INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AND ACCOMPANIMENT

CHIAPAS

Northern Zone

• In January, we attended a public event in which the documentary-video “Together We Defend Mother Earth” (“Juntos Defendemos nuestra Madre Tierra”) was presented. It introduces the struggle for the land and territory of Tila ejido, municipality of the same name.
• In February, a week long trip was made to communities and organized processes in Palenque and Tila to discuss the prevailing situation in those municipalities with political, social and religious actors of the region.

Highlands

• In February, we received representatives of nine displaced Tsotsil families from the Shulvo community, in Zinacantan, who are adherents to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, who shared their situation.
• On February 21st and 22nd, we accompanied the displaced families from Banavil, Tenejapa municipality, on a provisional return to their community, one year after the death of Antonia Lopez Mendez, the girl who died in a situation of forced displacement due to lack of medical attention.
• In March, we attended the presentation of the jTatic Samuel jCanan Acknowledgement to Father Marcelo Perez and members of the Simojovel Parish Council in the municipal capital.

Border Zone

• In February, we attended an event held by the families of Primero de Agosto village, municipality of Las Margaritas, one year after their forced displacement.
• In March, meetings were held with a variety of civil and religious social agents from the municipalities of Las Margaritas, Tzimol, and Comitan de Dominguez.

Caracoles/EZLN

• In the period covered by this report, we visited the five Zapatista Caracoles at least once.

Prisoners

• We visited Roberto Paciencia, unjustly imprisoned, in San Cristobal de Las Casas prison in February. We sent letters to the authorities so that the problems of visual health that afflict him may be attended.

Women

• We presented the book titled “Fighting With the Heart of a Woman – The Situation and Participation of Women in Chiapas 1995-2015”, which SIPAZ published in 2015, to the representatives of the Diocesan Coordination of Women (CODIMUJ) at its assembly in February. At the same assembly, we gave a presentation on megaprojects.
• We also gave the same book to the participants of the “Movement for the Defense of Land and Territory and for the Participation and Recognition of Women in Decision Making”, gathered in assembly on March 7^th.
• On March 8^th, International Women’s Day, “Fighting With the Heart of a Woman” was presented at a public event organized by the Intercultural University of Chiapas (UNICH). We invited two women who had participated in the compilation of the book to accompany us on the panel. On the same day we also accompanied the commemorative march, which took place in San Cristobal de Las Casas, and the pilgrimage organized by the Abejas de Acteal Civil Society in the municipality of Chenalho.
• Also in March, we took part in a radio program on Frequencia Libre 99.1 to share the main assessments and conclusions of the book “Fighting With the Heart of a Woman”.

Events

• In January, we attended the press conference in San Cristobal de Las Casas held by the indigenous community of San Francisco Xochicuautla, located in the state of Mexico, and members of the Indigenous Peoples’ Front in Defense of Mother Earth, in which they denounced “the illegal imposition of the Toluca-Naucalpan highway project.”
• On January 25th, we accompanied the pilgrimage of about 3,000 members of the Believing People (Pueblo Creyente) from the diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas, which was held to remember the path of jTatic Samuel Ruiz Garcia, ex-bishop of Chiapas, who died five years ago, and in which they ratified their position regarding the defense of the land, autonomy, and social justice.
• In January, as observers, we attended the act of recognition of responsibility of the Mexican State and the signing of a friendly resolution agreement in the El Aguaje case, a community located some ten kilometers from San Cristobal de Las Casas where a child died and two more were injured when a grenade, which was abandoned by members of the 31 Military Zone which borders with the community, exploded in 2000.
• In February, we attended the assembly of representatives of the Believing People (Pueblo Creyente) which takes place every three months in San Cristobal de Las Casas
• In February, we supported with translation during the event “Encounter of Ancestral Knowledge for the Defense of Life, Mother Earth, and its Natural Resources”, organized in Tapachula, Chiapas, by the International Maya League.
• On February 15th, we attended the mass that was organized in San Cristobal de Las Casas during the visit of Pope Francis to Mexico. We gave a television interview with Al Jazeera, an international media outlet that was covering the event.
• In February, we facilitated a table for reflection on international accompaniment in the framework of the XV anniversary of the presence of the Swedish Movement for Reconciliation (SweFOR) in Mexico.
• In March, we attended the presentation of Jorge Santiago’s book “The Passion to Serve the People, Interview with JTatic Samuel.”

OAXACA

• At the end of January, we attended the State Meeting of Communities and Organizations against Mining, in the community of Cerro de Las Huertas, municipality of Ejutla de Crespo.
• In March, we presented the documentary video “That the Heart Not Be Broken” (“Que el corazón no esté partido”), that SIPAZ made along with the Koman Ilel collective, during the Forum for the Diffusion of Documentaries held in Oaxaca City for the International Day of Action Against Dams and in Favor of Rivers, Water, and Life. In the same city, we met with a number of civil and social organizations and took part in the Training Workshop on Companies, Human Rights, and the Participation of Civil Society in Mexico. Afterwards, we visited the shelter for migrants “Brothers on the Road” in Ixtepec. In Juchitan, we met with members of the Center for Support and Attention for the Istmeña Woman (CAAMI)

GUERRERO

• Between the end of February and the beginning of March, we made a week-long visit to Guerrero that included meetings with the organization Enlace Communication y Capacitación and the Tlachinollan Human Rights Center in Tlapa de Comomfort; with Workshop for Community Development (TADECO) and the women’s organization Walk with Wings in Chipalcingo; with the Association of Families of the Detained, Disappeared, and Victims of Human Rights Violations in Mexico (AFADEM-FEDEFAM) in Atoyac; and with members of the Council of Ejidos and Communities Against La Parota dam (CECOP) in Acapulco. As observers, we also accompanied the caravan of the families and friends of the 43 disappeared from the Teacher Training School from Ayotzinapa to Iguala on March 3rd.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• In January, we had a meeting with a member of the Governmental Commission for attention to victims, who was conducting a diagnosis about gender violence in different states of the Republic.
• Also in January, we had an interview with a member of the USA Embassy in Mexico in Tuxtla Guttierez.
• In February, we took part in a meeting with other organizations from the state within the framework of the visit of the Canadian Ambassador to Mexico, who was also accompanied by a number of members of the Embassy.

PEACE EDUCATION

• In January, we facilitated a space for analysis within the framework of the strategic planning of the Global Pediatric Alliance organization with a presence in Chiapas.
• As a member of the Network for Support for Mother Earth (RAMAT), we co-facilitated a two and a half day workshop with more than 50 representatives from the Tsotsil region of the San Cristobal de Las Casas diocese. The workshop focused on tools for analysis.
• In March, once again as part of RAMAT, we co-facilitated a one-day analysis workshop with an emphasis on megaprojects, on this occasion with 50 representatives from the southern region of the diocese.
• Also in March, and as member of RAMAT, we co-facilitated a space for analysis, this time for one day with representatives from all the pastoral regions that are part of the Monitoring Commission of the Mother Earth Congress, convened by the diocese of San Cristobal de Las Casas in January 2014.

NETWORKING

• We attended the bi-monthly meetings of the Peace Network, a space for action and reflection conformed by ten organizations that seek to support peace and reconciliation processes in Chiapas.
• On February 25th, the Fifth jTatic Samuel jCanan Lum Acknowledgement was awarded to the Simojovel Parish Council, Las Brisas Community (both processes in Chiapas), and the community of Santa Maria Ostula , in the state of Michoacan, in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas. SIPAZ is part of the commission that coordinates the presentation of this acknowledgement.
• In March, we took part in the Fourth Meeting of the Network of International Accompaniment and Observation which took place in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas. There are a dozen organizations in the network with presence in Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

INFORMATION FOR ACTION

• We received delegations (for example: Borderlink, Franciscan nuns from the US, Sueniños), students, reporters, and members of our coalition interested in getting to know, or deepen their knowledge of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, and the work of SIPAZ.
• In March, we took part in the round table discussion “Territorial Autonomy of the Peoples, Self Defense and Community Police. Paradoxes of Self-Determination in Contexts of Violence” during the Second Social Forum Other Democracies, Autonomous Communication, Antagonisms and Peoples on the Move. Southern Mexico and Central America.” This forum took place in the Center for Higher Studies of Mexico and Central America (CESMECA).
• At the end of March, a member of SIPAZ began an advocacy and awareness tour of a number of cities in Germany, Holland, and Belgium.