approximately 80 people from Chiapas, Mexico City and Oaxaca participated to the meeting.