Conclusions

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 442.

Poor, hungry, and suppressed for centuries, Mexican Indians managed to improve the quality of their lives by means of self-organization within a comparatively short time period, thereby demonstrating how efficient the civil society can be once it translates words into deeds. They had heart to reject all the assistance from the government to be able to build their own new world – a just and free world, which would correspond to their own ideas of right and wrong. They proved that no one knows what is best for us, except ourselves. And if the existing institutions are not in line with our vision of the better future, we can build new institutions, or abandon institutions all together and rely on civic initiative.

During the last two years people took to the streets in Russia and around the world demanding changes. Indian autonomous communities are a unique example of self-organization, and they can inspire the society, which rebelled against social inequality, to productively and effectively use civic initiative that could aid the peaceful transition to the “real democracy.”

Plan of further actions:

At present we reside in San Cristóbal de las Casas – the city, which is considered to be the center of Indian culture. This is where the NGOs and philanthropic organizations that provide support to the communities of Maya's descendants are located. Some of those communities have declared their autonomy, others go with the stream, while we observe them.

May-June (Mexico): we continue to visit different communities until our visa expires (June 6, 2013), and to establish contacts with NGOs to ensure their support for the second stage of filming.

June-July (Russia): we process available footage, present our project in Russia, look for sponsors, and prepare financially, technically and informatively for the second stage of filming.

August-November (Mexico): we perform the second stage of filming. During this time of the year Zapatista movement has a number of important commemorations, and the public activity is expected to be on the rise:

· 10 years of the Junta of Good Government and ‘Caracols' (community councils) – August 5-10.

· The Small School of Zapatism: revealing of self-organization secrets, an educational program for the invited foreign guests, videoconferences and seminars devoted to the problems of autonomy – August 10-20.

· 30 years of EZLN – November 17.

[1] Underground Indian Revolutionary Committee – the commanding authority of the Zapatista National Liberation Army. Planet Earth, July 1996 (translated by Oleg Yasinskiy)