PERMANENT MISSION OF MEXICO

 Background paper / February 2001

In 1999 and 2000, during his electoral campaign, President Vicente Fox committed himself repeatedly to talk and negotiate with the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) towards a prompt and lasting peace in Chiapas. In his inaugural address, on December 1^st, 2000, President Fox reiterated the commitment of his government to seek solutions to the conflict in Chiapas through negotiations.

The new Government of Mexico is of the view that open, frank and respectful negotiations are the only way to attain peace in Chiapas. The Government understands that a lasting peace only can be achieved if this commitment is reflected in facts, bringing sustained development to the area of conflict. Thus, as of December 1^st, the Government has initiated -not only with words, but also with deeds- the hunt for solutions which can restore peace and bring reconciliation in Chiapas.

Furthermore, on his first day in office, President Fox ordered the withdrawal of the 53 military checkpoints set at three regions in Chiapas ("Los Altos", "El Norte" and "Las Canadas"), in particular those at Guadalupe Tepeyac, Vicente Guerrero and Nuevo Momon in the municipality of Las Margaritas, as well as those at Rancho Nuevo and Amador Hernandez. The process of détente also includes the elimination of scouting patrols and the cancellation of monitoring flights. As a result, 2200 military men have been withdrawn from the area.

On December 5, 2000, President Fox submitted to the Federal Congress the "Initiative for Constitutional Amendments on Rights and Culture for Indigenous Populations" drafted by the COCOPA. This document underlines the need for the Government to convene a constructive, inclusive and plural dialogue with the participation of indigenous peoples and communities.

The initiative considers granting self-determination and autonomy to indigenous peoples. Furthermore, it provides ways and means to ensure their access to political representation, to material resources, due process of law and legal advice, education, as well as protection of rights compatible with their traditions and uses; recognizing their specific culture.

Such initiative to amend the Constitution reflects the San Andres Agreements, which are the result of efforts to address the substantive problems that prompted the uprising of the EZLN. Furthermore, the initiative includes the demands risen by indigenous peoples and communities throughout the country. Once these agreements were adopted at the negotiating table, the Legislative Power contributed to the solution of the conflict. The COCOPA, an actor in assisting to reach peace, elaborated a legal draft including what was agreed at San Andres. The initiative of COCOPA is a clear expression of the common goal to achieve peace and reconciliation, as well as a recognition of the peculiarities of such communities.

On December 8, 2000, when the new Governor of Chiapas, Pablo Salazar, took office, the Local and Federal Governments signed an Agreement and an Action Plan to permanently collaborate to consolidate the rule of law where the society, the political actors and the indigenous communities of Chiapas find a democratic channel to express their demands. The goal is to get a dignified peace and an equitable development.

Furthermore, the new Governor of Chiapas, who reached power as candidate of all the opposition parties, undertook the commitment, together with the Federal Government, to review the files of the Zapatista prisoners, with the purpose of redressing possible irregularities derived from judicial processes and addressing one of the concerns of the EZLN.

By the same token, the Government of Chiapas decided to create the instances of "Commissioners for Reconciliation", with the purpose of attending serious conflicts in specific communities of the State.

On December 22, 2000, President Fox ordered the withdrawal of troops from the Amador Hernandez military base. With this action, he reverted a former government expropriatory decree and returned to the Government of Chiapas the land that was occupied by the Federal army.

On December 31, 2000, the dismantlement of the military base of Jolnachoj was ordered. The day before, the Government of the State of Chiapas had released 16 Zapatista prisoners from the Cerro Hueco Prison.

On January 10, 2001, President Fox ordered the closure of the military base of Cuxulja.

On January 17, 2001, during a visit to Chiapas to present an integral project of regional development on the zone of Los Altos, the withdrawal of troops from the military base at the community of Roberto Barrios was ordered. That same day, the Government of the State released 20 Zapatista indigenous persons in addition to the 16 formerly released.

During the next days and weeks, the Government of Mexico will continue implementing actions aimed at contributing to the détente and to bringing together the State and the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.

These actions answer the demands of the EZLN, which claim better living conditions for the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.

All these actions show the unequivocal will of President Vicente Fox and his Government to adopt all measures needed to generate a détente in the zone and to create the conditions for the return of the EZLN to the negotiating table, thus allowing to reach agreements towards overcoming and putting an end to a conflict that has caused considerable pain to the mexican society for almost seven years.

To get other official documents about the situation in the State of Chiapas, Mexico

click here: CHIAPAS, documents of the government of Mexico.