A vigil for peace and a toolkit for action
This past weekend, July 13-16th, organizations, collectives and individuals around the globe held ceremonies, performances, teach-ins, and rallies to denounce President López Obrador’s denial and dismissal of the storm darkening the skies over Chiapas. These actions were specifically organized to call for an end to the incessant attacks against the peaceful autononomous Zapatista communities, but also to draw attention to the mounting insecurity felt in Chiapas and around the country.
Demonstrations of solidarity and resistance from the many corners of Mexico represented in the National Indigenous Congress, the rebellious Abya Yala and Slumil K’ajxemk’op (unsubmissive Europe) organized to deploy information campaigns on the ongoing crisis, and to call on the current administration to acknowledge responsibility for and address the violence in Chiapas.
In San Cristóbal de las Casas, we gathered in ceremony to build an altar to peace, and to share from the heart.
And in Sendas, the community gathered to participate in the board game. Autonomía Zapatista (Zapatista Autonomy). All were invited to join.
AUTONOMÍA ZAPATISTA is a collaborative board game. Those who play must collaborate to build autonomy in a Zapatista territory, achieving the 13 demands and following the 7 principles of mandar obedeciendo. 
Compañerxs form a caracol in front of the Cathedral in San Cristóbal. 
A vigil for peace in the Plaza de la Paz in San Cristóbal de las Casas. 
Illuminated altar reads “Stop the War” A graphic is projected on the wall of the Cathedral.
In its communiqué, the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) pointed out that the war “imposed by the United States, and deepened by Felipe Calderón” (the so-called War on Drugs which was taken up by the Calderón administration in 2006) had now spread to the entire territory of Mexico. And not unlike said administration, the flippant and remarks by López Obrador that the conflicts were “between communities,” signals that the President intends to continue to deny any responsibility for the flames that now engulf Chiapas. And so we say to that:
Chiapas is Mexico. It is a mirror of the panorama of exploitation, dispossession, organized crime and violence happening nationwide, and we join networks of people in resistance to denounce that, contrary to the current administration’s assertions that everything is “handled,” security conditions are worsening around the state.
We, across the globe, see the negligence and impunity granted by the three levels of government that exacerbates this violence.
Compañeras, compañeros, and compañer@s, from our geographies in the United States, we see it as our responsibility to visibilize this, and to not let it be minimized.
In response to ongoing attacks on Zapatista communities, and a mounting violence in Chiapas, we expect to need to make more NOISE on many levels. We know that our action must continue, and we invite you to volunteer with us!
PLEASE SIGN ON NOW!
Our days of action continue and adding your name only gives more strength to our (very polite) demands.
Should you want to write your own, even better!
We share this letter sent to the Mexican Ambassador to use as a guide. You can download an editable version here.
As Raúl Romero points out in “Postcards from the War. Part II” Chiapas is an outpost of the struggle that we all hold dear. That struggle is for life with peace, justice and dignity. For all that the compas Zapatistas have shared with us, we collectively defend this territory and demand “STOP the War on the Zapatista Peoples!”
Thank you so much for all that you do.