MSG085G/01E MEXICO: Army Reopens Roads, Governor Denies Rebel Involvement
MEXICO CITY, Dic 19 (IPS) - The Mexican army began on Monday to reopen the roads that had been blockaded by rebel forces, which Chiapas governor Eduardo Robeldo said had been cut off by "peasant organisation sympathisers," contradicting earlier claims made by the insurgents.
Robeldo's version was repeated by Secretary of Government of Chiapas, Eraclio Zepeda, who said the action claimed by the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) was a "peaceful mobilisation by citizens who without a doubt have civic and political complaints."
The EZLN had reported in a press conference early Monday that the roadblocks were a renewal of the "indigenous rebellion" that began in January, which ended with a truce after 1,000 were killed, 3,000 wounded, and some 60,000 people were forced to flee their homes.
No clashes were reported on Monday between the army and the peasants, the majority of whom wore bandanas to hide their identity and carried machetes or firearms, Robeldo admitted.
Reporters in the area said that some 400 heavily armed government troops cleared the roads of logs and stones, and met no resistance and made no arrests.
Other reports indicated that some 50 peasants affiliated with the EZLBN had burned down the municipal building in the town of Simojovel, which the guerrillas declared under rebel control.
Samuel Ruiz, Bishop of San Cristobal De las Casas, called for an immediate reestablishing of talks between the government and the EZLN, and announced that he will begin a hunger strike and prayers for peace.
Meanwhile, in Congress, the centre-left Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), which had agreed to participate in a multi-party negociation commission, suggested that the plan be "put on hold" until the situation becomes more clear.
The EZLN has rejected the idea of a commission that would include the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which together with the right-of-centre National action party (PAN), criticised the rebels' position and called for negotiations.
The Mexican stock market also responded to the heating up of the conflict, with shares falling four percent for the day.
© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service