We deeply apologise for having waited for so long to comment on the events of 11 September 2001, and the subsequent war in Afghanistan, but never in our history has anything generated such controversy in our ranks, or generally in the ranks of the movement to bring Liberty, Justice, Democracy, and Human Rights to Mexico.
The Zapatistas, based in the Mexican Southeast, has withheld comment, as indeed it has refrained from all but the most necessary communications, pending a Mexican Supreme Court ruling on the mutilation of the Accord of San Andres Larranzar by the Supreme Government, led by Vincente Fox and the PAN.
We Villistas, however, who are based in the Mexican Northwest, which includes, in our view and practice, the Mexican territories now under the Government of the United States of America, do not have the luxury of refraining from something which affects us so directly: after many consultations and discussions, we say the following:
First: We denounce terrorism in any form, whether committed by individuals, under the orders of non-governmental actors, or ordered by governments. We have experience with terrorism, as the massacres of Aguas Blancas, Guerrero, and Acteal, Chenhlo Municipality, Chiapas, evince, as should the continuing low-intensity warfare against the Mexican people, especially the indigenous and indigent. We continue to hold the Mexican government responsible for this terrorism, and the government of the United States of America responsible for supporting the Mexican state terrorism.
Second: We have been wageing our own, principled struggle against what the World Trade Towers and Pentagon represent: we feel the terrorist attacks have shown contempt for our efforts, which will continue ... Any attempt to label our struggle "terrorist" will be regarded in advance as notice of terrorist intent by those so stating.
Third: The only position on the war in Afghanistan we find worth mentioning has been taken by the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan, which, being completely in accord with Villista/Zapatista thinking on human rights in general, and women's rights in particular, now forms part of our thinking. In their view, as we understand it, there is little to choose between the Taliban/Al-Qaida, on the one hand, and the US-supported "Northern Alliance," on the other: to us, they seem mere factions of the "holy warriors" formerly supported by the CIA.
Fourth: The recent statements and actions by the governments of Mexico and the United States of America lead us to the inescapable conclusion that the terrorist attacks will be used by those governments as a pretext to attack human rights in these countries and worldwide: We therefore make our preparations to contribute to the defence of human rights, especially in the communities in which we are based.
That is all, for now.
Liberty! Justice! Democracy! Human Rights! From the Mexican Northwest, Insurgent Subcommander Angeles, Branch of Liaison, Communications, and Investigations, Clandestine Commando "Division of the North" (Villista National Liberation Front).
© 1997 villista@iname.com
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