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Support the Chiapas Community Defenders Network as they hold the Mexican government accountable to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization. Call for Fax Jam November 19th, US Contact Information and Sample Letter included.

To local, national and international civil society and media:

* What: Fax Jam Campaign demanding that the Mexican government comply with International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (see sample letter below)

* When: Monday, November 19, 2001 all day (as started October 12th)

* Where: Local Mexican Consulates (available at: www.mexonline.com/consulate.htm)

* Why: On October 26, the Chiapas Community Defenders Network (La Red de Defensores Comunitarios por los Derechos Humanos) announced that they filed a formal complaint with the International Labor Organization (ILO) against the recently passed Indigenous Reform in Mexico. They need our support to pressure the Mexican government.

For the first time in ILO history, an indigenous organization has filed a complaint against an indigenous reform! The Chiapas Community Defenders Network (La Red de Defensores) is a network of indigenous Zapatista representatives defending human rights in their communities, including those of non-Zapatistas. All members are elected by their communities and trained in Mexican and international human rights law. On October 12th they filed the first of three cases against Mexico for its failure to comply with Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

ILO Convention 169, ratified by Mexico in 1990, obligates state governments to recognize and strengthen indigenous rights in the following respects: the right to land, the right to be consulted in decisions that affect them, the right to respect for their own institutions, and the right to control their own development. The Zapatistas and most indigenous groups in Mexico are calling attention to the programmed flaws of the recently passed reform.

In 1996, the San Andres Accords were signed by the Mexican government and the EZLN. Peace negotiations stalled when the government failed to submit the resulting legislative proposal, already a compromise for the Zapatistas, to the Senate. The EZLN demanded 5 signs that the government was serious about negotiations, which the Zedillo administration never fulfilled. When President Fox was elected, the EZLN reduced the number to 3 signs as a show of good faith. However, the Fox administration has NOT FOLLLOWED THROUGH on those three signs: 1, implementation of the San Andres Accords, through the Cocopa proposal, 2, the liberation of all Zapatista political prisoners, and 3, the withdrawal of the military from 7 key bases in the conflict zone.

The recently passed Reform on Indigenous Rights directly undercuts indigenous institutions and autonomy, 9 Zapatista political prisoners remain incarcerated in Chiapas, Tabasco and Queraro, and the government continues to control 3 of the "withdrawn" bases. Chiapas continues to be a heavily militarized low-intensity war zone and paramilitary harassment has been increasing with impunity. The brutal murder of human rights lawyer Digna Ochoa and the unjust detainment of Portuguese citizen Jose Bettencourt in Chiapas further reveals the blatant hypocrisy of the Fox administration.

Rising up in 1994, the Zapatistas are an inspiring example of possibilities, overcoming profound ethnic, religious and gender divisions to build a unified struggle that tangibly addresses community needs. Please support them in their efforts.

For more information you can contact:
Chiapas Community Defenders Network at reddedefensores@dojo.tao.ca or project169@hotmail.com
Estacil Libre at e-libre@tao.ca

Please cc: the following US contacts and/or call for further action (please consider taking the initiative in your region):
Bay Area, CA: ShawSan w / EL: 408.255.3192 or ssinmexico@hotmail.com
Los Angeles: John of EL: 323.261.4513 or down4brown68@hotmail.com
Minneapolis: Emmanuel of EL: 612.729.6832 or boricano@hotmail.com
New Orleans: Miguel of EL: 323.273.5724 or q.vo@mindspring.com
New York City: Ashanti of EL: anarchistpanther@hotmail.com
Orange County: Bethania of UCI: 949.823.9281 or drjones34@hotmail.com
Riverside: Carlota of EL: 909.279.6417 or eyesopen13@yahoo.com

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SUGGESTED LETTER

[Date]

[Name of Consul]
Consulate General of M?ico in [City, State, Country]
Address Line 1
Address Line 2

To Deputy Consul XYZ:

The Zapatistas have inspired concerned people around the world in their struggle for democracy, liberty and justice. I stand in solidarity with the Chiapas Community Defenders Network (La Red de Defensores Comunitarios por los Derechos Humanos ) in their efforts to hold the Mexican government accountable to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization.

In 1990, Mexico signed ILO Convention 169, which obligates state governments to recognize & strengthen the rights of Indigenous populations in the following respects: the right to land, the right to be consulted in decisions that affect them, the right to respect for their own institutions and customs, and the right to manage and control their own development.

Unfortunately, Mexico is failing to meet its obligation as a signatory government. The indigenous reform recently passed by the congress specifically undercuts clauses in the Cocopa proposal that would have strengthened indigenous rights, institutions and autonomy. Indigenous communities were not consulted during the reformation process. Nor were their demands taken into consideration.

The Mexican government has also failed to deal truthfully with the EZLN and the international community. During his Presidential Address September 1, 2001, President Vicente Fox Quesada claimed to have carried out the "three signs": 1) liberation of all Zapatista prisoners, 2) withdrawal from 7 important bases in the low-intensity war zone, and 3) execution of the San Andres Accords.

However, I am aware that: 9 Zapatista political prisoners remain incarcerated in Chiapas, Tabasco and Quer?aro; 3 former military bases remain under government control without the consent of neighboring communities (i.e. Amador Hernandez, Guadalupe Tepeyac and Rio Eusaeba); and the recently signed Reform on Indigenous Rights and Culture has been rejected by scores of indigenous groups across the nation, including the Chiapas Community Defenders Network.

Furthermore, paramilitary harassment of communities in resistance has escalated since the beginning of this year and while the military continues to announce the withdrawal of certain checkpoints, the number of checkpoints in rural areas has only increased. The death of human rights defender Digna Ochoa signals the continuance of government repression against those who speak strongly for indigenous rights. The arbitrary detention and interrogation of Portuguese citizen Jose Alberto Bettencourt also signals government discomfort with foreigner presence where they might witness human rights violations against indigenous people.

I demand that the Mexican Government comply immediately with Convention 169, as recommended by the Chiapas Community Defenders Network (La Red de Defensores Comunitarios por los Derechos Humanos) through: the rejection of the Constitutional Reform on Indigenous Matters, the creation of effective protection of indigenous land, the consultation of indigenous people each time their land or resources might be affected, the recognition of indigenous people as entities of public right, and the sincere fulfillment of the "three signs" in order to dialogue with the EZLN.

Sincerely,

[your name]