Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Chiapas, Mexico - "We have to return to our Guadalupe. We'll have to see how, but we must," said a former resident of the village of Guadalupe Tepeyac, a community in the jungle of Chiapas that was invaded by the Mexican military almost six years ago. On February 9, 1995 the Mexican government established a military base in what had been a key Zapatista village. At that time the eighty families who had been living there fled.

Since that fateful day, these eighty families have found refuge in a series of other villages, always living in hope that they will be able to return to their homes and their lands. These people are among the tens of thousands of Indigenous people here in Chiapas who remain displaced from their homes, despite the promises of the recently elected president of Mexico, Vicente Fox.

CPT is very concerned that the military occupation of this village and many other communities throughout Chiapas continues. A resident of Guadalupe Tepeyac underlines this fact, "Tepeyac is not a barracks, it does not belong to the soldiers. They took from us approximately five thousand hectares of land* We lost coffee, corn we planted, beans and some sugar cane and bananas; this is what we eat." A woman from the community comments on the effect of their continued displacement, "We watch the children grow, we give them food as we can; there is neither work nor money. Those who were young girls are already having children."

We have sent the following open letter to Vicente Fox, president of Mexico, and encourage you to do the same. (Version en español abajo)

January 3, 2000

An Open Letter to:
The President of Mexico
Vicente Fox Quesada
Palacio Nacional
06067 México, DF, México
Fax (int-52)(5) 515-4783

Dear President Fox:

We want to convey to you our grave concern that the displacement of the community of Guadalupe Tepeyac in the state of Chiapas continues, now for nearly six years.

We, as Christian Peacemaker Teams, have been gladdened by the removal of checkpoints throughout the state of Chiapas, as well as by the closure of the military installations in Amador Hernandez and Jolnachoj. These are hopeful signs that point to the possibility that you are serious in your commitment to end the military occupation of Indigenous communities in this state.

We are concerned though, that the military occupation of the community of Guadalupe Tepeyac continues. This community originally fled from their village site upon the arrival of Federal troops, on February 9, 1995, out of concern for their own safety. Since that time they have suffered the strain of living on borrowed lands and in the uncertainty of not knowing when the military occupation of their village would end. The time for the departure of the soldiers is long overdue, so that the lawful and rightful owners of the land can return.

We live in hope that you are committed to respecting the rights of all Mexicans, including the most marginalized. Respect is sometimes costly. We hope that you are willing to pay the cost, even when it is not politically expedient to do so. We appeal to your conscience, hopefully correctly formed by your own Christian and Catholic faith.

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a faith-based organization that supports violence reduction efforts around the world. CPT has roots in the Mennonite Church, the Church of the Brethren and the Society of Friends, and includes members from Protestant and Catholic traditions. CPT has maintained a presence in Chiapas, Mexico since May 1998.

Sincerely,

Erin Kindy, Frank Moore, Carl Meyer,
William Payne, & Lynn Stoltzfus
Members of CPT-Chiapas
Cc. Pablo Salazar, Governor of Chiapas
Members of the Press
Civil Society

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3 de enero, 2001

Una Carta Abierta a:
Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente de la República Mexicana
Palacio Nacional
06067 Mexico, DF, Mexico
Fax (Int-52)(5) 515-4783

Estimado Presidente Fox:

Queremos comunicar nuestras graves inquietudes que el desplazamiento de la comunidad de Guadalupe Tepeyac en el estado de Chiapas sigue después de casi seis anos.

Nosotros, como integrantes de los Equipos Cristianos de Acción por la Paz (ECAP), hemos visto con esperanza el retiro de los retenes en todas partes del estado de Chiapas, así como la cierre de las instalaciones militares en Amador Hernández y Jolnachoj. Esos signos señalan la posibilidad que usted es serio en su compromiso para terminar la ocupación militar de las comunidades indigenes de este estado.

Sin embargo, estamos preocupados que la ocupación militar de la comunidad de Guadalupe Tepeyac sigue. Personas de esta comunidad huyeron en temor por su seguridad el día 9 de febrero de 1995 cuando llegaron las tropas federales. En los años siguientes, ellos han sufrido la tiranía de una vida en tierras prestadas, sin saber cuando (o si) el Ejército Mexicana saliera de su comunidad. El tiempo para la salida de los soldados es retrasado demasiado, para que los legítimos dueños puedan retornar a sus casas.

Confiamos que usted se compromete a respetar los derechos de todos los Mexicanos, incluyendo a los más marginalizados. A veces este respeto es costoso. Esperamos que usted es dispuesto a cumplir con su palabra aun cuando es costoso o no es expediente políticamente hacerlo. Imploramos a su conciencia, con la esperanza de que ésta fue formada correctamente en su propio fe Católico y Cristiano.

Equipos Cristianos de Acción por la Paz es una organización que apoya proyectos para reducir la violencia en diferentes partes del mundo. ECAP tiene raíces en la Iglesia Menonita, la Iglesia de los Hermanos y en la Sociedad de los Amigos, y incluye miembros de tradiciones protestantes y católicos. ECAP ha mantenido una presencia en Chiapas desde Mayo, 1998.

Respetuosamente,

Erin Kindy, Frank Moore, Carl Meyer,
William Payne, Lynn Stoltzfus

Cc. Pablo Salazar, Gobernador de Chiapas
Miembros de la Prensa
La Sociedad Civil de México, Los Estados Unidos y Canadá