DATE=2/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245099
TITLE=CHIAPAS/ARMS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS
DATELINE=TAPACHULA, CHIAPAS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN MEXICO'S SOUTHERN STATE OF CHIAPAS, AN ARMED
INSURGENCY THAT BROKE OUT FIVE-YEARS AGO HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED.
BUT STATE OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE BY
ENCOURAGING CIVILIAN GROUPS TO DISARM. BUT, AS CORRESPONDENT
GREG FLAKUS REPORTS FROM TAPACHULA (TAH PAH CHOO' LAH), CHIAPAS,
THE UNSETTLED POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN THE REGION MAKE
SUCH A MOVE DIFFICULT.
TEXT: AT PUBLIC FORUMS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE STATE OF CHIAPAS,
THERE HAS BEEN STRONG VOCAL SUPPORT FOR GOVERNOR ROBERTO ALBORES
GUILLEN'S CALL TO DISARM. UNDER AN AMNESTY PROPOSED BY THE
GOVERNOR TWO-MONTHS AGO, ALL CIVILIAN GROUPS WOULD BE ABLE TO
TURN IN THEIR WEAPONS TO AUTHORITIES. AMONG THOSE STRONGLY IN
FAVOR OF DISARMAMENT ARE TRANSPORT WORKERS WHO HAVE FACED AN
INCREASING DANGER FROM ASSAULTS ON ROADWAYS BY MASKED MEN WITH
MILITARY-STYLE ASSAULT RIFLES.
WHILE THESE ASSAILANTS COULD BE MEMBERS OF "THE ZAPATISTA ARMY
FOR NATIONAL LIBERATION", WHOSE INSURGENCY BROUGHT WORLDWIDE
ATTENTION TO CHIAPAS IN EARLY 1994, THEY COULD ALSO BE COMMON
BANDITS POSING AS GUERRILLAS. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO TRAVEL THE
LONELY HIGHWAYS OF CHIAPAS IT MAKES LITTLE DIFFERENCE.
MARCO ANTONIO ALMAZAN REPRESENTS THE CONFEDERATION OF MEXICAN
TRANSPORT WORKERS IN CHIAPAS. (CONFEDERATION DE TRANSPORTISTAS
MEXICANOS).
/// ALMAZAN ACT (SPANISH) ///
MR ALMAZAN SAYS HE SUPPORTS THE DISARMAMENT OF ALL CIVILIANS,
INCLUDING THE ZAPATISTAS. HE SAYS ONLY THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND
THE MILITARY SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO WEAPONS. MANY OF THE
ANTI-ZAPATISTA PARAMILITARY GROUPS HAVE ALSO INDICATED A
RELUCTANCE TO GIVE UP WEAPONS AS LONG AS THE INSURGENTS REMAIN
ARMED.
BUT THE ZAPATISTAS ARE A SPECIAL CASE, COVERED BY THE FEDERAL
AMNESTY LAW. OFFICIALS CONCEDE THERE WILL BE NO DISARMAMENT OF
THE ZAPATISTAS UNTIL THE STALLED PEACE PROCESS CAN BE RESTARTED
AND THE CONFLICT RESOLVED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. THAT SEEMS A
REMOTE POSSIBILITY AT THE MOMENT.
AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART TALKS IN NOVEMBER FAILED AFTER ZAPATISTA
REPRESENTATIVES REFUSED TO CONSIDER A GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL. THE
GUERRILLAS REMAIN ISOLATED IN A REMOTE JUNGLE AREA IN CENTRAL
CHIAPAS, SURROUNDED BY GOVERNMENT TROOPS.
MEANWHILE, OTHER TROOPS ARE ENGAGED IN PATROLS AND ROADBLOCKS FAR
FROM THE ZONE OF CONFLICT, IN SUCH PLACES AS TAPACHULA NEAR THE
BORDER WITH GUATEMALA. AUTHORITIES SAY PART OF THE ARMS PROBLEM
IN CHIAPAS RESULTS FROM BLACK-MARKET SALES OF WEAPONS LEFT OVER
FROM CIVIL CONFLICTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA A DECADE AGO. THE ARMS
ARE NOW BEING SMUGGLED OVER THE BORDER FROM GUATEMALA.
(SIGNED).
NEB/GF/LTD/RAE
04-Feb-99 1:10 PM EST (1810 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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