Hasta Siempre, Comandanta

Comandanta Ramona of the Zapatistas died yesterday in Chiapas, en route from Caracol La Garrucha (Oventic) to San Cristobal.  She was 47-years-old and had been battling kidney cancer for over ten years.  The Zapatistas have put their Other Campaign on hold for the next few days and returned to Oventic for her funeral.  In announcing her death, Marcos said,

I want everybody to listen to what I am about to say without any interruptions. Comandanta Ramona died yesterday… The world has lost one of those women it requires. Mexico has lost one of the combative women it needs and we, we have lost a piece of our heart.

Ramona was in charge of the military takeover of San Cristobal in 1994, and in 1993, after consulting with indigenous communities, wrote the Zapatista's Women's Revolutionary Law with Major Ana Maria.

Though I have no information on what caused the cancer, it would be interesting to know.  A friend of mine is currently in a Zapatista refugee camp doing public health work.  One of his efforts is trying to find a way to ventilate the refugees' living quarters.  This is a problem as the women cook over an open fire inside with no ventilation.  The result can be cancer at a young age. 

Regardless of the cause, her death shines more light on the dire health situation facing the poor and indigenous in Chiapas and most of Mexico.  There is little to no access to health care in rural areas.  When I stayed in a Zapatista municipality the only medicines available were expired ones brought in by internationals.  In the case of a serious illness, one had to travel eight hours in the back of a truck to San Cristobal for treatment, but even there the quality of health care is poor.  One can't help but wonder if she would still be alive if she had access to better medical treatment.

A musical tribute to Ramona:

Quetzal - Todos Somos Ramona [download mp3]

A poem for Ramona:

RAMONA por C.Crabuzza, L.Marielli

Esta es la historia de Ramona
que mira al cielo
lindo por la ausencia
de civilizacio'n invasora

y se pregunta porque'
e'l no esta' esta noche
no estara' ma~ana
y quiza's nunca volvera'
su vida es un hilo de lana
verde-militar
del pasamonta~as llega
al zo'calo de San Cristo'bal
a contar los muertos sin cara
es un juego muy peligroso
en cada calle o entre hierba marchita
puede ser la suya
Ella quisiera un hombre y ni~os jugando
un hombre so'lo para ella
no el sue~o de todas
quisiera una casa en la ciudad
sin mosquitos
Ramona respira fuerte y piensa
no puede ser siempre la misma historia
no crei'a que la muerte
puede caminar a tu lado
la muerte ma's viva que la vida
la monta~a guarda la u'ltima esperanza
la u'nica razo'n para una guerra absurda
E'sta es la historia de Ramona
que escucha so'la
palabras sensuales
en la sombra de la tarde
sabes que me encantas mi amor especial
ya basta a decidir que no huira'
para esos ojos negros
que la dejan sin aliento
por que sabe que sus ni~os
se parecera'n a e'l porque algo cambio'
en una Noche Vieja
fiesta de fuego
en el zo'calo de San Cristo'bal

Comments

[Stop The Genocide Campaign]

The Mexican government has a long history of mistreating and ommiting the voices of its internal indigenous population. Who can forget the countless massacres, the displacements and the extreme marginalized conditions- In other words,

THE GENOCIDE!

One nearby example of this genocide is the Cucapá of Mexicali, who have been denied fishing permits, eventhough they have been fishing in this valley for over 9,000 years; indeed before the area was even called Mexico. Fishing is part of their ancestral traditions and is their only form of subsistence- outside of begging tourists in nearby San Felipe of course.

YOU CAN HELP PUT A STOP TO THIS INJUSTICE!

Join the Campamento de Resistencia Support Committee by setting up a collection site on your campus, house, place of employment, meeting area etc. and help us collect non-perishable foods, camping equipment, money etc. This will help sustain the Zapatista encampment that Sub Comandante Marcos will be establishing in Mexicali from February thru May 2007, during the Cucapá fishing season.

For more information about setting-up a collection site and recieving a Collection Starter Kit, or if you would like to donate please contact Héctor at (951)288-8319 or at hector@mudp.org, or laotraenelotrolado@gmail.com

El gobierno Mexicano tiene una larga historia de maltratar e ignorar las voces de sus pueblos indigenas. ¿Quién puede olvidar las masacres, los desplazos y la marginación extrema? En pocas palabras, el genocidio de nuestrros pueblos Indigenas!

Un ejemplo cercano de esté genocidio es la comunidad Cucapá del Valle de Mexicali a quien les han negado permisos de pesca, sin importar que los Cucapá tienen mas de 9,000 años viviendo y pescando en el valle; desde antes que se llamará México. La pesca es parte de sus tradiciones culturales y es su unica fuente de subsistir- afuera de pedirle limosna a los turistas en San Felipe. Tu puedes ayudar a terminar con esta injusticia!

Como: Integrate al Comité de Apoyo para el Campamento de Resistrencia estableciendo un Centro de Colección en tu escuela, trabajo, casa o centro de reuniones para colectar comida enlatada, equipo de campamento, o dinero para ayudar a sostener el campamento Zapatista que va a establecer el Sub Comandante Marcos en Mexicali durante los meses de febrero a mayo del 2007; la temporada de pesca para los Cucapá.

Contacto: Para mas información de cómo establecer un Centro de Colección y recibir un Kit para comenzar, o si quieres hacer una donación deductible comunicate con Héctor al (951)288-8319 o hector@mudp.org o con laotraenelotrolado@gmail.com