the Zapatistas

"Are you then proposing we adopt a NATO Cold War-era code system for military classification purposes? I assume we are all Spanish speakers, or at least the majority of us. Cryptology can be done electronically and randomly, creating a standard code can leave us vulnerable to infiltrations by foreign governments and would then gain access to our military infrastructure."

"Being concerned with uniforms I think is the least of what we should be discussing at the moment. I'll discuss some preliminary ideas I have for a united command:" Security Forces of the Congress of Latin American Peoples (Fuerzas de Seguridad, FS): • Joint command of delegated military officials from the members states shall form a commanding council. This council shall elect one person to represent the rest of the council in meetings and in sessions of Congress. • The Security Forces may only be activated be decree of Congress. Commanders of the Security Forces shall be given the rank of [i]Comandante[/i] - for uniform purposes. • Enlistment or commitment to the FS will be voluntary. Each member-state may commit what they can or feel that is necessary. • Member-states are encouraged to refer to FS command to make strategic moves in military conflicts. As such, other member-states are encouraged to offer advice and assistance to other member-states when necessary. • The Security Forces shall operate ground forces, air forces, and naval forces with neutral command points. • Member-states of the Security Forces are granted access to other member-states military instillations with prior consent of the member-states. "I suggest a location Himynamistan to command ground forces and another in the Dominican Republic to command naval forces. Let's not also forget where to seat the Congress itself." OOC: I've also registered #latin as a regional IRC channel

"It could be possible to create united military command structure to help coordinate our actions to defend the region. Which with the recent conflicts in the Americas and the imperialist powers looking for every opportunity possible to gain more territory, this may be a smart move to form a coalition to defend all that we stand for. If need be, I can formulate a structure similar to that of the Zapatista Army's network to coordinate local militias as one united national force." As he was saying this, Subcomandante Marcos looked at both documents that were presented and signed at the bottom: "on behalf of the government of the Community of Chiapas, in delegation from the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the Democratic Convention of Chiapas, [img]http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1618/marcossig.png[/img] [i]Subcomandante Marcos[/i]"

"I shall wait for the other delegates to weigh-in on their thoughts before I add my signature."

OOC: Yes, the treaty as the founding document for the Indigenous League and the second document for the establishment of the Congress. Think of it as one for creating the organization and another for creating the governing agencies of that organization.

"Wonderful, but if I may:" [quote][center][img]http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/997/sealofthecongressoflati.png[/img] [size="4"][b]Declaration of the Congress of Latin American Peoples[/b][/size][/center] [b]WE the people of Latin America[/b], heirs and continuators of some of the greatest societies on this Earth, put here through the heroism and sacrifice of our ancestors; by the Indians who preferred exterminations rather than submission to their invaders; by the slaves who rebelled against their master; by the great patriots of this nation who put their comrades before themselves in the building of this land; by the people who struggles for many decades to achieve the dream that an entire land promised them; by the ideas of democracy, liberalism, and social equality for all; by the fight against the exploitation and horrors of man; by the fundamental law that every man is entitled to his pursuit for liberty and happiness; by means of the free and fair vote in the Indigenous League declare the following:[center][size="3"][b]CHARTER FOR THE CONGRESS OF LATIN AMERICAN PEOPLES[/b][/size] [size="3"][b]Chapter One[/b][/size][/center][b]Art. I[/b], the Congress of Latin American Peoples shall work to uphold the rights and liberties guaranteed in Article IV of the Indigenous League treaty. [b]Art. II[/b], the Congress of Latin American Peoples may not remove, modify, null, invalidate, or suspend the contents of Article VI of the Indigenous League treaty. [b]Art. III[/b], the composition of Congress shall be nonpartisan and political disputes in the matter of ideological conflicts shall be settled with compromise with no assumed superiority over another moral, religious, or political thought. [b]Art. IV[/b], the power of Congress is exercised through the organization of the people and their initiative through the ballot to continue the free and fair rule of this organization. Through these initiatives, the people of Latin America hold authority over the powers of Congress. As such, every citizen of Latin America may propose legislation to Congress. [b]Art. V[/b], Congress shall not override the sovereignty of Latin American governments nor its policies. Participation in Congress is purely on a voluntary basis. [b]Art. VI[/b], citizens of Latin American are recognized as those born in member-state territory, with the exception of the children of foreign persons at the service of their government or international organization. Likewise, those granted citizenship by the government of a member-state shall be recognized as a citizen of Latin America [center][size="3"][b]Chapter Two[/b][/size][/center][b]Art. VII[/b], the Congress of Latin American People shall be the supreme executive authority in the Indigenous League. It may only regulate itself and must adhere to the mandates and regulations of the Declaration of the Congress of Latin American People and the treaty of the Indigenous League. [b]Art. VIII[/b], the Congress shall be comprised of a delegation of ten persons from each nation that may be selected in whichever manner their government prefers. [b]Art. IX[/b], the Congress of Latin American people shall elect a body of officers to oversee proceedings and programs instituted by the Indigenous League. Among these officers shall be the Secretary-General, whom shall act as the official speaker on behalf of Congress and the Indigenous League. [b]Art. X[/b], the Secretary-General shall be elected every four-weeks ([i]real-life[/i]) and may be any member of Congress. [b]Art. XI[/b], Congressional sessions shall last four-weeks ([i]real life[/i]), and at the end of each session a new delectation is to be selected by the member-states. [b]Art. XII[/b], the Congress of Latin American People shall act as the legislature, executive agency, and discussion forum for the Indigenous League.[/quote] OOC: like the General Assembly of the UN

Comandante Elisa on behalf of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the government of the Community of Chiapas will be in attendance to represent the interests of the indigenous people of Mexico.

"Ah okay, that might want to be changed to no one may interfere unlawfully in a fair democratic process of determining government. What is written for nineteen-a I interpreted as no one may interfere with the functions of government - no matter what those functions may be."

"Could you explain further the intention of number 19? It would seem to me that if necessary, the citizens of a nation may imply any means necessary to achieve what they need to. After all, a government governs with the consent and permission of the governed. I'd also like to know specifically what was removed."

"I like what you have drafted here, but I don't believe it goes far enough to guarantee the basic rights of people. If I may, offer this list that I have written in my notes on human rights we need to work to protect. Thirty rights that are necessary to a good quality of life and a fair nation: 1. Everyone is free and we should all be treated in the same way. 2. Everyone is equal despite differences in skin color, sex, religion, language for example. 3. Everyone has the right to life and to live in freedom and safety. 4. No one has the right to treat you as a slave nor should you make anyone your slave. 5. No one has the right to hurt you or to torture you. 6. Everyone has the right to be treated equally by the law. 7. The law is the same for everyone, it should be applied in the same way to all. 8. Everyone has the right to ask for legal help when their rights are not respected. 9. No one has the right to imprison you unjustly or expel you from your own country. 10. Everyone has the right to a fair and public trial. 11. Everyone should be considered innocent until guilt is proved. 12. Every one has the right to ask for help if someone tries to harm you, but no-one can enter your home, open your letters or bother you or your family without a good reason. 13. Everyone has the right to travel as they wish. 14. Everyone has the right to go to another country and ask for protection if they are being persecuted or are in danger of being persecuted. 15. Everyone has the right to belong to a country. No one has the right to prevent you from belonging to another country if you wish to. 16. Everyone has the right to marry, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, or race, and have a family. 17. Everyone has the right to own property and possessions. 18. Everyone has the right to practise and observe all aspects of their own religion and change their religion if they want to. 19. Everyone has the right to say what they think and to give and receive information. 20. Everyone has the right to take part in meetings and to join associations in a peaceful way. 21. Everyone has the right to help choose and take part in the government of their country. 22. Everyone has the right to social security and to opportunities to develop their skills. 23. Everyone has the right to work for a fair wage in a safe environment and to join a trade union. 24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure. 25. Everyone has the right to an adequate standard of living and medical help if they are ill. 26. Everyone has the right to go to school. 27. Everyone has the right to share in their community's cultural life. 28. Everyone must respect the 'social order' that is necessary for all these rights to be available. 29. Everyone must respect the rights of others, the community and public property. 30. No one has the right to take away any of the rights in this declaration."

The delegates of the Convention pass the [i]Act on Economic Reform and Policy[/i], among the series of laws are: • the Chiapaneco government mandates the following as "public property": natural resources; the environment; land; water territory; water resources; airspace • the Chiapaneco government cannot seize or claim, unlawfully, any item considered "private property" • the Chiapaneco government shall protect the right of people to privately sell or buy goods • the Chiapaneco government shall reserve the right to regulate industries and prices as to make essential materials available to the population • the Chiapaneco government shall make public all government expenditures • the Chiapaneco government shall not tax more than 10% of personal income • the Chiapaneco government shall mandate the modernization of the national economy • the Chiapaneco government shall not replace the native agricultural economy with that of an industrial one

"My point exactly Ambassador Sepulveda, we need to support movements of the indigenous and of the people working for the liberation of their nations - and to bring forth the rights and liberties they've been stripped of. However, I believe that this union of nations should be separate from our political movement - not everyone in the region sees eye-to-eye with revolutionaries. I do agree that 'Latin League' seems inappropriate. '[i]Congreso de los Pueblos de América Latina[/i]' ("Congress of the Latin American Peoples") is something I like."

"I'm sure that we - belonging to or products of such movements - have the ability to recognize resistance to oppressive governments in other nations. If fictionalized, we must act as a mediator to create a united front against such unjust administrations."

[center][img]http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1641/democraticconvention.png[/img] [size="1"]Democratic Convention floor full with delegates[/size][/center] JUÁREZ, CHIAPAS - The Democratic Convention of the Community of Chiapas, as called for by the [URL=http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=86979]First Declaration of the Sierra Madre[/URL] with the gathering of delegates from around the Community. All are welcome to the convention, which has been established to draft the constitution for Chiapas as well as many laws and declarations culminating in a "Second Delcaration of the Sierra Madre" scheduled to be issued at the closing of the convention. Zapatista Army of National Liberation spokesperson Subcomandante Marcos opened the convention yesterday "may the people of Chiapas and of Mexico come together to establish a fair and just state," he declared. Among the first order of business, the over 600 delegates - many of whom are signatories to the First Declaration of the Sierra Madre - elected a committee to oversee convention operations and debates: [b]MODERATION COMMITTEE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION OF THE COMMUNITY OF CHIAPAS[/b] - [i]for the week of 5 June to 12 June 2010[/i]: Chairman: Adelino Zavala Chairwoman: Melisa Pabón Members of the Committee: Agnus Godínez (EZLN); Yvette Carrillo; Mendel Haro; Learco Apodaca; Alceo Barrios EZLN Representative: Subcomandante Marcos; if unable to attend: Subcomandante Ramona The delegates of the convention laid down a series of "founding laws" as to set forth a series of establishment clauses to create a functioning government: • the Zapatista Army of National Liberation shall be the defense force of the Community of Chiapas • the Democratic Convention shall constitute itself as the Chiapaneco legislature; the co-chairs, one woman and one man, shall act as the informal head of state • the Moderation Committee shall moderate and oversee the delegates of the convention and shall be elected at the opening of every session - weekly • the Community of Chiapas shall abide by the former United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and shall formulate such protected rights to women: [i]Revolutionary Law for Women:[/i] Women, regardless of their race, creed, color or political affiliation, have the right to participate in the revolutionary struggle in any way that their desire and capacity determine; women have the right to work and receive a fair salary; women have the right to decide the number of children they have and care for; women have the right to participate in the matters of the community and have charge if they are free and democratically elected; women and their children have the right to Primary Attention in their health and nutrition; women have the right to education; women have the right to choose their partner and are not obliged to enter into marriage; women have the right to be free of violence from both relatives and strangers.

Marcos spoke to the interpreter: "Ah, I too have been working on a formal proposal for a regional organization. I would fully endorse the creation of a Latin League to act a formal forum for all nations in Latin America. However, I believe this is only one step towards solidarity - we need to act upon what we want for the region. As such, I propose the Pan-American Revolutionary Movement, an organization of political parties committed towards assisting in the struggles that the poor face and the liberation of the oppressed people of the Americas. I had began discussing this idea with Comandante Che and we both were in favor of it." He then slid handed the delegates a packet containing the notes and information about the organization. Among the notes included: • the creation of a congress for the discussion of strategies and political theory • to reaffirm our nations' commitments to liberation of the peoples of the Americas • to construct a successful strategy to break the monopolies of imperialist powers in the Americas • to encourage and to support revolutionary movements in the Western Hemisphere

"[i]Voy a asistir en nombre del Ejército Zapatista y la Convención Democrática de Chiapas. Hay algo que personalmente me gustaría proponer a los delegados de esta reunión para consolidar aún más nuestras fiestas y ayudar a otros en la consecución de un objetivo común: una feria libre, y un gobierno justo en México.[/i]" ("I will attend on behalf of the Zapatista Army and the Democratic Convention of Chiapas. There is something I personally would like to propose to the delegates of this meeting to further consolidate our parties and assist one other in achieving our common goal: a free, fair, and just government in Mexico.") Marcos boarded a turboprop regional plane en route to the meeting. Preparing his papers and proposals, Marcos contemplates a more aggressive agenda for the region - but foreign pressures prevents him from giving it a full consideration. Possibly for a later time.

[i]"Me gustaría expresar mi gratitud a la bienvenida para Chiapas."[/i] ("I would like to express gratitude in the welcome for Chiapas.") OOC: It says it in the subtitle and in the signature >_<

"[i]Que haya buenas relaciones entre vecinos para compartir.[/i]" ("May there be warm relations shared between neighbors.")

OOC: The nation is the [i]Community of Chiapas[/i]...

"[i]Las grandes mentes piensan igual debe[/i]," ("Great minds must think alike") as Subcomandante Marcos was too preparing for a meeting with representatives from Dominica concerning the unity of the Pan-American revolutionary movement.

[quote name='Otto Verteidiger' date='05 June 2010 - 01:15 PM' timestamp='1275768900' post='2324842'] [img]http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/1149/mexicosplit.png[/img] Orange part is Amerikanisches Reich. [/quote] Yellow is the Community of Chiapas

"[i]La guerra es un instrumento del Estado. La gente de Colorado no deben ser víctimas de algo que no eligieron. Ellos buscan la liberación y no la ocupación.[/i]" ("War is a tool of the state. The people of Colorado should not fall victim to something they did not choose. They seek liberation, not occupation," said Subcomandante Marcos commenting on the new referendum.)

The Chiapaneco government, as well as the Zapatista Army, echo UI in the support of the embargo.[right][img]http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/8357/110pxchiapasshield.png[/img][/right]

[center][img]http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2985/flagofchiapas.png[/img] [size="4"][b]FIRST DECLARATION OF THE SIERRA MADRE[/b][/size][/center]We are the inheritors of the true builders of our nation. The dispossessed, we are millions and we thereby call upon our brothers and sisters to join this struggle as the only path, so that we will not die of hunger or of sheer poverty. We have the Mexican people on our side, we have the beloved red star worn by our insurgent fighters. We use black and red in our uniform as our symbol of our working people on strike. Our flag carries the symbols and the inspiration of the Zapatista Army, the embodiment of our struggles, and we always carry our flag into combat. We have been driven out from our homelands in Chiapas, which this nation shall carry its namesake. Nevertheless, we shall continue the struggle here and work in solidarity with all those whom fight for liberation in the Americas. Beforehand, we refuse any effort to disgrace our just cause by accusing us of being drug traffickers, drug guerrillas, thieves, or other names that might by used by our enemies. Our struggle follows that of every Mexican. To the people of Mexico and of the world: We, the men and women of the Zapatista Army, are working to liberate the American peoples from oppressive regimes, and to bring forth a better quality of life. Therefore we ask for your participation, your decision to support this plan that struggles for work, land, housing, food, health care, education, independence, freedom, democracy, justice and peace. We declare that we will not stop fighting until the basic demands of our people have been met by forming a government of our country that is free and democratic. We aren't proposing a new world, but something preceding a new world: an antechamber looking into the new Mexico. In this sense, this revolution will not end in a new class, faction of a class, or group in power. It will end in a free and democratic space for political struggle. This free and democratic space will be born on the fetid cadaver of the state party system and the tradition of fixed presidential succession. A new political relationship will be born, a relationship based not in the confrontation of political organizations among themselves, but in the confrontation of their political proposals with different social classes. Political leadership will depend on the support of these social classes, and not on the mere exercise of power. In this new political relationship, different political proposals (socialism, capitalism, social democracy, liberalism, christian democracy, etc.) will have to convince a majority of the nation that their proposal is the best for the country. The groups in power will be watched by the people in such a way that they will be obligated to give a regular accounting of themselves, and the people will be able to decide whether they remain in power or not. The plebiscite is a regulated form of confrontation among the nation, political parties, and power, and it merits a place in the highest law of the country. This National Democratic Convention and transitional government should lead to the creation of a new constitution, and, in the context of this new constitution, new elections should be held. The prophecy of the Southeast, and now the North, is valid for the entire country. We can learn from what has already occurred so that there is less pain during the birth of the new Mexico. The Community of Chiapas, as well as the EZLN, has its idea of what system and proposal are best for the country. The political maturity of the EZLN as a representative of a sector of the nation is shown by the fact that it doesn't want to impose its proposal on the country. The EZLN demands what is shown by their example: the political maturity of Mexico and the right for all to decide, freely and democratically, the course that Mexico must take. Not only will a better and more-just Mexico emerge from this historic synthesis, but a new Mexico as well. This is why we are gambling our lives: so that the Mexicans of the future can inherit a country in which it isn't shameful to live... Under siege and under pressure from different sectors that threatened us with extermination, we Zapatistas reaffirmed our commitment to achieve a peace with justice and dignity. In our struggle, the dignified struggle of our ancestors has found a home. The cry of dignity of the insurgent Vincente Guererro, "Live for the country or die for freedom," once again sounds from our throats.[center][img]http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100531224324/cybernations/images/thumb/0/03/Chiapas_Shield.png/110px-Chiapas_Shield.png[/img][/center][right]Signed for the National Democratic Convention of the Community of Chiapas, [i]the 621 delegates of the convention[/i] Signed for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, [img]http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1618/marcossig.png[/img] [i]Subcomandante Marcos[/i][/right]

Marcos signs the document,[center][img]http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/1618/marcossig.png[/img][/center][i]"México de mayo de ser libre."[/i] ("May Mexico be free.")