Friday, October 1
CPTers Mark Frey, Pierre Shantz and Anne Herman met with Oscar Salinas, a
vicar from the Diocese, to report on recent CPT activities. Salinas was
very appreciative of CPT's work and said CPT brought a very powerful example
and ministry to Chiapas.

Anne Herman went to the Immigration office, as instructed by the
authorities, to receive a decision regarding a possible violation of her
"tourist" visa status.

The Mexican government has used immigration issues to restrict the work and
sometimes expel internationals concerned with human rights issues. Since an
interview in late-September Herman had been awaiting a final decision on her
status.

She was told to return on Tuesday.

Saturday, October 2
The team went to Acteal to visit the community. People mentioned that there
had been too much rain-fall and that the unharvested corn was spoiling.
They also said they are tired and want to return to their communities but
cannot because of the armed paramilitaries who still live in their
communities.

Tuesday, October 4
The team returned to San Cristobal and Herman went to Immigration to get her
decision as instructed. The officer explained the decision had not yet
arrived and that without fail tomorrow there would be a decision.

Wednesday, October 5
At the Immigration office Herman finally received a decision stating that
her activities fit under the tourist visa criteria. She could remain in the
country without problems, although she had only four days left before
leaving to the US. Team members celebrated the decision with friends.

Saturday, October 16
Shantz, Frey and Stoltzfus left on an accompaniment trip to Arroyo Graniso
with Mexican human rights lawyers to investigate the disappearance of an
elderly man. When they arrived in the village they were told a man had been
murdered that afternoon by someone who is associated with area
paramilitaries. The motive was unknown. (See Nov. 6 release, "CHIAPAS:
Disappearance or death?")

Sunday, October 17
The team spent the day in the village while the lawyers helped the community
prepare the necessary legal papers to file charges against the alleged
killer. A military jeep arrived and maintained a presence throughout the
afternoon. The lawyers offered to take community members to Palenque to
file the charges with justice officials, but because the group had to travel
through paramilitary areas, the lawyers asked the military officer to escort
them out. For the first hour of the trip, jeeps drove in front and back of
the pickup carrying the lawyers, CPTers and community members. Arriving in
Palenque, the community members filed the charges and the CPTers and lawyers
spent the night in a hostel.

Wednesday, October 20
Lyn Stoltzfus and Pierre Shantz attended a "Play for Peace" workshop given
by Richard Rutschman from Chicago who has developed games designed to break
down barriers between children from different groups in conflict. Rutschman
has used these types of games to bring together children from inner-city
Chicago gangs.

Friday, October 22
Rumors began to circulate of another paramilitary attack on Acteal on
November 1, the Day of the Dead, a holiday to remember family members who
have died. The team traveled to Acteal to attend the monthly Mass on the
22nd to remember the victims of the Acteal massacre on December 22, 1997.

Saturday, October 23
The team conducted a half-hour prayer service at the Acteal Pillar of Shame
monument which memorializes the massacre victims. A handful of community
members joined and expressed appreciationg for the service. In the evening,
team
members were asked by community members to join prayers at the house of an
elderly man who has diabetes and is very sick.

Monday, October 25
Mexican Public Security, a highly militarized police force, met with Acteal
community leaders because of the rumors of attack. During the paramilitary
attack in 1997, Public Security personnel were in the immediate vicinity but
did not intervene. The Acteal community was very worried about the threats;
representatives of the scattered 34 Abejas communities convened in Acteal
and decided to fast and pray every hour from 7a.m. to 3p.m. for three days
leading up to the Day of the Dead, to be celebrated on November 1.

Thursday, October 28
The Abejas began their three days of fasting and prayer. Team members in
Acteal and X'oyep participated in the fasting and prayer.

Friday, October 29
There was a noticeable increase in security and military patrols passing by
Acteal.

Saturday, October 30
About twenty men and women from Zinacantan (which is not an Abejas
community) visited the Acteal Abejas as an act of solidarity. A military
helicopter flew over the camp a few times. An accompaniment person from
Norway was stopped on the Acteal road and questioned by Public Security. In
X'oyep, Shantz delivered a farewell speech to the community in their native
Tzotzil language.

Sunday, October 31
The CPTers traded places: Frey and Shantz returned to Acteal while Lyn
Stoltzfus and Clif Kindy traveled to X'oyep. Communities in both places
prepared for the Day of the Dead celebration tomorrow. The Acteal community
was particularly concerned about the threats of attack. In the evening Frey
and Shantz conferred with the other internationals to strategize how to
respond if the something were to happen the next day.

Monday, November 1
Team members in both communities participated in Day of the Dead
observances.
The service in Acteal was particularly emotional as the community
remembered the 45 people killed in the 1997 massacre (see November 17
release, "Tears and Coca-Cola: Acteal's Day of the Dead"). The military and
Public Security heavily patrolled the road above Acteal. Although nothing
physical related to the threats occurred, the community had been emotionally
affected by the threats.