The Struggle of EZNL In Modern Mexico Essay -- Culture Mexico Mexican

The Struggle of EZNL In Modern Mexico Introduction In so few words, the Zapatistas are a people united in the struggle for the rights and dignity of the indigenous people of Mexico. They are a group composed of the natives to the land of the state of Chiapas, the southernmost and poorest state in Mexico, which primarily consists of the tribes of the Mayan peoples. The conditions that these indigenous people live in are a testament to the injustices caused by the spread of colonialism and capitalism and the blind eye that its institutions and governments have turned to the people who inhabit the land from which its profits are made. The suffering has given these people a voice, and the collective struggle has given rise to an organized army of the people: the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN). The motives, actions, and origins of the EZLN are either misinterpreted or misunderstood by many. Often times my research has uncovered contradictions as to the purpose of this group, which shows that they are not fully known on a larger scale. However, their methods of non-violence after some initial violent uprisings have led to their sustenance, and the message they preach is spreading throughout the world and gaining them much support. They are both War and Peace in their existence, and in their ends have stated that they will bring War in order to finally attain Peace. What follows is a brief introduction to the setting of which the EZLN was born: the history of Mexico, the conditions and peoples of Chiapas, the shrouded origins of the EZLN, and the legend of the man from which they took their name: Emiliano Zapata. Following this is an account of the uprising that announced their presence to Mexico and the worl... ...municados. Ediciones Era, Mexico. 2003 VIDEO RECORDINGS Storm from the mountain: Zapatistas take Mexico City [videorecordng]. Colombo, Santiago. Big Noise Films, New York. 2001. The Silence of the Zapatistas. [videorecording]. Paco. Chiapas Media Project, Chicago. 2001. WEB RESOURCES http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/mexico/0311Zap_March.htm http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/mexico/ezln/2000/fzln_10thesis_july.html http://www.geocities.com/alt_politics/EZLN.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EZLN http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/mexico4.html http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.chiapaslink.ukgateway.net/Mexicomap.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.chiapaslink.ukgateway.net/ch0.html&h=384&w=492&sz=51&tbnid=TNzEGG5d_Z4J:&tbnh=99&tbnw=126&start=19&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmexico,%2Bchiapas,%2Bmap%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN