In the last two weeks, the conflict in Chiapas has escalated, culminating in confrontations, forced displacement and the murders of 3 Zapatistas. The Human Rights Center 'Fray Bartolome de las Casas' reports that the number dead is 5. Old paramilitary groups have reactivated, while others, like the OPDIC, have appeared publicly for the first time. The paramilitaries' actions have been complimented by the deployment of hundreds of additional Mexican soldiers throughout the "canyon" region of Chiapas. The Mexican Army has advanced its positions throughout the conflict zone, establishing new check points and bases, ensuring the movement of paramilitary groups. Several Zapatista communities have fled because of paramilitary violence, while others are currently occupied by the Mexican army. This latest round of displacement occurred on the heals of the United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons, Dr. Francis M. Deng's visit to Chiapas.

The appearance and reactivation of paramilitary groups is reminiscent to the conditions of fall 1997, prior to the massacre at Acteal. These actions represent an escalation not yet witnessed during the Fox administration and mark a new stage of counter-insurgency warfare against Zapatista communities. Coincidently, the recent wave of violence has occurred primarily in and around the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. The predominately Zapatista communities located Montes Azules have been accused of environmental crimes and are under threat of "relocation."

These recent events seriously threaten the fragile peace process in Chiapas, which has been hindered since the passage of the Indigenous Rights and Culture counter-reform law in 2001. Continued paramilitary and military violence will only exacerbate the already tense situation. Human rights groups in Mexico are calling on the Mexican government to take urgent steps demilitarize indigenous communities and to punish and dismantle paramilitary groups before the peace process can resume.