Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
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CHIAPAS, MEXICO - "So far, so good," is the refrain heard from Las Abejas (the Bees) in the villages of Puebla, Yaxjemel (Yash-heh-MEL), and Chuchtic (Chooch-TEEK) in the highland county of Chenalhó, Chiapas. August 28, the day of their return home after nearly four years living in refugee camps, came and went without incident. When asked if there have been any threats or rumors from the paramilitary groups that still live in their communities, the universal response of Las Abejas has been, "No, not at the moment. But we'll see."

In Puebla, the nine Abejas families, all Catholics, represent a small minority of the village's 250 families. There are eight or ten different Protestant churches in town, including Presbyterian, Baptist, and a number of independent Pentecostal congregations, and religious tensions have been a factor in the conflict there. Puebla is said to be the place where much of the paramilitary organizing in Chenalhó county started.

According to Las Abejas, some people in Puebla, though certainly not all, have had a "change of heart," and the returning families received a relatively warm welcome there. Lots of non-Abejas children came to the celebration dance at the Catholic church and a number of adults hung out around the edges of the party. Local representatives of the PRD (Revolutionary Democratic Party), all of whom used to belong to the PRI (Revolutionary Institutional Party) which formed the paramilitaries, even came with a welcome banner. Neighbors have been interacting cordially with each other and the Abejas are energetically optimistic.

The Abejas in Yaxjemel are energetically enthusiastic too, although their reception has been somewhat cooler. The 39 returning Abejas families represent closer to half of that village's population. Their non-Abejas neighbors have not spoken to them in these days since the return and none of them came to the celebration on the night of the 28th.

So far, all is well in Chuchtic, which is actually a rural barrio (neighborhood) of Yaxjemel. Most of the aggression that led to the displacement of the Abejas in Chuchtic came from residents of Yaxjemel. The dozen or so Abejas families returning to Chuchtic have new neighbors as well. Several months ago, some of the displaced Zapatista supporters living as refugees in Polhó (between Acteal and X'oyep) relocated to Chuchtic.

CPTers continue to maintain a presence in all three communities: Puebla -- Matt Guynn (Richmond, IN), Charles Spring (Palo Alto, CA), and Keith Young (Atlanta, GA); Yaxjemel -- Karis Engle (Naples, FL), Frank Moore (Brownsville, TX) and Carol Spring (Palo Alto, CA); Chuchtic -- Rusty Dinkins-Curling (Roanoke, VA), and Lynn Stoltzfus (Harrisonburg, VA).