Plantations Threaten Chiapas Communities
3/5/97
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Headline: Plantations Threaten Chiapas Communities
Source: Dana Association
Date: 3/5/97
Author: Ronald Nigh
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PLANTATIONS: SOURCE OF CONFLICT IN ZAPATISTA NEGOTIATIONS
Control of natural resources and the struggle to define the meaning
of sustainable development lies behind the current impasse and
consequent political tensions in the state of Chiapas, Mxico. On
January 11 the Mexican government essentially broke off
negotiations with the Indian representatives of the Zapatista National
Liberation Army (EZLN) by rejecting the proposed legislation
implementing the partial agreements signed one year before. The
move surprised many observers since the agreements are one of the
few positive achievements of President Zedillo's government's
handling of the Chiapas crisis since he took office in November
1994.
The government's refusal is doubly puzzling since the proposed
legislation, prepared by a special multi-party congressional
committee named by the president himself, only implements changes
in the Constitution to which Mexico was already committed by a
1989 UN agreement on indigenous rights. President Zedillo's move
was not only unpopular within Mexico but opens his government to
international criticism for not meeting its treaty commitments.
The reasons for the government's reversal became clearer
recently as closely held information involving development plans in
Chiapas has surfaced. The previous administration of President
Salinas had apparently contracted commitments with the private
sector to facilitate large paper-pulp and lumber plantation projects,
involving the planting of at least 300,000 hectares of eucalyptus on
Indian and ejido lands. Investors include one of Mexico's largest
multinationals, a tobacco conglomerate working through Grupo
Pulsar, and International Paper from the US. The project was
planned and agreed upon without any consultation with the
communities that would be affected, nor has the issue been raised in
the negotiations with the EZLN, in spite of the fact that lands of some
of their supporting communities would be involved in the project.
Nonetheless, Indians are expected to put up their lands as "capital"
for use by the corporations in return for stock in the enterprise.
It is little wonder that the government has been silent about
the scheme as it violates most of the stated policy goals for the
region. Chiapas and neighboring states include several important
protected natural areas as well as thousands of Indian farmers with
diverse agricultural and agroforestry traditions. The corporation's
proposals recognize that the life of the plantations would be only 30
years, hardly a concept of sustainable forestry. It is likely that these
lands would be seriously degraded after thirty years of eucalyptus
extraction. Recognizing Indian rights to determine their own
development--legally called "autonomy" and required
under the UN treaty as well as by the accords signed with the
Zapatistas--would recognize communities' right to reject the project.
It would seem that considerable pressure has been exerted
upon the Zedillo government to reverse its position on autonomy. In
June of 1995, the government received a letter from Edward
Krobacker, International Paper CEO. Making reference to the "high
political risk" in Chiapas, Krobacker established a series of conditions,
some requiring changes in Mexico's forestry law, in order to "create a
more secure legal framework" for International Paper's investment.
According to La Jornada, who published a summary of the letter on
February 15, 1997, all of Krobaker's demands were agreed to and
Julia Carabias, current Environmental Minister has prepared new
forestry legislation for the Congress.
When the Mexican congressional committee presented their
proposal for constitutional changes reflecting the governments signed
commitments to Indians rights, Zedillo asked the Zapatistas for 15
days to study the issue. The President then boarded the Mexican
equivalent of Airforce 1 and flew, not to Washington, but to Wall
Street, where he met with Henry Kissinger and other top financial
celebrities. Upon his return he announced the rejection of the
proposed legislation by presenting a counterproposal, clearly
designed to be unacceptable, which the Zapatistas rejected. In less
than one month. Environmental Minister Carabias announced a large
World Bank loan for "forestry", i.e. commercial plantations. The
government had won the approval of the financiers at the cost of
throwing Chiapas, and the whole country, into a state of uncertainty
and tension.
Journalist Jaime Avils wrote in La Jornada (March 1, 1997)
"Without the agreements, disorder will manifest itself in many ways;
although Mr. Krobacker gets his forestry law, nobody can guarantee
that it will be applied. The plantations will be invaded. sooner or
later and will be the source of many conflicts....The areas selected for
the eucalyptus plantations are simply condemned to desertification."
The hidden procedure whereby development projects are
decided and financed must be changed. In its place, we need a
transparent, open mechanism in which Indian communities, ejidos,
businesses or individuals can present project proposals, have them
evaluated by clearly defined technical criteria and objective
procedures in which all instances of civil society--communities, non
government organizations, corporations and state agencies--can
participate. It is urgent to initiate the flow of development
funds to Chiapas' desperate rural population.
Ronald Nigh
Dana Association
Mexico
danamex@mail.internet.com.mx