Zapatista Campaigns Move Forward
Written by Magalí Rabasa
The FZLN dissolved, Enlace Zapatista founded, Intergalactic Committee formed, and Subcomandante Marcos to begin "Delegation Zero" tour on January 1st.
h2. FZLN Dissolved, Enlace Zapatista Created
On November 20, 2005, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) announced the dissolution of the Zapatista Front of National Liberation (FZLN). The dissolution of the FZLN is the latest of several major organizational decisions the movement has made in 2005.
Since its creation in 1996, the FZLN has served as the official civil society link of the Zapatista movement.. During the Plenary Sessions of the Other Campaign that took place in August and September of 2005, the Institutional Revolutionary Clandestine Committee of the EZLN met with members of the FZLN to discuss the possibilities of dissolving the Front to allow the EZLN an opportunity to redefine the civil component of the movement. After consultation within the FZLN, they agreed to return the name "FZLN" to the EZLN and dissolve the organization. With this decision, the EZLN issued the November 20th communiqué affirming that:
"A new stage of civil zapatismo is beginning. We will now be making - along with those persons who demonstrate, through attitude and work, that they so want to - a new political zapatista organization, civil and peaceful, anti-capitalist and of the left, which will not fight for power and which will strive to build a new way of doing politics."
In July of this year, the Zapatistas issued their Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, announcing their new initiative, the "Other Campaign." As outlined in the declaration, the "Other Campaign" is an attempt by the Zapatista to develop a nationwide coalition of leftist groups in Mexico frustrated with the existing political system and dedicated to finding alternatives for affecting political and social change.
Following the decision to dissolve the organization, the FZLN issued an open letter to the EZLN. The EZLN then released another communiqué introducing the Enlace Zapatista, a "working team for direct, exclusive contact with the EZLN´s Sixth Committee." The following websites have been created or rebuilt to address the organizational and communicational changes associated with the Other Campaign: EZLN, Enlace Zapatista, zeztainternazional
See ChiapasPeaceHouseProject for full text of November 20th communiqué. See Enlace Zapatista for full text of other communiqués. For further information on "the Other Campaign" see Chiapas Peace House Newsletter: September/October
h2. Intergalactic Committee To Be Headed By Lieutenant Colonel Insurgente Moisés
On November 25, 2005, the EZLN announced the creation of a new Intergalactic Committee headed by Lieutenant Colonel Insurgente Moisés. The purpose of the committee is to coordinate and monitor the international component of the Other Campaign. Its membership will include a rotating team of CCRI-G and Sixth Committee Members as well as other members of the movement.
One of the major responsibilities of the international activities of the Other Campaign is an International Encuentro slated for the summer of 2006. Originally proposed in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, the International Encuentro is now the responsibility of the International Committee. In the same November 25th communiqué, the EZLN announced that all consultations and meetings related to the organization of the Encuentro will begin December 1, 2005. In June 2006, the committee will decide if the Encuentro can be held or if further planning and consultation is necessary.
To encourage public input, the EZLN will established the web site on December 1, zeztainternazional.ezln.org to serve as an open forum for proposals and comments regarding the Encuentro. The Intergalactic Committee will then compile and report feedback received through this site. In addition to this cyber space for planning, the EZLN encourages the creation of Intergalactic Committees throughout the world to increase participation and involvement in the planning of the Encuentro.
h2. Delegation Zero Begins National Tour January 1, 2006 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas
As announced in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona and the Other Campaign of the Zapatista movement, Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos will begin his national tour on January 1, 2006, in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas.
Officially titled Delegation Zero, this national tour will differ from previous Zapatista outings as it is comprised almost solely of an unarmed Subcomandante Marcos. The purpose of the delegation is to tour Mexico and meet with adherents of the Sixth Declaration and members of civil society who were unable to attend the Plenary Sessions held in August and September of 2005. Although the Delegation Zero is made up of exclusively of Marcos, relief personnel have been established so that, regardless of unexpected developments, the tour will continue.
The first phase of the tour will take place from January to June 2006 with a two-month rest period in July and August. The tour will then resume in September 2006 and continue through March 2007. The brief pause in July is scheduled to coincide with the 2006 Mexican presidential elections.
A schedule of the national tour is available at: MediosChiapas
The FZLN dissolved, Enlace Zapatista founded, Intergalactic Committee formed, and Subcomandante Marcos to begin "Delegation Zero" tour on January 1st.
h2. FZLN Dissolved, Enlace Zapatista Created
On November 20, 2005, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) announced the dissolution of the Zapatista Front of National Liberation (FZLN). The dissolution of the FZLN is the latest of several major organizational decisions the movement has made in 2005.
Since its creation in 1996, the FZLN has served as the official civil society link of the Zapatista movement.. During the Plenary Sessions of the Other Campaign that took place in August and September of 2005, the Institutional Revolutionary Clandestine Committee of the EZLN met with members of the FZLN to discuss the possibilities of dissolving the Front to allow the EZLN an opportunity to redefine the civil component of the movement. After consultation within the FZLN, they agreed to return the name "FZLN" to the EZLN and dissolve the organization. With this decision, the EZLN issued the November 20th communiqué affirming that:
"A new stage of civil zapatismo is beginning. We will now be making - along with those persons who demonstrate, through attitude and work, that they so want to - a new political zapatista organization, civil and peaceful, anti-capitalist and of the left, which will not fight for power and which will strive to build a new way of doing politics."
In July of this year, the Zapatistas issued their Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, announcing their new initiative, the "Other Campaign." As outlined in the declaration, the "Other Campaign" is an attempt by the Zapatista to develop a nationwide coalition of leftist groups in Mexico frustrated with the existing political system and dedicated to finding alternatives for affecting political and social change.
Following the decision to dissolve the organization, the FZLN issued an open letter to the EZLN. The EZLN then released another communiqué introducing the Enlace Zapatista, a "working team for direct, exclusive contact with the EZLN´s Sixth Committee." The following websites have been created or rebuilt to address the organizational and communicational changes associated with the Other Campaign: EZLN, Enlace Zapatista, zeztainternazional
See ChiapasPeaceHouseProject for full text of November 20th communiqué. See Enlace Zapatista for full text of other communiqués. For further information on "the Other Campaign" see Chiapas Peace House Newsletter: September/October
h2. Intergalactic Committee To Be Headed By Lieutenant Colonel Insurgente Moisés
On November 25, 2005, the EZLN announced the creation of a new Intergalactic Committee headed by Lieutenant Colonel Insurgente Moisés. The purpose of the committee is to coordinate and monitor the international component of the Other Campaign. Its membership will include a rotating team of CCRI-G and Sixth Committee Members as well as other members of the movement.
One of the major responsibilities of the international activities of the Other Campaign is an International Encuentro slated for the summer of 2006. Originally proposed in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, the International Encuentro is now the responsibility of the International Committee. In the same November 25th communiqué, the EZLN announced that all consultations and meetings related to the organization of the Encuentro will begin December 1, 2005. In June 2006, the committee will decide if the Encuentro can be held or if further planning and consultation is necessary.
To encourage public input, the EZLN will established the web site on December 1, zeztainternazional.ezln.org to serve as an open forum for proposals and comments regarding the Encuentro. The Intergalactic Committee will then compile and report feedback received through this site. In addition to this cyber space for planning, the EZLN encourages the creation of Intergalactic Committees throughout the world to increase participation and involvement in the planning of the Encuentro.
h2. Delegation Zero Begins National Tour January 1, 2006 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas
As announced in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona and the Other Campaign of the Zapatista movement, Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos will begin his national tour on January 1, 2006, in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas.
Officially titled Delegation Zero, this national tour will differ from previous Zapatista outings as it is comprised almost solely of an unarmed Subcomandante Marcos. The purpose of the delegation is to tour Mexico and meet with adherents of the Sixth Declaration and members of civil society who were unable to attend the Plenary Sessions held in August and September of 2005. Although the Delegation Zero is made up of exclusively of Marcos, relief personnel have been established so that, regardless of unexpected developments, the tour will continue.
The first phase of the tour will take place from January to June 2006 with a two-month rest period in July and August. The tour will then resume in September 2006 and continue through March 2007. The brief pause in July is scheduled to coincide with the 2006 Mexican presidential elections.
A schedule of the national tour is available at: MediosChiapas
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