Acteal

On December 22, 1997, paramilitary forces descended on the villages of Acteal, in the highlands of Chiapas, and opened fire on a group of townspeople attending a prayer meeting. 45 people were killed, including 18 women and 17 children. It is widely believed that the paramilitary forces were acting in the interests of the government and that they targeted this village because its governing body, Las Abejas, was believed to be aligned with the Zapatistas (whose movement the government was actively working to contain and repress during that time period). Last Monday, September 15th, I had the opportunity to visit the town of Acteal, speak with Antonio Gutierrez, the current head of the Las Abejas regional political body, and bear witness at their memorial site for the victims of the massacre.

I traveled to Acteal in the back of a truck with my friend Hector. When we descended from the truck at Acteal, we saw at the road’s edge a “Pillar of Shame” statue erected to serve as a memory of the massacre. Similar pillars have been erected in other parts of the world where other “shameful” events have occurred, such as in Tiananmen Square.

We followed a staircase to descend to the town center, where there is a pavilion (where events are held once a month commemorating the massacre), a church, and the building that houses “Mesa Directiva,” or governing body of Las Abejas. A meeting was in progress, but the men agreed to meet with us to answer any questions when they were finished. We waited until they were done but, before meeting with us, they invited us to share the mid-day meal with them - a beautiful act of generosity.

When we sat down and spoke with Antonio, he shared with us his vision for indigenous rights and self-determination, based in their identity as Mexicans and their Mayan roots. While Las Abejas do support the Zapatista increased indigenous autonomy and rights within the Mexican political structure, Antonio emphasized that they are not Zapatistas. Las Abejas have renounced the Zapatista’s use of force to achieve their goals, instead advocating for a pacifist and Biblically-inspired path. He also spoke their participation in the wider struggle for human rights and freedom for oppressed people all over the world. For example, he mentioned to me that he stands in solidarity with the struggle of African Americans in the U.S.

Although the Acteal massacre occurred over 10 years ago, justice has yet to be served to the prepetrators. The paramilitaries arrested after the massacre have been being held in the capital of the city, but the case has been stalled. Some believe that this delay is, in part, a strategy of the government to allow more time to find ways to get the accused "off the hook." Nevertheless, with increased pressure from advocacy agencies and civilians, the case was re-opened this past July. So there is renewed hope that some justice will be served. Nevertheless, there is no and has not been any judicial case against the PRI government in power at the time of the massacre, even though many believe was the true responsible party that called for the massacre.

Another aspect of the current situation is that Las Abejas still struggle with the Mexican government, and have not received formal recognition from them. They have decided not to involve themselves in government projects, such as the government health care system, because they do not want to be forced to participate in a Western-style system that doesn’t align with their indigenous values. Nevertheless, they assert their identity as Mexicans and believe they have a right to receive support from the government to create their own, self-determined structures. Ideally, they would like to be able to receive support from the government so they can build self-determined health, judicial, and educational systems. They recognize that avoiding the use of government systems often puts them at a more marginalized and disadvantaged state, but they firmly believe in their vision and will not compromise their long-term goals for short-term gain.

After meeting with Antonio, another member of the governing body took us on a short tour of the memorial site of the massacre. He showed us the bullet holes in the old church, the rock crevice where the people hid in an attempt to escape, and the pictures and memorial plaques with the names of each of the victims. Although of course the massacre would be a colossal disgrace even if all the people killed were active leaders of the political group Las Abejas, which has some friction with the Mexican government, what is even more shocking is that the victims were ordinary civilians, targeted only because of their position as villagers of town of Acteal.

The visit to Acteal was an eye-opening experience. It was very moving to bear witness to the horrible injustice that occurred there in 1997, and to think about the way that innocent marginalized people the world over fall victim to acts of violence and oppression. It was also inspiring to see the commitment of Las Abejas to keep on in the struggle for social justice, for themselves and all citizens of the world, even in the face of increased poverty, indifference, a slew of other challenges. All of my respect for the people of Acteal. We will never forget.