DATE=3/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246982
TITLE=ZAPATISTA CONSULTATION (L-O)
BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS
DATELINE=MEXICO CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM A NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM IN
MEXICO INDICATE 96-PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS FAVOR GUARANTEES FOR
INDIGENOUS RIGHTS IN MEXICO. THE SO-CALLED, CONSULTATION, WAS
CONDUCTED BY THE ZAPATISTA ARMY FOR NATIONAL LIBERATION, A REBEL
GROUP THAT STAGED A BRIEF ARMED UPRISING IN THE SOUTHERN STATE OF
CHIAPAS IN JANUARY 1994. BUT, AS CORRESPONDENT GREG FLAKUS
REPORTS FROM MEXICO CITY, THE SUNDAY VOTE IS BEING DISMISSED AS
IRRELEVANT BY MEXICAN OFFICIALS.
TEXT: AS MANY AS TWO-MILLION PEOPLE MAY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN
SUNDAY'S VOTE, ANSWERING FIVE QUESTIONS POSED ON PAPER BALLOTS
AVAILABLE AT 10-THOUSAND POLLING TABLES AROUND MEXICO.
FIVE-THOUSAND ZAPATISTA REBELS, WEARING THEIR TRADEMARK HOODED
MASKS, TOOK UP POSITIONS IN PUBLIC SQUARES IN MAJOR MEXICAN
CITIES AND IN SOME SMALLER COMMUNITIES TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC
CONSULTATION.
THE PROCESS WAS PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY, BUT CRITICS WERE QUICK TO
POINT OUT FLAWS THAT UNDERMINE THE VALIDITY OF THE RESULTS. THE
VOTE INCLUDED NO MECHANISM TO PREVENT MULTIPLE VOTING BY ONE
PERSON AND OBSERVERS IN CHIAPAS SAW MANY FOREIGNERS VOTING IN THE
CONSULTATION.
AT LEAST 10 FOREIGNERS, MOSTLY FROM THE UNITED STATES, WERE
REPORTEDLY DETAINED BY POLICE IN CHIAPAS AND MAY BE EXPELLED FROM
MEXICO FOR VIOLATING THE TERMS OF THEIR TOURIST VISAS BY TAKING
PART IN THE ZAPATISTA REFERENDUM.
WRITING IN (MONDAY'S EDITION OF) THE "REFORMA" NEWSPAPER,
COMMENTATOR SERGIO SARMIENTO BLASTED THE ZAPATISTA REFERENDUM AS
A SET UP WITH LOADED QUESTIONS IN WHICH MOSTLY ZAPATISTA
SYMPATHIZERS PARTICIPATED. HE SAID THE RESULTS, THEREFORE, ARE
PREDICTABLE.
// OPT // HE NOTED THE FOUR QUESTIONS DEALING WITH INDIGENOUS
RIGHTS WERE ALL WORDED IN A WAY THAT WOULD REQUIRE A YES VOTE
FROM ANY CONSCIENTIOUS PERSON. HE SAID A FIFTH QUESTION, ADDED
JUST DAYS BEFORE THE VOTING WAS TO TAKE PLACE, ASKED IF MEXICANS
LIVING OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN ORDER TO
-- IN THE WORDS ON THE BALLOT -- TAKE PART IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
A NEW MEXICO? MR. SARMIENTO NOTED THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH
HAS PROVOKED LEGITIMATE DEBATE IN MEXICO AND SUCH A LOADED
QUESTION SERVED NO PURPOSE IN ADVANCING THAT DEBATE. // END OPT
//
MEXICAN INTERIOR MINISTER FRANCISCO LABASTIDA CALLED THE PROCESS
-- RIGGED -- AND NOTED THAT, IN PREVIOUS REFERENDA, MEXICAN
VOTERS HAD CALLED FOR THE ZAPATISTAS TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS AND
TAKE PART IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. HE SAYS THE ZAPATISTAS HAVE
NOT DONE THIS.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO FIGHTING BETWEEN THE ZAPATISTAS AND
THE MEXICAN ARMY SINCE JANUARY OF 1994, THE REBEL GROUP CONTINUES
TO MAINTAIN DE FACTO CONTROL OVER A LARGE PART OF CHIAPAS.
// OPT // MR LABASTIDA CALLED ON THE ZAPATISTAS TO FORM A
POLITICAL PARTY AND JOIN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS TO FURTHER THEIR
CAUSE. THE REBELS HAVE REFUSED TO TAKE PART IN ANY DIALOGUE WITH
THE GOVERNMENT UNTIL IT FULFILLS PROMISES MADE AFTER A
NEGOTIATION SESSION IN 1996. MINISTER LABASTIDA SAYS THE
GOVERNMENT HAS DONE SO.
IN ADDITION, MEXICAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO ZEDILLO HAS CALLED FOR THE
MEXICAN CONGRESS TO APPROVE A PROPOSED LAW THAT WOULD ESTABLISH
GUARANTEES OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, AS CALLED FOR BY THE ZAPATISTAS.
///END OPT ///
SUPPORTERS OF THE ZAPATISTA REFERENDUM DEFENDED SUNDAY'S VOTING
AS A MEANS OF REACHING OUT TO MEXICANS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO
ADVANCE THE PEACE PROCESS. THE FINAL RESULTS ARE TO BE ANNOUNCED
LATER THIS WEEK. (SIGNED)
NEB/GF/RAE
22-Mar-99 11:39 AM EST (1639 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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