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Monday, October 30

Erin Kindy and Lynn Stoltzfus traveled to the new displaced camp of people from Yibeljoj. They went a long way in order to go past the Public Security Police. Now the police are aware that there are international observers present in the camp.

Tuesday, October 31

Stoltzfus traveled to the displaced camp of X'oyep. Because of rumors of a paramilitary attack, the Abejas had solicited observers from the National Human Rights Commission, but were told that they would need to enter negotiations with the government before observers could be present. Stoltzfus participated in a watch on the hill above X'oyep which lasted until midnight. The watches are to prevent a paramilitary attack from taking the community by surprise.

Wednesday, November 1

Kindy traveled to X'oyep and joined Stoltzfus in a trip to Acteal to meet Carl Meyer at the mass celebrating the Day of the Dead. Afterwards Meyer and Stoltzfus returned to X'oyep and Kindy went to the new displaced camp. Meyer kept watch with Abejas at X'oyep until 2 am, and talked with them about possible ways to respond to paramilitary violence.

Thursday, November 2

After a morning meal at a community member's house, Meyer and Stoltzfus joined Kindy in the new camp. A direct threat was made the day before by a paramilitary leader who said to an Abeja: "I have unfinished work with you." As a result there were 3 watches posted on trails leading into the community. The CPTers, along with other international observers, participated in the watches as the community wanted the paramilitary people to see that there were international observers present.

One of the Abejas asked CPTers what they would do if the paramilitary people came. The response was that CPTers would try to talk to the them as a first step in avoiding violence. The Abeja expressed fear for his children if an attack took place. He said, "I was awake until 2 am last night thinking about what would happen to my children if I was killed."

In the afternoon, the man who had made the threat the day before walked by one of the watches where CPTers were present.

Matt Guynn and Anne Herman traveled to Acteal.

Friday, November 3

Kindy and Stoltzfus toured parts of X'oyep.

Saturday, November 4

As Kindy and Stoltzfus were leaving X'oyep, they witnessed many of the people living in the new camp carrying building materials from their old homes in X'oyep to the new camp.

Thursday, November 9

Guynn met Stoltzfus in Acteal and began discussing non-violence in an intentional way with members of the Abejas Leadership Council.

Friday, November 10

Guynn and Stoltzfus traveled to Tzajalchen, where they continued discussions of non-violence with several community leaders there. CPTers heard stories of how the Abejas organized themselves to respond to the violence happening in 1997 before the massacre. The Abejas were meeting regularly to find ways to respond, and came up with 4 "Peace Camps" where people could flee the violence. It was one of these camps, Acteal, that was attacked in December of 1997.

Sunday, November 12

The team learned of a police operation to disarm paramilitary people in Los Chorros, one of the towns Las Abejas are displaced from. People there met the raid with resistance, and both sides fired shots. Several police were beaten and three indigenous people suffered gunshot wounds. The police were run out of town, and further along the road met another roadblock, organized by other people with paramilitary connections.

Monday, November 13

Kindy, Meyer, Guynn and Stoltzfus traveled to Acteal to get more information on the previous day's raid and to see what the implications were for the Abejas. There were some direct threats against displaced Abejas, who were blamed in part for the raid. The displaced camps of Acteal, X'oyep and the new camp near Yibeljoj were quite tense and had round the clock watches posted.

The Abejas decided to hold a prayer service on Sunday the 19th in solidarity with the protest at the School of the Americas (SOA) in Georgia. A member of Las Abejas will be traveling to the SOA to speak at the protest.

Kindy, Meyer and Stoltzfus traveled to X'oyep as there had not been any international presence there for some time. Meyer joined members of the community in a night watch which lasted until 2 am.

Tuesday, November 14

Guynn sent a notice to the press, the Mexican government and the US Embassy which said that, because of the increased tensions, CPT would have a presence in some of the threatened communities.

In X'oyep, Stoltzfus joined the night watch.

Wednesday, November 15

A two-day party to commemorate three years of displacement began in X'oyep. The day's activities included the beginning of a basketball tournament in which 21 teams particpiated.

Guynn and Meyer traveled to the new camp near Yibeljoj to maintain a presence there.

Thursday, November 16

The party in X'oyep continued. Activities included the conclusion of the basketball tournament, games for the children, a clown act and skits by community members. One skit was a hilarious "band" making light of and bringing humor to both the rumors and the fear that people feel. The day's activities concluded with the celebration of Mass. After the party, the general spirit of the people was greatly improved from previous days.

Friday, November 17

Guynn, Kindy, Meyer and Stoltzfus all went to Majomut to meet with the general of the military base there. They explicitly asked about the occurrences of the past Sunday and what the military's role and response were. They didn't get much information.

Meyer and Kindy traveled to the camp near Yibeljoj and participated in the watches.

Stoltzfus returned to X'oyep, where in addition to the watch, members of the community prayed every hour from 7 pm to 2 am.