This communique from the TDR-EP, one of the guerilla organizations active in the mountains of Oaxaca and Guerrero, indicates the profusion of armed campesino groups in the region—even if we can question TDR-EP's claim to command many of them. From Proceso magazine's news agency APRO, Jan. 26:

The clandestine group Democratic Revolutionary Tendency-Army of the People (TDR-EP)--a schism from the Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR)--under the leadership of Comandante Arturo, issued "a truce" Jan. 1, 2006 to "ensure conditions for the favorable development of a civil and peaceful initiative of 'The Other Campaign' of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN)."

TDR-EP explained que following the call made by the EZLN to all the guerilla organizations of Me'xico, the "general command" decided "not to develop any political-military action that can be used as a pretext for the oligarchic neoliberal government against the forces manifesting in a peaceful manner for the Mexican people and their political and social organizations in the present alliance-building [coyuntura]."

Nonetheless, the clandestine group announced it is reserving the right to "continue exercizing"...self-defense. At the same time, it reiterated that it remains "attentive and supporting [solidarios] of the forces that...are realizing 'The Other Campaign.'"

The armed group also called on the EPR, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People (FARP), the December 2 Revolutionary Organization-New Campesino Execution Brigade [Nueva Brigada Campesina de Ajusticiamiento] (OR2D-NBCA) "and others to avoid all political or military offensives..."

It also requested that they respect the right of any citizen to participate in the structure that best meets their needs, interests and political position, with the objective of seeking a political exit to the differences which separate, oppose and confront.

Recognizing all the forces and forms of struggle oriented towards the realization of a "new national project"...they offered "a greeting and best wishes" to the EZLN and all who support "The Other Campaign."

"We are all one"

The TDR-EP also revealed that since deciding to separate from the EPR in November of 2000, they agreed to restructure on a regional basis, through guerilla commands that were arising in a gradual manner to give the appearance of a dispersed proliferation of armed groups, when in reality they all answer to the same command.

These groups came to be known through actions of propaganda, self-defense and revolutionary justice:

"By virtue of this, after having concluded the first phase of regional restructuring of our commands and having arrived with the base at a critical analysis of the actual situation and corresponding plan of action, we consider it necessary and pertinent to inform that the May 23 Jaramillista Command of Morelos [Comando Jaramillista Morelense 23 de Mayo] (CJM-23M), the Popular Revolutionary Command-Fatherland is First [La Patria es Primero] (CPR-LPEP), and the Mexico Barbaro Revolutionary Command (CRT-MB) form part of the TDR-EP."

Finally, the TDR-EP said, "this structure assumes responsibility for all actions of armed propaganda, self-defense and revolutionary justice that the cited commands have seen developed since the year 2000, pending a second phase of regional restructuring and, in consequence, the emergence of new commands."

From the Chiapas95 archive.

See our last post on the Other Campaign.