The Zapatista movement and indigenous rights in Chiapas

Anthropological Exploration of the Zapatistas of Chiapas, Mexico

Zapatista Army of National Liberation coded EZLN is a Mexican organization. The organization takes its name from their leader, Emiliano Zapata. The organization has a formidable influence on the southern region of Mexico. It follows that this liberation movement was essential in fighting for the rights of poor Mexican farmers. The Army came into operation on the November 17, 1983. The leader of this organization, whose aspiration was to liberate farmers from their suffering, has a poetic style of referring to details. The organizations represent the rights of the people of Chiapas the poorest state in Mexico (Stahler-Sholk 48-63). The people of Chiapas suffered from lack of good healthcare facilities, lacked food, and their agricultural land taken.

The group has built social relations with other organizations. Peasant farmers' organization as well as the Catholic Church had an influence on the development of EZLN. It was on January 1, 1994 when the movement became operational in Canada, and the in the United States of America. This action coincides with the signing of an agreement between Mexico and the Northern Free Trade Agreement (Watson 63-86). This was a way of the organization showing their presence in the global world. During this period Zapatista, movement declared war against the Mexican government.

The movement is a leftist guerilla faction that took over five towns in the Chiapas state of Mexico. The Zapatista Army of National liberation's leader is "Subcomandante Marcos'. He has had immense influence on the organization, and its members have been on the increase in every front. He is the one who started the uprising. He declared that this was a response to the Agreement between the government and the NAFTA. He argued that this agreement was a death sentence for the people of Chiapas. The organizations have its presence on the internet where members discuss and contribute for the organization. The group's proclamation of revolt to the whole world proceeded with its members laying siege of military bases on their location as well as, releasing prisoners from local jails (Stahler-Sholk 48-63). The organizations goal is to bring the attention of the world on the state of the people of Chiapas. Thus, their actions continue to increase resistance to the policies of the government of Mexico.

Part one: The Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona

In the film "A place called Chiapas," there is a depiction of conflicts between the Mayan Indians of the south of Chiapas, and the state of Mexico. The film takes one into Zapatistas movements. The film shows activities of indigenous people of Chiapas. It considers the purposes of the movement, which means fighting for the rights of their community. Some of the demands one notices is the need of proper healthcare services, proper education facilities, and control of their lands for the people of Chiapas (Watson 63-86). In the film, the leader of the organization appears briefly talking in metaphors as well as issuing statements on the internet. Sub-Commander Marcos an intellectual known for smoking pipe is the leader of the movement.

The documentary covers the history of the movement from the year 1994 when it came into force. The documentary directed by Nettie Wild explains why the peasant rebels protest. These farmers protest the influx of cheap corn from the United States of America that could destroy their economic position. With all of these, the organization issued a manifesto in the year 2005. In this manifesto, the organization offer their visions and principles to the world. The first declaration went through in the year 1994, which meant that the group had to use force (Stahler-Sholk 48-63). However, in subsequent declarations the groups has opted to non-violent means. The organization has been on the recent past used the internet or other political channels to pass their ideas.

The latest declaration by the group restates the support the movement offers to the indigenous people of Chiapas. The sixth declaration of the Selva Locandona tries to show to the world what the organization fights for. The declaration offers the organization to the world. It gives individuals an understanding of the people involved in the organization. The declaration clearly shows the position of the organization in present time, and their interactions with the State. It further gives one an understanding of how the organizations see the world, what their vision is for Mexico and the way they are going to proceed with their liberation. The group, however, has proponents and opponents. Most of those citizens, who oppose the activities of the organizations, proclaim the organization as violent. Those who support the movement share the same agendas of a democratic Chiapas.

Part three: Mayan culture on Zapatista movement

The Zapatista movement has links with the Mayan culture. Marcos storytelling and poetic conversation however, come from the Indian culture of the people of Chiapas. The Zapatista movement tries to look for meaning from their language. The town was an ideal place for the birth of the group. The Mayan ethnic group at the place had experienced government neglect. The community's culture made them self organized. Their culture, values, and norms made them self organized to ensure that they encounter problems as a community. Their culture proclaims humility and these are true to the way their soldiers pay their allegiance to the movement.

The Mayan communities have the belief of existence of relationships between co-creators of communities. This reflection in the movement comes, for example, as voluntary hierarchies in their command. This is the spiritual reflection of the Mayan community. The method of using metaphors and poems by the Zapatista reveals to the world the methods used by indigenous Indians in resisting rule. The method comes from profound historical values of their culture (Rus et. al. 38). Their culture has little interrelationship with free markets or modern power.

Even though, the ideology of the Zapatista movement reflect a socialism and libertarian beliefs the movement lays claim that their movement follows Mayan beliefs. The movement aligns itself with the global community while at the same time seeking control over local resources. The Mayan community had their cultural practices, religions, and mode of language. For decades, the communities have held to catholic beliefs, had their own religious festivals and they had friendly relations to their land (Rus et. al. 37). Most of the people of Chiapas practiced agriculture, and their best crop for all seasons was corn. The people of Chiapas, historically engaged in autonomy

Part Four: The Internet As The Alternative To Social Change

Perhaps the internet is the recent font for social change in the society. Zapatista has been popular for using the internet to pass their goals and agendas. In the past, voices of the indigenous people of Chiapas had been ignored; indigenous land of this people had been taken away, people's rights exploited and policies of the state aligned towards assimilation. However, the Zapatista revolution could be the answer to future ways of social change. The revolution took advantage of the changes in technology. The use of internet by the movement relates to them owning a radio website (Cleaver 621-640). The organization uses the website to pass information of their ideologies all over the world.

Internet provides information to a wider audience and Zapatista movements know it well. It had its own cyberspace where radio and television news and first hand reports were supplemented. Observers could voice their opinions, which led to a creation of specialized units, as well as WebPages. However, the organization did not play a crucial role of internet data. This influence was a result of interconnected networks that already existed. Its importance relates to the ability of their leader Marcos uploading videos while in the jungle (Cleaver 621-640). The community is cutoff from many facilities, but they have a way of communicating to the world by use of internet.

There are a number of WebPages dedicated in providing information about the people of Chiapas. Relating to internet use by Zapatista, today's social media has a role in promoting social change. Through the internet, organizations can organize efforts; organizations can communicate faster. The internet has tremendous influence on the culture of the people. The internet provides platforms for people of various nationalities and cultures to raise opinions about world affairs. The internet had an influence on the recent Arab uprising; the internet has made the world know about other governments affairs. The only problem one could face is defining if the internet is the solution to social issues in the world.