More Agony for Chiapas

Chiapas. The name still rings from 1994, a peasant rebellion against government repression and paramilitary mayhem in the forested borderland of southern Mexico. It’s back, and as bloody as ever. Officials confirmed that at least 45 people were massacred Monday and at least 20 were wounded. President Ernesto Zedillo called the killings “a cruel, absurd, unacceptable criminal act” and vowed federal intervention to bring the killers to justice. That can be done, but it won’t be enough. The national government has to take hold in Chiapas state; the challenge and responsibility lie with Zedillo.

At this point, conflicting reports are coming out of Chiapas about what happened Monday. The atrocity occurred against a historical backdrop of conflict between peasants and land barons whose gunmen have terrorized farmers. Some of the landowners have paramilitaries that have alliances with local authorities.

On the other side have been the Zapatistas, whose sympathizers also kill, kidnap and assault their enemies. The crisis has been flaring, sometimes flaming, since the Zapatista revolt almost four years ago.

Supporting the peasants’ struggle, though not the violence, are religious groups led by Bishop Samuel Ruiz and nongovernmental human rights groups with good intentions but sometimes aggravating tactics.

In all, the violence has taken more than 350 lives, and thousands have been displaced from farms and villages. Monday’s massacre will do nothing to ease the upheaval.

The conflict, however, has not been without good efforts by fair interlocutors. Peace agreements were signed between the government and the Zapatistas in February 1996. President Zedillo is bound by honor to uphold those agreements. He and his government should deploy all necessary security and humanitarian resources now to restore the peace.