projet IPACS

Mexico
(february - august 2004)

Xulum Chon Cooperative Society
The Xulum Chon Cooperative handwork society bears the name of this animal and unites the women of eight communities who live in this same valley. The cooperative began in 1998 and was legalized in 1999. It was created for export towards the United States, Canada, and the European Union where their work could be sold for a fair price, while in Mexico the handwork is sold at derisory prices. Previously, women who wished to sell their weavings and embroidery had to go through a coyote or go into the city itself.

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
august 5th, 2004, Oventik, Chiapas, Mexico

Mut-Vitz Cooperative Society
Mut-Vitz or Bird Mountain
The Mut-Vitz Society began in 1995, year following the Zapatista uprising. The idea sprang forth from the encounter between the civil society and the Zapatista communities as a solution to obtain a better price and improve living conditions, as well as to develop autonomy. Communities organized themselves and converted to organic coffee growing in the same year. They managed to receive their certification by CERTIMEX and their exporting license in 1998.

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
july 23rd, 2004, Oventik, Chiapas, Mexico

A few words on the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
In Chiapas, southern state of Mexico, in the forest, the jungle, and the mountains, the animals and the birds speak, rebellious rivers stir things up, and the leaves concoct secrets with the wind. A story began on the 1st of January 1994, when the Zapatista Army for National Liberation (EZNL-Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional) declared war on the Mexican government to put an end to five hundred years of injustice, exclusion, exploitation, and poverty for the indigenous peoples of Chiapas. Their primary demands are “work, land, shelter, food, health, education, independence, liberty, justice, and peace.”

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
july 21st, 2004, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

CIPO-RFM
Consejo Indígena Popular de Oaxaqua «Ricardo Flores Magon»
The CIPO-RFM house is found a few minutes from Oaxaca, in Santa Lucia del Camino, a central point where representatives of different indigenous communities can be found. Here people come to eat and sleep, and above all to organize one of many projects that are underway before returning to their communities again. The Council includes more than 3,000 members of whom the majority are women, who organize from their villages. These members are representatives of many peoples: Mixteco, Zapoteco, Mixe, Chatino, Chinanteco, Cuicateco, Triqui, Negro, and Mestizo. Over a hot coffee, in an improvised kitchen with a tin roof, the people exchange among themselves and with us information about what’s going on in their communities.

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
june 7th, 2004, Santa Lucia del Camino, Oaxaca, Mexico

A visit to Santa Maria de Yaviche
Previously, eight neighboring villages lived in conviviality and had organized through Pueblos Unidos del Rincon de Sierra Juarez. Together they demanded that the government build a road to the numerous mountain villages. Pueblos Unidos had organized the project to develop a bus cooperative for transportation from the communities to the city. The new president wanted to get rid of Pueblos Unidos and attempted to compel Yaviche to support his movement. Meanwhile, the members of the community in this little mountain village decided to organize and form a free municipal agency during the year of 2001. They did so with the support of the Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca (CIPO).

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
june 7th, 2004, Santa Maria de Yaviche, Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico

SINTTIM
Sindicato Independente de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la Industria Maquiladora
Among the throng of laughing dancers, Teresa explains to Leonel that for a long time now her union has been fighting to become registered which would accord them legal status. A few weeks later, the independent union received an audience with the Governor. More than a hundred workers showed up at the government palace to support the SINTTIM (Sindicato Independente de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la Industria Maquiladora) which achieved registration on August 30th, 1999.

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
april 30th, 2004, La Paz, Mexico

Maquiladoras in Tijuana
A 4 articles series about the phenomenon of Maquiladoras

Introduction
Above all, the maquiladoras are known for their lack of respect for human rights. The bosses disregard Mexican law and rationalize the use of their worker-merchandise. They maintain a rapid turnover of personnel in order to conserve low wages; few workers remain more than five years in the same factory, In 2003 wages averaged at 553 pesos ($50 US) a week while many factories offered remuneration of 50 pesos a day.

CITTAC
Centro de Informacion para Trabajadores y Trabajadoras, Asociacion Civil
Located in the offices of the EZLN in Tijuana, the Center of Worker’s Information is comprised of over a dozen people who are past or present workers in the maquilas. Because the situation of these maquleros is precarious, involvement is off and on, fluctuating depending on job availability. Together, they do everything they can to create a movement. As such, they promote, support, and accompany the fights of workers in the maquiladora with the aim of seeing them organize themselves to defend their rights and improve working conditions.

Factor X
Carmen told us how the staff and volunteers here work with the larger aim of supporting the self-organization of the women workers or ex-workers of the maquiladora, as well as home-based workers. We spent the afternoon with these people who shared with us their experience in the struggle to change women’s conditions at work, at home, and in the community.

CCPJA
Chilpancingo Collective For Environmental Justice
Four years ago, members of the Colonia who began to have meetings in different houses formed the Chilpancingo Collective for Environmental Justice. The Collective is a community organization of ample participation with a count of 10 to 20 active members. These members are mostly unemployed, ex-maquila workers, or from the families of workers. For two years now, the group has occupied an office and received support from the Environmental Health Coalition. This San Diego organization pays for the rent, the phone, the internet, and the business supplies. An executive committee of five is responsible for making connections with other organizations, attending meetings, distributing information, and writing documents. This committee is also given the task of representing the voice of the community in communication with the Mexican government.

written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison,
february - march 2004, Tijuana, Baja California del Norte, Mexico


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Mexico (february - august 2004) Xulum Chon Cooperative Society The Xulum Chon Cooperative handwork society bears the name of this animal and unites the women of eight communities who live in this same valley. The cooperative began in 1998 and was legalized in 1999. It was created for export towards the United States, Canada, and the European Union where their work could be sold for a fair price, while in Mexico the handwork is sold at derisory prices. Previously, women who wished to sell their weavings and embroidery had to go through a coyote or go into the city itself. written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, august 5th, 2004, Oventik, Chiapas, Mexico Mut-Vitz Cooperative Society Mut-Vitz or Bird Mountain The Mut-Vitz Society began in 1995, year following the Zapatista uprising. The idea sprang forth from the encounter between the civil society and the Zapatista communities as a solution to obtain a better price and improve living conditions, as well as to develop autonomy. Communities organized themselves and converted to organic coffee growing in the same year. They managed to receive their certification by CERTIMEX and their exporting license in 1998. written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, july 23rd, 2004, Oventik, Chiapas, Mexico A few words on the Zapatista Army of National Liberation In Chiapas, southern state of Mexico, in the forest, the jungle, and the mountains, the animals and the birds speak, rebellious rivers stir things up, and the leaves concoct secrets with the wind. A story began on the 1st of January 1994, when the Zapatista Army for National Liberation (EZNL-Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional) declared war on the Mexican government to put an end to five hundred years of injustice, exclusion, exploitation, and poverty for the indigenous peoples of Chiapas. Their primary demands are “work, land, shelter, food, health, education, independence, liberty, justice, and peace.” written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, july 21st, 2004, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico CIPO-RFM Consejo Indígena Popular de Oaxaqua «Ricardo Flores Magon» The CIPO-RFM house is found a few minutes from Oaxaca, in Santa Lucia del Camino, a central point where representatives of different indigenous communities can be found. Here people come to eat and sleep, and above all to organize one of many projects that are underway before returning to their communities again. The Council includes more than 3,000 members of whom the majority are women, who organize from their villages. These members are representatives of many peoples: Mixteco, Zapoteco, Mixe, Chatino, Chinanteco, Cuicateco, Triqui, Negro, and Mestizo. Over a hot coffee, in an improvised kitchen with a tin roof, the people exchange among themselves and with us information about what’s going on in their communities. written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, june 7th, 2004, Santa Lucia del Camino, Oaxaca, Mexico A visit to Santa Maria de Yaviche Previously, eight neighboring villages lived in conviviality and had organized through Pueblos Unidos del Rincon de Sierra Juarez. Together they demanded that the government build a road to the numerous mountain villages. Pueblos Unidos had organized the project to develop a bus cooperative for transportation from the communities to the city. The new president wanted to get rid of Pueblos Unidos and attempted to compel Yaviche to support his movement. Meanwhile, the members of the community in this little mountain village decided to organize and form a free municipal agency during the year of 2001. They did so with the support of the Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca (CIPO). written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, june 7th, 2004, Santa Maria de Yaviche, Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico SINTTIM Sindicato Independente de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la Industria Maquiladora Among the throng of laughing dancers, Teresa explains to Leonel that for a long time now her union has been fighting to become registered which would accord them legal status. A few weeks later, the independent union received an audience with the Governor. More than a hundred workers showed up at the government palace to support the SINTTIM (Sindicato Independente de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de la Industria Maquiladora) which achieved registration on August 30th, 1999. written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, april 30th, 2004, La Paz, Mexico Maquiladoras in Tijuana A 4 articles series about the phenomenon of Maquiladoras Introduction Above all, the maquiladoras are known for their lack of respect for human rights. The bosses disregard Mexican law and rationalize the use of their worker-merchandise. They maintain a rapid turnover of personnel in order to conserve low wages; few workers remain more than five years in the same factory, In 2003 wages averaged at 553 pesos ($50 US) a week while many factories offered remuneration of 50 pesos a day. CITTAC Centro de Informacion para Trabajadores y Trabajadoras, Asociacion Civil Located in the offices of the EZLN in Tijuana, the Center of Worker’s Information is comprised of over a dozen people who are past or present workers in the maquilas. Because the situation of these maquleros is precarious, involvement is off and on, fluctuating depending on job availability. Together, they do everything they can to create a movement. As such, they promote, support, and accompany the fights of workers in the maquiladora with the aim of seeing them organize themselves to defend their rights and improve working conditions. Factor X Carmen told us how the staff and volunteers here work with the larger aim of supporting the self-organization of the women workers or ex-workers of the maquiladora, as well as home-based workers. We spent the afternoon with these people who shared with us their experience in the struggle to change women’s conditions at work, at home, and in the community. CCPJA Chilpancingo Collective For Environmental Justice Four years ago, members of the Colonia who began to have meetings in different houses formed the Chilpancingo Collective for Environmental Justice. The Collective is a community organization of ample participation with a count of 10 to 20 active members. These members are mostly unemployed, ex-maquila workers, or from the families of workers. For two years now, the group has occupied an office and received support from the Environmental Health Coalition. This San Diego organization pays for the rent, the phone, the internet, and the business supplies. An executive committee of five is responsible for making connections with other organizations, attending meetings, distributing information, and writing documents. This committee is also given the task of representing the voice of the community in communication with the Mexican government. written by Johanne Pelletier and Francis Murchison, february - march 2004, Tijuana, Baja California del Norte, Mexico		new articles Canada United States Mexico Guatemala El Salvador Honduras