Zapatistas
In my random searching of the internet for human rights violations in Latin America, I happen to come across a website that focuses on the Zapatista movement in Mexico. For those that are not aware of the Zapatistas I am going to try to give a brief description. (I hope somebody will comment if some info is incorrect or a more accurate discription is necessary)
In the past Zapatistas were the followers of Emiliano Zapata, a revolutionary leader in Southern Mexico during the main period of the Mexican Revolution. Today, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation or (EZLN), is an active armed revolutionary group based in Chiapas, Mexco and takes the name of "Zapatista" in homage to Emilano Zapata. Their social base is mostly indigenous but they have supporters in urban areas as well as an international web of support. Their most visible voice, although not their leader, is Subcomandante Marcos. (Photo)
Unlike the Zapatista comandantes, Subcomandante Marcos is not an indigenous Mayan but is believed to be a University Prof.
Some consider the Zapatista movement the first "post-modern" revolution: an armed, yet non-violent (despite an uprising in the early 1990s) revolutionary group that incorporates modern technologies like satellite telephones and the internet as a way to obtain domestic and foreign support. They consider themselves part of the wider anti-globalization, anti-neoliberalism movement.
"From November 17-19, 2006, thousands will converge on Ft. Benning, Georgia for the annual protest against the School of the Americas (SOA). Last year 19,000 activists gathered in the largest protest ever to demand the closing of the infamous military school where countless Latin American officers have been trained in methods of torture and repression. 41 people were arrested for trespassing after managing to penetrate the razor-wire fences surrounding the base to perform civil disobedience.
The SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. Just after the Zapatista uprising began on January 1, 1994, the number of Mexican soldiers at the School of the Americas (SOA) escalated sharply. Graduates of the SOA have played a key role in the civilian targeted warfare. At least 18 top military officials involved in the conflict are SOA graduates.
Throughout Latin America, SOA graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against the poor and to maintain a racist system of greed and violence. Among those targeted are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, "disappeared," massacred, and forced into refugee by those trained at the School of Assassins.
We are in a period of great change. Social justice movements throughout the Americas are mobilizing tirelessly. Civil Society is increasingly more vocal and we are going to close this school that continues to create death and suffering. Justice is within our reach when we stand up in numbers too big to be ignored -- sending a powerful message by putting our bodies on the line."
This exerpt is from the Zapatista websie (http://www.enoughisenough.de.vu/) and brings attention to the protest in November 2006 in hopes of bringing it to an international level. In class we often talk about how change is often not seen until a wide spread uprising occurs to challange those in power. By having the internet to broadcast information the EZLN has the benefit of generating mass awareness on a global level to their revolutionary contingent for humanity and support against neoliberalism. Their ultimate goal being an end to U.S. Imperialism and to dismantle the military apparatus that supports it.
One thing I find interresting is that there is a school in the US training Latin American people to abuse and violate the rights of their own culture and people. What I find even more interesting, as we see today with Osamain Laden, is that when these 'trainees' decide to revolt against the US it defines these people as 'terrorists'. Isn't it convenient that the US can train soldiers to be used as tools to violate rights and abuse their own people and then when they turn on them they title them an international threat.
What are some thoughts?
tag: last301
In the past Zapatistas were the followers of Emiliano Zapata, a revolutionary leader in Southern Mexico during the main period of the Mexican Revolution. Today, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation or (EZLN), is an active armed revolutionary group based in Chiapas, Mexco and takes the name of "Zapatista" in homage to Emilano Zapata. Their social base is mostly indigenous but they have supporters in urban areas as well as an international web of support. Their most visible voice, although not their leader, is Subcomandante Marcos. (Photo)
Unlike the Zapatista comandantes, Subcomandante Marcos is not an indigenous Mayan but is believed to be a University Prof. Some consider the Zapatista movement the first "post-modern" revolution: an armed, yet non-violent (despite an uprising in the early 1990s) revolutionary group that incorporates modern technologies like satellite telephones and the internet as a way to obtain domestic and foreign support. They consider themselves part of the wider anti-globalization, anti-neoliberalism movement.
"From November 17-19, 2006, thousands will converge on Ft. Benning, Georgia for the annual protest against the School of the Americas (SOA). Last year 19,000 activists gathered in the largest protest ever to demand the closing of the infamous military school where countless Latin American officers have been trained in methods of torture and repression. 41 people were arrested for trespassing after managing to penetrate the razor-wire fences surrounding the base to perform civil disobedience.
The SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics. Just after the Zapatista uprising began on January 1, 1994, the number of Mexican soldiers at the School of the Americas (SOA) escalated sharply. Graduates of the SOA have played a key role in the civilian targeted warfare. At least 18 top military officials involved in the conflict are SOA graduates.
Throughout Latin America, SOA graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against the poor and to maintain a racist system of greed and violence. Among those targeted are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders, and others who work for the rights of the poor. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped, assassinated, "disappeared," massacred, and forced into refugee by those trained at the School of Assassins.
We are in a period of great change. Social justice movements throughout the Americas are mobilizing tirelessly. Civil Society is increasingly more vocal and we are going to close this school that continues to create death and suffering. Justice is within our reach when we stand up in numbers too big to be ignored -- sending a powerful message by putting our bodies on the line."
This exerpt is from the Zapatista websie (http://www.enoughisenough.de.vu/) and brings attention to the protest in November 2006 in hopes of bringing it to an international level. In class we often talk about how change is often not seen until a wide spread uprising occurs to challange those in power. By having the internet to broadcast information the EZLN has the benefit of generating mass awareness on a global level to their revolutionary contingent for humanity and support against neoliberalism. Their ultimate goal being an end to U.S. Imperialism and to dismantle the military apparatus that supports it.
One thing I find interresting is that there is a school in the US training Latin American people to abuse and violate the rights of their own culture and people. What I find even more interesting, as we see today with Osamain Laden, is that when these 'trainees' decide to revolt against the US it defines these people as 'terrorists'. Isn't it convenient that the US can train soldiers to be used as tools to violate rights and abuse their own people and then when they turn on them they title them an international threat.
What are some thoughts?
tag: last301
posted by Rhett at 11:48 PM
1 Comments:
Rhett...
I thought you summarized the movement quite well and tied in the SOA with appropriate analysis. Marcos refers to the globalization process and neoliberal policies as part of a Fourth World War. This system dominates communication media (which is especially consolidated in the US, where 6 corporations control all major media branches) and exists solely for the priviledged classes. The Zapatistas wish to record and expose the social struggles that characterize current history, forcing mass media to acknowledge their preeminence in global affairs. They wish to awaken those who chose to ignore the deaths of millions who are minorities in the mathematics of power, but the majority in whole of humanity. I wonder what they're up to now?
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