Versión española

Press Conference
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
February 11, 1998

Juan Montejo Penate

We have never thanked the government. The conditions inside the prison that held us weren't very good. Yes, they tortured us. After that, the government handled the media. We have nothing to thank them for, because we are innocent. On the contrary, the government should liberate of all the political prisoners.

Juan Méndez Ramírez

I'm originally from Tumbala. We are supporters of the EZLN. We were arrested on June 23, 1995 in our community by the State Police (Seguridad Pública) together with the paramilitary group Paz y Justicia. When they arrested us, they tortured us all. So, we were tortured. So, we were deprived of our liberty for 2 years, 7 months and 9 days. And our other compañeros remain in prison, deprived of their liberty. They are supporters that still have not been given their freedom. We want the goverment to keep its word and free our compañeros.

The goverment never investigates the activities of the paramilitary group Paz y Justicia. They're the ones that have done that which the goverment accuses us of doing. We are fighting, organizing, but it's not to provoke problems, to kill them. It's a just fight that we are waging. The paramilitaries, who themselves are poor campesinos, have nothing, just like us. But to kill like this---I don't understand it.

The government issued warrants for our arrest. This is unfair, because we didn't commit these crimes of kidnapping and depriving anyone of their liberty. We also want the displaced people the be able to return to our community. We can't work in peace there--because there is fear of the paramilitaries. They have arms; the government sends arms to them. Therefore, we want them to be disarmed too, so that we can be in peace. And also, the federal troops that continue threatening the Frente Zapatista (Zapatista political organization) They never go after the paramilitaries; in fact, they support them.

We want to be in peace. We aren't looking for problems.

What are you going to do now?

We are not very happy, because our other compañeros remain in prison. There are still many more.

Are you all going to return to your community?

Yes, but there are no guarantees that it will be ok. There is no security. There are paramilitary grous there, together with the Seguridad Pública, that threaten our community. There is no peace there. There are displaced people, our families and children are displaced. The don't live in our community. Our children don't receive schooling. Some people are dying of hunger.

Are you going to continue supporting the EZLN?

As fighters, sure. We aren't going to stay quiet. We will continue organizing.

We will continue working like always, we are bases of support. We are not going to quit doing this work. It's the only way to make progress with our problems, the poverty in the state of Chiapas. It doesn't have to do with money. So, we are will continue organizing.

We five were arrested in 1995. We were kept in prison number 2. Then came two more, eight months later. When they arrived in prison 2, we were punished for eight days in a very small space. They only did this to us, the bases of support.

Have you communicated with your communities?

Not yet. Our families don't know. I don't know when we'll be able to be with them.

Do you think the government acted will?

No. They let out a few, and the rest still remain in prison. I don't know when the others will follow us.

As bases of support, what is your work?

It was organizing, working together. To do communal work, to work the corn fields together. Not to fight. We haven't organized to kill other campesinos, who are also indigenous.

What will happen with the other prisoners?

I think we're going to support them, asking for their freedom.

Artemio Ramírez Torres
External Director of the Voice of Cerro Hueco

We have 41 people in prison, supporters of the EZLN. On February 5, 1998 another compañero, Gilberto Robledo Lopez, was arrested. He went two days without food. On the 9th, they moved him to Cerro Hueco.

We can't speak of advances, of the dialogue the government talks about. The majority of the compañeros are still in prison. There can't be peace yet in the northern zone because the conditions don't warrant it. The government has not done what it promised. They committed themselves to keeping their word to free the prisoners.

Did the freed prisoners have to sign anything?

The government had them sign [documents saying] that they wouldn't violate the law. But they are not criminals. They are not killers. They have not robbed anyone in the street.

Will they have to sign anything else in the future?

No, they are free.