Re: Analyzing technologies
On Thu, December 25, 1997 at 16:40:45 (-0800) James Devine writes: > >What this says to me is that the growth of the so-called "information >economy" coincides with the process of deskilling that Braverman >highlighted. The second worker -- the symbolic analyst -- has taken some of >the first worker's decision-making power away, separating conception (by the >analyst) from execution (by the reporter and/or picker). I'm not so sure I agree that the growth of the info economy coincides with deskilling. Didn't this sort of separation long precede the information age? At least, that's the picture I get reading David Noble and others. >One of the reasons our society _needs_ all sorts of computers is that the >separation of conception from execution has centralized as much as possible >of the decision-making in a small number of hands, so that as much >information as possible must be put into those hands. But, if this concentration of decision-making occured long ago, what do computers add? More efficient control? I'm sure computers aid in the control of labor somewhat, but do they really add anything fundamentally new? Computers are great at aggregating data, at rapid processing of it, at relating data, and at remembering data. Bosses can get counts of workers in Vietnamese factories, weekly pay figures in maquiladoras, etc. But, when it comes down to it, real control strategies are things that computers cannot help with, except peripherally. I'm curious, what sorts of information is available today to a boss that wasn't available to one living 100 years ago? Is it any different, or does it just get there faster and more accurately? Also, aren't the great bulk of computers doing things other than controlling people? Ironically, in the computer software industry, at least from my experience, the workers are more difficult to control, because the separation of conception and execution, not to mention the measurement of work effort, is so difficult in programming. A good programmer can pump out 10,000 lines of code a day. A brilliant programmer can put out 2,000. > Of course, it also goes the other way: the >development of info-processing and communication technology facilitates and >thus encourages the deskilling of labor. Of course, it only does that by design. There is no necessary deskilling effect from development and deployment of info technologies. Computer-centralized information does not necessarily mean human-centralized control of information. One might also claim that as the information age has become more mature, and computers more widespread, the American public has become better-informed: just think of the hassle Doug Henwood would have typing out his LBO and mimeographing the thousands of issues he sends out. I'm not entirely kidding, either. I think that the American public is better- (that is not to say well-) informed today than it was in 1950, the dawn of the information age. Along with this, methods of keeping the public away from actually using that information politically have become more advanced. But here, I think we have to turn to an examination of the law, which Ellen Dannin's piece shows is extraordinarily important, and something I think that has been sorely neglected by progressives. Bill
US/IMF Protect Private-Sector Investors/Lenders in Bailout;Economy is Great---But!
The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition -- December 26, 1997 Critics Worry U.S., IMF Protecting Private-Sector Investors and Lenders By DAVID WESSEL Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WASHINGTON -- Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin's decision to reverse course and join an international effort to rush $10 billion to South Korea raises a couple of big questions: What would have happened if the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. and other rich countries hadn't come through for Korea again? And are the U.S. and its allies stepping perilously close to guaranteeing the foreign borrowing of private debtors in big emerging-market economies? Exactly three years ago, Mr. Rubin and his deputy, Lawrence Summers, orchestrated a controversial rescue of Mexico, arguing that the alternative was allowing the Mexican government to default. That, they said, would have disrupted capital flows to emerging-market economies around the world. The Big Fear Now, Mr. Rubin and Mr. Summers are confronted with a much bigger crisis that, so far, has been resistant to international attempts to cure it. This time, the big fear isn't so much default by the Korean government, but default by Korean banks and corporations that are finding it hard to raise the dollars to pay short-term debts that are coming due. "I wouldn't spend a nickel to help private investors and private creditors," Mr. Rubin said Wednesday, interrupting a vacation to return to Washington to cope with the worsening crisis. "On the other hand, we have an enormous stake in re-establishing financial stability in South Korea. A byproduct of that, an inevitable byproduct, is that investors are going to do better than they would otherwise have." Just 10 days ago, Mr. Rubin said that South Korea didn't need a quick cash infusion, certainly not from the U.S. The only thing that would save Korea, he said, was a strong dose of economic reform. On Wednesday, with Korean borrowers on the verge of default and the won sinking, Mr. Rubin said the U.S. is lending Korea $1.7 billion as part of the $10 billion package that is linked to a move by big commercial banks to extend maturities of Korean private debt. Hard-Liners Prefer Default Some hard-liners, who have the luxury of second-guessing government officials without worrying about the consequences, say Mr. Rubin and the IMF are making a big mistake: They should have permitted the Korean companies to default, to teach foreign investors and lenders a sorely needed lesson. "They've gone too far," said Morris Goldstein, a former top IMF economist now at the Institute for International Economics. "I support the rest of the package. But they've gone too far in having the official sector assume all the liabilities of the banks." In connection with foreign commercial banks' move to extend maturities of short-term loans, Seoul is expected to formalize a promise it made in August to guarantee the debts of its commercial banks, though not debts of industrial companies. The U.S. and the IMF "are saying that if some of Korea's debt can't be paid by certain banks, it'll be a disaster," Mr. Goldstein added. "I'm not sure that's the case." Stake in Korea's Stability Mr. Rubin and his aides can't be sure either, but it is a risk they aren't willing to take. The U.S., as they point out repeatedly, has a large economic and national-security stake in stability in Korea. Mr. Summers says that, by some measures, Korea is the U.S.'s fifth-largest trading partner. And with Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and, now, Korea suffering from a lack of market confidence -- and with markets in the Philippines and Hong Kong on edge -- this hardly seemed to them to be a good time to rewrite the rules of international finance as they have been widely understood by refusing to come to Korea's aid. Wholesale defaults in Korea, the thinking at Treasury goes, could easily have prompted investors and creditors to flee from Brazil or Russia or other large vulnerable economies, turning an already huge problem into a gargantuan one. What's more, all this comes at a moment when Korea's neighbor -- Japan, the world's second-largest economy -- is having difficulty restoring market confidence itself. Japan "has loomed very large" in Korea's inability to regain market confidence, Mr. Rubin said. Although he didn't say so, a further worsening of the crisis in Korea would also loom large in Japan's difficulties, and likely would put downward pressure on the already weak yen and the Japanese stock market. Higher Interest Rate To discourage countries from relying on international bailouts, the IMF, the U.S. and the dozen other governments involved are charging Korea an interest rate about 3.5 percentage points higher than the IMF traditionally has demanded. And to make sure that the $10 billion doesn't simply flow through the Korean central bank to foreign creditors, the
Re: Analyzing technologies
It seems to me that all this discussion actually ties very well into the Hahnel and Albert Participatory Economics. Doug Henwood was asking whether a more humane system could appropriate all the benefits of modernization and separate them from exploitation, polarization, and the destruction of nature. They appear to offer a very plausible description of how to do just that. Michael is dealing with the centralization of power in job definitions, the centralization of information. Again PE very specifically suggests ways to reorganize work so that empowerment, desirability and access to information are divided roughly evenly. And I think your suggestion that such a redefinition would be more efficient even in the narrow sense is correct. They even touch lightly on the technology issue, with a hint of how computer technology should evolve to better serve PE. I know Pen-L has discussed PE to death already. But if you really are stuck for a feasible and humane alternative to capitalism, maybe it is worth another look. Cheers, and Happy Holidays Gar Lipow [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > I was taken by Michael P.'s discussion of the information economy of picking > > melons. In the real world, it's the melon-picker who uses his or her > > judgement to read the information about when or whether to pick melons. In > > Michael's imaginary scenario, there would be a division of labor between one > > worker who inspects the produce and writes a report on each individual melon > > and another who reads the report and decides which melons to pick. I guess > > then the first worker (or perhaps a third one) picks them. > > > > What this says to me is that the growth of the so-called "information > > economy" coincides with the process of deskilling that Braverman > > highlighted. The second worker -- the symbolic analyst -- has taken some of > > the first worker's decision-making power away, separating conception (by the > > analyst) from execution (by the reporter and/or picker). > > > Exactly my point. > > > One of the reasons our society _needs_ all sorts of computers is that the > > separation of conception from execution has centralized as much as possible > > of the decision-making in a small number of hands, so that as much > > information as possible must be put into those hands. > > yes. > > > Clear lines of > > communication must be established between the conception center and the > > execution peripheries. Of course, it also goes the other way: > > Yes, in my example, the workers "communicated" by stretching their back. > Elsewhere keystrokes are measured. In my school we communicate with the > administration by fte [full time equivalent -- or student body counts. > Workers' thoughts are merely an intrusion in the work process. > > -- > Michael Perelman > Economics Department > California State University > Chico, CA 95929 > > Tel. 530-898-5321 > E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Analyzing technologies
> > I was taken by Michael P.'s discussion of the information economy of picking > melons. In the real world, it's the melon-picker who uses his or her > judgement to read the information about when or whether to pick melons. In > Michael's imaginary scenario, there would be a division of labor between one > worker who inspects the produce and writes a report on each individual melon > and another who reads the report and decides which melons to pick. I guess > then the first worker (or perhaps a third one) picks them. > > What this says to me is that the growth of the so-called "information > economy" coincides with the process of deskilling that Braverman > highlighted. The second worker -- the symbolic analyst -- has taken some of > the first worker's decision-making power away, separating conception (by the > analyst) from execution (by the reporter and/or picker). > Exactly my point. > One of the reasons our society _needs_ all sorts of computers is that the > separation of conception from execution has centralized as much as possible > of the decision-making in a small number of hands, so that as much > information as possible must be put into those hands. yes. > Clear lines of > communication must be established between the conception center and the > execution peripheries. Of course, it also goes the other way: Yes, in my example, the workers "communicated" by stretching their back. Elsewhere keystrokes are measured. In my school we communicate with the administration by fte [full time equivalent -- or student body counts. Workers' thoughts are merely an intrusion in the work process. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Analyzing technologies
I am not sure, but they have been very quick so far. I would guest that the book would be available in a month or two. > > Available when? > > > > The books is > > > > Class Struggles in the Information Age (Macmillan). The galley's are now > > being prepared. Thanks for your interest. > > > > > > Michael, > > > > > > I know that there is often a hesitancy to engage in self promotion via > > > email. But I think it would be very useful and desirable if you'd post the > > > details on your new book when it's published so that the rest of us can > > > get a copy. > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > Sid Shniad > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Michael Perelman > > Economics Department > > California State University > > Chico, CA 95929 > > > > Tel. 530-898-5321 > > E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Ecology in the Soviet Union, part 1
On 25 Nov Louis wrote, in part: [] > Podiapolski recalls the outcome of the meeting with Lenin: > > "Having asked me some questions about the military and political situation > in the Astrakhan' region, Vladimir Ilich expressed his approval for all of > our initiatives and in particular the one concerning the project for the > zapovednik. He stated that the cause of conservation was important not only > for the Astrakhan krai [does anybody know what this means?], but for the > whole republic as well."^^ This is the first that I've noticed this query, and certainly no one has addressed it publicly. That's no misprint; a krai is simply an area of land, usually associated with a city or other distinct location. This is a very old indigenous word, not borrowed like rayon (region) or respublika; I'm not sure whether it's an administrative designation, ethnic or geographical, as I'm answering without reference material. valis
Re: reviewing books
"I never read a book before reviewing it; it prejudices a man so." Sydney Smith, 1771-1845. Bill > Date sent: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 10:46:51 -0500 > From: Doug Henwood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject:Re: reviewing books > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Gerald Levy wrote: > > >Doug has condemned Gillott and Kumar's book without reading it or even > >seeing a copy. If what is good for the goose is good for the gander, then > >Doug should not object to others who have not read _Wall Street_ from > >condemning it sight unseen. Perhaps Doug will now admit that his > >"review" of books prior to reading is more than a little problematic and > >speculative? > > You're right, Jerry, on the strength of this precedent, I think everyone > should condemn Wall Street sight unseen. Or any other book s/he likes to > hate. It's the holiday season; condemn generously! > > Doug > > > >
Re: Analyzing technologies
I was taken by Michael P.'s discussion of the information economy of picking melons. In the real world, it's the melon-picker who uses his or her judgement to read the information about when or whether to pick melons. In Michael's imaginary scenario, there would be a division of labor between one worker who inspects the produce and writes a report on each individual melon and another who reads the report and decides which melons to pick. I guess then the first worker (or perhaps a third one) picks them. What this says to me is that the growth of the so-called "information economy" coincides with the process of deskilling that Braverman highlighted. The second worker -- the symbolic analyst -- has taken some of the first worker's decision-making power away, separating conception (by the analyst) from execution (by the reporter and/or picker). One of the reasons our society _needs_ all sorts of computers is that the separation of conception from execution has centralized as much as possible of the decision-making in a small number of hands, so that as much information as possible must be put into those hands. Clear lines of communication must be established between the conception center and the execution peripheries. Of course, it also goes the other way: the development of info-processing and communication technology facilitates and thus encourages the deskilling of labor. (My wife got me a miniature Tetris keychain for Xmas. Goodbye work effort.) Jim Devine [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://clawww.lmu.edu/1997F/ECON/jdevine.html Academic version of a Bette Midler song: "you are the hot air beneath my wings."
Re: Microsoft trickery (fwd)
Sid Shniad wrote: > > Subject: Microsoft trickery > > > > Computer underground DigestSun Dec 21, 1997 Volume 9 : Issue > 92 > >ISSN 1004-042X > > [...] > >Cu Digest Homepage: http://www.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest > > [...] > > > > Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 21:05:37 -0800 (PST) > > From: "T.L. Kelly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: File 2--Urgent Action: WA state HOUSE BILL 2209 > > > > The WSDMA, a "labor" organization, has quietly asked the Washington > > Dept. of Labor and Industry to strip computer professionals making > > over $27.63 an hour of their overtime. > > > > Furthermore, the proposed law is written in such a way as to exempt > > "Any employee who is a computer system analyst, computer programmer, > > > software engineer, software developer, or other similarly skilled > > worker" even from the minimum wage provisions of Washington state > law. > > > > If approved, the law will be adopted Dec. 31, 1997, and become > > effective Feb. 1, 1998. > > > > The WSDMA's largest member is Microsoft, the largest employer of > > computer contractors in the region with an estimated 3-5,000 such > > employees. The company recently lost a labor case brought by a group > > > of contract workers. It is the company's acknowledged policy to > employ > > contract workers to avoid the cost of benefits, vacation, etc. > > > > Recent applicants have confirmed to me that Microsoft explicitly > > *requires* all contract workers to work "a minimum of 50-55 hours a > > week". > > > > The Boeing Company is also a member of the WSDMA. > > > > The WSDMA's legal move was kept secret. The "request" was not > reported > > in the local press until the day AFTER the public comment period had > > > ended. The author of that story has acknowledged he learned of the > > proposal in October, but did not cover it because he "didn't > > appreciate the significance." One wonders how he manages to cross > the > > street successfully. > > > > The "public" hearing was scheduled for the Tuesday before > Thanksgiving > > from 10 am to noon--in Tumwater, WA, several miles south of Olympia. > > > The vast majority of the state's contract workers live in Seattle > and > > neighboring communities far to the north. > > > > The WSDMA's own street-level membership was not informed of the > move, > > let alone invited to comment. > > > > It should be noted that computer professionals are already barred > from > > labor organizing by a Cold War-era federal law. It seems the time > has > > come to work to get that law overturned on Constitutional grounds. > But > > first... > > > > THE PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE OVERTIME LAW HAS BEEN EXTENDED > > UNTIL DEC. 19--NEXT FRIDAY. > > > > Management and owners have had nearly two months to comment, we have > > > less than a week. Please make it count. > > > > Comments can be sent to Linda Merz of the Washington State Dept. of > > Labor and Industry at (360) 902-5403 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Please be clear, relatively brief, and most importantly courteous > > (even if firm). > > > > Comments of up to 10 pages may be faxed to (360) 902-5300 or snail > > mailed to: > > > > Greg Mowat, Program Manager > > Employment Standards > > Department of Labor and Industries > > P.O. Box 4-4510 > > Olympia, WA 98504-4510 > > > > Below is an excerpt from the proposed law, HOUSE BILL 2209. As you > > can see, it applies to just about anyone working in the computer and > > > web industries. > > > > (source: http://www.wa.gov/lni/pa/w128-535.htm ) > > > > (1) Any employee who is a computer system analyst, computer > > programmer, software engineer, software developer, or other > similarly > > skilled worker will be considered a "professional employee" and will > > > be exempt from the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the > > Washington Minimum Wage Act if: > > > > (i) Applying systems analysis techniques and procedures to determine > > > hardware, software, or system functional specifications for any user > > > of such services; or > > > > (ii) Following user or system design specifications to design, > > develop, document, analyze, create, test, or modify any computer > > system, application, or program, including prototypes; or > > > > (iii) Designing, documenting, testing, creating, or modifying > computer > > systems, applications, or programs for machine operation systems; or > > > > > (iv) Any combination of the above primary duties whose performance > > requires the same skill level [...] > > > > RESOURCES ONLINE > > > > News Stories (both of 'em -- literally) > > > >Temporary software workers to lose OT > >http://www.seattletimes.com/extra/browse/html97/temp_120597.html > > > >Software temps gain time to fight OT changes > >http://www.seattletimes.com/extra/browse/html97/temp_121097.html > > > > Info from WA State Dept of L&I > > http://www.wa.gov/lni/pa/over.htm > > http://www.wa.gov/lni/pa/w128-535.htm > > > > HOUSE BILL 2209 as posted on t
"Chiapas" means nothing
Many years ago, when I self-consciously waltzed around Mexico as a young dickhead with traveler's cheques, it never occurred to me that some palpable connection might exist between the archaeological marvels I ogled and the quiet servants, etc, at my beck and call. Time seemed past, and that was that. Now I see those days through all-transforming spectacles, of course, yet I wonder just how much use a bunch of Abe Lincoln Brigade types could truly be until we understand that Chiapas is nothing, that only the Maya is real - notwithstanding the same word's meaning in Sanskrit - and we simply don't know what that reality is. Distribution maps of Central America show a submerged nation every bit as threatening as Kurdistan, even to the involvement of a rich oil region (Tabasco), antiquarian bonanzas (the yuppie tourist paradises of Yucatan, Belize and Cozumel), and, yup, count 'em, the territories of five sovereign states. In an international climate where an inch can lead to a mile, everything may be acknowledged while nothing is recognized. Yes, you're special, but still very much a part of _us_. Whatever we grant the brief of Russell Means can only go double for the Mayans, who were already producing exquisite and enigmatic artifacts nearly 3000 years ago, and starting to develop the most elaborate script in this hemisphere. Thanks to and aside from the pyrotechnic ministrations of the Church, not much is popularly known. In order to give them genuine help, a lot of research must be done very quickly and honestly; they can be our concern, but they must never be our projection. valis
New SA political schism probable
/* Written 8:27 AM Dec 24, 1997 by [EMAIL PROTECTED] in labr.party */ New ANC Leader Predicts Split With South African Communist Party JOHANNESBURG (December 19, 1997 Agence France-Presse) - South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, who took the helm of the ruling ANC earlier this week, predicted Friday a future split between the governing party and its Communist and labor union allies. In a half-hour interview with state-owned SABC television, Mbeki said he could "foresee a day" when the ANC's main allies, the Marxist-based South African Communist Party and the powerful COSATU labor federation, end their cooperative links with the governing party. The so-called tripartite alliance between the three former liberation movements was formed to fight the former white-minority regime, which gave way to Mandela's ANC-led government in the historic 1994 all-race elections. "The fundamental thing that brought everyone into the ANC was the goal that we must end the system of racial domination in the country, and we must fight for a non-racial democracy," Mbeki said. He added that when that goal has been achieved, the movement will probably be disbanded. "When this racial issue ceases to be such a dominant feature of South African life ... yes, indeed I would imagine that people might very well say that what brought us all together into this broad (movement) has been achieved," Mbeki said. He declined, however, to speculate when that split would occur. "When would it be that as South Africans this great dominant issue of racial disparity... has gone?" Mbeki said. "It will come, it has to come. But when, I cannot be in a position to tell." The ANC fought its liberation struggle against the former apartheid regime with the aid of the socialist-leaning COSATU, (Congress of South African Trade Union), movement and the Communist Party. Many top members of the current ANC government, including Posts and Telecommunications Minister Jay Naidoo (COSATU) and Transport Minister Mac Maharaj (Communist Party), Trade Minister Alec Erwin (Communist Party) were, or still are, linked to the ANC's allies. Many observers say Mbeki, who is seen as a politically-conservative market capitalist, is faced with the daunting challenge of appeasing a broad range supporters from across the political spectrum. --- ANC Homepage: http://www.anc.org.za/ SACP Homepage: http://www.sacp.org/za/
Re: Analyzing technologies
Available when? > > The books is > > Class Struggles in the Information Age (Macmillan). The galley's are now > being prepared. Thanks for your interest. > > > > Michael, > > > > I know that there is often a hesitancy to engage in self promotion via > > email. But I think it would be very useful and desirable if you'd post the > > details on your new book when it's published so that the rest of us can > > get a copy. > > > > Cheers, > > > > Sid Shniad > > > > > > > -- > Michael Perelman > Economics Department > California State University > Chico, CA 95929 > > Tel. 530-898-5321 > E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] >
Massacre Exposes Low Intensity War (fwd)
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Massacre Exposes Low Intensity War > Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Massacre Exposes Low Intensity War 12/23/97 > Chiapas Massacre Exposes Low-Intensity War in Chiapas. > by Michael McCaughan. Irish freelance journalist based in Chiapas. > tel-1-707-5233701. > Sent by Global Exchange > > > Last Monday's massacre in Aj'teal, Chiapas, which left 45 dead and 20 > wounded, had been announced and anticipated for months. Mexico has seen > marches, US delegations, local pleas and testimonies by the walking > wounded sleeping under plastic sheets without blankets or food. But it > wasn't enough. > > The local Indian people denounced the exaggerated militarisation of > Indian villages in Chiapas and the proven links between armed > paramilitaries and the ruling Institutional Revolutionary party, (PRI). > Last Sunday Mexico's daily paper 'La Jornada' published a document > signed by state governor Julio Cesar Ruiz Ferro, confirming the > handover of US$450,000 to 'Paz y Justicia,' a PRI-linked paramilitary > group. The alarm bells sounded but Chiapas governor Ruiz Ferro simply > denied the existence of any paramilitary groups and carried on with > business as usual. > > Last Monday morning however the illusion was shattered. Between 11am > and 3pm, 60 armed men surrounded hundreds of refugees huddled under a > plastic tarp in Aj'teal, north Chiapas, mercilessly cutting down the > defenseless displaced people. The refugees had fled their homes after > threats by paramilitaries with names like Red mask and Anti-Zapatista > Revolutionary Movement, who have spread fear and violence through the > Chenalho municipality. The rise of the armed groups coincided with the > growing influence of Zapatista supporters who have successfully > installed an autonomous ruling assembly in the area. > > In Chenalho like all Chiapas villages there was only one political > party until 1994., the PRI, which won upward of 100% of votes in local > and national elections. Once the local officials delivered the votes to > the PRI, the villages remained at peace. After 1994 however, villagers > openly supported the demands of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, > (EZLN) and in last year's municipal vote, 63.2% of Chenalho's villagers > cast a vote for Zapatista-linked candidates. > > The defeated PRI 'caciques' (local political bosses) sought help from > security forces to prevent the Zapatistas from gaining further ground, > hence the threats, burned-out homes and 4,500 displaced people. > > The state governor Julio Ruiz Ferro denied the existence of the > paramilitaries, inserting large paid advertisements in the national > press, announcing the return of displaced people and financial aid to > rebuild homes and replace lost possessions. Just a week ago this > journalist visited Chenalh'o municipality to witness the living > conditions of Chiapas' displaced. > > Across a mist-filled muddy hillside close to Polh'o, in the > municipality of Chenalho, there were 23 families, 106 men, women and > children, living under a leaky tarp sustained by six wooden poles. The > coughs and sneezes of the children announced the camp, where the local > Zapatista-led council opened the village doors to the refugees, but had > no food, blankets or shelter to offer. > > The bloody massacre, painfully reminiscent of Central America and > Colombian wars, is a wake-up call to Mexico's complacent ruling party. > There will be loud condemnation by Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo, > by state officials, opposition parties, church representatives and the > press. > > But the structures which led to the creation of the irregular Rambos > will remain untouched. The key factor in sustaining those > paramilitaries is the impunity of armed forces and PRI-linked > officials. On January 7th 1994, hundreds of troops occupied the village > of Morelia, inside the conflict zone, looking for Zapatistas. Three > elderly men were tortured, disappeared and killed. In June 1994 three > Tzeltal women were raped by a dozen soldiers at an army roadblock > outside Altamirano. Not a single soldier has been prosecuted. In sharp > contrast, one soldier who is safely behind bars is General Felix > Gallardo, imprisoned after his public call to create an army > ombudsman. > > The Chiapas scenario has been played out in Colombia, where > paramilitaries were first trained by the army, financed by landowners > and acknowledged by no one. Then came the first deaths, bringing > horror, condemnation and eventually resignation. The paramilitaries are > a frankenstein with a life of their own now and some 20,000 would-be > Rambos are sowing death and destruction in Colombia's tortured > countryside. > > In the past month the deaths in Colombia have become football scores, > one day 15 dead, 14 the next, then 23 then 30, a grisly > necro-statistical count. When the international outcry became too loud, > Colomb
