The Zapatistas and the Other:
The Pedestrians of History Part V.

Part Five: The Hour of Definitions

Translation El Kilombo Intergaláctico


In the collective heart that we are, the Zapatistas don’t know exactly how our word in the Sixth Declaration arrived to you all. What we do know is that it was there, in your places, your histories, and your struggles, where you all responded “yes” to the invitation to the Sixth and what later became known among us as the Other Campaign. It is in this heart that each one of us, sometimes as individuals, sometimes as collectives, as indigenous peoples, as political or social organizations, as NGOs, as collectives, as groups, as individuals, where it was decided to take this step that is no longer just Zapatista but rather many, the all that we are.

In this past year, since the plenary in the caracol of la Garrucha (September 16, 2005) up until these agitated days, we have seen that some go, some stay, that others near, that some work, that others are just making trouble and creating obstacles in the path, that some—the majority—have made this project theirs. These fluctuations have not only provoked “noise” within the Other Campaign; they have also made more widespread its face, its word, its path.

As Zapatistas, we think that this year that has passed has functioned well to get to know each other. And also to know who has come to us only for purposes of political opportunism—sometimes in order to try to capitalize on the supposed “media” impact of the EZLN, sometimes to try to create hegemony in the Other Campaign, sometimes to direct it toward a politic of alliances for their own benefit, sometimes to see what it was about and later go somewhere else to keep looking, sometimes to try to homogenize it according to their own ideas.

We think that this has been due in part to our own mistakes (some of which we have recognized and pointed out and others which you all add), and in part because the Other Campaign carries with it a good dose of indefinition.

What was a virtue at the beginning, because it helped to convoke a wide spectrum of the best of the national anticapitalist movement, now starts to become a detriment.

The basic definitions of the Other Campaign, while fundamental, are too general, above all with regard to the organizational structure, the politics of alliances, the place of differences, and with regard to who is convoked and who is not.

In addition, according to what we have seen and heard in our journey and in the different meetings and assemblies, it is necessary to pronounce if the current characteristics are complete or not. As one example, it has been pointed out more than a few times that the Other should include “anti-patriarchal” as a basic characteristic.

Another serious and urgent problem is that we haven’t defined how we make decisions of the Other Campaign as a movement. Thus at times the position of a person, group, or organization (including the EZLN) is presented as if it were the position of the whole Other.

In the reflections that we have presented here, we have explained that we had first conceived the Other Campaign as something that would be necessary at a future point and, for that reason, we had a bit of time to go about getting to know, accommodating, and defining ourselves.

As we also already explained, we think that this moment of political crisis above, where a leftist anticapitalist alternative is necessary, is already here.

Although the profundity of the political crisis above is palpable, we the Zapatistas know very well that, if there is no alternative below, those above will end up fixing things and giving themselves another chance.

We think that that hour of the Other, the hour of the nobody that we are, has arrived.

That we should begin now our direct contact with all those from below, our people, and begin to construct with them a national plan of struggle.

Now it’s not just knowing each other, spreading the word, and linking all the resistances in our country together, but beginning to organize ourselves according to this plan, its content, its objectives, and the steps and ways to carry it out.

But we don’t yet have our own face as the Other Campaign. We think it is now time to do this all together. And it is now time for those who do not feel identified with the majority thinking of the Other to leave, and time for those who do recognize themselves in this collective face that we build to stay, or to join.

We think, that is, that the hour of the definitions that were left pending is upon us.

The definitions that we think are principal are grouped into the so-called 6 points: the characteristics of the Other; who is convoked and who is not; the organizational structure (including here the mechanism or mode for the making of decisions); the place of differences; the politics of alliances; and the immediate tasks ahead.

These issues we detected in the preparatory meetings, and in the first plenary we proposed that they be be put to discussion and decision of all the adherents. But there was no date set, nor was it established how to take into consideration everyone’s voice on these issues.

And taking everyone into account is one of the things that distinguishes us from other proposals, projects, or political movements.

For more than year we have advanced a lot or a little in the discussion of these 6 points. We think that we should now conclude this phase and that everyone should take a position and that we should assume a position as the Other Campaign.

That is, to respond—now as the Other—to the questions: Who are we? Where are we? How do we see the world? How do we see our country? What do we want to do? How are we going to do it?

For all the reasons we here state, and because of what we have seen, heard, and said in this year, we propose:

1. That all of the adherents conclude now our analysis, discussion, and definition, and that we take a position with respect to:

1) The fundamental characteristics of the Other Campaign (its collective identity).

2) Its structure (how we relate to each other).

3) Its politics of alliances (who we support, with whom we unite).

4) The place of differences (where we are).

5) The common tasks for all adherents (in addition to those everyone has in their own struggle).

2. That the conclusion of this analysis, discussion, and definition is carried out in the place where each adhesion [to the Sixth] was decided: as an indigenous people, political or social organization, NGO, group, collective, family, individual. This is where each of us resist and struggle. And it is there where each of us discusses and decides what kind of Other is the best for what we propose to ourselves.

3. That for this analysis and discussion, all those who so choose can make known to every else their positions and arguments. For now we don’t have a common space other than the electronic pages of the Sixth Commission as well as those of the organizations, groups, and collectives. We think, though it may be little and limited, that we should put at the service of this analysis and discussion all of the means we have at our disposal. Via articles, alternative radio or TV programs, “blogs,” emails, round tables, meetings, conferences, flyers, newspapers, assemblies, or however possible, the positions individuals, families, groups, collectives, and organization on these issues can be made known to the other adherents; for example, regarding being anti-patriarchal (what that means, why the Other should be it, and how). In sum, to generate an intense, though always respectful, debate on everyone’s ideas and proposals.

4. That this analysis, discussion, and debate internal to the Other be carried out during the months of October and November of this year, 2006.

5. That the decision of each be manifested in a consulta [referendum] of all the adherents, a universal internal consulta, where the opinion of each and every one of the adherents will be taken into account, regardless of where they are, what language they speak, their age, their race, their sexual preference, their level of education, whether they know how to speak in public or not, etc,; it matters only that they are adherents of the Sixth Declaration. A vote, then, of all adherents.

6. That this consulta be carried out December 4-10 of this year.

7. That the carrying out of this consulta be taken on by the distinct organizational work units that exist or are created for this purpose. That although someone cannot attend an assembly or meeting for whatever reason, someone from the Other should go to the place where they work, study, or live and ask and take note of their opinion on each of the points, no matter if it is one or many people.

8. That the ways each and every one uses to express themselves and make their opinion known be respected, whether that be a pronunciation by individual, family, group, collective, organization, or indigenous people.

9. That each organizational work unit decide the form and content for the carrying out of the consulta and the environment in which it will be held.

10. For those who so choose, the Sixth Commission of the EZLN offers itself to receive and consider any opinion (even though it doesn’t coincide with ours or is contrary to what we maintain as Zapatistas) in the internal consulta of the Other.

11. That, finishing the consulta, each organizational work unit make publicly known, on the Enlace Zapatista webpage, the results they obtained and from where. In that way we will all be able to analyze the results and know what the majority has decided.

12. That, when we all know the final result, we will inform all the adherents using the same means used to consult them.

13. That in this way, the Other will have clearly defined its characteristics, its organizational structure, its politics of alliance, the places of everyone, who is present and who isn’t, as well as the common tasks to be done, by the end of this year.

14. That in February 2007, another phase of the Other begins in which we put into effect the National Program of Struggle, with the direct participation of the delegates of the Sixth Commission of the EZLN in the direct contact with our peoples, as well as in the general tasks that are agreed upon, such as the struggle for liberty and justice for the prisoners of Atenco, the liberation of all the political prisoners in the country, the appearance of the disappeared (alive), and the cancellation of all arrest warrants against social strugglers.

15. That the adherents that are in agreement with this proposal should let us know by diverse types of correspondence, through their organization work units of the Other in all of Mexico, or by whatever means they consider convenient.

This is our proposal, compañeras and compañeros of the Other Campaign.

For the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee—General Command of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation

Sixth Commission of the EZLN

Comandanta Grabiela (delegate one)
Comandante Zebedeo (delegate two)
Comandanta Miriam (delegate three)
Compañera Gema (delegate four)
Comandanta Hortensia (delegate five)
Comandante David (delegate six)
Comandante Tacho (delegate seven)
Subcomandante I. Marcos (delegate zero)

Mexico, September 2006