From December 27 to 29, 2019, more than 3,000 women, from 49 countries, gathered at the Caracol de Morelia, in Chiapas, for the Second International Meeting of the Women who Fight with the sole theme: violence against women.
This meeting, convened by the women of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), opened in the mountains of Chiapas in a place called « The Footprints of Comandante Ramona « , in the area of Tzots Choi (whirlwind in the Mayan language) where about 200 women, former guerrilla fighters, entered the site dressed in their usual green jacket, armed with bows and batons. The participants called for unity to fight against oppression and domination within the framework of the patriarchal organization of our societies.
Zapatista spokeswoman known as Comandanta Amada told attendees: “Nowadays, although they preach that there are many advances for women, the truth is that being a woman has never been so deadly before in the history of humankind… They say that women are now taken into account, but they keep killing us. They say there are now more laws protecting women, but they keep killing us. They say that it is now very well seen to speak well of women’s struggles, but they keep killing us.”
During these three days, several themes were discussed concerning women from different parts of the world, in particular on sexual abuse, territorial dispossession, obstetric violence, women in prison and especially feminicide.
In the context of the war in Rojava, the delegation of the Rojava women’s movement was unable to attend the international meeting of women who Fight. A message from the women’s movement Kongra Star, on behalf of the women in North and East Syria, was sent and disseminated to the assembly during the meeting.
Their message of solidarity was broadcast during the meeting in front of hundreds of women in struggle.
Read the opening speech from the Zapatista women (in Castilian)
