To National and International Civil Society. From: SupMarcos

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Us again. Yup, one more time. What? It was better when we kept quiet? No way! Is this for real? What? It was a joke? Ohh, o.k.! Well, it was in very bad taste. Now, as punishment, I'm not going to tell you anything about how the brigades in Mexico are doing. You won't find out that by the 16 of February (two days after we had told you that there were 600) 800 brigades had been accredited, and that there are more than 10,000 volunteers working in them. And you won't know that Coordinating Councils are already accredited in several states, nor that some of them are so far along in their work that they already have their plan and the way that they'll cover all their municipalities. What? Does it hurt? Now then, we're at hand.

Look, I'm writing to let you know that there's a bank account number through which you can economically contribute to the Consultation. The account number is BANCOMER S.A., CUENTA MAESTRA, Num. 5001060-5, Plaza 437, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, and it is in the name of Doña Rosario Ibarra de Piedra. We want to make it clear that this account is separate from the finances of each state. In this way, we ask everyone, from Mexico and all the countries that want to help, to send their donations to this account. The expenses that will be incurred are large and, regardless of the fact that we have turned to our war fund (which is actually a peace fund, because we're only using it for peaceful initiatives) we can't cover it all. We ask that you confirm your donations in the Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta del EZLN (e-mail: contacto@laneta.apc.org; tel y fax: (967) 8-10-13, and 8-21-59).

I'll make use of the trip to respond affirmatively to the invitation we received from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Xoxhimilco asking that the Zapatista delegates visit their university on the dates that they will be in Mexico City (note: from March 14 to 21). Of course we accept, we'll be there (of course, provided that they change the cafeteria menu). There are more requests from institutions of higher education, to which we will be responding.

I also wanted to let you know (see how I'm not resentful) that the zapatero video about the Consultation is also now on sale, it's 20 minutes long, it's going for 20 pesos, and it can be picked up at the (I believe) Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta. Hurry up, supplies are running out! (I hope!)

Vale. I wish you health, and we've now almost finished a music video (which is different from the one previously mentioned), it's going fantastic, and we're hoping, modestly, for a Grammy for Best Music Video, or an Oscar Nomination in micro-short-subject (it's less than 4 mintues). Don't miss it!

From the Mountains of Southeast Mexico,

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos Mexico, February 1999

P.S. CALL TO UNITY.- One of these early, early mornings, la Mar was also very tired. I, then, lit my pipe and turned to my book of "Stories of the Sea Horse" and read the story about…

The Little Tree and the Others

There was once a little tree that was very lonesome but wished with all its heart to adorn and sing in the orchard of the other.

So there was the little tree and then the other came to look at it and take it away. But it turned out that the other was not another but others. The others wanted to take the little tree away to their own orchards, but there was only one little tree and the others were many others. And the little tree wished to plant itself in all the orchards, but there was only one little tree and the others were many others.

Then the others began to argue who would stay with the little tree in order to take it to their orchard. And one of the others said that he would take it because he was more other than the others. And the other one of the others said no, that he would take the little tree because his orchard was prettier and so on, and another other said that it should be him because he was a real gardener and it should be him so that he could take care of the little tree, and so they were fighting a while and they didn't come to any agreement together because, although they were others, they didn't respect the other that was of them but was other. And then they stopped fighting and said that each one of them was going to take a piece of the little tree.

And then the little tree spoke and said this: "I don't agree because, besides that you can't go around cutting trees because it threatens the ecological balance, nobody's going to come out winning. If one of you takes my branches, and the other takes the trunk, and the other the root and each one takes their piece to their orchard, well, nobody's going to come out well. The one who takes the branches and plants them won't have anything because they're missing the trunk for support and the root for food. The one who takes the trunk won't have anything either because, without branches or root, the trunk won't be able to breathe or be fed. The one who takes the root, the same, because without trunk or branches the root won't be able to grow or breathe. If, instead, if we come to a good agreement among everyone, I can plant myself for a while in the orchrd of one and then another while in the orchard of another and so on. In this way you will have fruits and seeds in all and every one of the orchards." The others were left thinking. Tan-tan.

-That's all? - asks la Mar.

- Well, yes - I say, closing the book. La Mar insists:

- But what happens? Do they split up the little tree, or so they take turns, or what?

- I don't know, we've got to wait. - I respond while dodging the pen that la Mar throws at me.

Vale again.

El Sup, humming the one that goes "Mi padre y yo lo plantamos, en el límite del patio, donde termina la casa, etcétera."

From the Mountains of Southeast Mexico,

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos Mexico, February 1999