Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
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Chiapas, Mexico - On Thursday, November 25, five members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and an international friend traveled to Canolal, a village in the Chiapan highlands which is mainly populated by supporters of Mexico's ruling PRI party. Nine families had fled Canolal on November 7 after receiving threats from paramilitaries in reprisal for reporting stockpiles of weapons there. Most had joined the pacifist group, Las Abejas (the Bees), within the past few months. The families have been living with the Abejas in Acteal, another highland community, since the displacement.

At 9:00 a.m., after an hour's travel from Acteal by truck and foot, the CPTers arrived at Canolal. Verifying the majority political affiliation of the community, "PRI" was clearly marked on several houses; "Cristo es PRI" ("Christ is PRI") proclaimed another one. Visits by outsiders are rare, and the presence of the CPTers attracted attention.

As the team entered the village, they were met by Public Security officers. The officers recorded their names, citing their responsibility to keep track of people entering the community.

Meanwhile, a teacher at the primary school, which is located across the road from the Public Security post, approached the CPTers. (When the team showed a picture of the teacher to people in Acteal later, he was identified as a paramilitary leader.) Upon learning about their intention to enter the community to pray, the teacher said that it would be impossible without permission from the local authorities.

While members of the governing council were being summoned and small knots of curious women looked on from a distance, CPTers lit a candle, formed a circle, and quietly prayed for a disarming of hearts in this divided community.

Several men approached the group about 20 minutes later. The decision was that in order to pray in Canolal, the CPTers must return with official written permission from the President of the Municipality (county) of Chenalho. When the team mentioned that they had visited a few Presbyterian churches in the vicinity and met one of the pastors in a neighboring village, the men suggested that prayer might also be allowed if the group were accompanied by one of the pastors who ministers to the community.

CPTers proposed that before parting the entire group might pause for prayer together. While CPTers and several of the Canolal men joined hands, others of the men, including the school teacher, distanced themselves from the circle. Said one CPTer later, "It was amazing how the men's faces were transformed after the prayer! When they first approached us, their eyes were very suspicious and their faces were hard. After the prayer, they were visibly softened and some shook hands with us."

A first step had been taken in breaking down barriers.