DATE=3/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246956
TITLE=MEXICO/ZAPATISTA VOTE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS
DATELINE=MEXICO CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
*INTRO: THOUSANDS OF MEXICANS SUNDAY VOTED IN A NON-BINDING
PLEBISCITE CONDUCTED BY THE REBEL ZAPATISTA ARMY FOR NATIONAL
LIBERATION. AS VOA'S GREG FLAKUS REPORTS FROM MEXICO CITY, IT
REMAINS UNCLEAR WHAT EFFECT THE AMBITIOUS NATIONWIDE EFFORT WILL
HAVE ON THE STALLED PEACE PROCESS IN MEXICO'S SOUTHERN STATE OF
CHIAPAS.
TEXT: THE VOTING INVOLVED FOUR QUESTIONS AND WAS OPEN TO ANY
MEXICAN 12 YEARS OR OLDER. MANY PEOPLE VOTED AT TABLES SET UP IN
PUBLIC PLAZAS THROUGHOUT MEXICO, WHILE OTHERS PARTICIPATED
THROUGH A ZAPATISTA WEB SITE ON THE INTERNET.
THE QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT CONCERNED GUARANTEES FOR INDIGENOUS
RIGHTS AND WHETHER CHIAPAS SHOULD BE DEMILITARIZED. GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS DISMISSED THE EXERCISE AS A RUSE WHICH WAS RIGGED IN
FAVOR OF THE ZAPATISTA CAUSE. A UNIVERSITY OF GUADALAJARA PUBLIC
OPINION POLL CONDUCTED LAST WEEK INDICATED THAT SEVEN OUT OF TEN
MEXICANS KNEW NOTHING OF THE ZAPATISTA REFERENDUM, SUPPORTING
THE VIEW THAT MOSTLY ZAPATISTA SUPPORTERS WOULD PARTICIPATE.
BUT REPORTERS ON THE SCENE AT SOME POLLING PLACES FOUND
PARTICIPANTS WHO VOTED AGAINST SOME OF THE PROPOSALS, INCLUDING
ONE WHICH WOULD PROVIDE SPECIAL CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES FOR
MEXICO'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. SOME PARTICIPANTS SAID
CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES SHOULD APPLY TO ALL MEXICANS.
EVEN ORGANIZERS OF THE EVENT ADMITTED THAT IT WAS NOT CONDUCTED
UNDER THE SAME SORT OF CONTROLS THAT WOULD APPLY IN A N0RMAL
ELECTION. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS NO WAY OF PREVENTING SOMEONE
FROM VOTING MULTIPLE TIMES AT DIFFERENT POLLING SITES.
STILL, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE REBEL GROUP EMERGED IN
CHIAPAS FIVE YEARS AGO THAT IT HAS ATTEMPED A NATIONWIDE
POLITICAL OUTREACH. SOME FIVE THOUSAND ZAPATISTA REBELS LEFT
THEIR JUNGLE STRONGHOLD IN CENTRAL CHIAPAS AND FANNED OUT ACROSS
MEXICO TO CONDUCT SUNDAY'S VOTE.
///REST OPT///
SOME OF THEM SAID IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD EVER GONE MORE
THAN A FEW DOZEN KILOMETERS FROM THEIR VILLAGE. MANY OF THEM
EXPRESSED AWE AT SUCH SIGHTS AS THE BEACH IN ACAPULCO AND THE
TALL BUILDINGS OF MEXICO CITY, BUT THEY NEVER REMOVED THEIR
TRADEMARK MASKS, EVEN WHEN ONE GROUP PLAYED A FOOTBALL GAME WITH
SOME FORMER PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS HERE IN MEXICO CITY LAST WEEK.
HOWEVER, THE MOST FAMOUS ZAPATISTA WAS NOT ON HAND. SUBCOMMANDER
MARCOS REMAINED IN CHIAPAS AS THE VOTING TOOK PLACE. RESULTS ARE
EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/GF/WFR
21-Mar-99 9:08 PM EST (0208 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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