Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
The first plenary of the Other Campaign, a 10 year initiative of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation to build a national plan of struggle, came to a close this Sunday afternoon in the community of La Garrucha, Chiapas.
The plenary was organized into six themes dealing with the organization and character of the Other Campaign. Subcomadante Marcos, spokesperson for the EZLN, made it clear that the form of the Other Campaign must be decided by all those who take it up. "The Sixth and the Other Campaign, " he said, "no longer belong just to the EZLN, but to everyone who embraces them".
He also announced a proposal for the next stage of the campaign: a tour, to begin in January, of consultations in every region of the republic. Marcos himself will be the primary actor of the Sixth Committee, and, in order to perform the post, will be stepping down as spokesperson for the EZLN.
The meeting was transmitted in internet by indymedia chiapas and a coalition of independent and participatory media gathered for the event. It was relayed in FM in Oaxaca and Mexico City, among other places. In addition, the independent media activists present in the La Garrucha formed a proposal for a national network of independent media.
Present in the Plenary were 91 social organizations from throughout Mexico, 36 political organizations, 129 groups, collectives and NGO's, 26 indigenous organizations, 196 individuals.
audio: 1 | 2 video: 1 | 2 photos: 1 | 2 | 3
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Comments
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
So, uh, why is this on the front page of Aotearoa IMC?
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
because the Zapatistas are an extremely inspiring group whose actions are relevant to the global movement against neo-liberalism, which extends to New Zealand.
The events in Chiapas also receive very little media attention, so it is important for people around the World, including in NZ to know about them.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
Sure so stick it in the Elsewhere part of the newswire. There are lots of important struggles going on around the world. Are all of them going to get front page coverage? Isn't that what Indymedia.org is for? I thought the Aotearoa IMC site was meant to cover events happening here?
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
Good call, Cam! Nice to see it here as to inform and enlighten NZ. Editors, keep up the great work! Do not oppress the truth.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
YA BASTA
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
Mr Smooth, you can't oppress the truth as it isn't a person or group of people. You can suppress the truth though.
Besides I think you've kind of missed the point. I'm thrilled to see the Other Campaign being reported on by IMC Chiapas and indymedia.org. I have no problem with a story being posted into the 'elsewhere' part of the Aotearoa site.
The thing is if every IMC starts posting news from every other country as features (which is the function of indymedia.org) then the logic of indymedia as a global news network reporting on their own local issues breaks down.
I'm sorry to have distracted discussion away from the Other Campaign itself but as far as I know there is no indymedia site for discussing and critiquing Indymedia itself.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
Besides, it also reinforces the western anti-globalisation fetish for the Zaps.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
it's not a fetish (=obsession, fixation) if you support people who struggle for freedom, justice and democracy. that is called solidarity.
there just happen to be a lot of people in southern mexico who are quite keen to fight for a life free of oppression and exploitation. if revolutionary activities start heating up in the hutt valley and in wigram, i'm sure indymedia will be writing kgs of features on it...
i think as activists of 'the north' we have to know what our sisters and brothers are doing in 'the south'. Indymedia is a radical media network that came out of the movement against neo-liberalism (the first IMC was set up in 1999 in Seattle for the protests against the World Trade Organisation meeting) that was kicked off to a large extent by the indigenous people of southern mexico in their struggle against the North American Free Trade Agreement. It's crucial to know that this is a global movement and i think the aotearoa indymedia centre can support this global thinking by adapting features that don't necessarily relate to aotearoa but definitely relate to our movement.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
"it's not a fetish (=obsession, fixation) if you support people who struggle for freedom, justice and democracy. that is called solidarity"
Sure, and we should support them, no qualms with that! The issue is, though, that the Zaps have become the pin-up indigenous movement within the anti-globalization movement - to the exclusion of other (indigenous) movements.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
i'm just wearing my new ezln t-shirt - yay for zapatista paraphernalia! YA BASTA!
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
"The issue is, though, that the Zaps have become the pin-up indigenous movement within the anti-globalization movement - to the exclusion of other (indigenous) movements."
In some ways I do agree with you. However, many activists amongst the "anti-globalisation movement" are also highly interested in other indigenous movements from the South, such as the Landless Peoples' Movement or MST in Brazil.
I wish more people in Aotearoa knew about some of the indigenous movements closer to home in the Pacific, such as the OPM who are fighting for an end to the brutal occupation of their homeland West Papua by the Indonesian military and their multinational corporation backers, who've plundered Papua of its natural resources.
Re: Mexico, the Other Campaign Begins!
"The thing is if every IMC starts posting news from every other country as features (which is the function of indymedia.org) then the logic of indymedia as a global news network reporting on their own local issues breaks down."
Hmmm, I don't see the problem. It is not inconsistent with the Editorial Policy (fits entirely with Newswire subsection)- the feature page is hardly inundated with overseas articles. Besides, the Zaps and their revolutionary utilisation of media is integral to indymedia genealogy.
Point taken though about coverage of other indigenous groups though - good debate.