AMADOR HERNANDEZ, Mexico (AP) -- Mexico's army closed a base at the
                  center of the conflict in troubled Chiapas state on Friday, pulling out of a jungle
                  town where it has faced daily confrontations with townspeople for more than a
                  year.

                  The handover of the base -- part of new President Vicente Fox's strategy to woo
                  the Zapatista rebels back to the negotiating table -- continued a pullback of troops
                  in the troubled region.

                  "This is demonstrating with actions, not words, the will of the government to
                  find a negotiated, peaceful solution to the Chiapas conflict," Foreign Secretary
                  Jorge Castaneda told The Associated Press in announcing the move.

                  The final 75 troops at Amador Hernandez, a remote jungle town 100 miles (160 kms) east of
                  the highlands city of San Cristobal de las Casas, turned over their base to Chiapas Gov. Pablo
                  Salazar and boarded helicopters for their retreat.

                  Salazar immediately turned the land back over to the community, from which it
                  had been taken by government decree when the army moved in last year.

                  Withdrawal on anniversary of massacre

                  The withdrawal came on a highly symbolic day: the third anniversary of a
                  massacre of 45 Indians in the Chiapas village of Acteal by pro-government
                  paramilitary fighters. In Acteal, Indian residents re-enacted the massacre with
                  wooden rifles and firecrackers.

                  Since Fox was sworn in as president December 1, ending 71 years of
                  single-party rule, he has made peace in southern Chiapas a top priority.

                  One of his first actions was to order the closing of 53 military roadblocks across
                  the state and the withdrawal of 2,200 troops scattered in some of the state's
                  tensest areas. He also gave Congress an Indian rights bill the Zapatistas support
                  -- and which the previous government had rejected.

                  The rebels, whose peace talks with the government broke down in 1996 when
                  the government balked at implementing the Indian rights bill, said they were
                  encouraged by Fox's moves and would return to the negotiating table under
                  certain conditions, including a more complete withdrawal of troops.

                  The base closure Friday was a big step in that direction, and was expected to
                  prompt a favorable response from the rebels.

                  The end of 18 months of tension

                  The army moved into Amador Hernandez in August 1999 after the government
                  expropriated communal land to build the military base.

                   Every day since then, townspeople -- who support the rebels -- have marched
                   against the soldiers, accusing them of stealing their land. The soldiers,
                   hunkered down behind sandbags, have blasted classical music to drown out the
                   anti-military chants.

                   "The government concedes that (the rebels) have certain historical reasons to
                    be distrustful of the government, to want to see proof of good will," Castaneda said.

                  Castaneda, whose duties don't directly involve Chiapas but whom the president
                  asked to spread the word about the withdrawal, said the action is important no
                  matter how Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos reacts.

                  "The government doesn't see these actions as concessions, but rather it believes
                  they are intrinsically important, positive, correct," he said. "They are things we
                  need to do, not just because Marcos wants us to."

                  Under a cold rain, 1,500 people marched to the village of Acteal to commemorate
                  the third anniversary of the massacre, which took place as residents were
                  praying in the village chapel.

                  Part of the commemoration was a re-enactment, with Tzotzil Indian residents
                  huddling in the chapel while others burst down the hill, brandishing wooden rifles
                  as firecrackers sounded. Others with wooden machetes acted out hacking the
                  wounded to death.

                  The 120 survivors of the massacre stood in the form of the cross while Roman
                  Catholic officials said a Mass for the dead.

                  "The blood of our fallen brothers covers us," said village leader Pedro Gutierrez.
                  "The blood of our brothers strengthens us and helps us bear this life."

                  Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.