"Never Stop Fighting" - Felicia Byrne

In the southernmost state of Mexico, a world exists in which communities struggle on a daily basis to have their rights recognized and to be given the opportunity to live as they see fit. Having just returned from Chiapas and receiving the opportunity to listen to and learn from these remarkable fighters, I have gained a greater understanding of what it means to persevere despite the odds. Specifically, Las Abejas (The Bees), the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional (EZLN), and those involved in the struggle for the rights of indigenous women, have shown me that even in the toughest of circumstances, to make use of what you have and to never stop fighting.

To begin with, we met with the Board of Directors from Las Abejas, a pacifist civil society organization that is opposed to neoliberalism and seeks peace, justice and indigenous human rights (such as land, education, health care, etc.). The group does not see violence as a solution or even a means to an end. Unfortunately, despite their proclamation of nonviolence, extreme violence was used to quiet them on December 22, 1997 when 45 members were massacred by a paramilitary group supported by the government in a church in Acteal. Among the victims were 9 men, 15 children and 21 women (of which 5 were pregnant). There were a few survivors who only lived to tell of the tragedy because they were hidden under the bodies of their loved ones. Visiting this site, sitting in the church, seeing the bullet holes in the walls, walking amongst the graves, and realizing that the families of those killed still live, work, and continue their struggle on the same land and in the same place as the massacre was truly a moving experience. These people are faced with a constant, daily reminder of the costs of their struggle for rights and could have easily abandoned their fight and gone “under the radar” to avoid further persecution or harm. However, they have continued to fight against all odds and want all those who meet with them to spread the word about their situation and to never forget them. In fact, a few of the people who went on the trip are currently developing a website for Las Abejas so they can further inform people about their plight and garner more support. Las Abejas is truly one of the most remarkable groups of people I have ever met and their example of persevering despite being brutally attacked will stay with me forever.

The second group we met with that continues fighting despite the odds is the EZLN, or the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. The EZLN made their presence known to the world on January 1, 1994, the day that NAFTA was signed, with their First Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, which has resulted in armed clashes with the Mexican military. The EZLN is an armed group fighting for autonomy and rights for their communities of indigenous, mostly Mayan people to govern themselves and their land in their own ways and want the Chiapanecos to receive a greater share of the benefits of the plentiful natural resources in Chiapas. They are opposed to neoliberalism/globalization and the social inequalities that it has created. Although the EZLN has many of the same ideas and goals as Las Abejas, the EZLN has taken up arms and has used violence in their fight. As a result, support for the EZLN can be polarizing within Mexico. Yet, despite the odds against them, the EZLN has been able to use the resources available to them and to persevere for over 15 years. They have been able to garner support from around the world through the use of the Internet and continuously spreading information about their fight. In addition to learning about never giving up, I have also witnessed the enormous power and potential of the internet to bring the world’s attention to even seemingly small groups.

Given the fact that the EZLN is an armed revolutionary group, meeting with them was extremely intimidating at first. We all had to show our passports and go through a sort of registration process because just as the Mexican government has given us permission to be in Mexico, the EZLN must also give permission to whoever wants to enter their communities. All of the EZLN members that we meet with had their faces covered to conceal their identities, but were all very nice and welcoming. After meeting with two separate groups of EZLN officers, it was apparent that this is a highly organized group that does not plan on giving up their battle anytime soon. They have successfully managed to garner the support of many different members of the international community and when you meet with them, they are very passionate about what they are fighting for and are able to articulate their message very clearly. It has now been over 15 years since they surged onto the international scene, although they have been around for much longer. I do not know if they will ever be able to fully realize all of their goals. Professor Marco Tavanti noted that the EZLN know that the Mexican government will never forgive them for the “embarrassment” of their arrival on the day that NAFTA was being signed. Despite this and the fact that their demands are extremely ambitious even for a recognized political party, they keep on fighting for what they believe in. This is one of the most admirable qualities in a person, or group of people, that I can think of and the EZLN has done nothing but persevere despite the odds.

Finally, the group of people that we met that are campaigning for the rights of indigenous women, also strengthened my belief in perseverance. All of the women we met, Isabel, Blanca, and Rosalinda are some of the strongest women I have ever encountered. These women spoke about the three types of discrimination indigenous women experience: being a woman, being poor, and being indigenous. These three women, as well as many other women out there, fight against the three-fold discrimination and seek to empower women. However, for me, although I do greatly appreciate and admire the work that these women are doing, what is the most moving aspect of their work is the fact that although there are so many institutionalized or culturally founded impediments to the advancement of women, the women we met with will not give up. In fact, the most soul shaking comment that I heard came from Isabel when she said that she knows that she will not see the fruits of her labor, but rather she is working for the rights and future of her future granddaughters. The fact that she is working towards a goal she knows she will likely never be able to enjoy, but instead she is working for the future, really touched me and helped me realize that some things are worth fighting for regardless of whether or not you get to experience them. This idea was also echoed at the book release event for Los Espacios Conquistados: Participacion y Liderazgo de las Mujeres Indigenas de Mexico (Conquered Spaces: Participation and Leadership of the Indigenous Women of Mexico) at which the authors talked about the gains that indigenous women have made politically and socially, but that they are still very far from being treated as equal and must continue fighting.

Meeting with all three groups of people mentioned above, and hearing their stories, really made me think about things that I have given up on in the past because I thought it was too hard or insurmountable. But after meeting with the people of Chiapas I have found a new hope that I will be able to continue pursuing my goals and fighting for what I believe in.

For more information on the battles being fought in Chiapas and the groups mentioned above, please look at the following websites:
http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/mexico/chiapas/
http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx/ (Spanish)
http://www.actlab.utexas.edu/~geneve/zapwomen/goetze/thesis.html
http://www.sipaz.org/
http://www.ciepac.org/index.php (Spanish)
http://www.frayba.org.mx/index.php?hl=en