An invitation for the First Plenary Session of the Other Campaign
Originally published in
Spanish by the EZLN
*************************************
Translated by irlandesa
Zapatista
Army of National Liberation
To
all those who signed on to the Sixth Declaration of the Selva
Lacandona:
SUBJECT:
Invitation
Compañeros and compañeras:
Greetings. We are verrrry
happy. In fact, we haven't been this happy since we survived the
First
- I'm writing in order to formally invite you to the First Plenary Session of
the "Other Campaign." The authorities, compañeros and compañeras, of
the MAREZ of the Selva Tzeltal
region and of the Good Government Junta, have accepted our request that La Garrucha Caracol be the site of
this meeting. La Garrucha is just where it is (about
two hours from Ocosingo, heading towards San Quintín - the compas at Frayba have now made a sketch that's so exact even the
potholes are marked), and it's easy to identify these days: according to what
they're telling me, compañeros
and compañeras
are already arriving from all over to participate in the plenary, so it's the
place where there's a lot of commotion going on.
Second
- Arrival is on September 15 (they inform me that on the night of the 15th the
Good Government Junta will give the Grito) or, if you
arrive later, on the afternoon of September 16. Inauguration will be on
September 16 starting at 8 PM. Afterwards there will be a large
artistic-cultural fiesta where everyone who wants to can participate with
songs, music, poetry, theatrical pieces, performances or whatever. On the next
day, September 17, after having something for breakfast, the work will begin,
and it will continue throughout the day, with the necessary recesses for
eating, satisfying primary biological needs, counseling, gossiping, promoting
schisms, swearing, sabotaging the vanity of the slim ones by eating some
fat-filled meat pies, criticizing what you see or don't see, etcetera. If we
don't finish on the 17th, we'll give you as much as we can of Sunday, the 18th.
Third
- Thanks to the compas
of Chiapas Indymedia, one may (I think) follow what's
going on in the plenary, almost simultaneously, by Internet. I don't understand
very well, but these compas
are going to "upload" what's going on to
"Chiapas.indymedia.org", and there the alternative media act like
"mirrors", and if you go to their pages you can find out what's
happening. In addition to Indymedia, they'll be on
the Revista Rebeldía and
FZLN webpages.
Fourth
- As they then say, the program of activities will be as follows:
Thursday,
the 15th and Friday, the 16th of September
-
Registration of delegates, observers, press, informers, spies, detractors,
those jealous and envious of the meeting's success, etcetera.
Friday,
September 16
- 8
PM. Welcome, inauguration and opening words from the EZLN. Definition of the
discussion points of the agenda, of their order, of the rules of participation,
and such. Afterwards, artistic-cultural-dance celebration.
Saturday, September 17
-
9:30 AM - Beginning of the work of the Plenary
according to the agenda and procedures agreed to.
-
12:00 - Recess for pozol.
-
12:30 - Resumption of work.
-
-
-
-
7:30 PM - Resumption of work
The
rest of the 17th and whatever necessary of the 18th
-
Indefinite timetable - Plenary work
Fifth
- In its role as organizer, the EZLN proposes the following procedures:
1.
- In its presentation on September 16, the Sixth Commission of the EZLN will
present its rough plan for the departure of the Zapatista delegation, and it
will formally hand over the "Other Campaign" to all the supporters of
the Sexta, including to the EZLN (not like at the CND
in 1994, when we turned it over, but with the "Other Campaign" we are
also going to be included, at no cost and tax free). Then, the full assembly
will decide whether the Zapatista delegation will continue presiding throughout
the session or name another table (or whatever they call those who will be
speaking, taking notes, aren't able to sleep while others are speaking, nor go
to the bathroom, nor daydream, nor make faces when they don't agree with what
someone is saying). After this, we'll all be happy, because then we'll know
that next comes the music, dance, theatre, painting, poetry and the etceteras
(which always go far beyond the most detailed list).
2.
- The EZLN proposes that, unlike the way in which the preparation meetings were
held (anyone could participate, presentations without time or subject limits),
in this plenary session, during the debate on the various points, only those
who have subscribed to the Sexta can participate
(because there are some who are still deciding whether yes or no, who haven't
yet committed themselves to entering), the presentations can't exceed 5 minutes
per speaker, and they should refer strictly to the point of discussion. The
EZLN proposes that those who go overtime and begin to digress be booed with a unanimity even greater than the boredom provoked by the
PAN candidates or be urged in some way to not go too far.
3.
- The EZLN proposes that the agenda points which are agreed be discussed one by
one, that each discussion does not end in a vote (because all the supporters
will not be attending, and we have to take everyone's' thoughts into
consideration, even if they're not at this meeting), but in a proposal reached
by the assembly through consensus, and that this proposal be sent to all those
who have entered in, and then it can be decided by everyone. Of course, here in
the assembly those who so decided will have already been announced, but it will
not be resolved until everyone has been consulted. We won't go on to the next
point, then, until there's consensus on a proposal or the options are clearly
defined for asking everyone their opinions on those options. Hmmm...it's
a bit confusing and messy, but I believe more or less understandable, and, in
any event, we'll explain it more at the meeting.
Sixth
- After listening to everyone who participated in the preparation meetings and
to those who expressed their opinions in a letter or to Revista Rebeldía (and selecting only what refers
to the "Other Campaign", because many presentations were about the
National Program of Struggle and about the New Constitution), the Sixth
Committee of the EZLN proposes the following points (in the order in which we
shall specify below), in order to discuss and decide:
-
Concerning the ratification, expansion or modification of the characteristics
of the "Other Campaign" proposed in the Sixth Declaration: civil and
pacific; national; anti-capitalist; of the left; with another way of doing
politics; favoring listening; recognizing the limits of one's own actions and
the need to join with other struggles; towards a National Program of Struggle
and a new constitution; learning about the struggles and resistances which are
taking place throughout the country, being in solidarity with them, helping
them and learning from them and with them; respecting the organizations,
groups, collectives and individuals in their methods of work, decision-making,
demands, strategies and tactics; seeking, always based
on mutual respect, to link struggles and organizations; learning about and
helping the struggles for humanity and against neoliberalism which are taking
place throughout the world.
-
Concerning who is being convened and who is not. Or who can enter in and who
cannot.
-
Concerning the organizational structure of the "Other Campaign." How
we are going to organize ourselves for the "Other Campaign," each and
everyone's place and how we are all going to relate to each other.
-
Concerning the special place of differences in the "Other Campaign: - Indigenas, Women, Other Loves and Affections (homosexuals,
lesbians, transsexuals, and everyone in their own way, and what is called
"free preference or sexual orientation," but, as we understand from
what they have explained to us during the preparation meetings, the question
isn't just sexual), Young People, Boys and Girls and Others.
-
Concerning the "Other Campaign's" position vis-à-vis other
organizational efforts (Promotora,
Frentote, National Dialogues).
-
Concerning the immediate tasks - information, propaganda and dissemination;
artistic and cultural; against repression; solidarity and support; study;
theoretical analysis and discussion; discussion and debate about the national
situation, the struggles and resistances in our country, institutional
politics, the election, struggles in the world.
-
Concerning what has been sent us to make note of, group together or mark as
points to be discussed and/or defined.
Compañeros and compañeras:
These
are the proposals we are making. However, we want to make it clear that we are
not forcing you to do it like this, but other things and changes can be
proposed, and then we'll all decide together.
Lastly,
let me give you a few practical recommendations:
-
We want to remind you that the consumption of alcohol and drugs is prohibited
in the Zapatista communities.
-
Bring rubber boots - it's raining a lot, and when we dance, it turns into a lot
of mud.
-
Also bring your plastic sheeting, rain cape, raincoat or something to protect
you from the rain.
-
If you naively think that some product is going to protect you from the
mosquitoes and chaquiste,
you're completely wrong, but go ahead, try it.
-
Those who so desire, feel free to embrace your difference.
-
Don't forget to bring something to eat. There will be small kiosks, but who
knows whether there will be enough for everyone who comes. If not, they can
throw more water into the beans (in case it's just raining a bit too much).
-
Bring a notebook and pen so you can take notes and then fully inform your
organizations and collectives.
Vale. Salud and, hmmm...now it does
look like everything is getting complicated.
From
the mountains of the Mexican Southeast
By
the Sixth Committee of the EZLN
Subcomandante Insurgente
Marcos
Discriminatory
PS - Everyone who's chubby will be received with a big smile and various
expressions of sympathy. Those who are slim will be treated with distant
coolness and looked upon with disapproval and gestures of clear displeasure.
PS
Which Honors the Tradition of the Left of Becoming Divided As Soon As Possible
- It is rumored that the creation of a faction inside the "Other
Campaign" is brewing. It calls itself the "Panzer [panza: belly] Division
of the Sexta," its slogan is "Cellulitis, yes, anorexia, no," and it meets at a
locale where there's a sign at the entrance that warns: "Warning: Curves
Ahead." According to sources which cannot be revealed, the Sup is one of
the promoters, and he's planning on showing up at the plenary in one of those
shirts called "belly-button", thus confidently flaunting the belly
which so scandalizes the right...and the (impossible) center.