On September 26, two CPTers traveled to Acteal to visit the memorial for 4=
5
members of Las Abejas ("The Bees") massacred in December of last year. Th=
ey
also visited with the priests working in the area.

At about 11 am they arrived at the military/immigration checkpoint at the
entrance to the area. The immigration officer told them that if they turne=
d
around and went back to San Cristobal, there would be no problems, but tha=
t if
they insisted on continuing, he would have to give them a citation. The t=
wo
chose to continue on.

The citation summoned them to the immigration office in San
Cristobal on September 28. The interview there consisted of questions abou=
t
where the two traveled in Mexico, how often they been in Mexico, why they =
were
in Chiapas and where they had visited.

According to the Mexican government's definition, =93tourists,=94 visit
=93tourist attractions=94 (like Mayan ruins) only. When people travel to =
areas
where
indigenous people are living, where there have been conflicts or where
there is support for the Zapatista rebels, that makes them suspect.

The two CPTers were specifically asked if they had provided any humanitari=
an
help or had done any human rights observation (things that the Mexican
government considers illegal for tourists to do). Their answers convinced =
the
officer that they were tourists, and no further action was taken. Often
people are given 5 days (or less) to leave the country.

The whole process is designed to intimidate people from traveling to the
areas affected by the conflict (and is illegal under the Mexican
constitution.) It is part of the government=92s Low Intensity War, to isol=
ate
the people involved in the conflict and to prevent people from outside
(especially foreigners) from seeing what is really happening. CPT's conti=
nued
willingness to travel to those areas is a way of saying, =93We won=92t be
intimidated, we will continue to support those who are suffering from the
conflict.=94