Zapatistas dissolve FZLN
north america / mexico |
the left |
policy statement
Friday November 25, 2005 21:41
by Marcos (trans Irlandesa) - EZLN
Intend to relaunch as their own "civil, peaceful organization."
The Frente (FZLN) has, since its inception, been made up of a very large number of persons doing an astonishing variety of excellent work. It was established at the behest of the EZLN, and now the EZLN is asking for it to be "returned" to them. The FZLN will now "belong" to the EZLN, as it were, theirs to use as they see fit, as their own "civil, peaceful organization." As they stated in this letter, they are planning to be quite "strict" in seeing that their "zapatista principles" are carried out.
EZLN: FZLN dissolves and devolves to EZLN
Communiqué from the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous
Committee - General Command of the Zapatista Army of National
Liberation
Mexico
November 20, 2005
To the People of Mexico:
To the Peoples of the World:
Brothers and Sisters, Compañeros and Compañeras:
The CCRI-CG of the EZLN speaks its word:
First - In 1996, in its Fourth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona,
the EZLN called for the formation of the Zapatista Front of National
Liberation (FZLN), a political, civil and peaceful organization, that
would not fight for power and which would strive to build a new way
of doing politics. At that time we thought that the end of the war
was approaching, and we would be able to move on to open political
struggle in the FZLN. It was not like that, the bad governments
continued their war against us, and we have continued resisting since
then. Even though it was without our direct participation, many men
and women from all over Mexico (and even from other countries)
entered the FZLN, and, complying with the principle of not fighting
for power, endeavored to build a new way of doing politics throughout
these almost 10 years.
Second - This year, in 2005, the EZLN issued the Sixth Declaration
of the Selva Lacandona with a series of initiatives which included a
group of zapatistas from the EZLN leaving in order to engage in open,
civil and peaceful political work in the "Other Campaign." A new
stage was thus opened in the zapatista struggle for democracy,
liberty and justice for Mexico, and a few changes are necessary in
order to fully achieve it.
Third - At the end of October of this year of 2005, a delegation
from the CCRI-CG of the EZLN met with some members of the Zapatista
Front of National Liberation and asked them to consult with all the
compañeros and compañeras from the Frente concerning
the possibility of dissolving the organic structure of the FZLN and
returning to the EZLN the name of that political, civil, zapatista
organization, whose origin and ends had been called for by the EZLN.
The purpose was to leave the EZLN free to reestablish a zapatista,
civil and peaceful organization which, ratifying the principles
articulated in the Fourth Declaration, will incorporate those put
forth in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona
(anti-capitalist and of the left), with the good achieved by the FZLN
in its 10 years of life, trying to avoid the errors and defects which
occurred in its work, and now with the direct participation of
zapatistas from the EZLN.
Fourth - A few days ago the FZLN finished its internal
consultation, and the majority of the compañeros agreed to
break up, returning the name of the "FZLN" to the EZLN, and to await
the call for the reestablishment of the Zapatista Front of National
Liberation with new principles, requirements, regulations, structure
and objectives. They so communicated this to the EZLN.
Fifth - Learning of this decision, the Clandestine Revolutionary
Indigenous Committee - General Command of the EZLN, is informing the
people of Mexico and the peoples of the world that, as of Friday,
November 25, 2005, the Zapatista Front of National Liberation, sister
organization of the EZLN, will cease to exist, and no one shall be
able to use its name for any purpose, no matter how kindhearted it
might appear or be. At the express request of the EZLN, some
Frentistas will be forming a transition committee in charge of
conveying all the FZLN's works and assets to the EZLN's Sixth
Committee.
Sixth - The EZLN appreciates and recognizes the effort and
sacrifice of those compañeros and compañeras of the
Frente who carried with dignity the name of "zapatistas", honoring
the civil and peaceful brotherhood with the EZLN and who carried
themselves in accordance with the principles which encouraged our
just struggle. The indigenous rebel communities, now organized in the
MAREZ' and Good Government Juntas, had the unconditional support of
the Frentistas throughout this time. There was no moment of
suffering, anguish or danger when the FZLN was not at the side of the
EZLN. Because of that, in the name of the women, men, children and
old ones of the EZLN, we give you our most sincere thanks.
Seventh - There were, it is true, those who used the FZLN and its
closeness to the EZLN for their own benefit, in order to hurt others,
in order to isolate it and isolate us, in order to take power through
personal rivalries and useless fights, as a platform for individual
or small group prominence and in order to feign commitment where
there was nothing but a comfortable position. In addition to those
which correspond to itself, the EZLN assumes as its own those errors
which, under the flag of civil zapatismo, have been committed by the
FZLN. As the EZLN, we are publicly apologizing to all men and women
who have felt hurt by actions, words or inattention.
Eighth - A new stage of civil zapatismo is beginning. We will now
be making - along with those persons who demonstrate, through
attitude and work, that they so want to - a new political zapatista
organization, civil and peaceful, anti-capitalist and of the left,
which will not fight for power and which will strive to build a new
way of doing politics. The same destination towards which we have
been going by parallel paths up until now.
Ninth - This new organization will be born being led directly by
the Sixth Committee of the EZLN, admission to it will be only upon
express invitation, and it will be particularly strict in seeing that
zapatista principles are carried out, always imposing ethics above
pragmatic considerations.
Tenth - The EZLN's Sixth Committee will, with this organization,
draw up the form and paint the zapatista color in the multicolored
embroidery of the "Other Campaign."
Democracy!
Liberty!
Justice!
From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast
By the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee - General
Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
Mexico, November of 2005
Originally published in Spanish by the EZLN
Translated by
irlandesa
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Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6To the Comandancia General &endash; Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
On January 1, 1996, in its Fourth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation called for the establishment of the Zapatista Front of National Liberation. At the end of the second of the three parts which made up the declaration, and after having cited the political characteristics of the new organization they were calling for, you wrote the following: "With the organized unity of the civilian zapatistas and zapatista combatants in the Zapatista Front of National Liberation, the struggle which began on January 1, 1994 will enter into a new stage. The EZLN will not disappear, but its most important efforts will be directed to political struggle. At the proper time and circumstances, the EZLN will participate directly in the establishment of the Zapatista Front of National Liberation.
Twenty months later, during the Founding Congress of the FZLN which was held in Mexico City and which was attended by 1111 zapatista delegates who had left the mountains of the Mexican southeast, the EZLN explained the following: "…Many people are asking why we have come just to observe your Congress and not to participate in it directly. Many are asking why we have stated over the last few days, again and again, that the EZLN will not form part of the FZLN, and we will be two sister, but different, organizations…When we called for the establishment of the FZLN, we thought peace was close and our rebellion had to seek new paths and means of struggle in order to continue its determined march…We thought we would soon be like you and next to you. With the same rebellion in the face of the powerful, but without the necessity of arms…With the same dignity for the morrow, but without the face hidden by the black of sorrow or the red of blood. But we were wrong, Frentista brothers and sisters…Peace was not close. Peace is still far away. Before and now the government used and uses the lie of peace that it imagines as nothing but surrender and punishment. But nor could we continue holding you back or asking you to wait for us, not to move forward, not to grow, not to make yourselves large, not to organize until there was a just and dignified peace and the EZLN could share present and future with you. It will not be a military force which directs your civilian steps and puts you at risk. This should not and cannot be like that."
More than eight years later, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation issued the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, and, along with several thousand more Mexican men and women, it undertook the construction of what has been called the Other Campaign. And then, just like they said in the Fourth Declaration, they are going to do, among other things, the following: "We are going to go and listen to and speak directly with, without intermediaries or mediations, the simple and humble people of Mexico, and, according to what we hear and learn, we are going to build, along with those people who are like us, humble and simple, a national program of struggle, but a program which will be clearly of the left, anti-capitalist, anti-neoliberal, for justice, democracy and liberty for the Mexican people.
In short, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation is going to come out in order to engage directly in politics, a new way of doing politics, in all corners of the country.
And then we, the Zapatista Front of National Liberation, got together with you, compañeros from the EZLN, the ones who called on us to form the organization and gave us name. At that meeting we saw that the FZLN had fulfilled its duty in that stage from the Fourth Declaration until the Sexta came out, but now the new stage has become too much for us because of what is to come. And so we made an internal consultation among all the members of the FZLN, with the following results:
Of the 127 Civil Committees of Dialogue which make up our FZLN, 123 declared themselves for the FZLN to be completely dissolved as a national, political organization and for the name to be returned to the compas from the EZLN.
Three Committees said we should continue as an organization, but with another name, although two of them stressed that if the majority accepted something else, they too would accept it.
And one said that it would not make a specific declaration, instead it resigned from the FZLN.
In addition, nine individual Frentistas came out for the option of dissolving the FZLN and returning the name to the EZLN.
And so, the agreement having been made by majority, we would like to communicate the following to you:
The Zapatista Front of National Liberation is completely dissolved as a political organization, and it is returning its name to the Zapatista Army of National Liberation so that it, in turn, can decide what to do with it. Those committees and individuals who so decide can remain together in each location and join the Sexta and the Other Campaign, but no longer using the name of an FZLN committee.
Lastly, we would like to tell you, dear compañeros and compañeras of the EZLN and of all the indigenous zapatista communities, of the zapatista autonomous municipalities, of the Good Government Juntas, that it has been an honor for the Frentistas to have walked with the name you gave us for all these years. We know we committed many errors, and things did not always turn out as we had thought they would and how they should have turned out, but everything we have learned from you and your dignified struggle for a better Mexico and World for everyone, will certainly serve as a first step for us in joining this path that is beginning now with the Other Campaign, where we will also try to be, in order to collaborate from each one of our spaces, along with thousands more, in the building of a more just, more free and more democratic Mexico, from below and to the left.
Zapatista Front of National Liberation
Mexico
October of 2005
Originally published in Spanish by the FZLN
Translated by irlandesa
Communiqué from the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee –
General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Mexico
November of 2005
To the People of Mexico:
To the Peoples of the World:
Brothers and Sisters:
In accordance with that which was stated in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, the CCRI-CG of the EZLN says its word:
First - The EZLN continues to move forward with organizing its participation, civil and peaceful, in the tasks set forth in the Sixth Declaration which are: the “Other Campaign,” agreements and alliances with political organizations of the left in Mexico, holding an International Encuentro and helping struggles and resistances for humanity and against neoliberalism throughout the world.
Second - Given that the “Other Campaign” is no longer just the EZLN’s, but instead belongs to everyone who has embraced it, we have organized a working team for direct, exclusive contact with the EZLN’s Sixth Committee. This team will work under the Sixth Committee’s leadership, and it has been named “Enlace Zapatista.” While the Other Campaign’s supporters will be deciding and starting up the organization for all of us to communicate among ourselves, the EZLN’s Sixth Committee will continue its work, now through Enlace Zapatista, of receiving, processing and distributing to everyone the information produced by those who make up the Other Campaign.
Third - The EZLN thanks the compañeros and compañeras of Revista Rebeldía for the unconditional help they have been giving us since the Sixth Declaration was issued. Through their website and the direct participation of those who produce it, they have been helping us receive and process subscribers to the Sexta and communications directed to the EZLN, and in holding the preparatory meetings and the Other Campaign’s plenary.
Fourth - As of December 1, 2005, the EZLN’s Sixth Committee’s communications with those who are active in work which involve the EZLN and the Other Campaign will no longer be through Revista Rebeldía, but through Enlace Zapatista.
Fifth - As of November 30, a special web site will be operating for direct cyber communication with the EZLN’s Sixth Committee (regarding the national, Mexico) and with the EZLN’s Intergalactic Committee (for everything having to do with the international arena): www.ezln.org.mx The cyber information which Revista Rebeldía has been gathering will be moved to this page.
This page will have two links: one to the EZLN in the Other Campaign (www.enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx ) and the other to the EZLN concerning international matters (zeztainternazional.ezln.org.mx – yes, like that, with “z”).
Sixth - Regarding the Other Campaign, the Sixth Committee will maintain communication from and with everyone who makes up the Other Campaign, and it will continue reporting on subscribers, as it had been doing previously through Revista Rebeldía, but now through Enlace Zapatista. At this time we are informing you that, as of November 20, 2005, the following have subscribed to the Sexta and the Other Campaign:
64 Political Organizations of the Left
120 Indigenous and Indian Peoples’ Organizations
203 Social Organizations
498 Non-Governmental Organizations, Groups and Collectives
2020 Individuals and Individuals representing Families, Barrios and Communities
427 Internationals
When the Other Campaign so decides, the Sixth Committee will cease doing this work, and only Enlace Zapatista will devote itself to the EZLN’s participation in the Other Campaign.
Democracy!
Liberty!
Justice!
From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast
By the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee – General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
Mexico, November of 2005
Originally published in Spanish by the EZLN
Translated by irlandesa
What the heck is going on here? That comminique is startlingly quiet on _why_ they are dissolving the FZLN (and recreating something that will be different... how?) Of course, they do not owe me an explanation, but doesn't mean I don't want one. Maybe I'd understand more if I knew more about what was up---can anyone explain what's going on?
I am struck by the apparent contradiction between recent Zapatista propaganda about the need to keep the military subservient to the political (rather than vice versa)---and this re-organization, which, from the communique, kind of seems like the military wing reestablishing it's authority by dissolving the political wing and recreating a new one more firmly controlled by the military wing (even though the political org controlled by the military wing is going to be pacifist? Huh?). What the heck is going on? Andrew?
Is the EZLN preparing to abolish itself after reformulating a political wing?Henry's argument that this is a further embracing of reformism, not a backing away from it, makes a bit more sense with this new communique.
I moved this comment from under the article written a couple of months back on the new strategy to the communiques the comment refers to as its more in context here. It had originally been posted I think afer Nil had seen one of the 3 communiques above on infoshop.org
The key phrase seems to be The purpose was to leave the EZLN free to reestablish a zapatista, civil and peaceful organization which, ratifying the principles articulated in the Fourth Declaration, will incorporate those put forth in the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona (anti-capitalist and of the left), with the good achieved by the FZLN in its 10 years of life, trying to avoid the errors and defects which occurred in its work, and now with the direct participation of zapatistas from the EZLN.
That and the references to the conditions the FZLN was set up under (before the 'democratic' transition) would suggest that the reason is that the politics of the 'old' FZLN were built around civil society and the demand for an end to the one party rule of the PRI (now acheived). But Zapatista politics have now moved on to the left and to anti-capitalism so that old set up is no longer relevant. So if anything at face value this is a move away from rather than towards reformism.
Can we rule out other reasons for this move - for instance that the EZLN feared the FZLN would refuse to follow the new direction? I don't think we can although I presume the reason the FZLN issued a statement detaiing their overwhelming agreement (127 out of 123) with the EZLN request to disband is to counter such a suspicion.
The 7th point of the first communique which refers to those who used the FZLN and its closeness to the EZLN for their own benefit, in order to hurt others, in order to isolate it and isolate us, in order to take power through personal rivalries and useless fights, as a platform for individual or small group prominence and in order to feign commitment where there was nothing but a comfortable position suggests that at least a minor reason was disagreements the EZLN had with sections of the FZLN but the 9th point suggests a context for this saying that the 6th committee will be particularly strict in seeing that zapatista principles are carried out, always imposing ethics above pragmatic considerations. I had heard it said (some years back) that a problem with the FZLN was that some sections of it simply consisted of bits of the old left that found it a handy name to operate under without changing the top down way they operated.
Finally the 3rd commuique, the one on the websites adds to the impression that the EZLN are being a lot more controlling with this new initative. Is this simply a question of conmtrol freakery or because they want to ensure the new campaign develops in an anti-capitalist and libertarian direction rather than a top down reformist one. Here you are getting into difficult terrain for anarchists - how do you deal with the need for leadership - at least in the sphere of ideas.
Overall closing (and possibly remaking the FZLN) probably makes sense in terms of the major shift in Zapatista strategy. As the full context here shows the FZLN were in agreement with this decision so this in itself should present no real problems for anarchists - if everything is as it seems. If it were not and the majority was somehow fixed I think we'll hear about this soon enough - it would be interesting to hear from the Mexican anarchists involved in the process. I think its probably right to assume a cautious approach to all these developments - there is more that one possible meaning - but the balance at this point in time appears to be (strongly) positive.
That's helpful, thanks.
It still seems to me odd to be talking about how the military wing should never control the political wing, at the same time you have the military wing dismantling and rebuilding the political wing under it's explicit control.
On the other hand, yes, the document shows that the FZLN agreed to this (but so what? People agree to be improperly led all the time---PART of the answer to 'what is anarchist leadership' is not accepting improper power even when people try to give it to you, right?). And still, if the FZLN had become unworkable in some way (and knew it), and the EZLN is still on top of things---what other alternative is there? I don't know. But it still seems odd. As odd as a military organization explicitly forming a pacifist political wing (although some of the translations say 'peaceful' instead of 'pacifist'; don't know Spanish well enough to make a call myself). 'Odd' has never stopped the Zapatistas before. We'll see what happens, or at least try to.
Someon jump in if I'm wrong, but I believe you have a misunderstanding of the EZLN in your question of why would a military organization (the EZLN) create and controll a peacefull political organization (the FZLN). The leadership of the military EZLN are the *sub-commandantes* such as Marcos, but they are led by the CCRI ( I think Revolutionary Idigenous Clandestine Committee), which is something to the effect of a council of delegates from the Chiapas communities.
The Zapatistas have always been very clear that they are not led by a military leadership, but are led by and subordinate to the communities of Chipas.