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Violent wars over money cause displaced cultures, according to Nancy Hill, a human rights observer.
Hill, a Stonington resident, spoke on Thursday as part of the Marxist lecture series about neo-liberalism and the ideals of the Zapatista people. Hill is a fair-trade advocate and has been working in Chiapas, Mexico for several years.
“I feel this is an age where we have to find our voices,” said Hill. “Action is critical.”
The Zapatistas, a mixed indigenous group trying to live peacefully, sprouted from the violent attacks associated with neo-liberalism. Six men fled to the jungle, and thousands followed. The first action of 3,000 people, led by subcommandante Marcos, was to reclaim land. Once the occupants had fled, they put down their weapons and began peaceful lifestyles.
Chiapas is the southernmost point in Mexico, with a population of 3.5 million. Half are indigenous, and 12 Mayan languages are spoken. Conditions include six people to a room, one doctor per 250,000 people and about 54-80 percent malnutrition.
As an observer, Hill is required to speak Spanish and go through a training process. Once completed, Hill spends a period of time, usually two to three weeks, on an assignment. Hill does exactly as her position would suggest: She observes the military and paramilitary in their behavior toward the Zapatistas.
“It works,” said Hill. “When I’m there, I observe rude communication and behavior, but when I’m not, they tell me about violence and aggression.”
Despite these facts, the town of Chiapas is “astoundingly beautiful,” said Hill. “Chiapas offers many resources like coffee, tourist attractions, water sources and more, which are 55 percent of Mexico’s power. Neo-liberalism has opened Chiapas to more exploitation of resources.
The North American Free Trade Agreement and neo-liberalism began as Mexico lost sovereignty. International Monetary Fund guidelines moved to favor capital-contributing countries.
“… putting the law of income above all,” said Hill. “The United States, as the largest contributor, is given veto right.”
These changes caused 100,000 people to be displaced into the Lacandon jungle. Prices of corn, the staple crop, fell. Sixty percent of the country lives on less than $1 a day.
Mexico lost the rights for local suppliers to have priority. The national laws wiped out democracy, and protection of investments takes priority over the lives and culture of this group. The low-intensity warfare includes rapes, abductions and murders.
To be an observer, you must learn Spanish, participate in a two-day orientation, and you will be assigned to a town. You can expect to sleep in a hammock, eat tortillas twice a day and use machetes for chopping firewood.
For more information, visit www.peacectr.org.
