To the Second Intercontinental Encuentro for Humanity and
Against Neoliberalism
EZLN
Mexico
July 1997
To the Second Intercontinental Encuentro for Humanity and
Against Neoliberalism
Spanish State, Rebellious Europe
Planet Earth
Brothers and Sisters:
A few days ago we learned that a public invitation was made to the
EZLN to attend the 2nd Intercontinental Encounter for Humanity and
Against Neoliberalism which will take place in the lands of the
Spanish State from the 25th of July to the 3rd of August.
The CCRI of the EZLN has made a decision and wants it to be known
that:
The EZLN acccepts the invitation which it has received from the
organizing committee to attend the Intercontinental Encuentro which
will be celebrated on the European continent . To comply with the
promise of this acceptance the EZLN has selected a delegation of
members from our organization to travel to the Spanish state and
attend the tables of the gathering.
For the first time a delegation of members of the EZLN will attend
an international event outside the borders of Mexico. Thus, the EZLN
has decided to break once again, local, regional, state and national
barriers to speak the voice of the Zapatistas from their own mouths.
While the Mexican government hides their hands covered with
indigenous blood to obtain a commercial agreeement, with the European
Union, that doesn't include profound systemic changes, the Mexican
indigenous communities suffer harrasment and persecution comparable
only to that which occurred centuries ago, the Mexican population
continues to endure a model of economics which cannot do anything but
democratize poverty and concentrate wealth in the hands of few.
All over the world and particularly in Europe, the offices of the
Mexican government worked to obscure the war which rules our country,
have tried to downplay of the presence of tens of thousands of
soldiers and hundreds of tons of military equipment in the indigenous
zones, and propogate, in accordance with their predecessor Salinas
and his regime, a modernity , that in reality, imposes death and
destruction on the original inhibitants of this land.
The EZLN attends the 2nd Intercontinental Encuentro to present the
image of the other Mexico, the indigenous Mexico, the rebellious and
dignified Mexico that struggles to take a place in history together
with all , and not above all, the Mexico which resists and does not
surrender, the Mexico which constructs a future that does not deny,
nor is ashmed of its past. The Mexico whcih today endures a war of
annihilation and erasure to punish the Zapatista cry of 1994 °Ya
basta!, Enough is enough!
Our delgates are from the base communities of EZLN support, the
indigenous people who represent rebellion and resistance of the
people which for more that three and a half years have risen up in
arms against oblivion and death to which they were condemned.
Our delegates go to speak for the indigenous Zapatistas to tell
their story, to talk about their experiences of struggle and
rebellion.
Our Zapatista delegates also come to listen. They will listen and
learn from those who come from around the world and who have been
persecuted and forgotten. They will also listen to all the groups
who are meeting at the 2nd Intercontinental Encounter, to
intellectuals and artists, and to all the worlds which they will
encounter in Spain. Our delegates will bring to the Zapatista
communities the voices and spirits they will find in the
Intergalactic, and the people will receive from these voices and
spirits the whisper which becomes the cry, °Ya Basta!, Ecoung is
enough! and against neoliberalism, an Intercontinental °Para
todos todo!, Everything for everyone!, for all humanity.
The EZLN is not sending delegates who are celebreties but rather,
representatives of the true leadership of the indigenous Zapatista
communities.
The world does not belong to leaders or political bosses, but to
the base ocmmunities of support. We are all base communities of
support in great struggle for humanity and against neoliberalism.
Our delegates, men and women, will leave from the communities of
resistance, and after meeting with the CCRI-CG of the Zapatistas will
continue their journey to Europe as our representatives. Now the
only thing left is to wait, who can tell? and to smile.
Alright, health and may the bridge we are walking with our
brothers and sisters be crossed time and time again.
>From the mountains in the Southeast of Mexico.
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
Mexico, July 1997
P.S. We are inviting all the collectives in solidarity
with the Zapatista struggle and the people and oorganizations which
sympathize with our cause to collaborate in an exposition of the
Zapatista Intergalactic Cultureor something to that effect. In this
case we are inviting all the world, to send examples of cultural
production which is inspired by Zapatismo or Zapatismo as its theme.
Posters, paintings, photographs, postcards, publications, sculptures,
webpages, film, video, cd, theatre, comedy, radio or television
programs, poetry, comics, happenings, opera, games, rock, classical,
popular ballads, music in general, dance, satellites, computer
viruses, concerts, scholarly articles, drawings, analytical books (if
they are critical of us we will dispose of them) tricycles, pirate
ships, Grammy awards, Oscars, candies, peanuts, icecream with nuts,
and all that has something to do with Zapatismo. We will try to have
an exhibit in the Zapatista communities.
What can be taken to the encounter in Spain will be gat.hered by
our delegates and taken (I don't know how, but I am sure the
immigration officers will enjoy this) to the mountains in the
Southeast of Mexico. There is no greater prize than the guarantee
that these cultural productions will be appreciated by the people in
the indigenous Zapatista communities ( and also possibly by the
government soldiers who dedicate themselves to harassing them).
Please bring these items to the Zapatista delegates of the 2nd
Intercontinental Encounter for humanity and against neoliberalism (if
they are allowed to arrive in Spain) on the 25th of July ot the 3rd
of August.
Note: Material donated to the Zapatistas will be the
heritage of all humanity and will be guarded by the Zapatista
communities.
P.P.S. To take notice too late: This is to anticipate a
rage in Bucareli, meaning in addition to the one provoked on July
6th. And now it is our turn to play the bad, spoiled, dispensible
guerilla, the bad movement, isolated, exhausted, shortsighted,
unaware, immature, incontinent, ignorant, insipid, implausable,
incidental, indiresct, improbable, undocumented, _________ (space for
the reader to insert his and her own preferred description which
begins with "in," "im," or "un." What about intoxicated, inhibited
or inflamed?) Finally, all that is not incoherent.
P.P.P.S. To alert all the police: According to
information from the satellites of NATO, it is rumored that the
Zapatista delegates plan to arrive in Europe by foot crossing the
Bering Strait. Other sources are assured that they will swim to
Europe and that the delegates are so well prepared that they will
cross the Atlantic performing synchronized swimming routines. Others
say that they will travel by air in the balloons that Heriberto and
Eva regularly release. The most adventurous suggest that they will
be traveling undergoroung in a tunnel constructed by the ancient
Mayas which was used in another era to send our cooks to teach the
Spanish how to make Paella, What is certain is that the mule "Mayor
Moises" does not appear in any situation. We'll see.