Indigenous Zoque Communities in Chiapas Mobilize against Extractive Industries

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas.  June 22.  “We have organized ourselves into an indigenous movement of resistance and in defense of life and mother earth,” said the Zoque people of the central and northern parts of Chiapas.  They arrived this morning to the capital of Chiapas after embarking on a caravan from the municipality of Copainalá.  At the entrance of Tuxtla, they were received by members of the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE – from Sections 7 and 40), the Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (MODEVITE) and other social organizations.  Also present were students that accompanied them to the central plaza of the capital.

“The most direct threat,” proclaimed the indigenous peoples from Chiapas, is the opening of bids through an international and public auction known as round 2.2 for the concessions of 12 wells for natural gas and oil extraction.  This began in August of 2016 being carried out by the Secretary of Energy (SENER).  A total of 84,500 hectares from nine municipalities in the north of Chiapas would be used for the extraction of natural gas “through the dispossession and environmental contamination of Zoque territory,” said the marchers.

In a crowded gathering, the indigenous people, also members of the Pueblo Creyente movement (Faithful People, a movement based in liberation theology), denounced the threat against their territory from the eleven mining concessions authorized by the government (which amounts to 70,000 hectares).  Of those, already in operation are mines owned by tycoon Carlos Slim in Solosuchiapa; the expansion of the Chicoasen dam; a geothermal project in the Chiconal volcano; as well as dams in Ocotepec and Chapultenango.

Another risk from hydrocarbon projects in Zoque territory is that they would change the use of the soil that today is dedicated to agriculture, turning it over to industrial use. This of course would put at risk the availability of water and the natural balance of the territory, said the marchers.  Beginning in September 2016, “the SENER has feigned a process of consultation with the communities, but in reality it has not consulted all of those affected,” they said.

El Pueblo Creyente Zoque in Defense of Life and Territory demanded that the state government of Velasco Coello and the government of Peña Nieto respect community self-consultation and free self-determination; the removal of blocks 10 and 11 of the auction round 2.2 being lead by SENER; the rejection of concessions for fossil fuel wells; the immediate cancelation of mining concessions, dam expansions and geothermal projects.  “We declare ourselves in permanent defense of Zoque territory of Chiapas,” assured the dissidents.

For their part, MODEVITE signaled that it is not acceptable for so many threats to exist against indigenous peoples, declaring their total support to María de Jesús Patricio, spokeswoman of the Indigenous Government Council (CIG) of the National Indigenous Congress (CNI), in her proposal to organize from below.

In turn, the Abejas de Acteal stood in solidarity with the Zoque people: “We salute and respect the struggle and march-pilgrimage that you are carrying out at this moment in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez. You are not alone. Although we are not there with you physically, our heart and thoughts walk and struggle with you.” This sentiment was expressed in a communiqué which they issue on the 22nd of every month to demand truth, memory and justice for the 1997 massacre in Acteal.