MEXICO: A Year of Change in Chiapas
Life in the Southern Mexican state of Chiapas changed dramatically this year after the emergence of a popularly based insurgence movement last Jan.1.
This mountainous area bordering Guatemala has been under constant tension over the past twelve months, which together with the current presence of hundreds of foreign correspondents has changed the patterns of daily life.
Although rich in natural resources, Chiapas has the worst rates of malnutrition, illiteracy and medical attention in Mexico.
The state has a strong economy based on petroleum and timber, cattle ranching, manufacturing and (normally) tourism, and produces half of all Mexican electricity, which the bulk of the local population goes without - also lacking sanitation, drinking water and other basic services.
Interviews with ranchers, farm workers and business owners in San Cristobal - the third city of Chiapas, with a population of 100,000 - revealed various attitudes toward the conflict.
Coffee grower Humberto Chavarro summed up the opinion of the rich land owners and businessmen regarding the presence of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN), saying 'they have caused us many problems, and have done a lot of damage.'
This sector, which calls its association 'the antizapatistas,' firmly oppose the rebels, rejecting anything that 'smells of communism', especially after the rebels seized and redistributed tracts of their land.
Cesar Pascasio, who owns less than a hectare of land, has a different opinion. 'At least the Zapatistas have made the lack of justice known,' he said.
The indigenous people of this area have been persecuted since colonial times, when Bartolome de las Casas unsuccessfully tried to protect them from exploitation in the 16th century.
Many of the local rural population deny being Zapatistas, but the success of the recent EZLN campaigns make it clear that the rebels are widely supported, although harbouring insurgents can result in beatings, expulsions and military occupations.
The Red Cross estimates that after the forced displacement of 60,000 people in the first days of the conflict, an additional 20,000 have fled their homes, yet the population of San Cristobal has remained the same.
While the poor working sector and businessmen moan of fewer customers, hotel owners discuss the 'new opportunities,' especially the influx of reporters.
© Inter Press Service (1994) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service