DATE=8/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=MEXICO - CHIAPAS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265831
BYLINE=JAMES BLEARS
DATELINE=MEXICO CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Emilio Rabassa, the Mexican government
official negotiating with the Zapatista rebels in the
southern state of Chiapas, says there are new
opportunities to achieve peace in the region. Mr.
Rabassa says the opening results in part from the
election of a new governor in the state. As James
Blears reports from Mexico City, the government
negotiator says it's time for the Zapatista rebels to
take advantage of the new situation.
TEXT: Last Sunday, Pablo Salazar, the candidate of
eight diverse political parties, defeated Sami David
of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, in
the key election for governor of Chiapas. Before this,
all state governors had been members of PRI
Mr. Salazar's victory is also unusual because he is an
evangelical Protestant in a nation where 95 percent of
the population is Roman Catholic.
Despite these factors, the election went ahead
smoothly and focused on the issues, especially the
search for a peaceful settlement with the Zapatista
rebels. And for this, the government's chief
negotiator in the region, Emilio Rabassa, is thankful.
/// RABASSA ACT ONE ///
It was not a religious issue at stake in the
election at all. It was the particular agenda of
Chiapas, including the conflicts that were the
issues and debate on that election in general.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Rabassa explained that the defeat of PRI in the
Chiapas governor's election indicates that democracy
is working and the Zapatistas should seize the
initiative to re-kindle the peace negotiations.
/// RABASSA ACT TWO ///
It is a clear undoubtable signal that in this
country, political change can and does occur
peacefully through the ballot boxes, through
elections, through campaigns and not any more
through arms.
/// END ACT ///
The Zapatista struggle over rights of indigenous
peoples flared briefly at the beginning of 1994, and
after 10 days of fierce fighting between government
troops and the guerillas, a cease-fire was declared.
It has held ever since, but there is no formal peace
settlement.
Mexico's president-elect, Vicente Fox, will be
officially inaugurated at the beginning of December
and Mr. Rabassa has praised his direct appeal for a
face-to-face meeting with the Zapatista leader known
as Sub-Comandante Marcos. He is skeptical, however,
of Mr. Fox's proposal to pull government troops out of
Chiapas.
/// RABASSA ACT THREE ///
The presence of the army, which is sustained on
the Constitution and the law and takes care of a
frontier and combats narco-trafficking in the
state, is also a matter of sitting at a table
and discussing it, not a unilateral displacement
or movement.
/// END ACT ///
The Zapatistas are demanding virtual autonomy from
Mexican authorities in educational, administrative,
legal and cultural matters. While the Mexican
government is prepared to discuss many of these
issues, it is stressing that Chiapas is and will
always remain an integral part of the country.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JB/TVM/JP
24-Aug-2000 17:05 PM LOC (24-Aug-2000 2105 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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