[Socialism Today, No 12, October 1996, p. 7-8]
Thousands of delegates assembled from all over the world in Chiapas this summer to take part in the international conference against neo-liberalism called by Mexico’s Zapatista guerillas (EZLN).
The assembly took place at the same time as the leaders of the official Left in Latin America were present at the annual ‘São Paulo forum’ in Brazil. There, against the background of massive Strikes, general strikes and peasant-based protests, the official leaders took a clear step to the right, as their European counterparts have done. Those present in Chiapas, in contrast, came from every continent, inspired by the Zapatista uprising of 1993/94 and looking for an alternative to capitalism’s world-wide neo-liberal policies. The majority were young people or from the radical intelligentsia.
The EZLN have succeeded in constructing a massive base amongst the indigenous peoples of Chiapas. They were looked to by hundreds of thousands throughout Mexico as a beacon of hope in the struggle against the dictatorship of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). This international meeting was a demonstration of the support which they have built amongst the indigenous peoples and also internationally. At the same time the debates reflected the EZLN’s lack of a clear alternative program and direction for the struggle in Mexico.
Recent peace negotiations with the government have not produced anything concrete for the masses of Chiapas, nor the workers and peasants of Mexico more generally. A clear alternative program is now needed if the EZLN is to break out of the impasse in which it finds itself. The Zapatista guerillas are currently confined to five villages which they control, and surrounded by the Mexican army. They have nowhere to go. This isolation is compounded by the lack of political direction from the leadership.
“Few present had any alternative to neoliberalism to put forward”
This was reflected in the debates at the international conference. Much of the discussion centred on the need to fight neo-liberal policies internationally. The weakness of the whole event was that few present – especially the leading sections of the radical intelligentsia – had any alternative to put forward. Much of the discussion centred on the relevance of socialism for today. Hugo Blanco (ex-Trotskyist from Peru) argued that his generation had “left only defeats and we need to understand why. We were not sufficiently critical of our own organizations and existing models. The EZLN has taught us this lesson”.
But rather than defending socialism as a relevant ideology for today, the majority of those present echoed the refrain of the leadership of the EZLN that something new was required. The “new” alternative which was advocated consisted of little more than a call for the creation of an alternative democracy. The EZLN have tried to court the support of the international radical intelligentsia. They have done this as an alternative to building a bridge to the massive workers’ struggles which have developed in the cities of Mexico since the uprising in 1994. This policy they applied internationally and not only within Mexico.
Among the invited guests to this event, for example, was the French sociologist, Alain Touraine, a supporter of neoliberalism and opponent of the December strikes – as well as Danielle Mitterand! The French delegation voiced their protest at Touraine’s presence and threatened to walk out of the conference.
Marcos explained to the leaders of the national delegations: “We have learned to negotiate with our enemies and for that reason we have invited him to attend”. He appealed to them to convince the French comrades. At a meeting of delegation leaders, when asked to read the letter of the French delegation, Marcos did so disdainfully and then proceeded to screw it into a ball.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold another event next year in Europe – probably in Italy – and also to create an international network of those struggling against neo-liberalism. Whilst the assembly indicated the enthusiastic support which existed for the uprising, it also demonstrated the need to re-conquer the idea of socialism as an alternative to capitalism and imperialism, in Mexico and throughout the world.
Tony Saunois
Schreibe einen Kommentar