Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
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CHIAPAS, MEXICO - The last of the displaced Abejas have returned to their home communities October 22. Since August 28, 2001, the Abejas have returned to ten home communities: Colonia Puebla, Yashgemel, Chuchtic, Los Chorros, Nueva Esperanza, Canolal, Acteal Alto, Poblado Quextic, Quextic Centro, and Tzajalhucum. The Abejas emphasize that these returns are returns without justice, and without peace, because in their home communities there are still arms and paramilitary. Additionally, the Mexican government still refuses to implement the San Andreas Accords on Indigenous rights, which it signed had signed in 1996. With their returns to their home villages, the Abejas hope to continue speaking out against injustice.

        Three months ago, neither the Mesa Directiva (governing body of Las Abejas), nor CPT could have predicted that there would be such a comprehensive return of the displaced to their home communities. One of the catalysts for the returns was that conditions in the refugee camps of Acteal Centro and X'oyep were becoming intolerable. Wood for cooking was becoming scarce, sanitation was unhealthy, nutrition was poor, and it was difficult to work their corn and coffee fields in their home communities due to the distance.

Another motivation was the political climate. The governor of Chiapas, Pablo Salazar, has been supportive of Indigenous rights, and backed the return of the Abejas. At the same time the political climate in the home communities of Las Abejas was more completely under the control of PRIistas and paramilitaries as long as the Abejas remained absent. The Abejas returned in part to hold accountable the political systems in their home communities and to report any paramilitary activity. Thankfully, there have not yet been any acts of violence from the paramilitaries.

        CPT must reevaluate its role now in Chiapas and in Chenalho county. One discussion led to the idea of an "emergency response team" that could respond to violent or potentially violent situations in Abejas communities, ideally within a couple of hours. As long as Chiapas is militarized and paramilitaries are being armed, a repeat of expulsions and killings is very possible.

CPT could also become a part of a non-violent direct action team, coordinated with another non-governmental organization (NGO) and Las Abejas. However, now that the Abejas returns have taken place, and people are back in their home communities, the negative consequences of such direct action could be greater. The returned Abejas are no longer in large supportive communities of like-minded people, but are back in areas where their views and actions may be viewed as threatening to the status quo.

The Indigenous of Mexico have been struggling and resisting for the last five-hundred years. The Abejas have been able to return to their home communities, but justice is still a long way off.