The Irish Mexico Group and
the Zapatista community of
Diez de Abril
'10th of
April' the date in 1919 when Zapata was
assassinated
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The Irish Mexico Group built links with
the Zapatista community of Diez de Abril. From January of 1997 to
2000 we had for the most part had someone staying in Diez or resting
in San Cristobel. Diez is on land occupied in 1995. These letters
from Irish observers are a personal reflection of live in this
Zapatista community, periods where there are few letters normally
represent quiet times or observers who didn't send much back. [Note:
As of 2001 we are unable to maintain a semi-permanent presence in
Diez, mostly becuause the core Irish people had to move on with their
lives. For now though we are still regular visits to the community
whenever we have members in Chiapas]
International Solidarity In The
Light of Global Resistance [June 2002]
Chiapas has been a good training ground for anti-globalization
activists, and an inspiration for organizing and strategic thinking.
Ramor Ryan argues that it is time to renovate existing models of
solidarity.
Autonomy and a Song (Feb
2002)
An article by a member of the Irish Mexico Group on the significance
of the Zapatista movement in Mexico, includes recent details of Diez
de Abril
A first hand report on life in
Chiapas on the Irish Mexico Group(IMG) Solidarity Project is a
detailed account from one of our members about how we started off in
Diez de Abril and some of the hopes and fears associated with our
presence.
On Feburary 6th 1999 two men from the community of La Mendoza only
about 10 minutes walk from Diez were seized by the army at a
checkpoint, tortured and disappeared. They turned up in jail after a
couple of days where they have been ever since (still the case as of
Aug '99). La Mendoza was one of the communities from which the people
who founded Diez came from so many of the people are friends or even
relatives of the two men (Daniel Gomez Velazco and Jose Angel Velazco
). Below are documents relating to their arrest.
[As of late September 1999 both men were released, more
details when we have them]
On the 15th of April 1998 the Mexican 'security' forces raided Diez
de Abril, arresting three Norwegian peace
observers and deporting them. A 17 year old local José
Alfredo López Méndez was also
seized by the army, tortured and imprisoned. Thanks in part to
international pressure he was later
released. They also stole or
destroyed 264 755 pesos of money and goods belonging to the
community. In the panic a five year old boy fell off a bridge into
the river and is missing, presumed drowned. Below are statements from
the community and from the deported Norwegians describing these
events
Articles about Diez in other publications
10th April 1998 -
Diez de April marks the anniversary of Zapta's assassination
(the coloured object (pinata) at the right is full of sweets,
blindfolded children will hit it with sticks until it breaks open)
Additional photographs from Diez de
Abril
Other articles about the Zapatista rising by Irish writers (a very
incomplete list)
To the Mexico page