SIPAZ Activities (May – July 1999)

Among others:

Visits and Contacts

• Several visits to the northern region (counties of Yajalon, Tila and Tumbala), in order to speak with peasants, displaced persons who have returned to their communities, representatives of various churches and social organizations, Development, Peace and Justice leaders and local officials.
• Visit to the Cañadas region of Taniperla, in order to speak with residents, human rights promoters, the Army and Public Security (state police).
• Visit to Nazareth in Nuevo Paraiso (Ocosingo county), in order to speak with internal refugees.
• Visit to a community in the highlands, on the first anniversary of the return of internal refugees.
• A one-week visit to the Civilian Peace Camp in X’oyep, Chenalho.
• Meetings with the German, Dutch and French embassies, with European Community representatives in Mexico City, and with a delegation from the US State Department.

Information

• Preparation and distribution of an Urgent Action appeal on the increase in repression by the Federal Army and the police in indigenous communities in the Cañadas region.
• Interviews with religious leaders (Evangelical and Catholic) for the preparation of a document on the religious situation in Chiapas.
• Organization of the program for a delegation from the Colorado Council of Churches (US), including visits to Venustiano Carranza, Nicolas Ruiz and Acteal, as well as meetings with several organizations in San Cristobal.
• Organization of part of the program for visits by representatives from the embassy and the Department of State of the United States.
• Reception of national and international delegations, among them a delegation of representatives of Catholic and Evangelical churches in Switzerland.

Education

• Facilitation of monthly workshops on ‘Active Nonviolence’ for members of NGOs working in Chiapas.
• Participation in a CEPAZ (Peace Education Collective) workshop on ‘Conflict Resolution’ in a community in Altamirano.
• Assistance to Civic Alliance for a workshop on ‘Conflict Analysis‘ in Villa de las Rosas.
• Participation in a workshop on ‘Problem Resolution’ according to traditional Tzeltal methods in a community near Chilon.
• Facilitation of two workshops on ‘Communication‘ in Yajalon and Comitan for members of civil society organizations.
• Participation in a workshop on ‘Conflict Resolution’ in the Bible School of Holistic Formation.
• Training in ‘Systematization of Peace Processes’ in Guatemala.