12 12 1190 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/8abed873b2536b8a679d3734537175bb.pdf 0b9547785bc2b93e720878837387c239 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (14-15).pdf PDF Text Text EL SALVADOR "An Indian With Land Is An Indian With Title" Adrian Esquino (Nahuat) from El Salvador was interviewed by SAIIC during a recent visit to Washington, D.C. SAIIC: What region in El Salvador are you from? Adrian: The Nahuat are located in the western part of the country. The Lencas live towards the east, and the Mayas occupy a part of Chalatenango, in the north. SAIIC: So there are three Indian groups in El Salvador? Adrian: Yes. Thirty-six per cent of the Salvadorean people are Indian. SAIIC: What is the general situation presently? Adrian: Well, brother, the current situation in El Salvador has deteriorated, especially for us Indian people. Violence has come again. Well, why not say it. Since 1932 [when 35,000 people were killed] until the 80's, even up to today, the population that has been repressed the most, that has been massacred the most, has been Indian. On February 22 [1983], 74 Indians from a single cooperative in Las Hojas were assassinated [see $AIIC Newsletter, Spring, 1985, pp. 4-5]. In 1982 in another community, 36 people were killed. Generally speaking, it is the Indian people who are in the worst situation. SAIIC: Who are the assassins? Adrian: Generally our brothers are killed by members of the armed forces. SAIIC: Is the government involved in this? Adrian: Yes, and that's why we have come to Washington. During the electoral campaign, Duarte [the president of El Salvador] promised to prosecute Col. Elmer Gonzalez Araujo, who was responsible for the Las Hojas massacre. SAIIC: And what happened to the colonel? Has he been prosecuted? Adrian: No, the opposite has occurred. As a reward, he has been appointed chief of logistics of the armed forces. SAIIC: What are the claims of Indian people? Adrian: The principal claim is to the land. Most of us do not have professions. We live off the land. We say that an Indian with land is an Indian with title, and an Indian without land is an Indian without title. So our main objective is to keep our land. We also have other claims. Most of us do not have houses. There is no education, no schools, no medicine or clinics for us, no work. We have many problems in El Salvador. SAIIC: How do you feel that your people will overcome Page 14 Vol. 3, No.3. Summer, 1987 �this situation? Are you in contact with nonIndian people who can assist you? Adrian: Yes, the National Association of Indigenous Salvadoreans (ANIS), as we call our organization, has joined the Salvadorean National Workers Unity (UNTS). UNTS is a coalition of all grassroots organizations, including unions, cooperatives, farmer organizations, Indians, and other. We are convinced that the only way to face this situation is to unite. UNTS is the strongest organization in the nation. SAIIC: You talked earlier about your land claims. Do you function as cooperatives? Adrian: We have about 28 or 29 cooperatives throughout the country. Some of our cooperatives already have their own land. In other cases we have negotiated with individuals who have gradually given us some land. But we are not benefiting from the famous agrarian reform, since in our country it is an arbitrary one, and eventually the land will be returned to the large landowners. SAIIC: What crops do you grow? Adrian: We grow rice, beans, maize, choca, camote, and Jicama. We also make crafts. We make clothes, hats, baskets, and other things. As you know, we Indians can live anywhere on earth. If we do not do one thing, we do another. SAIIC: Are you in contact with other Indian organizations internationally? Adrian: Yes, we are in touch with non-governmental organizations in Canada, the United States, and with the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. Here I have had meetings with Indian organizations, Apache and others, and yesterday they sent telegrams to the Duarte government and to the armed forces. SAIIC: Do you have contacts with Indian people in Mexico, Guatemala, or Nicaragua? Adrian: Yes. Today, especially, we know that international Indian solidarity will help us find a way out, and to get recognition of the rights of Indian people. SAIIC: What can we do here to help Indian people in El Salvador? Adrian: Indians and non-Indians are sending telegrams and letters in response to our appeal, asking that respect be given to the Indian people, and also that Gonzalez Araujo be prosecuted. After the massacre we insisted that he should be brought to trial. Because of our demands, we have been robbed of our land, and even of our offices, so we have come to Washington to be heard. SAIIC: Would you like to send a message to Indian people in the United States? Adrian: I urge you to unite in solidarity with the Nahuat, Lenca, and Maya people of El Salvador during this war situation. We believe that your support, moral or financial, will help us solve our problems and ultimately achieve peace. I would like to invite all brothers and sisters to visit us in Sonsonate on December 21 and 22, when we have our traditional celebration. We Indians need to be strongly united and to help each other. We especially need your support with the difficult situation in El Salvador. Vol. 3, No.3. Summer, 1987 Page 15 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 1987) Zotero Language English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "An Indian With Land Is An Indian With Title" (El Salvador) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1987 Zotero Title "An Indian With Land Is An Indian With Title" (El Salvador) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 3, No. 3 (14-15).pdf Issue 3 Language English Pages 14-15 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 3 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/6241f33d2976af601443cf9ecab8d238.pdf 6fd92fd78651baab5f452aea32211aeb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (16).pdf PDF Text Text MEXICO Zapotec Community uilds ew Water Pipelin In the Sierra Juarez of Oaxaca, over seven hours by bus into the mountains north of the city of Oaxaca, there are many Zapotec Indian communities. There, in April, Solomon Lopez, director of the municipal council of San Miguel Cajonos, spoke with SAIIC about community work. We have started a project to get good drinking water. We've had piped water, but because of the drought it arrives irregularly at the village. For example, there was no water in the morning today, but in the afternoon it returned. This month the entire town is working, even the women and the old people. We are united together, the entire community. The only way we will get it done is to do it ourselves. We bought the pipe, which costs about 2 million pesos, practically without any help from the government, which doesn't provide much of this kind of service. It's the people of the community who have had to deal with all the details, including the labor. We know we need water, so we're doing what we have to do to get it. The water that we're bringing to the community comes from five kilometers away. So far we've completed two kilometers of the project, which leaves three to go. This is our largest community project, and it means we'll have more water in the future. Everyone has to work two days a week, except the old people and the women, who work one day a week. Some of the old people find a relative to do their day, and some do it themselves. There are about 70 people active in the project, not including the elders, who are about 30 more. Plus there are some other people who live elsewhere who help sometimes. Now we are digging the trenches, and then we put in the plastic pipe and cover the trenches back up. We asked for technical advise from the government, and some engineers came to plot the route, but they didn't follow through, so we went to another office to find some other people to help. Now they come for two or three days every couple of weeks to advise us about how we should dig the trenches. We started the job on February 16. In May the rains will come and we won't be able to work for a while. But we'll start again as soon as we can so that we'll have water as soon as possible. If we don't get it finished now, we'll work in stages, working every dry season. We really want to get the project finished. Photo: Assembly of Zapotec and Chinantec Peoples of the Oaxaca Sierra Page 16 Vol. 3, No.3. Summer, 1987 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 1987) Zotero Language English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Zapotec Community Builds New Water Pipeline (Mexico) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1987 Zotero Title Zapotec Community Builds New Water Pipeline (Mexico) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 3, No. 3 (16).pdf Issue 3 Language English Pages 16 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 3 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/839ea86f72de0b5706f50de7c725d7e0.pdf af387eb224f58aa049ab860b3981302d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (17).pdf PDF Text Text BALAU Pacific Islanders efend Nuclear-Free Constitution Can the people of Balau (also known as Palau) continue to withstand efforts by the United States to impose nuclear-equipped military bases in their islands? The Balau Islands, the most western cluster of the Caroline Group, are located 500 miles east of the Philippines. In 1979, 92 per cent of the voters in Balau approved history's first nuclear-free constitution. Since then the United States has used its United Nations Trusteeship powers over Balau to force seven more elections on the nuclear-free issue. In the most recent vote, held at the end of June, the people of Balau again rejected changes in their nuclearfree constitution. The United States government opposes the anti-nuclear provision because it stands in the way of the development on U.S. military bases in the islands. The United States has promoted a Compact of Free Association between itself and Balau which would provide millions of dollars of economic aid in exchange for the right to develop a naval base, store conventional and nuclear weapons, create a jungle warfare training reserve, and use the islands' airstrips. In May, Ivedual Yutaka Gibbons, the traditional High Chief of Balau, came to the United States to testify before the United Nations Trusteeship Council and to request assistance to uphold his country's constitution and resist military development. He told SAIIC: "How many times must we say no? I am speaking on behalf of the traditional chiefs of Balau. We prefer to live in peace. During World War II, which was between two other nations, we were the victims. We can't forget that terrible war between the world powers. "Today we are under a great deal of pressure to push for this plebiscite. The government has cut off all basic needs of the people of Balau. Our water and electricity have been cut Vol. 3, No.3. Summer, 1987 off. Our only radio station, which is owned by the government, has been shut down. There is a lot of threatening going on in Balau now pressing to approve this Compact. "We are very concerned because the military will have the power to take land. In the Compact, the government would only have to give 60 days notice to take land. "All these years we have been in a trust relationship with the United States. During this time, we have looked forward to the United States assisting us in developing our economy. But today, the only economy we have is based on government jobs. We have been learning about democracy and in addition we have our own system of traditional government. We thought that blending the two together we would be able to develop our economy, but we realize today that the United States is more interested in what it gets in its own self-interest. "It is our request that the United States carry out its responsibility under the trusteeship agreement to make Balau economically, politically, and socially strong. The United States must also respect our constitution and our traditions. We want the entire world to know we are supporting world peace, and we are demonstrating it by maintaining the nuclear-free provision in our constitution." Accompanying Chief Gibbons was Tosiwo Nakamura, the author of the nuclear-free clause in Balau's constitution. He said, "Being one of the smallest nations on earth, the people of Balau would like to start a movement and a legacy of peace in the Pacific region." "We would like to send a message of solidarity to your people and ask your help to spread word of our struggle throughout your continent. We are a very small nation, and we don't want to be forced into something we don't want to be part of," another speaker from Balau said. Page17 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 1987) Zotero Language English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Pacific Islanders Defend Nuclear-Free Constitution (Balau) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1987 Zotero Title Pacific Islanders Defend Nuclear-Free Constitution (Balau) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 3, No. 3 (17).pdf Issue 3 Language English Pages 17 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 3 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/77c0b2e0186c3110cb42bf75e6fd41cb.pdf 826bf52783f24cd29fa07f08c4e1ff9f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (18).pdf PDF Text Text Announcements The Fifth General Assembly of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples was held July 11-17 in Lima, Peru. Prior to the General Assembly, the WCIP sponsored a series of workshops in Cuzco, Peru, from July 4-10. Workshop topics included political economy and self-determination, development projects, analysis and prognosis, organization and management for development, and Indian policy on development. For further information contact the World Council of Indigenous Peoples, 555 King Edward Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5 Canada. Telephone (613) 230-9030. August 3-7, 1987, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, Working Group on Indigenous Populations will meet in Geneva, Switzerland. The Museum of the American Indian seeks submissions for the Fifth Native American Film Festival to be held December 11-13, 1987. Animated, narrative, and experimental works on all topics concerned with Indians of North, Central, and South America will be considered for this non-competitive festival. Formats include 16mm, three-quarter inch video, and one-half inch VHS. Deadline for submitting entries is August 14. Contact the Museum at Broadway and 155th St., New York, NY 10032 for more information. . ' The First Meeting of Caribbean Indians will be held in the Dominican Republic in August, 1988, rather than 1987, as stated in a previous issue of the SAIIC Newsletter. Did You Miss Your Spring Issue? An abundance of springtime activities prevented SAIIC from publishing the Spring issue of the Newsletter. We hope you missed us. Paid subscriptions will be extended an issue to compensate. SAIIC promotes exchange and unity among all Indians of the Americas by making information available and by making increased direct communication possible.SAIIC also makes South and Central American Indian issues and culture known to the general Englishspeaking public. The Newsletter, one of SAIIC's projects, reflects indigenous perspectives of the Americas. Nilo Cayuqueo, SAIIC Coordinator, and Susan Lobo, Publications Editor Page 18 Vol. 3, No.3. Summer, 1987 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 1987) Zotero Language English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Announcements Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1987 Zotero Title Announcements Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 3, No. 3 (18).pdf Issue 3 Language English Pages 18 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 3 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/9157e899d7d3ffc2e6ded77f7bd507db.pdf 30d44c90345ae166e379f2691c2ce552 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (19).pdf PDF Text Text Special thanks for work on this issue to Bob Aldridge, Janice Irwin; Robin Kirk, Jean Molesky, and David Stoll. For production assistance, we thank the Onaway Trust, American Friends Service Committee, Intertribal Friendship House, Wes Huss, Stephen McNeil, Rodrigo Betancurt, Janeen Antoine, and the SAIIC Committee: Jane Addison, Monti Aguirre, Julio Leon, Peggy Lowry, Maria Massolo, James Muneta, Guillermo Padilla, Judy Schnepp, Maria Souza, Ellen Speiser, Anna Stephenson, and Glen Switkes. Pete Hammer co-edited and typeset this issue. Susan Lobo is SAIIC Publications Editor. Nilo Cayuqueo is SAIIC Coordinator. NEWSLETTER To receive the SAIIC Newsletter for one year (four issues), please send a donation of $8 for addresses in the United States, Mexico, and Canada or $10 for addresses elsewhere. PUBLICATIONS Working Commission Reports: Second Conference of Indian Nations and Organizations of South America. Tiwanaku, Bolivia, published by SAIIC, 1984, $3. Journey to the South, K'uu yaa Tsa-wa, published by SAIIC, 1986,$1. RADIO SHOW One-hour tapes of SAIIC radio programs can be purchased for $8 each. Titles include: (1) Evaristo Nugkuag, Coordinating Committee of Indian People of the Amazon Basin/Indigenous People and the World Bank; (2) Nilo Cayuqueo (Mapuche, Argentina)/Sofia Painequeo (Mapuche, Chile); (3) Francisco Mamani (Aymara, Bolivia)/Nilda Alvarez (Quechua, Peru). DONATIONS SAIIC welcomes all contributions! The newsletter, our radio program, and other projects are financed by donations from our supporters. Your generosity is appreciated. ORDER FORM Number Cost Newsletter subscription (see prices above) Working Commission Reports, $3 each Tapes of radio program, $8 each Donations _ _ _ __ Total enclosed _ _ _ __ Name_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Tribe - - - - - - - - - Address_____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Please make out all checks, which are tax deductible, to American Friends Service Committee/SAIIC, and mail to SAIIC at P.O. Box 7550, Berkeley, CA 94707 USA. Overseas remittances by International Postal Money Order, please. Vol. 3, No.3. Summer, 1987. Published quarterly by SAIIC. © 1987 Page 19 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 1987) Zotero Language English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Special Thanks and Order Form Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1987 Zotero Title Special Thanks and Order Form Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 3, No. 3 (19).pdf Issue 3 Language English Pages 19 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 3 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/13abb095adb0b8af7f9ef0bacc40e6d1.pdf e2f8c414d8bc55d1ead7c305a178a18a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (20).pdf PDF Text Text @ B 0 J:: c.. Loyan Red Hawk and Morning Star Cali testing the mics before the SAIIC radio program "South and Central American Indian Update," which is heard the third and fourth Fridays of each month at 8:00p.m. on KPFA-FM, 94.1 in northern California. SAIIC/Intertribal Friendship House 523 E. 14th St. Oakland, CA 94606 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 1987) Zotero Language English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Back Cover Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1987 Zotero Title Back Cover Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 3, No. 3 (20).pdf Issue 3 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 3 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/7288ecd467bbcded1a925a260d5339a7.pdf aaa53b440dea7d6512cf5a20cbe84da7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4, No. 1 (1).pdf PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4 No. 1 (Summer 1988) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cover Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1988 Zotero Title Cover Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 4, No. 1 (1).pdf Issue 1 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 4 Abstract Note Cover Pages 1 Summer 1988 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/6636bb98077d7f79c30be38effec3ae4.pdf b748a811d0e4964122b91354ab11420d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4, No. 1 (2-5).pdf PDF Text Text A delegation of Miskitus Indians from Nicaragua visited the U.S. from June 24 to July 5, 1988 to speak about the autonomy process and prospects for peace. Their trip was sponsored by OXFAM America, International Indian Treaty Council, and SAIIC. The delegation consisted of Juan Salgado, Vice Coordinator of Kisan for Peace, Amalia Dixon of the Autonomy Commission, and Elasio Holmes Bennet, Political Secretary of Kisan for Peace. They came to attend the 13th IITC conference in Celilo Falls, Oregon. After that they came to the San Francisco Bay Area to speak at several events. They also went to Washington D.C. Their statements are summarized here: Juan Salgado: ''We are very happy to be here with our Brothers and Sisters. We have faith that very soon we will have the autonomous government we have been fighting for. When we get our autonomous government, it won't be only for us. We believe we are supposed to fight for others, too. ''When we start to practice our real autonomy, it will be. a shame for other countries who have ethnic minorities whose rights are not being respected-it :will be shameful for those countries. ''We are a great Indian nation. We are strong. You have to learn to have that faith, and struggle with that faith, to overcome everything and get your rights in the state. I am grateful to you because, by attending this conference, I am learning a lot of things from you, too. Sometimes our Indians would rather run away from problems, would rather not recognize themselves as Indian, and would rather run away and integrate themselves as other minorities. That is not correct. Many times they hide because of the money. You lose your dignity as a nation this way. We have to fight together tp receive justice and find peace in the world. "Many of my people are here in the United States. Many of them have personal interests; they have forgotten their mothers, their brothers, their sisters. It is my feeling that, by being here today, we can learn to work together, to develop solidarity. That is my main purpose today. "So, by sharing with everyone we can help one another; that will be easier. We shouldn't run away. No one has the right to take us from our land. It is something that belongs to us. We are talking about freedom, and they are supposed to give us freedom-real freedom for everyone, for all the people of this hemisphere. I have great hope that things will be the way we expect. We are not going to keep quiet; we are going to continue to struggle, because there are still some other things we need to do. We are not afraid. 'l\utonomy means our full rights-our rights over our riches, our way of living, our system of life, our reality, our participation in the division of everything. We don't know anything about political parties. All we know is the way that we are accustomed to living and the rights that we have over our land. Amalia Dixon on the history of Atlantic Coast autonomy: ''We notice that the Indian history all over the world is the same. We notice that economically you people are much better than us, but when we speak of rights you still have difficulties getting those rights to be recognized. So then we are the same people that suffer oppression, isolation, marginalization, exploitation. "In 1821, Central America became independent-a big meeting was held in Guatemala. Then they decided that this would be the state of Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. But those people who went there didn't invite any Indian people, nor blacks who were living in each of those states. Page 2 �So no one was present that would represent the interests of the ethnic groups in Central America. That is how, from the beginning, the Indian people that are in the Pacific region of Nicaragua, mixed with the Spanish, became mestizos and took power. Later it was invaded by the English and they continued living there until1860. In 1894, the English people were pushed out of the region. "This is known in our Nicaraguan history as the reincorporation of the Miskitu Atlantic into Nicaragua. In terms of rights, they were incorporating us without consulting us, without taking into consideration our feelings as Native people. How can we learn to love Nicaragua? I am not involved in Nicaraguan life. So I continue living according to my way and I look at those people in the Pacific coast as Spaniards, because they speak Spanish. Later you see how general Sandino came in fighting against imperialism. In 1934, Somosa took over Nicaragua and started taking over the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, and more large American companies, lumber companies and gold mining companies went in throughout the region. They just came into Nicaragua to exploit the riches and that was that. "Until 1950, the government went into our region saying that we were supposed to speak Spanish, the official language .... Just as someone was telling me that there are some programs in the U.S. also that you are supposed to speak English only? That destroys you:r culture. If you come to me and say that the language that I speak is not important, I am ashamed of being what I am. That is what happened with most of our people that learned to speak Spanish. "In 1979, when the Sandinistas won the revolution, they went into our region. The first thing we said was: 'We want to be organized in our own system, in our own reality. The Sandinistas accepted and we organized Misurasata, that means Miskuitus, Sumus, Rama, Sandinistas unification. We are six different ethnic groups on the Atlantic coast; three are Indians-Miskuitus, Sumus, and Rama, then the Creole, mixed blood.' Juan Salgado, Elasio Holme from Kisan par La Paz, and Amalia Dixon of the Autonomy Commission, speaking at KPFA raqio in Berkeley. photo- ·Marvin Collins ''We then asked the question: 'What are we going to demand from the new government, because if there is a revolution they say you can ask for your rights. So then Misurasata presented its demands and the Sandinista government said that O.K. that they knew that the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua has been isolated, marginalized. They said that they were going to recognize us and give us the full rights that we need. So that is how we saw Sandinistas-as coming into our community to treat us as equals. How would you look at the purpose? As something good, eh? For the first time, the Nicaraguan government was going to give us full rights, the same participation as in the Pacific region.' The problem was that this was the Sandinista's initiative and not ours. Page3 �''For the first time in Central America, in all America, the government is going to face up to ethnic problems. The Sandinistas never imagined that we were going to stand up and fight for our rights this time. They said we are coming to these people to give them full participation that they never had, so why will they fight against us? But we are tired of being under other peoples' ideas. We have full rights; we survived for five hundred years under other peoples' intervention. We, as Indians, took advantage of the revolution and said, "This time is the time we are going to fight against the Spaniards and show them that they have to learn to respect our rights. This time we demand that we are going to take possession of our riches. "But the situation became more complicated because of Stedman Fagoth, coordinator of Misurasata. Fagoth is from rio Coco. Before he became Sandinista, he was a member of Somosa's security force. There, in the State Council, you have different political parties and the·extreme right took advantage of Stedman's condition. Finally Stedman started to do things that the Indians did not know about. "So when the Sandinistas came to find us, there were two problems for them: Indians demanding separation, the full rights in our region and Fagoth involved with the right wing. So that is when the Sandinistas arrested him and other members of Misurasata. For us, this action meant that they were the same Spaniards that never gave us our rights, so when we were fighting for our rights, they sent us to jail That is when you saw the Indians making a big demonstration and finally the Sandinistas said, 'Let's see how we can negotiate.' "But that was when Stedman went to Honduras and there Somoza's warriors took advantage of him and said, 'O.K., we know what the Indian problems are and we can give them some finan~ial help, military training, everything the Indmn needs. That is how we started to fight against Sandinistas. "In 1982, the situation got so bad along the Coco river frontier that the people living there had to urgently evacuate. The Indians who stayed in Nicaragua continued trying to tell the Sandinistas that there was a mistake - that they should recognize their mistake. That there is a historical problem, and that they have to learn to recognize our rights. "Finally, at the end of 1982, they started to recognize our problem. That was when the Sandinistas found out that we were not against the revolution, that we are revolutionary people. Ours is the type of revolution that depends on our mothers and fathers. It is the real revolution, the Indian revolution. "In 1984, the Sandinistas started to make a lot of studies on what to do to solve the ethnic problem in Nicaragua. That is when they had discussions with Rubin Videa, our leader. In December of 1984, President Ortega declared that the solution of the Atlantic coast was an autonomous government. This is the response that t~e government is giving us because we demanded 1t, we fought for it, we lost a lot of lives. ''Finally, we feel that we are learning to understand one another. We don't need to be killing one another. What we need is to sit down around a table and discuss our reality, respecting one another. We fought Sandinistas in the past but now we recognize that they are trying to understand and solve our aspirations. 'As my father usually says to the government: We want to see that you give us our rights and then we go on forgiving you, but we do not forget."' In 1985 the Indian people of the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua signed a Peace Treaty with the Nicaraguan government, in Yulu, called now the "Capitol of Peace." The Indian people had been fighting for autonomy since 1979. Page4 �return to Ieymus, Nicaragua on June 22, 1988. Since the beginning of Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast "autonomy" process more than 25,000 people, under the aegis of ACNUR (U.N. Refugee Commission) have returned from Honduras. Elasio Holmes: '1t's been three years since we initiated the dialogue for Peace in the Atlantic Coast. We have specially accomplished the approval of the 'Statute for the Law of Autonomy' by the National Assembly. We agree 80 percent with what has been stipulated by this law, but we think that we still need to make reforms addressing the administration of our natural resources, and the demarcation of our territory. "In these three years both sides-the Indian troops and the Sandinistas' militias have maintained the cease fire agreement. Many Indian troops have come down to the open to join the peace dialogues. "But when we say Peace, we want Peace with dignity. Many Indians have died, and the war left many widows and many handicapped people. We want Peace with dignity accomplishing the objectives that we set up at the beginning of this struggle. We are never going to give up our arms. This sounds contradictory, because if we are talking about Peace, how can we still talk about keeping our arms? But we think that the arms we have are a guarantee for maintaining Peace in the Atlantic Coast. We have to make sure that our autonomy is respected, and we have to have something with which to defend our autonomy. We have to defend Peace. 'We also think that there is trust between the Sandinista government and us, because if the government permits the Indian people to keep their arms, without fearing tomorrow a coup, or a separatist movement in the Atlantic Coast, we think that that is an indication of trust. We are all seeking Peace. 'We don't think that there are ideological contradictions between the government and us. The Indian people struggle is for autonomy, land rights, rights to exploit our natural resources, to have our own way of government, to be able to make decisions as a people, to remain with our culture and our language, and the revolution talks about defending the same things." PageS � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4 No. 1 (Summer 1988) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miskitus from Nicaragua Speak about Peace (Nicaragua) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1988 Zotero Title Miskitus from Nicaragua Speak about Peace (Nicaragua) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 4, No. 1 (2-5).pdf Issue 1 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 4 Pages 2-5 Abstract Note Miskitus visit the United States. Amelia Dixon Kisan for Peace Miskitu Nicaragua http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/2f6f1bd11c12a389741b706da635f870.pdf 37e7ddb902ec8bbbe1b80cfd4eca391d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4, No. 1 (6-7).pdf PDF Text Text Chanting keeps spirits high. Amazonia Brazil's indigenous people, turning back several strong challenges from the country's National Security Council, won a significant victory on June 1st with the passing of the chapter of Brazil's new Constitution dealing with Indian lands and rights. According to Allton Krenak, national coordinator of the Union of Indigenous Nations (UNI), "the participation of the Indian movement in the Constitutional assembly was a success not because of what is written in the la~ but because Indians invaded a political space normally held by the elite, fought with the government, and showed what they are thinking, in a country where the voices of Native people normally aren't heard.'' In the weeks before the final voting, more than 200 Indians, including the Kayap6 and other tribes from the Amazon region, came to Brasilia and "lobbied" legislators for a favorable text. Many wore brightly colored feather headdresses and traditional body painting of genipapo and urucum, and held d~ily assemblies in the capital to debate proposals, chant, and conduct spiritual ceremonies to favorably influence the politicians. On the day of the final negotiations, Prepori, a Kayabi paje from Mato Grosso, circulated about the chambers in his sloth-skin hat, chanting prayers and blowing sacred smoke in the direction of all present. Among the guarantees approved in the new constitution: "original rights" for recognition of traditional land rights that pre-date the national state; "exclusive use of riches of the soil and waters'' for Natives, as well as their right to permanently remain on their traditional lands; Page 6 �© 1988 Aguirre/Swilkes/Amazonia Indians cannot be removed from their land, unless a catastrophe or epidemic occurs, in which case they must be allowed to return to their land as soon as possible; that any hydroelectric or mining project that affects Indian lands can only proceed with authorization of Congress, in consultation with the impacted communities, and that a share of the benefits go to Indian people; and the right to bilingual education in a Native language. UNI and pro-Indian lawyers defeated a lastminute attempt to insert language that would differentiate between the rights of "acculturated" and "non-acculturated'' Indians. This could have opened the doors to a series of laws terminating the land rights of those who wear clothes, speak Portuguese, or use manufactured items. Now, UNI hopes to challenge a government policy of demarcating Indian lands as col6onias, where mining and agricultural development projects would be encouraged. Indian leaders also view as significant the fact that FUNAI, the Brazilian government's Indian agency, is nowhere mentioned in the text of the Constitution. This may lead to a rediscussion of FUNAI's role as an adversary of the Indian movement, and a push to establish an organ of the government to deal with Indian affairs that is less developmentalist and authoritarian in nature, and which admits a broader participation of Indian people in determining their own future. In July, the constitutional draft was revised by relator Bernardo Cabral, who edits the text for presentation to Congress. Several measures were subtly changed; omitted were the rights of Indians to "permanently remain" on their lands. ProIndian legal advisors have taken steps to ensure that this article and others are corrected in the draft that will be voted on. Page 7 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4 No. 1 (Summer 1988) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brazilian Indians Win Victory in Constitution (Brazil) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1988 Zotero Title Brazilian Indians Win Victory in Constitution (Brazil) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 4, No. 1 (6-7).pdf Issue 1 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 4 Pages 6-7 Abstract Note Indians in Brazil won significant land rights after they were written in Brazil's new Constitution. http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/ffcb1b601e9b0eaa0e2d777fc0f87fc9.pdf e066510269969bced0a216e2a8d6740c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4, No. 1 (8).pdf PDF Text Text Chief Itabira Surui at the National Congress in Brasilia. photo: Aguirre/Switkes/ Amazonia ''A large fazendeirocame here ten years ago and set up a ranch on our land. Forty of our people had built a corral to raise some animals-pigs, cattle, and chickens-but the fazendeiro set it on fire. We rebuilt the fence and again he set it on fire. Then he sent the police to take me to jail with all my people. I spent 27 days in jail. Last June we cleaned an area to cultivate, but the fazendeiro forbid us from planting anything. He went to Boa Vista (the capital of Roraima) and made a "law" with the judge saying that we couldn't plant on our land; if we did plant, we would have to pay a 200 cruzados fine and would be sent to jail. But we will continue fighting-and will not give away our land, for we don't have anywhere else to go." Last May 8th, a Yanomami child was killed and her father wounded when the Tiretheri village was attacked by a group of non-Indians. The suspects are a possibly organized group of gold miners attempting to get access to new mining fronts. Also, the burial of 20 Yanomami Indians was witnessed and reported by a miner coming from the Couto Magalhaes area. (See SAIIC urgent action bulletin 5/7/88). Neither FUNAI, the National Indian Foundation, nor the government have taken any steps to ease the conflict between Indians and nonIndians in the area, and have denied that these conflicts take place. According to Father Saffirio of Roraima, the government's claims to have removed gold miners from the area are false. The number has in fact increased, he says, to over 25,000. In the Brazilian Congress, several senators and deputies announced that "a genocide of immeasurable proportions has begun in the Yanomami territory, threatening the lives of ~000 Indians,'' and that "urgent intervention" is needed. In a document, the Congressmen told Brazil's President Jose Sarney that the miners' invasion of the area is a demoralizing factor for the government. 'We believe that it is not too late for the government to regain its authority and halt the genocidal process that would lead to extinction of the last isolated ethnic group of our country and the world." There is much worry about the Yanomami situation among the professional teams that gave medical assistance to the area before they were expelled by the National Security Council as threats to the national sovereignty. They say now the Indians are completely without assistance and vulnerable to disease from contacts with the miners that have invaded the area. PageS � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4 No. 1 (Summer 1988) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Macuxi Tuchaua Luis: "White People Came Here Saying They Owned the Land" (Brazil) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1988 Zotero Title Macuxi Tuchaua Luis: "White People Came Here Saying They Owned the Land" (Brazil) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 4, No. 1 (8).pdf Issue 1 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 4 Pages 8 Abstract Note This brief article talks discusses an example of encroachment on Indian lands. The Indians in this particular article had been thrown in jail and threatened to be fined if they planted crops on their own land. encroachment fazendeiro Summer 1988 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/cea1aea2a429e7e7414aea264fce7e7b.pdf e066510269969bced0a216e2a8d6740c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4, No. 1 (8).pdf PDF Text Text Chief Itabira Surui at the National Congress in Brasilia. photo: Aguirre/Switkes/ Amazonia ''A large fazendeirocame here ten years ago and set up a ranch on our land. Forty of our people had built a corral to raise some animals-pigs, cattle, and chickens-but the fazendeiro set it on fire. We rebuilt the fence and again he set it on fire. Then he sent the police to take me to jail with all my people. I spent 27 days in jail. Last June we cleaned an area to cultivate, but the fazendeiro forbid us from planting anything. He went to Boa Vista (the capital of Roraima) and made a "law" with the judge saying that we couldn't plant on our land; if we did plant, we would have to pay a 200 cruzados fine and would be sent to jail. But we will continue fighting-and will not give away our land, for we don't have anywhere else to go." Last May 8th, a Yanomami child was killed and her father wounded when the Tiretheri village was attacked by a group of non-Indians. The suspects are a possibly organized group of gold miners attempting to get access to new mining fronts. Also, the burial of 20 Yanomami Indians was witnessed and reported by a miner coming from the Couto Magalhaes area. (See SAIIC urgent action bulletin 5/7/88). Neither FUNAI, the National Indian Foundation, nor the government have taken any steps to ease the conflict between Indians and nonIndians in the area, and have denied that these conflicts take place. According to Father Saffirio of Roraima, the government's claims to have removed gold miners from the area are false. The number has in fact increased, he says, to over 25,000. In the Brazilian Congress, several senators and deputies announced that "a genocide of immeasurable proportions has begun in the Yanomami territory, threatening the lives of ~000 Indians,'' and that "urgent intervention" is needed. In a document, the Congressmen told Brazil's President Jose Sarney that the miners' invasion of the area is a demoralizing factor for the government. 'We believe that it is not too late for the government to regain its authority and halt the genocidal process that would lead to extinction of the last isolated ethnic group of our country and the world." There is much worry about the Yanomami situation among the professional teams that gave medical assistance to the area before they were expelled by the National Security Council as threats to the national sovereignty. They say now the Indians are completely without assistance and vulnerable to disease from contacts with the miners that have invaded the area. PageS � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4 No. 1 (Summer 1988) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Violent Conflicts in Yanomani Area Continue (Brazil) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1988 Zotero Title Violent Conflicts in Yanomani Area Continue (Brazil) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 4, No. 1 (8).pdf Issue 1 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 4 Abstract Note After the death of an eight-year-old Yanomani girl, the violence erupted into a genocide of Yanomami people by gold miners. Pages 8 Brazil FUNAI National Indian Foundation Yanomami http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/f0777239a23ddc5cee7f94793767613e.pdf 875cb866bda4d9700a79d3811af6ab4c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4, No. 1 (9).pdf PDF Text Text Julia Macuxi is a Macuxi Indian from the Maloquinha Village in the Serra do Sol Raposa. She is 26 years old, has 6 children and is the wife of Gilberta Macuxi. Her statement: "Gilberta [Macuxi] and I left the village in 1980, expelled by the large landholders. They wanted to take our land and we didn't know our rights. "Our work here in the city is with our relatives. They come from all parts of Roraima and look us up to help them with their problems with FUNAI (the government's Indian agency). I'm part of this struggle ~d I'm also a representative of the Chiefs (Tuchauas ). Since I haven't gone to school and don't have a profession, I don't have any means of surviving in the city. My profession is in the village_.._ hunting, fishing, cultivating our crops, and making cachiri (manioc beer). "Up until now, there hasn't been a good FUNAI representative to help the Indians. We don't trust them because they sell and give away our land to the large landholders, mining companies and to Calha Norte (a Brazilian military project). Once, when I went to my village, I was attacked by gold prospectors who were trying to kill Gilberta. "We want our brothers in the United States to help us in our struggle by informing people of our situation-because I'm going to continue in this struggle with my relatives.'' !ikuna massa~re w~re r~lased from jail, prompt1ng a celebration w1th fireworks in the town of Benjamin Constant. ~~son Oliveira, regional vice-president of the ~razilian Bar. Association in Manaus, and respons1ble ~or ~ss~sting the Tikuna case through the orga~IZahon s Commission on Human Rights is worned about pursuing the case through the local courts. While waiting to learn the basis for the Federal tribunal's decision not to hear the case in a Federal court, Oliveira is worried that more deaths might occur due to increasing tensions between Indians and non-Indians. After a visit to the community last April, and interviews with local representatives, the police chief, FUNAI representatives, the local judge and the Indians, the lawyer verifies local authorities' strong unwillingness to resolve the case. He says wood and rubber extracting companies are spreading rumors that the Tikuna would poison the town's water and mix glass particles with the flour they produce and sell to the town. This, according to Oliveira is extremely unlikely as the flour is the Indian's main income source. The Brazilian Press Association, during the celebration of its 80th anniversary in defense of human rights, expressed its repudiation of the Tikuna massacre. In response to the Tikuna massacre, SAIIC sent an Urgent Action Bulletin requesting letters and telegrams to be sent to the Brazilian authorities in protest of this atrocity. We wish to express our appreciation of solidarity to the hundreds of supporters who responded to our request. Tikuna JVJassatcre . A dan~erous. atmosphere of prejudice conTikuna Indians in Brazil's upper Solimoes regmn, where 27 Indians were massacre~ in March. On May 19, the body of Francisco Otavmno was found, and Indians claimed there were visible . marks of ·violence on his body. Authorities have said his death was due to "natural'' causes. At about the same time, Oscar Castelo Branco and others allegedly responsible for the tm~es agams~ Page 9 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 4 No. 1 (Summer 1988) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Julia Macuxi: "I'm Going to Continue in this Struggle" (Brazil) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1988 Zotero Title Julia Macuxi: "I'm Going to Continue in this Struggle" (Brazil) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 4, No. 1 (9).pdf Issue 1 Language English Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Volume 4 Pages 9 Abstract Note Julia, a Macuxi Indian, asks for help from US citizens to help her situation in Roraima, Brazil. Brazil Macuxi Roraima Summer 1988