Threats in the Canadas and Mirage in San Quinti'n

Hermann Bellinghausen, correspondent
La Jornada
Tuesday, April 25, 2000.

Two Illustrations of the Militarized Peace in Chiapas
Following the brief Holy Week "truce," the low overflights have been renewed above the zapatista Aguascalientes and various communities in resistance. While in San Quinti'n one can observe a unique phenomenon of 'hospitality' between the indigenous locals and the Mexican Army troops, in the Canadas there is the daily experience of threats, anxiety and danger.

Above La Realidad and La Garrucha, the helicopters are suspended at a low altitude. Yesterday, above La Realidad, a civilian man was leaning out one side of the helicopter, and behind him another, also a civilian, was pointing out places and locations. The indigenous say they could almost see his face, it was flying so low.
Just prior to the vacation week, when civil society caravans arrived in the communities, the air patrols had turned alarming, even for the indigenous who are "immune" to the military harassment. Now the reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters are the concrete form of the social peace which officials 'sold' to the US ambassador during his visit to the state during the very special "truce" days. Everything for the tourists, including Ambassador Davidow and his delegation.

Fortress in the Selva
When it is said, and it is said frequently, that "nothing is happening" in Chiapas, it is worth taking a look at San Quinti'n. In this Tzeltal community - the apex of the highways that are now permanently cut through the ca~adas and seat of the largest Mexican Army citadel on Indian lands - it certainly does seem that "nothing is happening." Or, said in another way: here "it has already happened." It is happening.

In the Selva Lacandona, place names do not forgive. And so, as La Realidad exists, there is also a San Quinti'n. In the latter, an unpredictable arsenal sleeps, pointed towards the zapatista communities. From here, the network of operational bases begins which forms a vast triangle throughout the canadas, with Monte Li'bano at one end, and Comitan at the other (passing through Ocosingo and Altamirano). Within this triangle has materialized the threat of 'a sanquintin' on a closed set.

Just five years ago San Quinti'n was a large place, primarily PRI, and more or less indulged by the regime, devoted to rural work. Today, the main income of the people comes from a military populace, which is now double the number of the indigenous, and which assure a market. They also receive, obviously, incentives from Progresa and from all the government programs one could possibly imagine. It is a pilot community, and one can feel it. It has become filled with ladino intermediaries who run shops, bars and brothels.

Even here poverty and extreme inequalities persist, but, since the Army arrived, life has changed. Divorced from their zapatista and ariquero (from the ARIC) neighbors of Amador Hernandez, Betania and Emiliano Zapata in a way they never were previously, the Sanquintineros are experiencing the mirage of the militarized peace.

It already happened to the local girls prostituting themselves, frequently due to a family decision, against any indigenous tradition, at least in these deep regions.
Throughout the area, soldiers are holding the best waters of the mighty river and the many lakes. The Jatate', the Perlas, the Euseba. They set up permanent camps there which have proliferated, by the dozen, throughout the canadas.

They are trying to open a beachhead in Miramar now, despite ejidal rights, like they have in so many other places. The lake of Santa Ana - up till now closed off between the forests and the last to remain clean - will soon be linked to Vicente Guerrero, in Las Margaritas, by a highway that is being directly built by the Mexican Army, and which will not benefit any communities.

These kinds of roads - whose advantage for the indigenous population is not clear - are the ones that are increasing the most. One example is the route that will join Vicente Guerrero with San Juan, in Ocosingo, on the other side of the Jatate' River. No communities along its path asked for it or need it, but it will close the circle around the area of La Realidad and its Aguascalientes. Triangle within triangle, this highway will circle a beltway which is useful only in the short term: paving the road of war.

The landing strip at San Quinti'n is equipped to receive large aircraft for troop transportation. And they need it. In the neighboring barracks of Euseba, Guadalupe Tepeyac and La Sultana, the Mexican Army is constructing buildings, self-service shops, offices. They are using five times the amount of bricks, concrete and labor as are the schools or clinics.

The investment in roads and construction inside the Selva area seems to be comparable only to the war equipment: tanks, helicopters, armed personnel carriers, battalions deployed for combat.

Almost every community along the routes leading to San Quinti'n from the urban areas of Ocosingo, Comitan and Frontera have a military barracks erected to one side, and many of them are functioning as checkpoints. Vehicles are registered at least four times. Photographs are taken, registration files are filled with a mountain of facts which have nothing to do with the federal Firearms and Explosive Law, which forms the legal basis for these checkpoints. But who cares here, in San Quinti'n? This is the new custom.

Drink, illegal businesses, the law of the strongest: official peace.

Translated by irlandesa