From: glevy@PRATT.EDU
Date: Thu Apr 06 2006 - 08:55:27 EDT
Zapatista Network Call
To the compañer@s in every corner of the so-called US and Canada,
To all the peoples of the continent named America,
To the struggling Peoples of the Global South and the world,
To all the adherents of the Sixth Declaration, the Other Campaign, and the
International Campaign,
To the national and international alternative press
We, the Zapatista Network, are reaching out as a newly emerging "network
of networks" to invite companer@s in the so-called U.S. and Canada to
"walk together" as Zapatista grassroots and community-based groups who
support the Zapatistas and are inspired by Zapatismo. Our intent has been
to create spaces of encounter so that diverse groups can share ideas,
resources and projects as part of a larger process to strengthen each
collectives' work, solidarity efforts, and rebellion. We also aim to
promote and support the formation of new Zapatista inspired collectives.
By saying "network of networks" we propose one of many overlapping webs of
resistance taking place all over the world.
Since January 1, 1994 when the EZLN declared ¡Ya Basta! Mexican and
International Civil Society have responded in solidarity creating a broad
base of support. The Zapatistas' commitment to encounter and dialogue has
made it possible to collectively imagine "a world where many worlds fit."
Some communities working in solidarity with the Zapatistas have responded
with aid, while others used direct action to help halt the military and
state repression, drawing attention to the low intensity war directed
against the Zapatistas. The response to the Zapatista rebellion has been
unique not only in its diversity but its intensity. Solidarity efforts
have served to keep people informed, provide material support, and protest
the cruel excesses of military and state repression. More importantly,
communities around the world and in the US have pursued their own
resistance locally, attempting to imagine and realize a different way of
doing politics.
In August 2004 the Committee of Indigenous Solidarity-DC-Zapatistas sent
out a call to form a zapatista network in the U.S. and Canada that was
initially referred to as red "Plan Morelia-Polo Norte" (in response to and
in solidarity with the Plan La Realidad-Tijuana in Mexico). This call was
made in order to construct one avenue of many for zapatista inspired
groups in this region of America to dialogue and construct networks of
support. Of the Zapatista related collectives and groups who responded to
this initial call, we began talking together about encuentro, Zapatismo,
Zapatista solidarity and how to reach out to others so that we all know
that we are not alone.
Regarding the Zapatistas as offering profound new political strategies and
alternatives whose relevance goes well beyond Chiapas, there have been two
encuentros inspired by this effort to form a bi-national network and in
response to the Zapatistas' proposals in the Sixth Declaration of the
Lacandon Jungle. One was in August 2005 in Oakland, California and the
other in November 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Both were amazing
successes and have lead to a stronger networking among the numerous
Zapatista groups and individuals in California. As these encuentros have
strengthened networks and community in California, we would like to see
this spread in other parts of the U.S. and Canada alongside Mexico and the
whole of the Americas.
Additionally, through sustained dialogue, the grassroots organizations and
collectives involved thus far have come to eight "points of agreement"
(preliminary and subject to change by the collective voice). These are: A
commitment to horizontal, egalitarian, fully inclusive and transparent
structures and processes in all aspects of our activities and
interactions; reciprocal respect for the autonomy and independence of all
member organizations; support for the Zapatistas' "Other Campaign" in
solidarity with the efforts of our Mexican Compañer@s to unify the
struggle, and in recognition of the need to pursue a similar project north
of the Rio Grande, throughout the U.S. and Canada; a commitment to carry
out our solidarity support work for the autonomous Zapatista communities
of Chiapas in full accordance with the protocols established by the Good
Government Juntas and the autonomous rebel Zapatista municipalities
(MAREZ); a commitment to advance Zapatismo as political thought and as a
method for resistance in our local struggles; solidarity in principle with
all global struggles being waged by the people of the world for humanity
and against neoliberalism; support and respect for the choices of the
autonomous Zapatista communities to struggle in defense of their lives,
humanity and environment and against neoliberalism in any way they deem
necessary; a commitment to participate to the best of our abilities in the
operational processes and development of the Zapatista Network
("Zapared").
As the "Other Campaign" advances, we see it as urgent that this network is
available to support such initiatives. Consequently, we are publicly
announcing the existence of this emergent network which we are calling the
Zapatista Network and are reaching out to Companer@s in the U.S and Canada
in the hope to encourage more connections and strengthen webs of
resistance.
We invite you to join us, as we begin this dialogue to create a "world
where many worlds fit." As a medium to facilitate an ongoing encounter,
there is an interactive website with a private blog for collectives and an
open forum available for individuals. There will also be a resource
archive. For more information about the network, visit our web site. If
you're interested in participating, feel free to contact the Zapatista
Network at zaparedinfo@list.riseup.net, or contact any of our member
organizations directly. Acción Zapatista de Humboldt (Arcata, CA) Manolo
Callahan, mc92@humboldt.edu
Acción Zapatista of Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA) Jordan Camp,
jcamp@umail.ucsb.edu
Chiapas Support Committee (Oakland, CA) Mary Ann Tenuto-Sánchez,
cezmat@igc.org
Committee of Indigenous Solidarity-DC Zapatistas (Washington, DC) Adrián
Boutureira, cis-dcz@riseup.net
El Machete (Austin, TX) Simón, elpinchesimon@yahoo.com
Estación Libre (Los Angeles, CA) Pablo Gonzales, aztlan71@yahoo.com
Protesta y Apoyo Zapatista (Santa Barbara, CA) Jordan Camp,
jcamp@umail.ucsb.edu
Zapatista Solidarity Coalition (Sacramento, CA) zapa@zsc.org
Colectivo Caracolero Chicagotra (Chicago, Il) Dora T. y Kora M.,
chicagotra@gmail.com
Rebel Imports (Maryland) Kristin Bricker, krisbricker@gmail.com
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