The Other Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Other Campaign is a political program by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
, as a new approach in its sixteen year-long struggle for the recognition and protection of indigenous rights
and autonomy in Mexico
. This program began in January 2006, and sent Subcomandante Marcos
, the main spokesperson for the campaign, to travel across Mexico for several months. This tour was intended to create connections among the Zapatistas and pre-existing resistance groups throughout Mexico.
Throughout the campaign, the Zapatistas met with a diverse number of groups and organizations, such as trade union
organizers, indigenous leaders, intellectuals, feminists and women's rights
activists, gays, lesbians, advocates for human rights
, students, environmental activists, fishermen, factory workers, natural disaster victims, peasants, teachers, prostitutes, and young people. Marcos said that the goal of the campaign is “not to speak or run for office, but ‘to listen to the simple and humble people who struggle.’” This united force was conceived to fight against neoliberalism
and capitalism
. The Zapatistas hope to eliminate these practices in the Mexican federal government in order to protect the livelihoods of those citizens who are exploited economically by these institutions. Based on the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle
, the Other Campaign's ultimate goal was to force the Mexican government to agree to a convention which would rewrite the national constitution to include protection of indigenous rights and autonomy and exclude elements of neoliberal capitalism.
Movement or Zapatismo. This movement began on January 1, 1994 with an uprising in Chiapas
, Mexico to protest the North American Free Trade Agreement
and fight for the recognition and protection of basic rights for the indigenous people of Mexico. The movement fought opposition from the Mexican government to end such problems as financial exploitation of natives and for the recognition of racial, ethnic, and gender differences among Mexican citizens. Throughout their existence as a political force, the Zapatistas have published a series of declarations to announce the movement's objectives, in accordance with traditional peasant and indigenous revolts in 19th-century Mexico. In 1996, the Zapatistas organized a series of peace talks with the Mexican federal government, focusing initially on culture and indigenous civil rights. These negotiations led to the signing of the San Andrés Agreements, also known as the San Andrés Accords, on February 16, 1996. But in August 2001, the Mexican government defied the terms of the San Andrés Agreements when the Mexican Congress enacted constitutional reforms that had a detrimental effect on indigenous rights.
In response to this defiance, in June, 2005 the Zapatistas released the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle
(also known as La Sexta in Spanish), the most recent of the movement's declarations of objectives. The declaration outlined several goals, and announced that the Zapatistas intend to remain both a political and military force in Mexico. The declaration describes the need for a new political party, independent from the parties of the Mexican Left and all other preexisting political parties. The Sixth Declaration also encourages an international fight against neoliberalism
.
To accomplish the Sixth Declaration's goal of forming a new political force, the Zapatistas invited hundreds of organizations, political activists, leaders, and average citizens to meet and discuss strategies for gaining the support of resistance groups around the country. The result of the debates and organizational progress made during these meetings was the initiative known as the Other Campaign.
The first meeting to discuss the organization, structure, and politics of the Other Campaign was held on September 16-18, 2005. Over 2,000 people participated in this two-day event. Their experience with activism
ranged from none, to post-1994 Zapatismo activist experience, to activism in the 1970s. The participants had very diverse backgrounds, including union organizers, indigenous leaders, intellectuals, feminists and women's rights activists, gays, lesbians, advocates for human rights, students, environmental activists, and teachers. Urban youth collectives and nongovernmental organizations were also represented at this event. Despite this obvious diversity and the Zapatista's 12-year long struggle for indigenous rights, the speakers at the conference rarely mentioned the necessity of equal involvement in the campaign in terms of gender, racial-ethnic group, and sexual orientation. Rather than incorporating these important issues into discussions of all aspects of the Other Campaign, they were confined to one section of the agenda, "A Special Place for Differences", drawing criticism from gay, lesbian, indigenous, and feminist organizations attending the event. Despite this internal criticism, the event continued its efforts to organize the campaign.
In January, 2006, the Other Campaign launched with Subcomandante Marcos
, also known as Delegado Cero, traveling for several months around all 31 Mexican states. Marcos gave speeches which were attended by people as diverse as the collaborators from the campaign's first meeting, including fishermen, factory workers, natural disaster
victims, peasants, teachers, gays, lesbians, prostitutes, and young people. The ultimate goal of this tour was to rally support from organizations throughout the nation in order to eradicate neoliberalism and capitalism
from the political system in Mexico. The ideal achievement of this goal included pressuring the Mexican government to create a convention to rewrite the nation's constitution to protect all Mexicans from the exploitation that results from current capitalist and neoliberal practices.
. Although the Zapatista movement claims that the Other Campaign is a program of unity and inclusion, the LSG does not believe this. For example, this group claims that Marcos spends countless hours signing autograph
s and being photographed, indicating his status as a celebrity rather than a spokesperson for a unified cause. LSG also cites an instance when Marcos postponed his tour without any consultation for several days to be present at the funeral service of fellow EZLN member and Other Campaign organiser Comandante Ramona
allegedly illustrating his elite
status. To further support their opinion that the Other Campaign is solely a Zapatista project, the Libertarian Socialist Group includes the following quote from Marcos: "We warn everyone: we are going to fulfill the Sixth Declaration even if we are alone, and even if no one wants to work with us." This quote indicates that despite efforts to collaborate with other organizations throughout Mexico, the Zapatistas are prepared to fight against capitalism alone, rather than compromise the objectives listed in the Sixth Declaration. Thus, to participate in the Other Campaign, individuals had to support the tenets of the Sixth Declaration.
Zapatista Army of National Liberation
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation is a revolutionary leftist group based in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico....
, as a new approach in its sixteen year-long struggle for the recognition and protection of indigenous rights
Indigenous rights
Indigenous rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the indigenous peoples. This includes not only the most basic human rights of physical survival and integrity, but also the preservation of their land, language, religion and other elements of cultural...
and autonomy in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. This program began in January 2006, and sent Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos is the spokesperson for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , a Mexican rebel movement. In January 1994, he led an army of Mayan farmers into the eastern parts of the Mexican state of Chiapas protesting against the Mexican government's treatment of indigenous...
, the main spokesperson for the campaign, to travel across Mexico for several months. This tour was intended to create connections among the Zapatistas and pre-existing resistance groups throughout Mexico.
Throughout the campaign, the Zapatistas met with a diverse number of groups and organizations, such as trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
organizers, indigenous leaders, intellectuals, feminists and women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
activists, gays, lesbians, advocates for human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, students, environmental activists, fishermen, factory workers, natural disaster victims, peasants, teachers, prostitutes, and young people. Marcos said that the goal of the campaign is “not to speak or run for office, but ‘to listen to the simple and humble people who struggle.’” This united force was conceived to fight against neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
and capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. The Zapatistas hope to eliminate these practices in the Mexican federal government in order to protect the livelihoods of those citizens who are exploited economically by these institutions. Based on the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle
Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle
The Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle was a manifesto issued by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation on June 28 2005, declaring their principles and vision for Mexico and the world.The first such declaration, issued in 1993, amounted to a declaration of war on...
, the Other Campaign's ultimate goal was to force the Mexican government to agree to a convention which would rewrite the national constitution to include protection of indigenous rights and autonomy and exclude elements of neoliberal capitalism.
Historical context
The Other Campaign emerged from a 12-year-long struggle for indigenous rights, known as the ZapatistaZapatista
Zapatista may refer to:* Liberation Army of the South, formed 1910s, a Mexican insurgent group involved in the Mexican Revolution* Zapatista Army of National Liberation, formed 1994, a Mexican indigenous armed revolutionary group based in Chiapas...
Movement or Zapatismo. This movement began on January 1, 1994 with an uprising in Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, Mexico to protest the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
and fight for the recognition and protection of basic rights for the indigenous people of Mexico. The movement fought opposition from the Mexican government to end such problems as financial exploitation of natives and for the recognition of racial, ethnic, and gender differences among Mexican citizens. Throughout their existence as a political force, the Zapatistas have published a series of declarations to announce the movement's objectives, in accordance with traditional peasant and indigenous revolts in 19th-century Mexico. In 1996, the Zapatistas organized a series of peace talks with the Mexican federal government, focusing initially on culture and indigenous civil rights. These negotiations led to the signing of the San Andrés Agreements, also known as the San Andrés Accords, on February 16, 1996. But in August 2001, the Mexican government defied the terms of the San Andrés Agreements when the Mexican Congress enacted constitutional reforms that had a detrimental effect on indigenous rights.
In response to this defiance, in June, 2005 the Zapatistas released the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle
Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle
The Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle was a manifesto issued by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation on June 28 2005, declaring their principles and vision for Mexico and the world.The first such declaration, issued in 1993, amounted to a declaration of war on...
(also known as La Sexta in Spanish), the most recent of the movement's declarations of objectives. The declaration outlined several goals, and announced that the Zapatistas intend to remain both a political and military force in Mexico. The declaration describes the need for a new political party, independent from the parties of the Mexican Left and all other preexisting political parties. The Sixth Declaration also encourages an international fight against neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
.
To accomplish the Sixth Declaration's goal of forming a new political force, the Zapatistas invited hundreds of organizations, political activists, leaders, and average citizens to meet and discuss strategies for gaining the support of resistance groups around the country. The result of the debates and organizational progress made during these meetings was the initiative known as the Other Campaign.
Campaign
The Other Campaign began as an idea devised by the Zapatistas to travel throughout Mexico to meet other resistance groups and learn about the struggles they face in their communities and rally support against the neoliberal and capitalistic federal political system. Although this process resembles a conventional election campaign, the goal was not to elect a candidate to public office, but to create a new kind of political force that presents a different way to conduct political business during election campaigns.The first meeting to discuss the organization, structure, and politics of the Other Campaign was held on September 16-18, 2005. Over 2,000 people participated in this two-day event. Their experience with activism
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
ranged from none, to post-1994 Zapatismo activist experience, to activism in the 1970s. The participants had very diverse backgrounds, including union organizers, indigenous leaders, intellectuals, feminists and women's rights activists, gays, lesbians, advocates for human rights, students, environmental activists, and teachers. Urban youth collectives and nongovernmental organizations were also represented at this event. Despite this obvious diversity and the Zapatista's 12-year long struggle for indigenous rights, the speakers at the conference rarely mentioned the necessity of equal involvement in the campaign in terms of gender, racial-ethnic group, and sexual orientation. Rather than incorporating these important issues into discussions of all aspects of the Other Campaign, they were confined to one section of the agenda, "A Special Place for Differences", drawing criticism from gay, lesbian, indigenous, and feminist organizations attending the event. Despite this internal criticism, the event continued its efforts to organize the campaign.
In January, 2006, the Other Campaign launched with Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos is the spokesperson for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , a Mexican rebel movement. In January 1994, he led an army of Mayan farmers into the eastern parts of the Mexican state of Chiapas protesting against the Mexican government's treatment of indigenous...
, also known as Delegado Cero, traveling for several months around all 31 Mexican states. Marcos gave speeches which were attended by people as diverse as the collaborators from the campaign's first meeting, including fishermen, factory workers, natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
victims, peasants, teachers, gays, lesbians, prostitutes, and young people. The ultimate goal of this tour was to rally support from organizations throughout the nation in order to eradicate neoliberalism and capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
from the political system in Mexico. The ideal achievement of this goal included pressuring the Mexican government to create a convention to rewrite the nation's constitution to protect all Mexicans from the exploitation that results from current capitalist and neoliberal practices.
Critiques
In addition to internal criticism during the first meeting to plan the Other Campaign, outside organizations have critiqued this program. A major critique comes from the Libertarian Socialist Group (Grupo Socialista Libertario). This group states that the campaign is a collaboration formed behind a man, Marcos, rather than anti-capitalism or indigenous rightsIndigenous rights
Indigenous rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the indigenous peoples. This includes not only the most basic human rights of physical survival and integrity, but also the preservation of their land, language, religion and other elements of cultural...
. Although the Zapatista movement claims that the Other Campaign is a program of unity and inclusion, the LSG does not believe this. For example, this group claims that Marcos spends countless hours signing autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
s and being photographed, indicating his status as a celebrity rather than a spokesperson for a unified cause. LSG also cites an instance when Marcos postponed his tour without any consultation for several days to be present at the funeral service of fellow EZLN member and Other Campaign organiser Comandante Ramona
Comandante Ramona
Comandante Ramona was the nom de guerre of an officer of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , a revolutionary indigenous autonomist organization based in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. She was perhaps the most famous female Zapatista figure for her role early in the uprising...
allegedly illustrating his elite
Elitism
Elitism is the belief or attitude that some individuals, who form an elite — a select group of people with intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most...
status. To further support their opinion that the Other Campaign is solely a Zapatista project, the Libertarian Socialist Group includes the following quote from Marcos: "We warn everyone: we are going to fulfill the Sixth Declaration even if we are alone, and even if no one wants to work with us." This quote indicates that despite efforts to collaborate with other organizations throughout Mexico, the Zapatistas are prepared to fight against capitalism alone, rather than compromise the objectives listed in the Sixth Declaration. Thus, to participate in the Other Campaign, individuals had to support the tenets of the Sixth Declaration.