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 section 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 threat is direct”, proclaimed the Indigenous peoples from Chiapas. It 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 of nine municipalities in the north of Chiapas would be used for the extraction of natural gas “through the dispossession and environmental contamination of the Zoque territory”, said the marchers.
In a crowded gathering, the Indigenous people, also members of the movement of the Pueblo Creyente, denounced the threat against their territory by the eleven mining concessions authorized by the government (what signifies 70,000 hectares). Of the 70,000 hectares, in operation are mines of the tycoon Carlos Slim in Solosuchiapa; the expansion of the damn Chicoasen; a geothermal project in the volcano Chiconal; as well as dams in Ocotepec and Chapultenango.
Another risk of the 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 into risk the availability of water and the natural balance of the territory, said the marchers. Beginning in September of 2016, “the SENER has imitated a consultation process in the communities, but in reality 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 self-consultation and free self-determination; the removal of blocks 10 and 11 of the auction round 2.2 being lead by SENER; the refusal of the concessions of wells for the extraction of hydrocarbons; the immediate cancelation of mining concessions, expansion of dams and geothermic projects. “We declare ourselves in permanent defense of the Zoque territory of Chiapas”, assured the dissidents.
For their part, MODEVITE signaled that it is not possible so many threats exist toward the 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 their proposal to organize themselves from below.
For their part, the Abejas de Acteal committed their solidarity to the Zoque people: “We salute and respect the struggle and march-pilgrimage that they are carrying out at this moment in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez. They 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 produce on the 22 of every month to demand truth, memory and justice for the massacre of 1997.
Translated from the original here: http://www.pozol.org/?p=15493
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