DATE=12/29/97
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10508
TITLE=MASSACRE IN CHIAPAS
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: LAST WEEK, VIOLENCE FLARED ANEW IN MEXICO'S IMPOVERISHED
SOUTHEASTERNMOST STATE OF CHIAPAS. A GROUP OF ARMED MEN INVADED
A TINY TOWN, WHERE MANY OF THE RESIDENTS HAD GATHERED AT THE
VILLAGE CHURCH, AND BEGAN SHOOTING AND HACKING THEM TO DEATH WITH
MACHETES.
U-S NEWSPAPERS ARE EXPRESSING HORROR AT THE INCIDENT, AND
DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR THE POOR PEASANTS, MOST OF THEM TZOTZIL
INDIANS. WE GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM _______________ IN TODAY'S
U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: AT LEAST 45 UNARMED INDIAN INHABITANTS OF ACTEAL,
INCLUDING 15 CHILDREN, AND A BABY WERE KILLED. BY NOW THE
INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT IS WELL UNDERWAY. ONE OF THE
MANY QUESTIONS IT WILL TRY TO ANSWER IS WHY THE POLICE TOOK AT
LEAST FIVE HOURS TO RESPOND FROM A NEARBY BARRACKS, AFTER A ROMAN
CATHOLIC PRIEST TELEPHONED FOR HELP.
MEXICAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO ZEDILLO HAS SENT FEDERAL OFFICIALS IN
TO CHIAPAS, LED BY THE NATION'S ATTORNEY GENERAL JORGE MADRZAO
CUELLAR. THE KILLINGS ARE BELIEVED TO BE PART OF A
LONG-SIMMERING FEUD BETWEEN LANDOWNERS AND POOR PEASANTS WHO MAY
HAVE BEEN FOLLOWERS OF THE ZAPATISTA GUERRILLA MOVEMENT THAT
LAUNCHED A BRIEF ARMED REBELLION ON NEW YEAR'S DAY IN 1994.
PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE ZAPATISTAS AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN
STALLED FOR A YEAR, AND VIOLENCE ON BOTH SIDES IN THE
MOUNTAINOUS, JUNGLE STATE NEAR THE GUATAMELAN BORDER HAS BEEN
INCREASING.
WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING OF U-S EDITORIALS REACTION TO THE KILLINGS
IN THE MIDWEST, WHERE "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" SAYS:
VOICE: THE LATEST ERUPTION OF VIOLENCE IN MEXICO, THREE-DAYS
BEFORE CHRISTMAS, IS A GRISLY REMINDER OF THE EXPLOSIVE
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS THAT STILL CHURN JUST
UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY'S RECENT
DEMOCRATIC AND ECONOMIC REFORMS. PRESIDENT ERNESTO
ZEDILLO MUST ENSURE THAT A THOROUGH AND CONCLUSIVE
INVESTIGATION BRINGS TO JUSTICE WHOEVER WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THIS OUTRAGE. HE ALSO MUST RESTART THE NEGOTIATIONS
TO BRING A DEFINITIVE END TO THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD GUERRILLA
VIOLENCE IN CHIAPAS. ... FOR [PRESIDENT] ZEDILLO THAT
IS ALSO THE SUREST FORMULA TO PROTECT HIS PROGRAM OF
ECONOMIC REFORMS, WHICH CANNOT BE BUILT ON A FOUNDATION
OF VIOLENCE AND IMPUNITY.
TEXT: "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" IS STRUCK BY THE CRUELTY OF THE
MASSACRE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND OF OTHER
EQUALLY HORRIBLE EVENTS.
VOICE: NEVER MORE HORRIFIC THAN IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON, MAN'S
INHUMANITY TO MAN SEEMS TO KNOW NO CULTURAL OR RELIGIOUS
BOUNDARIES. IN MEXICO, A BAND OF INDIANS APPARENTLY
ARMED BY THE GOVERNMENT MASSACRES A RIVAL BAND OF
RELATIVES, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN. IN
ALGERIA,SECURITY FORCES PREPARE FOR AN EXPECTED BOMBING
OFFENSIVE DURING HOLY RAMADAN; REPORTS SAY INSURGENTS
SLIT THE THROATS OF 21 PEOPLE IN OULED MOUSSA AND
SECURITY FORCES KILLED 14 ALLEGED REBELS IN DJEBEL
BOZEGZA. AND IN NORTHERN IRELAND, THE ASSASSINATION OF
A PROTESTANT EXTREMIST IN JAIL LEADS HIS TERRORIST
ACCOMPLICES TO MURDER A CATHOLIC FORMER PRISONER AND
PROMISE A RESUMED WAVE OF BLOODSHED.
TEXT: IN FLORIDA, "THE MIAMI HERALD" COMPARES THE REGION TO THE
WAY THINGS WERE IN COLOMBIA NOT SO MANY YEARS AGO.
VOICE: ... SO FAR THE MEXICAN MILITARY HAS BEEN, IF NOT
DIRECTLY ARMING AND FINANCING THE PARAMILITARIES IN
CHIAPAS, ENCOURAGING THEM BY TURNING A BLIND EYE TO
THEIR EXTRAJUDICIAL ACTIVITIES. DISTURBINGLY, WE ARE
SEEING THE COLOMBIANIZATION OF MEXICO. ...WHAT NEXT?
WILL THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW PARAMILITARY GROUPS TO
FLOURISH WITH IMPUNITY? WILL THE REBELS GAIN MORAL
GROUND AND STRENGTH OPPOSING SUCH HUMAN-RIGHTS ABUSES?
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE PARAMILITARIES AND REBELS
ARE FINANCED BY NARCO-TRAFFICKERS ALREADY PIPING THEIR
POISONS THROUGH MEXICO INTO THE UNITED STATES? HOW LONG
BEFORE THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT LOSES CONTROL OF ITS RURAL
REGION? THE PROSPECTS AREN'T GOOD UNLESS PRESIDENT
ERNESTO ZEDILLO TAKES SWIFT ACTION TO CLAMP DOWN ON THE
PARAMILITARIES. ...HE WOULD, AS WELL, NEED TO
JUMP-START AND IMPROVE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE LEGITIMATE
CONCERNS OF THE REGION'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. WE HOPE
... IT IS NOT TOO LATE.
TEXT: IN TEXAS, WHERE "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" KEEPS A CLOSE
WATCH ON MEXICAN AFFAIRS FROM BUREAUS IN MEXICO CITY AND
MONTERREY, THE PAPER COMMENTS:
VOICE: CHIAPAS HAS BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET SINCE MR. ZEDILLO SENT
THE ARMY IN TWO YEARS AGO TO DISPERSE ZAPATISTA
GUERRILLAS. SINCE THEN, THE GUERRILLAS HAVE KEPT A LOW
PROFILE. BUT THE NEW OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE DEMONSTRATES
HOW THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THAT MOTIVATED MANY
ZAPATISTAS TO TAKE UP ARMS MAY REMAIN. AND IT SHOWS HOW
SOME PEOPLE IN RURAL MEXICO MAY STILL MISTAKENLY THINK
THAT VIOLENCE IS AN ACCEPTABLE WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
IT IS NOT.
TEXT: AND LASTLY, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" OPINES THAT THE
CREDIBILITY OF THE ZEDILLO GOVERNMENT IS AT STAKE IN THIS
INVESTIGATION.
VOICE: THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION,WHICH WILL BE LED BY ATTORNEY
GENERAL JORGE MADRAZO CUELLAR, MUST NOW BE PURSUED
WHEREVER IT LEADS. MEXICO'S RECENT RECORD OF
INVESTIGATING POLITICALLY SENSITIVE CRIMES IS POOR.
THERE STILL HAS BEEN NO SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF THE
1994 ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE LOUIS
DONALDO COLOSIO. PROSECUTION OF FORMER PRESIDENT CARLOS
SALINAS'S BROTHER ON MURDER AND CORRUPTION CHARGES IS
STALLED. FEDERAL PROBES INTO CRIMES BY TWO PRI [SPANISH
INITIALS FOR THE INSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTIONARY PARTY]
STATE GOVERNORS ENDED WITHOUT APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENTS.
ANOTHER INVESTIGATIVE FUMBLE WOULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE MR.
ZEDILLO. ... THE BUTCHERY IN ACTEAL RESEMBLED
DEATH-SQUAD ATROCITIES IN NEARBY GUATEMALA, SOMETHING
MOST MEXICANS THOUGHT COULD NEVER HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN
COUNTRY. SADLY, THEY WERE MISTAKEN.
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF OPINION
FROM THE U-S PRESS REGARDING THE RECENT MASS KILLINGS IN THE
MEXICAN STATE OF CHIAPAS.
NEB/ANG/RAE
29-Dec-97 12:28 PM EST (1728 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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