Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Chiapas Mexico:

November 11 - Chenalho County
The team visited the municipalities of Yashgemel and Colonia Puebla, in preparation for an upcoming delegation. People in Puebla were dealing with rumours of a potential Zapatista attack on their community on October 29 or 30, and the accusation of witchcraft against one of their pastors. (See forthcoming release, "Sorcery and Politics.")

November 12 Chenalho County
The team stopped in the Autonomous Community of Polho to set up a visit for the delegation. They were not able to set up a visit at the Majomut military base. In the evening the team had a meeting with the Mesa (the governing bodyof the Abejas) in Acteal, regarding the creation of a non-violent response team and the upcoming delegation.

November 13 Chenalho County
Team members arrived in Tzajalchen, and had a rugged hike to the milpa (cornfield) of an Abejas member. In the evening, the team met with two Abejas regarding the idea of setting up a non-violent response team, which community members thought was a good idea

November 14 Chenalho County
The team traveled from Tzajalchen to Nuevo Yibiljoj, stopping in at Majomut to visit the military there to get an answer regarding the request for a delegation visit. Although the military assured the team that the base was solely a social labour camp (which the Mexican military says provides social services to the local residents) residents know that this is the primary military base of the municipality, with a large number of troops and vehicles.

November 15 Chenalho County
The team traveled to X'oyep, and on the way stopped in at the base in Majomut. They again received no response regarding the request for a meeting with the delegation. In X'oyep, the team visited with an original community member (i.e., someone who lived there before there was a refugee camp) , who has had close connections with the team. While helping to clean yucca, the team discussed preparations for the delegation and the idea of the non-violent response team.

November 18-19 San Cristobal de las Casas (SCLC)
The team worked on last minute plans for the SCLC component of the delegation, along with the orgnaization Cloudforest Initiatives. On the 19th, in the afternoon, the team was visited by John Worrell and Linda Ammons, who have worked in Palestine and and were part of a CPT Hebron delegation several years ago.

November 20 San Cristobal (SCLC)
Angie Freeman and Cliff Kindy had a visit from Alicia Gomez (SERPAJ), who shared that six people who had been instrumental in perpetrating the Acteal massacre,were released from prison on November 17. Four of the six returned to the village of Los Chorros.

November 21 San Cristobal/Los Chorros
Kindy, along with John Worrell and Linda Ammons, left early for Los Chorros to check on the current situation, and determine if the delegation should shift plans to go there. From the visit, they learned that the ex-prisoners were afraid to leave their houses, and that the whole community was scared.

November 22 Acteal
The team and delegation attended the monthly memorial service in Acteal. The team had a positive meeting with Mesa members, who encouraged the team to visit other non-violent groups in other parts of Chiapas.

November 23 Polho
The team and delegation had a meeting with coffee cooperative, Maya Vinic, where they heard about the the problem of low coffee prices and plans of the cooperative. On the way to Polho, they stopped in at the Majomut Military Base for an unscheduled visit and conversation. The military did not want to meet with the group but acknowledged the earlier attempts to set up a meeting.

November 24 Polho/Puebla/Yashgemel
The delegation heard from a community member in Polho about the history and philosophy of the autonomous community before the team accompanied delegation members to Puebla and Yashgemel. The delegation started planning an action that would involve buying coffee at a fair price and taking it to Nestle to be sold.

November 25 Puebla/Yashgemel
Kindy, along with delegation member Randy Meyer, traveled overland to Los Chorros to talk about the possible action and potential for a visit with the ex-prisoners, making sure to talk with both Abejas groups there. The delegation and team learned of the economic hardship and food shortage the returned communities are facing.

November 27 Los Chorros
The team and delegation work through details of the action. By night, the first of the coffee started coming for the action and prayer (See December 3 release, "Paying the Price of Justice.")

November 28 San Cristobal (SCLC)
The team, delegation, and coffee made their way back to SCLC. Freeman and Kindy had an evaluatory check-in, and made the decision to start the process of closing the project in Chiapas (See December 10 release, "A light on the future and an invitation to pray.")

November 29 San Cristobal (SCLC)
The team began preparations to close the CPT Chiapas project, as the delegation prepared for the action at Nestle.

November 30 Chiapa de Corzo/San Cristobal (SCLC)
The team, delegation and coffee traveled to the Chiapa de Corzo (near Tuxtla) to request that Nestle buy coffee at a fair price. (See December 7 release, "From Los Chorros to Nestle.") The delegation left to return to their home countires. The action was not covered by television because ex-Beatle George Harrison's death dominated the news.

December 1-2 San Cristobal (SCLC)
The team started visits to NGOs and partners to let them know of the decision to close, and were met with understanding and support. The Nestle action was covered in 'Expreso Chiapas'.

December 3 Acteal
The team traveled to Acteal to meet with the Mesa regarding the project closing. The Mesa was conducting elections when the team arrived.

December 4 Los Chorros
The team shared stories and pictures from the Nestle action with both groups of the Abejas. Plans to meet with the released prisoners fell through.

December 6 Acteal
The team accompanied MCC country representative, Sara King, and four others people to Acteal for the day. The team received a letter of introduction from the Abejas for upcoming meetings with other non-violent groups in Chiapas.

December 7 Bachajon/Palenque
Team traveled first to Bachajon (near Ocosingo) to meet with members of Jyomblej, an indigenous, non-violent group and made connections for future visits.

December 8 Palenque/Ocosingo
Team found the office of the Xi'nich (The Ants), another non-violent group, and learned of another, the ORCAO in Ocosingo, which they also visited.

December 9-10 San Cristobal (SCLC)
Freeman and Kindy work on the final steps of closing the project for an interim period of three months