Cultural A Survival Q U A R ' T E R L Y World Report on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Minorities Cultural Survival Quarterly Spring 1999 Volume 23 Issue 1 Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination in Mexico Contents 23 Introduction Lynn Stephen, Guest Editor 27 The First Anniversary of the Acteal Massacre Lynn Stephen Detail from Ch ichen Itza, Yucatan 30 The San Andres Accords: Indians and the Soul Luis Hernandez Navarro Departments 33 The San Andres Accords on Indigenous Rights and Culture 4 CS Bulletin Board 39 Declaration: “Never Again a Mexico Without Us” Resolutions of the National Indigenous Congress 5 Editorial 41 Indigenous Autonomy and the Strengthening of National Sovereignty 6 Not in the News and Identity Maria Magdalena Gomez Rivera 9 Special Projects Update 45 Indigenous People and Autonomy in Mexico 11 CS in the Classroom Francisco Lopez Barcenas 12 Sources 48 Indigenous Rights and the Democratic Reform of the State Pablo Enrique Yanes Rizo 14 Book Reviews Alison Smith 50 Indigenous Women’s Participation in Formulating the San Andres Accords Ian McIntosh Jessica Chape! Rosalva Aida Hernandez Castillo and Lynn Stephen 16 Update Native North 52 Indigenous Women’s Proposals to the National Indigenous Congress, 1996 America 54 Finding Our Own Solutions: Mixe Communities of Oaxaca the Hugo Aquilar and Adelfo Regino 18 Notes./iw;; Field Ron Niezen 56 The Wixaritari Today Carlos Chavez and Angeles Areas, Jalisco Indigenous Rights Support Association Huichol Statement to the Voice of the Four Peoples 58 On the cover: 59 Welcome to Oaxacalifomia Tzotil authorities firnn the autonomous Caspar Rivera-Salgado munkipio o/Polho in rebellion. 62 CSQ Resource List; Photo by Lynn Stephen Indigenous Rights and Organizations in Mexico Cultural Survival Quarterly Spring 1999 1 Cultural Survival Her Majesty Queen Margrethe Publications: Interns, Bazaars & Local Affairs: of Denmark, Honoraiy Member Cultural Survival Quarterly Pia Maybury-Lewis Jessica Chapel, Managing Editor David Maybury-Lewis, Bartholomew Dean, Book Reviews Editor Interns: Founder Sofia Flynn. 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Research Assistant Web site: www.cs.org E-mail: csincfit cs.org 2 Cultural Survival Quarterly Spring 1 999 Photo by Lynn Stephen 22 Cultural Survival Quarterly Spring 1999 Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination in Mexico Jonathan Fox, Caspar Riv er a , Lynn Stephen, Guest Editors Introduction by Lynn Stephen ndigenous autonomy or self-determination is understood as respect for the internal prac tices and decision-making modes of indigenous pueblos. I use the term pueblos here to referI to the multiple usages understood in Mexico, including, “towns," “communities," and “peoples.” Autonomy also means that indigenous communities participate in the various levels of economic, political, cultural, and legal decision-making associated with the state. The Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico which exploded in January 1994 has provided an important political opening for the negotiation of indigenous autonomy in Mexico at the national level. Movements for indigenous autonomy at the regional and local level, how ever, have a long history. For example, in 1974, the First Indigenous Congress held in San Cristobal de las Casas was multiethnic and its 1230 delegates included 587 Tzeltales, 330 Tzotiles. 152 Tojolabales, and 151 Choles representing 327 communities. Impressive regional indigenous gatherings were held elsewhere in Mexico as well in the 1970s and 1980s. The current political juncture examined in this issue focuses not only on the need to guarantee indigenous autonomy at the national level and to have it built into the Mexican Constitution and accompanying legislation, but also to ensure that the right of indigenous peoples to organize autonomously at local, regional, and national levels is respected. What this requires is a new relationship between the Mexican state and indigenous peoples. As stated by author Luis Hernandez, “The old pact between the state and Indian peoples has broken down and a new pact must be established based on new premises." The struggle for indigenous rights and self-determination in Mexico involves four key arenas which are the focus of this issue. These include: 1) on-the ground experiences of autonomy both historically and currently; 2) the signing of the San Andres Peace Accords on Indigenous Rights and Culture and their implementation: 3) the creation and maintenance of a national movement for indigenous autonomy in Mexico out of diverse experiences and interpretations of autonomy and self-determination; and 4) a redefinition Left: A Zapotec of the relationship between Indian peoples and the Mexican state away from the historical couple in centra! Oaxaca look after focus on indigenism, which had assimilation as its goal. their alfalfa parcel. In many areas throughout Mexico, indigenous peoples have historically engaged Change.s in agrarian in the practice of autonomy at community and regional levels. Among the Mixe of Oaxaca, law now permit for example, community autonomy has existed for centuries and an ethnically and linguis collectively held land tically homogeneous Mixe district was created in 1938 which remains intact to this day. In in ejido.s to he priva Chiapas, 38 self-declared autonomous municipalities and pluriethnic regions have estab tized. Indigenous lished their own sets of governing structures since 1994. The (Huicholes) of Jalisco have control over land solidified their self-determination through organizing their communities into a regional and resources is a organization that regained traditional territory through petitioning government land tri major issue in the struggle for bunals. And in a transnational political space that spans the US-Mexican border. Zapotecos, autonomy. Mixtecos, and Triques have created organizations and coalitions which defend indigenous Cultural Survival Quarterly Spring 1 999 23 rights and self-determination outside of the boundaries of In October of 1996, the EZLN and the National Commission states. of Concord and Pacification (COCOPA) announced that a joint