Swearing in of the Indigenous Governing Council and its Spokeswoman
This is a transcript of the swearing in ceremony, which took place on May 28, 2017 at the CIDECI-UNITIERRA in Chiapas, Mexico.
“Compañeras, compañeros, we now ask everyone to please rise. Please remove your hats. We are now going to do the swearing in and take the oath by which we are formally constituting this Indigenous Governing Council for Mexico.
Brother and sister council members, sister spokesperson for the word of this Indigenous Governing Council.
We are in the middle of a war, a cruel war. We need your strength, bravery, determination, intelligence, and above all love, a great deal of love from all of you, to move forward with the purpose and task that we have set for ourselves, for the good of our peoples, for the good of our communities, for the good of this abused, pained, and humiliated country.
Brother and sister council members, sister spokesperson for this council:
Do you swear to uphold the word and the decision of your peoples and communities, fulfilling and struggling for freedom, justice, and democracy, and respecting the seven principles of the National Indigenous Congress?”
“We do.”
“Do you swear to care for and respect your peoples, communities, girls, boys, elderly, men and women, our mother earth, our cultures and our languages?”
“We do.”
“Do you swear to defend with your life, your thoughts, your hearts and your bodies, our peoples, communities and our mother earth?”
“We do.”
“Do you swear to be the spokespeople for the word of our peoples, of the National Indigenous Congress, without lies, duplicity, or betrayal of any kind, remaining steadfastly anticapitalist, below and to the left, constructing rebellion and resistance with all the exploited men and women of this country and this world, against those above, the capitalists and their administrators and overseers, for a world where many worlds fit?”
“We do.”
“Finally, do you swear to not fall into the temptation to seek votes and power, to not sell out, not give up, and not give in to those above?”
“We do.”
“That is what we demand of you, and if you don’t do it, we won’t complain or bring suit against you: we will sanction you and remove you. Thank you, compañeras, compañeros.
Long live the National Indigenous Congress!”
“Viva!”
“Long live the Zapatista Army of National Liberation!”
“Viva!”
“Long live Mexico!”
“Viva!”
“Long live the anticapitalist and leftist struggle!”
“Viva!”
“Long live our peoples!”
“Viva!”
“Long live Mexico!”
“Viva!”
“Long live the National Indigenous Congress!”
“Viva!”
“Long live the struggle of the exploited men and women of this country and this world!”
“Viva!”
“Thank you compañeros, compañeras.”