MEXICO: CHIAPAS: ZAPATISTA REBELS: NEW CALL FOR PEACE

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(5 Mar 1995) Spanish/Nat

Mexico's Zapatista rebels have issued a new call for peace talks with the government.

The move comes as refugees from the jungle villages of Chiapas returned to find their homes destroyed by the Mexican army.

Government forces meanwhile continue their hunt for rebel leaders in the jungle region of Lacandon.

The indigenous people of the impoverished Chiapas state are refugees in their own land. Returning to the tiny hamlet of El Prado, in the Lacandon jungle residents found the army had left a trail of devastation.

Dozens of families found their homes burned and crops destroyed.
They'd fled here three days ago on hearing government forces were coming.

SOUNDBITE: IN Spanish
(Translation: "...that's all we knew. We thought they (the army) were coming in here too to hunt for him (Marcos), and the people, we aren't used to dealing with the army, and they said that thousands of troops were coming in. Then they said, no, no, no, but they did arrive - the army chased us as we fled and then another load of troops stormed into the village".

SUPER CAPTION:"Miguel" - El Prado resident

The nearby headquarters of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, did not survive the onslaught either.

The leader of the Zapatista rebels, Subcommandante Marcos, issued a statement Saturday expressing concern that the political chaos in Mexico could damage peace prospects in Chiapas because of uncertainty about who is in control of the government.
Deepening internal divisions have taken their toll on the ruling
PRI party, already shaken by two high-level assassinations and the peso's collapse. Demonstrations against the government and the ruling party are almost routine now.

But for the people of Chiapas, their most pressing worry is survival. This young man hasn't eaten a solid meal in almost two weeks.

SOUNDBITE: IN Spanish
(Translation:
Question - "How long is it since you've eaten?"
Answer - "Seven days - in the last week or so I've only had water from midday onward".

SUPER CAPTION: "Antonio" - El Prado resident

The PRI is thought to be losing popular support, despite renewed calls for unity from President Ernesto Zedillo.

As he focuses attention on solving the country's financial troubles and keeping political scandals at bay, President Zedillo has still to come up with a bailout package for the state of Chiapas.

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