The News Mexico
February 28, 2002
By Janet Leslie Schwartz and Armando Saliba

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Chiapas - Indians living in Chiapas' Lancandon rainforest have filed a human rights complaint claiming the government plans to forcefully remove them from their land to open up the region to natural resource exploration by foreign companies.

"While the state and federal governments talk and mask their intentions with legality, the federal army and paramilitary groups are acting and preparing (our) removal through violent means," leaders of the Ricardo Flores Magon Autonomous Rebel Municipality said in a communiqué.

Detailing evidence of the government's plans, the leaders representing 49 indigenous communities aligned with the Zapatista National Liberation Army said surveillance helicopters fly over their communities almost daily taking video footage and photographs of their villages. They argue government-backed paramilitaries are collecting strategic information for federal and state secretariats.

In addition, the rebel group claims both the army and federal Attorney General's Office have already begun operations to surround the communities and setup stations in the region. It sent an 11-page report documenting its complaints to the International Civil Commission for the Observation of Human Rights.

The autonomous rebel municipality also blamed multinational interests for pressuring Mexican officials to remove the Indians and allow for private investment in the forest.

"Today, the interests of multinational companies have become stronger and they are pressuring the government to begin the displacement of our communities," the group said.

However, others say the rebels' occupation breaks environmental laws and actually damages the natual environment and are demanding their immediate removal.

Rebel opponent, Pedro Chulin, a Chiapas federal deputy and head of an anti-Zapatista organizaton, said the state has been ambiguous in its position on the settlers and demands it take a firm stance against them.

"Businessmen and the North American (U.S.) government talk about the importance of the reserve because of its genetic and bioloigical richness, which the Indians are putting at risk," he said.

Chiapas is the nation's poorest state but among the most resource rich. Among its prized possessions is a wealth of oil reserves that have remained largely unexplored because of money shortages within the state-owned oil company, Pemex.

On an invitation by the United States government, Chiapas Gov. Pablo Salazar Menduguchia met with President George W. Bush and other high officials three weeks ago. The U.S. leaders hailed the state's productive capacity and promised to promote local investment.