Communal Government of Chilón, Chiapas: For the Defense of Life and Mother Earth

A statement shared by the Communal Government of Chilón, Chiapas, following a march in the municipality, outlining their activities, concerns, and demands. It was published on Radio Zapatista and translated by Scott Campbell.

Chilón, Chiapas, on March 9, 2024

To the national and international organizations
To the original peoples of Mexico and the world
To the defenders of Indigenous and human rights
To the independent media
To the people in general

We are the Communal Government of the municipality of Chilón, belonging to the original Tzeltal people. Our struggle began more than six years ago with the objective of creating an alternative path to that of the system of political parties. Today we conclude the visits to our 11 Attention Centers distributed throughout the municipality: Bachajpon, Palma Xanahil, Patwits, San Antonio Bulujib, Ch’ich’, Ahlan Sac Hun, Lázaro Cárdenas, Pamanabil, Sacun Palma, San Jerónimo T’ulih’a and Chilón, where we held 11 assemblies in which we had the opportunity to listen to our people and to inform them about our proposal for struggle and for life.

With pain and indignation, we listened to the various problems that the communities continue living through, and how our brothers and sisters are facing them. We note that the clandestine sale of alcohol and drugs has increased in the communities, which has caused the deaths of innocents and the destruction of families. We warn with concern about the increase in organized crimes cells and their collusion with the political party system. Election year has begun and the political campaigns have already shown their corrupt ways, going so far as to hand out alcohol at their events, intoxicating and manipulating the public. We said it from the start and we repeat it: political parties split, divide, and subjugate the people.

Upon seeing and feeling in our hearts the suffering of our communities, we forcefully declare that we will continue building paths of life rooted in our autonomy.

Today we affirm that as Indigenous peoples we are called to fight for the right to self-determination and thus strengthen the origins of our peoples. We promote the collective over the individual, we defend our cultural roots against the dispossession of our identity, we fight for Mother Earth in the face of the extractivist threat.

We will continue being the legitimate Communal Government, although legally our right has been held up by the Electoral Institute of Citizen Participation, a body that in 2017 received our request to exercise our right to self-determination yet, nonetheless, as the facts have shown, has displayed favoritism towards political parties by not keeping its word to hold informative assemblies, a community consultation, and by the kidnapping of the anthropologists who came to carry out a cultural study. But Communal Government is more than just recognition from electoral institutions. Today we are present in 11 strategic points in the municipality of Chilón, where different communal positions provide their services with good will, not in the pursuit of a salary, because our feelings and the beating of our hearts are in the struggle and defense of the rights of the people. The communal in our governance is that we don’t have a single head that presides over the movement, but rather a gathering of councilmembers, chosen by their regions, who represent the feeling of their people.

Today we call on those who share in our struggle to join in our demands that seek to build a more harmonious present.

1. We demand the recognition to exercise our rights as Indigenous peoples
2. We demand respect for the rights of territory and mother earth
3. The right to informed and prior consultation for original peoples
4. Dignified life for girls, boys, and youths
5. Yes to communal organization, no to the entry of organized crime
6. Absolute rejection of the militarization of our towns and territories

For life and for peace, political parties never again!!

Communal Government Chilón, Chiapas