Victims of Chiapas Massacre Honored 


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By Alejandro Ruiz
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, May 12, 1999; 3:16 a.m. EDT

ACTEAL, Mexico (AP) -- Mexican villagers cheered the arrival of a Danish
artist and his sculpture, which honors 45 Indians who were massacred in
the southern Chiapas community in 1997.

The 26-foot bronze sculpture depicts the faces of men and women in
expressions of agony.

It is the second of 10 planned ``Columns of Infamy'' that artist Jens
Galschiot hopes to install. The first, erected in November 1996 in Hong
Kong, honors victims of the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy protesters in
Beijing's Tiananmen Square. 

``To bring the Column of Infamy to Acteal has a special significance for
the violence against the Indians,'' Galschiot said Tuesday.

``Symbolically it is very important to put it here because this is one of
the places furthest from the center of the country from where it is
governed. Very little is seen in these outskirts. That's why these
cruelties occur.''

In December 1997, an armed pro-government group attacked men, women and
children in Acteal because the village was largely sympathetic to the
leftist Zapatista rebels who took up arms in 1994. 

The massacre broke out as many of the villagers were gathered in church. 

``To see this statue brings back to us the pain of the horrible massacre
of our brothers, who were attacked from behind as they prayed on their
knees for peace,'' said Antonio Guitierrez, a town leader.

Galschiot donated his work for the project, which received funding from
the independent National Indigenous Council.

Workers began installing the sculpture at the entrance to Acteal on
Tuesday, but their effort was delayed when their crane broke down.

Relatives of the massacre victims nevertheless applauded each step of
progress the men made in setting up the column.

(c) Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
 
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