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CounterPunch
January
25, 2003
Zapatistas to
Basques:
Lighten Up!
by SUBCOMANDANTE MARCOS
January 9-12, 2003.
To the Basque military-political organization
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA).
Basque Country.
From: the Zapatista Army of National
Liberation
Mexico.
Ladies and gentlemen:
We received the letter, dated January
1, 2003, that you sent to us via news agencies, newspapers, web
pages and etc. We knew about the letter the 6th of January,
but did not see the full version until La Jornada published it.
That is the version to which we refer here.
The news arrived the way news generally
arrives here. I was in the latrine, finishing up with my so-called
physiological necessities, and thinking about what would happen
if the ETA took me at my word and did what I wanted. I could
already imagine the newspaper headlines the next day: "The
Sup is dead, victim of his own big mouth," and then the
bullet (a journalistic term, not what you think): "He ended
up looking like shit" (well, the newspapers that observe
good manners and conserve good customs would put "He ended
up looking like poop"). And all the papers would publish
a big spread, signed by the most lucid and elegant minds of Mexico
and Spain, which would read, "We always said that guy was
a shit." Anyway, I was lost in reflections along that line
(which so excite Savater and company) and on my way back to
command headquarters, when Comandantes Tacho, Mister and Brus
Li (not "Bruce Lee," as he is called in the newspapers)
came and got me, and said:
"We heard on the news that there's
an answer from the ETA."
"Oh really? And what do they say?"
"They scold you."
"Well, that's already become something
of an international sport. But what do you mean "they
scold you"? Shouldn't that be "scold us,"
since through-my-voice-speaks-the-voice-of the eezeellen?"
"No, you're the one they reprimand.
That's how they do it: you get the rebuke and we get the congratulations,"
says Mister. And adds, "Maybe someone will send the whole
letter."
That took quite a while, especially if
you take into consideration that we are supposedly a "postmodernist"
guerrilla movement, with all the latest technology and that we
"surf" cyberspace.
Once they had the letter in their hands,
they read it and then passed it to me with a sarcastic "Uy!"
Tacho asked, "Why do you think they
say that about "we know that they were not always right?"
Omar answered, smiling, "I think
it's because we made a mistake when we made the Sup our spokesman."
You must have heard the laughter all
the way over in the Basque Country.
Comandante David came up and consoled
me, "Pay no attention to them, they're just joking."
Comandanta Esther tried to say something but she couldn't get
it out past her laughter. On the other hand, Comandanta Fidelia
offered to make me a cup of tea and said, "Well, you'll
need to answer them, especially that part about the boys and
girls of the EZLN."
"This part too," says Tacho,
and marks several paragraphs in your letter with a pen that once
belonged to Division General Absalón Castellanos (General
of the federal Mexican army, famous for murdering indigenous
people and persecuting, torturing, jailing and killing dissident
voices; he was taken prisoner by zapatista forces in 1994, judged
and condemned to carry for the rest of his life the forgiveness
of his victims).
So here it is:
First.- Let me make it clear that the boys and girls of the
EZLN do not understand everything without words, as you erroneously
suppose in your letter.
We treat them like the children that
they are. It is the powerful with his war who treats them like
adults. We talk to them. We teach them that the word, along
with love and dignity, is what makes us human beings. We do
not teach them to fight. Well, to fight, but with words. They
learn. They know that if we are in this it's so they won't have
to do the same. And they speak and they listen too.
Contrary to what you say, we teach them
that words do not kill, but that words can be killed, and with
them, the human being.
We teach them that there are many words as there are colors,
and that there are so many thoughts because the world itself
exists so that words can be born in it. That there are different
thoughts and that we must respect them.
That there are those who want their thought
to be the only one, and who persecute, imprison and kill (always
hiding behind reasons of State, illegitimate laws or "just
causes") thoughts that are different.
And we teach them to speak truthfully,
that is, with the heart. Because lying is another form of killing
the word.
In the tongue of the bat men, those who
speaking find their way, the Tzotziles, to speak with truth is
"YALEL TA MELEI".
We teach them to speak and also to listen.
Because anyone who only talks and does not listen, ends up believing
that what he says is the only thing that counts.
In the tongue of the Tzotziles, those
who listening find their way, to listen with the heart is "YATEL
TAJLOK 'EL COONTIC".
Speaking and listening to words is how
we know who we are, where we come from, and where we are headed.
It is also how we know of others, their way and their world.
Speaking and listening to words is the way we listen to life.
Second.- I see you have a sense of humor and that you have discovered
our plot: we, the zapatistas, who have never had any national
or international press coverage, wanted to "use" the
Basque conflict which obviously has more than enough good press.
Moreover, since the day we referred publicly to the political
struggle in Euskal Herria, positive comments in regards to the
zapatistas, in the street and in the national and international
press, have been on the rise.
In regards to your statement that you
do not want to be part of any "pantomime" or "operetta,"
I understand. You prefer tragedies.
In regards to your refusal to "be
a motive for the next fashionable T-shirt on the Gran Via of
Madrid," well, that foils our plan for putting up a zap
souvenir stand out on said Via (which is how we'd planned to
cover our travel costs). In addition I doubt that anyone would
dare to wear a T-shirt with the ETA as motive (and not because
you are lacking sympathizers--you have them and we are well aware
of that--but because if Batasuna has been outlawed because it
does not condemn the armed struggle of the ETA, imagine what
they'd do to someone wearing a T-shirt that said "Gora ETA."
In regards to the rest, we hadn't thought to ask for your autographs
or fight with anyone to share the stage with you.
The seriousness of the conference would be guaranteed since
Basque political and social forces would be organizing it, not
us (we only specialize in comic opera and theater of the absurd).
It was to those forces that we proposed, publicly, that they
organize and hold the conference, even if the debate with Garzón
doesn't happen--whether due to obstacles from the Spanish and
Mexican governments, or to disagreement on his part or that of
the ETA.
Third.- "The public manner, without
previous consultation," in which we launched our initiative
GIVE THE WORD A CHANCE is just the way we do things as zapatistas.
We do not make prior agreements "in the dark," in
order to later pretend that we are proposing things that were
already agreed upon ahead of time.
Moreover we do not have the means, the
interest, or the obligation to "consult" the ETA before
speaking.
Because the zapatistas have conquered
the right to the word: to say what we want, about what we want,
when we want.
And for that we do not have to consult
nor ask permission from anyone. Not from Aznar, nor the king
Juan Carlos, nor Judge Garzón, nor the ETA.
Fourth.- In regards to our lack of
"respect for the Basque people," Garzón accused
us of the same thing (he, consequently, should declare himself
illegal, for coinciding with the ETA's stance on the matter),
as did the entire Spanish and Basque right wing.
This must be because proposing to give
the word a chance works counter to the interests of those who,
from apparently contradictory positions, have made a business
and an alibi out of the death of the word.
Because the Spanish government kills
the word when it attacks the Basque language Euskera, or the
Navarrorum language, when it harasses and imprisons journalists
who dare to speak of the Basque situation including all points
of view, and when it tortures prisoners so they will confess
to whatever serves the interests of Spanish "justice."
And the ETA kills the word when it murders
those who attack them with words, not weapons.
Fifth.- In regard to the ETA's willingness
to "do everything possible so that the EZLN can become better
informed in regards to the conflict between the Basque Country
and the French and Spanish States," we reject your offer.
We are not asking for anyone to inform us. We are informed,
and better than many suppose. If we do not express this information,
which is also an opinion, it is because among our principles
we hold that the matters of each Nation correspond to each people,
which is why we have indicated that we would not speak at the
"Give the Word a Chance" conference.
But given your willingness to inform,
I think you should inform the Basque people.
We asked for a chance for the word.
That is why we needed to address various actors involved in
the Basque conflict. We did it because it is our duty, not because
we love to write to Garzón or to the ETA. In one way
or another, from different points along the Mexican, Spanish
and Basque political and intellectual spectrum (you included)
people have taken that opportunity and have spoken (although
the majority has scolded us). Such that, although it might be
to bicker and to pontificate, you are already giving the word
a chance. And that's what this is about.
Sixth.- This matter of representativity.
Judge Garzón claims to represent
the Spanish and Basque peoples (and attaches the king, Pepillo
and Felipillo to that representation), and thus, if I offend
the aforementioned, then I offend all the Spanish and Basque
people.
The ETA claims to represent the Basque
people, and thus, if we offend the ETA by proposing a chance
for the word, then we offend all of the Basque people.
I do not know whether the Basque and
Spanish peoples agree to being represented by one or the other.
It is for them to decide, not us.
Unlike Judge Garzón and you, we
do not claim to represent anyone but ourselves. We do not represent
all of the Mexican people (there are many political and social
organizations in this country). We do not represent Mexican
armed struggle (there are at least 14 other leftist military-political
organizations). Neither do we represent all of the Indian peoples
of Mexico (fortunately, there are many indigenous organizations
in Mexico, some better organized than the EZLN).
So we have never said that the foolish
things you all have sent to us (including Garzón and you),
offend "the people of Mexico" or "the Indian peoples."
They concern us, and we do not hide behind supposed representations
which, in most cases, are assumed without the "represented"
even knowing.
Seventh.- We know that in the (dis)concert of the revolutionary
and vanguard organizations in the world, we the zapatistas have
no place, not even in the rearguard. That does not make us feel
bad. To the contrary, it satisfies us.
We are not ashamed to recognize that
our ideas and proposals are not geared toward an eternal horizon,
and that there are other ideas and proposals better developed
than ours.
So we have resigned from the role of
vanguard, and from obliging anyone to accept our way of thinking
with any other argument than the force of reason.
Our weapons are not to impose ideas
or ways of life, but to defend a way of thinking and a way of
seeing the world and to build relationships with those who have
much to learn from other thoughts and lives, but also have much
to teach.
It is not us from whom you need to demand
respect. As you can see, as a "revolutionary vanguard"
we are a failure, so our respect doesn't do you a bit of good.
The respect you need is that of your
people. And one thing is "respect" and quite another
is "fear."
We know that you are angry because you
think we do not take you seriously, but that is not your fault.
We don't take anyone seriously, not even
ourselves.
Because he who takes himself seriously
ends up thinking that his truth ought to be everyone's truth,
always. And, sooner or later, he dedicates himself not to labors
so that his truth will be born, grow, give fruit and die (because
no earthly truth is absolute and eternal), but to killing all
those who do not pay homage to that truth.
We do not see why we should ask you what
to do or how to do it. What are you going to teach us? To kill
journalists because they speak badly of the struggle? To justify
the death of children for reasons of the "cause?"
We neither need nor want your support
or solidarity. We already have the solidarity and support of
many people in Mexico and in the world.
Our struggle has a code of honor, inherited
from our warrior ancestors, and it contains, among other things:
respecting the life of civilians (even if they occupy posts in
the governments that oppress us); not resorting to crime to gather
resources (we do not steal, even from the corner store); and
not responding to words with fire (regardless of how those words
might hurt us or lie about us).
Some might think that to renounce these
traditionally "revolutionary" methods is to renounce
advancing in our struggle. But, in the tenuous light of our
history, it seems we have advanced more than those who resort
to such arguments (more to demonstrate their radicalness and
their willingness to follow through, than because it is so effective
for their cause).
Our enemies (more than a few, and not
just in Mexico) wish we would resort to those methods. Nothing
would please them more than if the EZLN were to become the Mexican
indigenous version of the ETA. In fact, since we have used the
word to refer to the struggle of the Basque people, they have
accused us of being just that.
Unfortunately for them, that's not the
way it is. Nor will it be.
By the way, in the language of the warriors
of the night, "to struggle with honor" is "PASC
'OP TA SCOTOL LEQUILAL".
Vale. Salud--and we are not trying to
tell anyone what they should do, we are only asking that they
give the word a chance. If they don't want to, too bad.
From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast,
and despite whomever it might spite, in the name of:
the boys, girls, men, women, elder men
and elder women of the EZLN.
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos.
General Headquarters of the Zapatista
Army of National Liberation.
Mexico; January, 2003.
P.S. Before I forget (Tacho has just
reminded me), in regards to your final "Long live Free Chiapas!":
We do not ask you for respect, but for geographical understanding.
Chiapas is a state in the Mexican southeast. No organization
or individual is attempting to liberate Chiapas (well, okay,
at one point the Chiapan PRI did; they were peeved because the
Mexican federal army wouldn't decide to annihilate us), much
less the zapatistas. We do not want to be independent from Mexico.
We want to be part of it, but without ceasing to be what we
are: Indians. So, given that we are struggling for Mexico, for
the Indian peoples of Mexico, and for all Mexican men and women,
whether or not they are Indian, the closing should say "Long
live Mexico with its Indigenous Peoples!"
"ACCIDENTAL" P.S. - Something
must have happened, at some time in the past, on the dates in
which this letter was begun and finished.
ANOTHER P.S. At the risk of stating
the obvious, I'll go ahead and reiterate it: I also shit upon
the revolutionary vanguards of the entire planet.
Translated by Leslie Lopez, Santa Cruz.
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