Comandanta Ramona

San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, January 6th 2006. - The woman who had the command of the taking of the city of San Cristobal on the 1st of
January 1994, died this morning 6th of January 2006.

The news of the death of Comandanta Ramona was broken at the Otra Campaa meeting in Tonal, Chiapas, where the Delegado Zero was participating. Since 1994 she was suffering from a terminal disease. In 1995, she had a kidney transplant operation and with that she stole another 10 years from death. This morning she awoke in a delicate state and she died when she was brought to San Cristobal (Trans note: the original spanish says she "ceased to exist", but of course it would be nonsense to put it like that in english)

Comandanta Ramona, a tiny indigenous woman, commanded the strategy of the taking of San Cristbal de Las Casas, Chiapas during the armed uprising of the 1st of January 1994. She was a woman who gave her life for the struggle of her people, and who despite her delicate state of health, was always present.

The last time she was seen in public was the 16th of September 2005, in the plenary meeting of the preparations for the "Other Campaign", in the Caracol of La Garrucha, Municipality F. Gomez.

In giving the news, Delegado Zero announced the suspension for 2 days of the programmed "Other Campaign" tour, and the return of the delegation to the Caracol of Oventic, in order to be present at the funeral of this great woman, Comandanta Ramona.


A poem by Zach De la Rocha about Comandanta Ramona:

"...but Ramona -
with eyes of Obsidion,
peering thru her blood and sweat drenched mask

Darting,
Unseen

changing direction with the swiftness of a bird
thru the shanties of the canyon

with every Coyote
every Insect
every phylum of Life -

urging her

Propelling her forward

the leaves and branches of the forest
part for miles
clearing her path

the voices and screams of the dead beneath her feet
echo beneath the deepest chasm of her soul
Hurling her toward the city

History
Surging thru her Veins
Pulsing thru her fingers
hurling her toward the city

she carresses her trigger
and the words of Magon fulfill her being

and with each shot she fires
she affirms her movement

Saying -

ENOUGH!
ENOUGH!

NO!

I WILL SEE MY OWN BLOOD FLOW
BEFORE YOU TAKE
MY LAND
OR MY LIBERTY."