Originally published in Spanish by Enlace Civil, A.C.
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Translated by irlandesa

From: Enlace Civil, A.C. [email protected]
Date: Thursday, August 29 2002 19:15:55 -0500

August 28, 2002.

Brothers and sisters from the communities of Reforma K'an Akil and from all those communities belonging to the official municipal seat of Chilón, Chiapas.

Representatives from the communities of the Autonomous Municipalities of Primero de Enero, Olga Isabel, Che Guevara, 17 de Noviembre, Vicente Guerrero, Lucio Cabañas and Miguel Hidalgo have come here to the community of K'an Akil because an assassination was committed here. They have killed a compañero of ours who was participating in the process of autonomy. Compañero Antonio Mejía was threatened, persecuted and assassinated by a group of paramilitaries who operate in this region, and whom the government knows about and calls "The Aguilares" band. They killed compañero Antonio Mejia, from the community of K'an Akil, for being from the Autonomous Municipality, for being a zapatista, for demanding the fulfillment of the San Andrés Accords, which is the demand for the recognition of our rights and culture.

Compañero Antonio was assassinated at the hands of paramilitaries. This is not the only incident, because on August 7 our compañero José López Santiz was also assassinated at the hands of businessmen and ranchers. We also want to remember the three martyrs of Morelia, compañeros Ermelindo, Siberiano and Sebastián, who were assassinated by the Federal Army. We remember compañera Guadalupe, similarly assassinated at the hands of the police and Public Security. We remember compañero Alonso Gómez Ramírez, assassinated at the hands of paramilitaries in the community of Abasolo.

The governments have still done nothing to clear up these crimes or to punish those responsible. This is not fair, because we all deserve respect, and no one has the right to take away the life of anyone who is fighting for their people and for life.

We came to tell you not to allow murderous people to live among you and in your communities. Do not become their accomplices. We are holding the municipal, state and federal governments responsible for these assassinations, as well as the paramilitaries, the Public Security police and the federal army.

All of us who have come here are from Autonomous Municipalities, we have our own committees, and we are not going to allow our compañeros to continue to die, nor for their deaths to remain forgotten. We, the Autonomous Municipalities, have denounced threats and harassment by these paramilitary groups many times, but the government has not done anything against them. That is why we are here to fight for justice. This incident of assassination must be resolved and the guilty punished.

We came to say that compañero Antonio is not alone, that our compañeros and compañeras from the community of K'an Akil are not alone, that our compañeros who are living in every community in the Olga Isabel Autonomous Municipality in Rebellion are not alone.

Basta with the threats and harassment towards our compañeros!

We demand respect for our struggle and our form of organization!

We are calling on Civil Society, on those engaged in human rights, and on all our brothers and sisters, to help us fight for justice.

Out of these communities, assassins and paramilitaries!
Vivan the fallen compañeros!

Fraternally,

The Autonomous Municipalities of Primero de Enero, Che Guevara, Olga Isabel, 17 de Noviembre, Vicente Guerrero; Lucio Cabañas and Miguel Hidalgo.