SUMMER, 1998: Volume 3 Issue 2

The Bees �Arm� Themselves with God�s Word by Paula Bidle

A newly published tzotzil Bible�translation, a ten-year cooperative project between the Diocese of San�Cristobal, the Reformed Church of America, and the �tzotziles� themselves, is a sign of hope in the divided communities�of northern Chiapas. A long-awaited fiesta to celebrate its was a breakthrough in ecumenical�relationships between Catholics and Protestants, mostly Presbyterians.

Then the December 22 massacre at Acteal happened. The official line was�that it�happened because of infighting among indigenous groups, involving religious groups. We thought that all the hard work to achieve ecumenical�cooperation was lost. Both Catholics and Protestants, however, saw the�need�to meet together as people of God. While the perpetrators and the�victims�are generally from two different religious groups, both Catholics and�Presbyterians felt the need to demonstrate that the division in the area�was not a religious one, but was based in politics and economics in the�context of low intenity conflict. They felt that it was important to�demonstrate their�willingness to work together as people of faith.

The fiesta was held in March, with hundreds of people in attendance. It�was a joyful event. Jose, a leader of the Bees, and official translator�for�the Bible, clasped his Bible to his heart and prayed in gratitude when he�received his own embossed copy. As Sister E. of the Diocese says, �the�brothers know that the Bible is the best food of all.�

Several thousand copies were bought that day, despite the fact that for�most the purchase of the Bible would cost three days� salary. With�bills�which were old, folded in small stacks, and carefully guarded for the�day�of the festival, people joyfully announced, �This will be my children�s�inheritance.�

The Bibles, however, are beyond the means of the displaced of Chenalho, including the survivors of�Acteal which now number some 8,000. Having lost everything in the recent�displacements, fifty pesos is a vast sum. The Diocese recognizes that it is�important not to give the Bibles directly, and so has created the�Cooperative of the Word of God, which would provide the Bibles at half�price. The cooperative will store some 2,500 Bibles for displaced�families until they have the financial means to buy the Bibles at this�reduced price.

The indigenous people of Chenalho would appreciate your support. They�have�suffered mightily this year. They know that the Bible, for the first�time�intheir own language, will provide spiritual food which will carry them�through this crisis and beyond, and will keep alive their commitment to�the�creation of the Kingdom of God.

The Diocese is raising support by creating�and�selling Chenalho tzotzil Bible certificates for twenty-five pesos, equivalent�to three dollars (US). This might be a good project for a local�church or Sunday school. Larger grants for 10, 25 or even 100 Bibles�are�also acceptable! In order to ensure tax deductibility and accountability, all of the above donations should be sent to:

Guatemala Refugee Ministries
Illinois Conference
United Church of Christ
1840 Westchester Blvd
Westchester IL 60154 

The donation should include a letter about what project it�is�for. Then please notify me, Paula Bidle, so that I will know to deliver this money to the�above projects. E-mail:�[email protected].

Urgent Action Request from SIPAZ

We have received a number of urgent response requests from SIPAZ (Servicio Internacional para la Paz), a peace�teams project in Chiapas, Mexico, which is associated with both of our�partners, Peace Brigades International and Christian Peacemaker Teams.�While many of the notices focus on actions of the Mexican government or�paramilitaries against individuals, there are common threads in them that�can be addressed in letters to Mexican officials and to the US government�that supports them.

• Increasing militarization of Chiapas and continued attempts of the�government to force a military solution there. Wherever the military�presence is greatest, there are also many human rights abuses and violation of the�accords that have been signed. There have been�many testimonies that document involvement of the Mexican Army and other�security forces in the training and arming of paramilitary groups.
• A continuing campaign against international�observers by the Mexican government, expelling foreigners associated with NGO�s as well as human�rights observers.
• Continuing non-compliance by the Mexican government with the accords they have signed, its disdain for the Zapatistas and their Indigenous�supporters, and its refusal to allow other parties to the conflict participate in the dialogue. Write, fax or e-mail:

C. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Presidente Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Palacio Nacional
06067 Mexico DF, Mexico
Fax: (int-52) (5) 271 1764 / 515 4783
E-mail: [email protected]

Francisco Labastida Ochoa
Secretario de Gobernacion (Minister of Interior)
Bucareli 99, 1er piso Col. Juarez
06699 Mexico DF, Mexico
Fax: (int-52) (5) 546 5350 / 546 7380

Gobernador del estado de Chiapas
Lic. Roberto Albores Guillen
Fax: (int-52) (961) 209 17

E-mail:[email protected], website: http://www.nonviolence.org/sipaz for more information.

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