Unfortunately for the Zapatistas, their achievements are nowhere close
to catching up to their goals. Facing a hostile Mexican government
before the Revolution began, the armed action taken by the rebels has forced
the Mexican Federal Government to discuss solutions, but the government
is not close to accepting all of, or even most of the rebels demands.
The armed struggle began on January 1, 1994 with the taking of several
major cities in Chiapas. This date coincided with the implementation
of NAFTA, which the Zapatistas viewed as a death sentence. NAFTA
represented an increase in the polarization in wealth and as a result,
an increase on poverty. Feeling that peaceful means had failed to
rectify 500 years of oppression up to this point, the Zapatistas called
on Article 39 of the Mexican constitution, which allows for citizens to
change their government as a basis for revolution (Wheling 1).
The goals of the Zapatistas are clearly laid out in their Declaration
from the Lacodon Jungle. There are eleven points that they call for
improvements including work, land, shelter, food, health, education, independence,
freedom, democracy, justice, and peace. This declaration is the heart
of their movement and expresses their aims for calling on the Mexican government
to end illiteracy, find dignified jobs for indigenous people, respect indigenous
people and culture, create more hospitals in Chiapas and other poor regions,
create an independent press, end hunger and malnutrition, end brutal exploitation
of indigenous people, municipal self government, economic and cultural
autonomy, and equality for women.
All of these demands result form Chiapas being a very rich natural
resource for Mexico while the Maya and other indigenous people suffer blinding
poverty and exploitation. The Zapatistas do wish to control the Mexican
government, rather they wish more than anything to be treated with dignity,
fairness, and put on an equal playing field with the mestizos. They
want an end to poverty, being second class citizens, and ignorance.
They also call for a redistribution of land that has been monopolized into
collective farms and rent controls for the poor in cities. In addition,
they call for preservation of the jungle, lakes, rivers, and the environment
in general.
The Zapatistas have put forth a noble set of goals that call for equality,
democracy, and improving the plight of the poor and indigenous. They
are far from achieving this however. Their struggle has revealed
the deep cultural rifts in Mexican society and has reminded Mexicans that
they do live in a multicultural nation with more than just mestizos.
In addition, the Zapatista have gained an incredible amount of international
attention that has put their cause in the spotlight. With this attention,
the Zapatistas have let the Mexican government know that the eyes of the
international community are on them which has perhaps restrained the Mexican
Government and its army somewhat thought it has not stopped the violent
reactions to the rebels. In addition, it had driven the government
to the table to discuss possible solution such as anti-discrimination laws,
laws to allow for Mayan language to be used in schools and television,
and discussion of land reform. But these measures have not gotten
past the drawing board and been applied to real life. As it stands
now, the situation in Chiapas is at a bit of a stalemate. The Mexican
government is not waging full-scale war, but they are far from giving into
the demands of the rebels.
