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From Regeneracion Radio

Partial translation by It’s Going Down

As they had warned the town assembly of Tila, indigenous Ch’ol people of the local ejido (communally held land), recovered the lands where the town hall stood, which for 50 years they have fought to be removed.

For more than five decades, the descendants of the Mayas have gone to the different rooms of the three levels of government, without their indigenous voices being heard.

“If there is no solution, there will be demolition,” expressed the communal farmers who are adherents to the EZLN’s Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle. During a march held Tuesday morning, at the end of the rally in front of the mayor of Tila, that very demolition began.

“In the legitimate use of their self-determination and autonomy, by agreement of the ejido assembly, Tila’s municipal president is expelled from our land,” expressed the indigenous people of Chiapas.

Similarly, farmers and peasants members of the National Indigenous Congress (CNI), made a call for national and international solidarity to be vigilant for the possible repressive responses from the government, which in recent days undertook military and police operations in their community.

#EjidoTila chiapas, ante la falta de solucion y el acoso gubernamental y militar ch'oles expulsan ayuntamiento Tila pic.twitter.com/DfDKhaFSyL — JäG (@jagcomunik) December 17, 2015

BACKGROUND

The people of the ejido seek regime change, and aim is to control their land against attempts at privatization and seizures of communal services. People are fighting for the allocation of a solar village, water management, protection of sacred sites, and more.

All this activity is self-managed by the Ch’ol village assembly, as the legal and legitimate authority. Currently, the matter is also in the courts, but while justice is delayed, the state and municipal governments still sought to end the ejido as people continue to defend their land and territory. But the repression will not break the will and consensus of the people; all they have done is increase the mood against it.

More here.