Note: Since we first sent out this appeal last week, we have raised $525 toward our goal of $750. Please help us raise the last $225 to reach the goal needed to send these medical supplies to the remote Indigenous village of Amador Hernandez in Chiapas, Mexico.
Thanks so much for your solidarity.
–The GJEP Team
(Español debajo)
A man in Amador Hernåndez transporting vaccines by horseback. Photo: Orin Langelle/GJEP
Since this past March, GJEP has been working with the community of Amador Hernandez in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas, Mexico to document government efforts to evict them from their land under the pretense of climate mitigation. Part of this effort has been the government’s withdrawal of medical services from the community. Now, the villagers have been offered a large shipment of medical supplies, and have asked for our support to pay for transporting this material to the village by light plane.
We need to raise $750 US dollars by November 23 in order to make this happen. Every penny donated will go straight to the community to bring them this shipment of medical supplies. To learn more, read the message from Amador Hernandez, below. To donate click here and, in the window marked “Designation”, write Medical Supplies for Chiapas to ensure that every penny goes to the community.
“The struggle and the stance of the region of Amador Hernández in defense of land, territory, culture, and natural resources has generated forms of repression and coercion that are well-masked to try to dissuade even those whose commitment to our cause is clear. The region’s defense of the jungle by way of rejecting the brecha lacandona and the REDD+ project, brought, first, the total withdrawal of medical services; after sending an action alert in April, we saw a partial return of medical services. But this situation has since changed to become, once again, a complete absence of medical attention for our people.
Our indigenous peoples possess a profound culture of resistance, and full knowledge of how to walk with dignity in honor of the memory of our peoples; this commitment brings with it suffering, and sacrifice, as well as a high level of organization; it is for this reason that today our communities, and in particular Amador Hernández, are working hard to strengthen not only their struggle, but also the health of their people by building their own medical system, with the will and the effort of their community base, and accompanied in solidarity by organizations, groups and individuals who recognize health services as a form of love and compassion for those who suffer, and not as a form of social control and repression of the poorest and most vulnerable.
There is much to do; but some groups have responded already to our need for support, and have donated supplies that are essential to give proper medical attention in Amador Hernández. At this moment, we need to raise 7500 pesos (about $750 US Dollars) to transport the supplies that have arrived to date.
To help bring medical supplies to Amador Hernandez, please click here and, in the window marked “Designation”, write Medical Supplies for Chiapas to ensure that every penny goes to the community.
Español:
La lucha y el pronunciamiento de la región Amador Hernández en defensa de la tierra, el territorio, la cultura y los recursos naturales, ha generado sin duda modos de represión y coherción enmascaradas para tratar de doblegar las voluntades de quienes caminan con congruencia. Su definición en defensa de la Selva a través del rechazo de la brecha lacandona y el proyecto REDD plus, en un primer momento represento el retiro total de los servicios de salud y en otro segundo momento después de la alerta de acción un pequeño retorno que poco a poco se convierte nuevamente en ausencia total.
Siendo nuestros pueblos indígenas poseedores de una profunda cultura de resistencia, saben que caminar con dignidad para honrar la memoria histórica de sus pueblos, es un compromiso que implica sufrimiento, sacrificio y un alto nivel de organización; es por eso, que hoy en día estas comunidades y en particula Amador Hernández están tratando de fortalecer no solamente su lucha sino la salud de su gente a través de la construcción de sus propios modos, con la voluntad y el esfuerzo de su base comunitaria y en compañia de la solidaridad de personas, grupos y organizaciones que conciben la atención a la salud como una forma de servicio, amor y compasión por quienes sufren y no como un medio de control social y represión en detrimento de los más pobres.
Todavía hay mucho camino que recorrer, pero hay algunos grupos que han respondido a la necesidad de las comunidades y han donado diferentes materiales y equipos que son muy importantes para la atención de salud en Amador Hernández y es necesario en este momento recaudar 7500 pesos para poder transportar la ayuda que ha ido llegando.
Were you able to raise the money?