13 12 1190 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/57ef4725d15f1cd092a532aad34d0f94.pdf 43760f89dffb9f1e9650a0b057137370 PDF Text Text MESO AMERICA 117 Year Old Nahuat Dies in El Salvador Anastacio Esquino, Center, surrounded by his family in a piciU!c taken last year. He died in April at age 117 in his home village of San Ram6n, Department of Son.sonau:. AnaslaCio Esquino was a Nahuat who survived lhe 1935 massacre in which lhe Salvadornn army killed 30,000 lndjans following a rebellion againstlhe large land owners. At 117 he was one of lhe oldest men in lhe world. His wife died in 1991 atlhe age ofl09. His son Adrjan Esquino, left foreground, is head of lhe National Indigenous Association of El Salvador (ANIS). Condolences and messages of solidarity can be sent to: AN IS Antigua Aduana Ferria 5·1 Sonsonate, El Salvador Second Encounter of Indigenous Press ThesecondEncounterofthelnternatJonal Committee of the Indigenous Press took place 1n Mexico City from Aprtl 25-27. The purpose of the meeting was to continue the process of decolon.lzatlon ofthe media and to launch the First Continental OJDce of the Indigenous Press. The International Committee IS made up of the following publications: Nabguana. the Kuna Un.ldos por Nabguana newsletter (Panatna);Abya YalaNews, theSAIICjoumal (USA): Etnlas (Mexico): Communlcattons Autoc/Uones (Canada). and as an observer Unldad Indigena. the ONlC newspaper (Colombia). The International Indian PressAgency (AlPIN) also partlctpated tn the encounter. Vol 7 Num 1 & 2 AlPIN IS thetl.rst continental attempt to present an accurate Image of Indigenous people and to professionally report on Indigenous ISsues from an Indigenous perspective. AlPIN IS now Inviting open participation of Indigenous people who have been practicing journalism In various media: radlo, video, newspaper. electronic man. For further Information please contact: AlPIN Calle Madero 67·611 Colonia Centra Mexico Mexico, OF 06000 Mexico Tel: 576-50-99 Fax: 761-85-73 33 � 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. 7, nos. 1 &amp; 2, (Winter/Spring 1993) 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 Meso America: Second Encounter of Indigenous Press Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring/Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Meso America: Second Encounter of Indigenous Press Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 1,2 Pages 33 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring/Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The purpose of the Second Encounter of the International Committee of the Indigenous Press was to continue the process of decolonization of the media and to launch the First Continental Office of the Indigenous Press. Attachment Title Second Encounter of Indigenous Press.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] AIPIN Indigenous Press http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/4a1f2675828399aea6727567a8814a55.pdf e053aef5f9e28ade7eb1b0099560342d PDF Text Text H BRIEF Ecuador: Occidental Signs Unconscionable and Fraudulent Agreements in the Amazon S-based transnational OCCIDENTAL is currently negoti· ating with Indigenous communities in Ecuadorian Amazonia, offering linle more than twentieth century trinkets--<:hainsaws, medicine chests, and rain-coats-in exchange for undefined access to Indigenous territOry for "petroleum activities.• OCCIDENTAL is one of the worlds largest oil companies, currently operating in over eleven different countries outside the US, and extracting over 200,000 barrels of crude per day. Indigenous communities have been pressured ro sign completely inadequate agreements, in the presence of the military- agreements which oblige the communities to allow the companies to carry our undefined petroleum exploration and extraction activities for undefined periods of time. Occidental has used various fonns of coercion 10 secure agreements \vith the leaders of the Indigenous communities. Leaders of the Secoya report that prior to negotiations, the legal representative of Occidental threatened to bring the military to the community. Occidental's legal representative also told Secoya communi!)' leaders that "they did not want to see anyone else at the discussions.• Such statements amount to coercion and directly violate the Secoya people's right tO independent consultation. In one instance, Occidental brought a draft agreement to the negotiations and was very reluctant to include any of the proposals made b)• the community. In the end, only a vague reference to the possibility of temporary employment was included . In previous discussions, Occidental had wid the community that the company onl)• ' vamed pem1ission to do seismic testing. However, the agreement signed permits Occidental to carry our any form of "petroleum activity." A Secoya leader later realized that the granting of pem1ission for "petroleum activities" was a mistake, and asked Occidental to change the agreement. Occidental also reportedly told Secoya leaders that the company could not pay in advance because they didn\ have the money. To explain this situation, the company used the analogy that "a farmer cannot pay the rent for the land until he's harvested all the com.• The company also told the Secoya leaders that if they did not gram permission, the Ecuadorian government could expropriate the land and the community could lose its territory. Occidental operates in an area of over 200,000 hectares called Block 15. This block includes a pan of the Limoncocha Biological Reserve, a protected area, and pan of the Secoya, Siona, and Quichua Indigenous territory. Occidental signed an agreement with the Ecuadorian government that grams the company extraction rights for 20 years. Using Occidentals own estimates of the existing reserves, the entire production of Block 15 will supply the equivalent of US oil consumption for just 12.7 days. U lnfomwlion from: Carlos Sergio Flguein:do Tawz 4 Write lerrers 10 the directors of occidental corporation denouncing the immoral and illegal way in which they are carryi11g out negoliatio11s. demand that they suspend negotiations and conduct all future negoti· ations ethiwlly <md legally: Ray R. Irani, Preside11t and Chief Executive Officer, Occiderual Petroleum, 10889 Wilshi~ Boulevard, Los Angtles, CA, 9002'1-'1201; Mastorm Cum1ingham, Occidental Exploration and Production Co.. A>< Amazonas 3837 y Corea, Casilla J 7-15-0095-C, Quito, Ecuador Chile: South and North American Indigenous Peoples to Protest Chilean Dam Project A n historic meeting of Indigenous peoples from North and South America has been scheduled to coincide with the annual meeting of the worlds largest association of dam construction and hydroelectric technology companies. At issue is the planned construction by ENDESA, Chiles largest private company, of Ralco Dam, the second in a series of six dams planned for the Biobfo River, ancestral Andean homeland of the Pehuenche Indians The Indigenous delegation will begin its activities in Chile on October 9 in Santiago, culminating in a demonstration at the annual meeting of the International Consonium on Large Dams (!COLD) in Santiago on October 16. Despite the fact that 100 Pehuenche Indian families, Chile's most traditional Indigenous group would have their villages flooded by the project, no relocation plan was included in ENDESAS em~ronmental impact statement, which was submiued in April to Chilean environmental authorities. The Pehuenche say they are determined to exercise their rights guaranteed under Chilean law ro remain on their ancestral lands, and have called for support from North American Indigenous people, many of whom have personall)• experienced the impacts of large dams. Nine native peoples from the Nonh will be making the trip to meet the Pehuenche, and ro participate in political discussions, spiritual ceremonies. and public demonstrations. The delegation includes prominent leaders from diverse Indigenous communities and nationally-based Native American organizations. Ralco would be a 155 meter-high dam with a 3,400 hectare reservoir. The dam would generate 570 Mega,vatts of electricity at a cost of $500 million . The dam would also Oood over 70 km of the river valley, inundating the richly diverse forest and its \vildlife, and leaving downstream portions of the river dry for months at a rime, devastating fish stocks. The first dam on the Biobfo, called Pangue, was constructed after the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank assured investors that it would be the only dam built on the river. In response to a complaint by the Pehuenche and Chilean environmentalists, the World Bank has now initiated a formal inquiry into irregularities in the Pangue loan. Environmenral groups and Chilean Energy Commi.ssion officials have questioned the need for construction of Ralco, Abya Yala News �IN BRIEF citing plans for construction of two trans-Andean gas Armando Antonio Ptrez, two members of AN IS. The Perez pipelines importing natural gas from Argentina. and the brothers appealed to the Supreme Coun of justice. but to no planned construction of new gas· fired powerplants. The US. avail; the coun ruled to have them expelled from the com· based Natuml Resources Defense Council rettntly conclud· munity. ed a Study demonStrating that improvement of energy deliv· Presently. a warrant is out for the arreSt of Don Adrian cry SyStems m Chile would make Ralco unnecessary. Esquino. president ANIS. on the grounds that he has Stolen The lnternauonal Commission on J..arge Dams is an Org;t· land and murdered. On May 3. an explosion tore through the nization of engineers from 79 countries which promotes con· house of the Esquino family. but caused only structural dam· struction of dams throughout the world. Founded in 1928. age. Faced with this situation. Esqulno is urging human it is headquartered in Paris, France. rights organizations to pressure the Salvadoran state to protect the rights of Indigenous communities under fire. Information from: lntemarfonal Rivus Networl1 (IRN), 1817 Berllelcy Wily. Bcrlwley, Califomia 94703 USA; Tel: (+510) 818· Colombia: Another Zenu Leader Killed 1155: Fax: (+510) 8'18-1008; email: im@igc.al'(.O~ Lummi Indian Nation, 2616 Kwlna Road, Bellingham, \\whington 98226. USA: efore the very eyes of Indigenous and national authoriTel: (+360) 38'1·2288; Fax; (+360) 738-8863 ties, one by one the members of the San i\ndrts de Sotavento Resguardo (Indian reserve). are being killed. At 1:30pm on Sunday, August 18. on the site known as El Salvador: Deputies Threaten Indigenous La Arena (Olrdoba State), two armed men on a black motor· Organization, Target Community bike assassinated the Indigenous leader of the town council he deputies Renato Ptrez. Adolfo Varela. and acU\151 m and mayoral ex-candidate of the town of San Andrts. Albeno the rightiSI ARENA political pany jorge Rufz are present· Cheito Malo Alean. ly attempttng to evict the Indigenous residents of the J..as The Zenu leader was 38 years old. mamed. and had two Hojas county of the San Antonio del Monte Sonsonate juris· children. By profession, he was a civil engineer. lie was the diction. Ptrez. Varela, and Rufz accuse the leaders of the brother of Htctor Malo Vergara. Cacique (chicO of the San National Sah'3domn Indigenous Organization (ANIS) of Andrts de Sotavento Resguardo. who was assassinated on being land thieves and murderers. March 26, 1994, along with three other Indigenous persons. Through the Ministry of Agriculture and Ranching. the This year 12 Zenu leaders have been killed. plaintiffs presented their accusations against the members of The Zenu of the San Andrts de Sotavento protested the AN IS before the tribunals of Sonsonate. They arc accused of lack of any meeting \vith representatives of the state in search violating the agricultuml norms of the country. At this point of solutions to this crisis of civil order. Their attempts have 10 members of AN IS were summoned to appear before the so far yielded nothing. Sonsonate courts to present their testimony regarding this The Cacique Rosenburg Clemente confirmed that the situation. according to the president of AN IS, Fermin Garcia Indigenous people are scared because they don' know who woll be next or when. Guardado. Several lndogcnous nations inhabit J..as Hojas count)'. He added that the massacres ha,·e contmued unabated. mcludmg Nahuats, l.A:nkas. and Mayas. This regoon was aoded by the indifference of the authonues. This comes after acquored by ANIS on 1978 as a safe region in whoch to work those same authorities had promised on a recent meeting in with the communities. They organized cooperatl\'es and are Manillo to establish a vigilante SyStem and to assure peace working communally. In this same spot. 74 Indigenous peo· and autonomy in the Resguardo. pie were massacred in 1983 by the $ah'3doran army. It The International Brotherhood of Human Rights has proremains today a s.1cred place for them and they ask that it be posed the creation of a human rights commission in the area. respected . The Church in turn has suggested that a Reconciliation Since january a number of violent actions have been Commission be set up in conjunction with international directed at the Indigenous people of the region. such as on observers. Nothing has come of any of this. however. january 27 when unknown masked individuals entered the The Cacique requested that impunity be stopped and that community at midnight and nred bullets on the house of the the results or the inveStigations or the murders under way be spiritual leader and Indigenous leaders connected to ANI$. made public. At the same time they threatened to repeat the bloodshed of He also denounced the fact that there arc heavily armed I 983. At that time Amnesty International had led a camp.1ign mercenaries in the majority of the ranches existing in the of informing human rights organizations to pressure the region of the San Andrts de Sotavento Resguardo in Olrdoba Salvadoran Slate to inforcc jUStice. and Sucre. On the 12 of March, the national police ransacked the office of ANIS and detained Rafael Anuro Ptrez and lnformatwn from El Tiempo, Bogot4 B T Vol. 10No. 2 5 � 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. 10, no. 2 (Summer 1996) 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 Chile: South and North American Indigenous Peoples to Protest Chilean Dam Project Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Carlos Sergio Figueiredo Tautz Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1996 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Chile: South and North American Indigenous Peoples to Protest Chilean Dam Project Item Type Journal Article Contributor Carlos Sergio Figueiredo Tautz Volume Volume 10 Issue Number 2 Pages 4-5 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1996 Language English Abstract Note This article depicts the efforts of the indigenous peoples as they protest the building of the Chilean Dam Project. Attachment Title Chile.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Chile ENDESA Protest http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/aa725b1f0134b2411cba906d9ee4de7a.pdf 86659d7631469a12e3958e7b07bba8fd PDF Text Text ·we Need to Survive!•• A Message from Davi Kopenawa Yanomami (Bnuil) Daui Kopenauxl Ymwmami visilal Ntw Yo'* in April and md with 11¥ Stadmy Gennrzl of the United Nations, the Organizaoon ofAmerican States, and tM World Bank to explain the effects geld-miners are lu:uing on his people, tM Yanomami of the state of Romima in the Brazilian Amazon. He also md with manygroups on the mst QlQSt to help raise funds for a Yanomami health project. The following aree=rpts frrmt a statement made by Daui Koptnawa Yanomami to the lnttr·Ameriam Commission on Human Rights last September in Demini, Brazil. My name is Davi Kopenawa Yanomami... I am a Yanomami Indian. I want to send my message to those who are friends and who are helping us to defend the forest. I want to talk to the people who do not know the problems of the Indians in Brazil. We Yanomami Indians have lived in this forest for a vel)' long time, for much longer than any White or non-Indian person. We used to be free and we did not have any lcind of illness. We were not sick a t all. rolled into the forest. Tiley are now all over the territory. We Yanomami Indians are vel)' worried because we do not have the authority of the President... we have to ask the government to change the situation and to take the gold miners. .. out of the area. !have asked FUNAI (the Brazilian Bureau of Indian Affairs) many times and all the authorities, including former President Samey, when he was President...to take out the gold miners. .. but the only thing they d id was to promise and to keep promising things and not do anything. Instead, they let many other gold· miners come in... and they did not take them out. Sickness also came with the gold miners. Because of the mosqui· toes that bite them and then bite us, we are now having all of this sickness. Tile sickness called malaria is very Slrong, and I think at least !<XX> Yanomami have died already. Even more than !<XX>. 111at is what I think. Now our rivers.. our streams. .. During that are dirty. The time there were no nonDavi YOII()mami on his visit to North America. Yanomamldo not know about mercury... Indians around here. Tiley were far away. We Indians did not know that the non-Indians would give us so many Mercury is used by gold miners to clean the gold ... It goes problems... I am talking about the gold miners who come back to the river and the fish that the Yanomami eat and the here and take out our fish, the animal$. .. and devastate the water that the Yanomami drink is mixed with mercury. forest. 111at is what I am tallcing about. .. They have invaded When they cat and drink that they get sick. our territory.Tiley first came in 1987.11lcy killed four Those gold miners arc also poor people. Like us, Yanomami at Paapiu. From there they spread out into the they are not rich. I feel pity for them because they come territory with small airplanes and helicopters... and they here, because their boSSC$ send them here, and they just 20 SAIIC Newsle tter �obey them. Around Sururucus, there arc a lot of goldminers. The federal polke have not taken them out. They tried, but what they did was to get the nice gold-miners out, not the bad and mean ones. I am a Yanomami Indian who understands the non-Indian world. I keep asking President Collor to expel the gold miners from our territory. President Collor has been to Surururus, but. .. on ly to a military base... That is the only thing he saw. President Collor knows that the situation is not good. So I am asking o ther people to con tin ue pressuring the Brazilian government to help expel the goldminers. I spoke to the United Nations, which gave me an award. I told them that the prize did not help my people. So I am asking the UN to help the Yanomami people to pressure the Brazilian government to remove the goldminers from our area. Also, we want the Organization of American States. .. to help us as friends. I don't think it is just the Brazilian government. You should pressure every government in the world b«ause they arc all alike, and they should help us. .. Protect the Indians, protect the rivers, the mountai.n s, the forest. We need to survive. It is very important for them too. It is not only the Yanomami but also the non-Indians. We all depend on the land. So if they do not protect the land, all of humanity will die. To you whom I am sending this message, what I am asking is to do something to help the Brazilian Ind ians, and also all the Ind ians of the world, because the Indians want to live in peace. Not only the Indians who live in the forest but also the Indians who live in the dty and the nonIndians who arc living in the dty arc suffering because the government should pay attention to all of us and do something to help us. I am going to say something else... about the 19 islands of Yanomami land that former President Samey demarcated. We Yanomami Indians do not want to live in islands. We want to be safe. The gold miners arc going to enter our islands... We need a con tin uous area and a big area in order to be able to fiSh and hunt and live well. We want all of our land united. In regards to the government operation that is supposed to take out the gold miners... they have not taken out all of the gold miners. The operation has stopped because the government says that they do not have money... ! know the government authorities, the Brazilian au thorities, and I know the politicians and I know the way they work. My feeling is that they do not want to take the gold miners out... What they really want is to be here and exploit our resources. That is why they do not want to solve our problems. (Su Davi.p . 45) Vol6 Nos 1&2 Some Ground is Made in the Struggle for the Construction of a Yanomami Park President Collor finally obeyed the Brazilian court dedsion and revok ed former President Samcy's illegal dccrccs dividing Yanomami territory into 19 'islands' and create three illegal mining reserves. But optimism about a decisio n on a Yanomami Pari< soon diminished when Collor announecd he was setting up a group to study Yanomami boundaries. On April19, National Day of the Indian, he signed a decree calling for a proposal for the demarcation of the Yanomami territory to be presented to him wlthi.n six months. During Presid ent Collor's visit to the Un ited States in June, environmental and Indian support grou ps informed him that the evacuation of the gold-miners in the Yanomami area had been paralyzed and the gold-miners had again invaded an extensive part of the Yanomami territory. Upon returning to Brazil, Collor fired FUNAI prosldent Cantidio Guerrciro Guimaracs. Meanwhile, the government pla.n ned to begin on July 19, the third operation to expel the gold-miners from the Yanomami territory using a sum of $1.8 million. The government's plans for the gold-mi ncrs Is being questioned. It was reported that the intcnton is to incorporate several thousand expelled gold-miners i.n to agricultural projects. If the projects are set up near the Yanomami area, it is certain that they will re-invade the territory. Sydney Possuelo, the new prosidcnt of FUNAI published a resolution on July 22, 1991, calling for the demarcation of the Yanomami territory as a contiguous area of9,419,108 hectares, located in thcstatesof Roraima and Am.uonas. This was signed by President Collor. The government is estimating that it will cost $6 millio n to demarcate the territory. Last Minute News Ill On November 14, President Collar de Mello granted "pennanent rights" over 36,358 squa re miles to the Yanomamilll �Atendo (continued from p. 26) n.cy a.r e a strong force in the economic survival of our communities. This is because of their involvement in the production of "molas," which is the art of the Kuna. Because the "molas" are being sold at natio nal levels and exported to the US and Europe, they are achieving economic success at international levels. In many tespects, the women have a greater capacity to organize them.sclves in cooperatives and to conbibute to the economic survival of the Kuna family than the men do. This is why, when we speak of the Kuna economy, we spea.k of men and women as equals. Davi (continued from p. 21) 1hcre are many people who are powerful. There are powerful gold miners... and authorities too, like Romero Juca, former president of FUNAI. He is responsible for letting the gold miners invade our territory and ... for lots of killings of Yanomami ... Something must be done to solve our problem because Romero Juca will not solve it. He docs not like us. .. Do the international authorities and people from the United States think it is true what they always say that the demarcation of Yanomami land is a matter of money, that they do not have money to do it?... I am very worried about people abroad who.. : are giving money to Brazil. .. but ll21 to help the Indians. This money that comes from abroad is helping the Brazilian government to oppress Indians. I am very worried about that. Non-Indians are like ants. I know that non-Indians like our reso= n.cy say that we have gold, we have lumber, and they say that they need that to help the people who live in the city. Well, we do not want them, and we do not want them here. What we wa. t is tespect for our rights. We want n them to leave us alone. We need help with regard to the health situation. In the beginning we did not need any help. We did not need any doctors, any medical doctors, any nurses or any medicine. But now we need doctors and nurses to help the Yanomami who are sick. We also need medicines because we used to cure ourselves only with 'shabori' [shamanism) ... But that is not enough anymore, And we need medical doctors and medicines and help from non-Indian people. We are worried because the non-Indians are not very much worried about us. They think that we are a different race. 1hcrefore, they want to isolate us. They think we are bothering their work. We are preventing them from working here, so they would rather have us isolated. They do not wony very much about what is going on with us. 44 We have strongly safeguarded our spirituality and traditions. For example, we hold the Gc1U!ml Congress of Kuna Culture, which unites the spiritual guides of all of our communities. They are highly respected by all Kuna people. n.cy promote teaching and learning amongst the youth so that our rich traditions are not lost. We, of Kuna Yala, are confronting serious problems along the Colombian border, where gold prospectors are invading our lands. We are also indirect victims of the confrontations which take place in Colombia between the guerrillas and the army. Violating all laws, both sides invade our region while the Panamanian authorities do nothing to stop them. The same thing occurs with the Yanqui {United States) army which often crosses our territory to go to the Panamanian border with the excuse of filling the vacuum created by the dissolution of the Pana· man ian army in 1989, following the invasion. Ampan (continued from p. 11) domination. everybody is af'Taid that we will take a racist stand and that this will lead to a racial confrontation. For this reason. there has not been enough dialogue amongst the poor dass. In meetings with laborer$, peasants and intellectuals, it is important for us to talk so that we feel equal. We must, if we are from the same cla.ss, talk so that we can find a solution... Plurinationality will only be possible with the total transformation of society. This is possible if, as in Switzer· land, there are well-defined and recognized sectors. We understand that the problem is not exclusively Indigenous. It is a problem which concerns aU of us. In order to form such a state we must think carefully what it would be like. How would it be governed at the political, economic, social and cultural levels? U we find that the workers are on one side, the indigenous on another and other sectors on other sides, then it will not be possible... We must continually reconsider our struggle and include long-term goals in our strategy. We must work together and make compromises. We must coordinate our endeavors in this way or we will not succeed, even if we are united. SAIIC Newsletter � 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. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) 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 "We Need to Survive!": A Message from Davi Kopenawa Yanomami Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Yanomami, David Kopenawa Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title "We Need to Survive!": A Message from Davi Kopenawa Yanomami Item Type Journal Article Author Yanomami, David Kopenawa Volume 6 Issue 1,2 Pages 20-21, 44 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note An excerpt from a speech given by David Kopenawa Yanomami. Attachment Title We_Need_To_Survive.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Brazil Collor de Mello Fernando FUNAI Yanomami David Kopenawa http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/dec9dd6deb0c8acec392c4955798fe4f.pdf 7eba458e0e636ab94421b36cdf35e3fb PDF Text Text COLOMBIA Plan Pacifico Threatens to Untouched Rainforest Embera, Waunana and Awa Peoples Defend El Choco Along Colombia's Pacific coast Ues one of the most biologically diverse tropical rainforest regtons left on Earth. Known as El Choco. th.IS verdant terratn has, untll recently. managed to escape thenefartousclaws of development with 83% of the forest stlll Intact. But now the Embera. Waunana and Awa peoples who have llved In harmony with the envtronment for mJllennta are facing a massive government development program for El Choco known as the Plan Pacifico. Mangrove forests Une the coast while tropical rainforests pervade l.nland. Above the treeline, the diStinct alpine shrub land known as the Paramo adds to the array of complex ecosystems. A massive river network connects the rainforests to the Pacific ocean. El Choco contains more inSect species and two and a half Ume more b ird species than all of North America. One hectare contains more tree s pecies than the whole of the BritiSh Isles .. In the last ten years this haven of biodiversity and Ufe. has been "diScovered·. El Choco IS now regarded by multinational corporations and governments as a •gold mln.e" for Its abundance of tropical hardwoods. potentlal for oU, gold. and other mlnerals, and hydroelectric dam potentlal. Plan Pacifico would Include a network of roads. hydroelectric facUlties, new ports and a land-bridge linkingPacific and Caribbean coastwith hopes of competing with the Panama Canal. A naval port has already been completed and h as militariZed the zone and diSplaced traditional llshing communltles In Malaga Bay. Approximately 110.000 Indigenous people Uve In El Choco from eleven different tribal groups. The domln.ant nations are the Embera. Waunana and Awa. They have been driven from their traditional lands and Uve In Vol7 Hum 1 & 2 ISolated groups throughout the region. As a result ofa long struggle, the Indigenous people have won legal title to 64 ·resguardos· which cover approximately five percent of El Choco. In an attempt to salvage their "home· and wayofllfe the Indigenous people. through the Ebera-Wauana Regional OrganiZation (OREWA), have united on vartous occasions with Afro-Colombtans, who make up the majority 1n the region. to block illegal activities such as logging by multinationals. In 1992 they successfully blockaded construe· tlon of the Pan American Highway and forced the government to negouate with OREWAand pay for an OREWA designed environmental Impact assessment of the road. The Canadian International Devel· opment Agency (CIDA) which has assiSted people In the Choco region since 1975 has now withdrawn funding for the Cultural Survival Canada (CUSOl-OREWA partnership program. a vtable and successful series of projects that h ave significantly empowered the people In of the Choco. 27 � 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. 7, nos. 1 &amp; 2, (Winter/Spring 1993) 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 Colombia: Plan Pacífico Threatens to Destroy Untouched Rainforest: Embera, Waunana and Awa Peoples Defend El Choco Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring/Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Colombia: Plan Pacífico Threatens to Destroy Untouched Rainforest: Embera, Waunana and Awa Peoples Defend El Choco Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 1,2 Pages 27 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring/Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The Colombian state is planning to build roads, hydroelectric facilites, ports, and a land bridge to compete with the Panama Canal in the largely untouched rainforest of El Choco. The plan would displace 110,000 indigenous people and the Embera, Waunana, and Awa nations are attempting to these efforts and save El Choco. Attachment Title Plan Pacífico Threatens to Destroy Untouched Rainforest.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Awa El Choco Embera Waunana http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/6f875b05b21021d2adc7a0022ed6b90d.pdf a0c8771e6f5061c20a76a40e5931fe69 PDF Text Text Three Indian People Elected to National Constitutional Assembly (Colombia) Thnae delegates were chosen to represent Colombia's 600,000 Indians in the National Constitutional Assembly (ANC), responsible for reforming the Colombian Constitution. Alfonso Pcllas Chcpe, Lorenzo Muelas Hurtado and Frandsoo Rojas Birry were elected to the newly formed ANC This is a major step for a nation which passed a law in 1890 which set a taJget date of 50 years to "dvilize the savages." The slruggJe for Indian rights has pined new impetus with the plans to celebrate the SOOth anniversary of Columbus' arrival in Santo Domingo. In his first speech before the assembly, Birry, an Embcrd Indian elected as a delegate on Dcccmbcr9, declared: "We, the Indians of Colombia, reject with all the anger we have built up over hundreds of years, the 'celebration' that the West wants to make in 1992 of the great cthnoddal saga." Representing 80 Indian groups, from the Amazon forest to the Andean highlands, the three Indian delegates proposed that Colombia's new Constitution accord Indians rights to bilingual education and to political and economic control over recognized homelands. They also demanded that Indians be judged by Indian courts and Indian judges and that seats be set aside for Indian representation in Colombia's Congress. The rewriting of the Constitution was begun in February and finished on July 5th. Among the propositions approved by the Assembly was the political and administrative decentralization of the a>untry. The indigenous representatives presented and passed a proposal for "relative autonomy: which guarantees their survival as peoples with characteristics which differ from the rest of sodety. The recognition of territories which traditionally have been inhabited by indigenous peoples and arc isolated from the political and administrative arena of the country was also obtained. A degree of autonomy in administrative justice was also adopted, whereby indigenous peoples will be implementing their own traditional fonns of justice. policies, plans and programs of eoonomi<: and social • deudopmenl within thdr lands, and in harmony with the National Plan~ Deudoptnent ... The exploitation of natuml resources located in indigenous territories will lake p/Da without dividing the cultuml, social and a:onomic identity ofindigeMUS eotnmunilils. In the dtrisilm to exploit such resoun:es, the goveou11ent will facilitate the participation of representatives~ the •tSptJCti« communilils. In addition to territorial rcfonns, education, health care, and all projects, investments, and services affecting indigenous peoples will be carried out with their partidpation, Input and subject to the approval of indigenous authorities. The 64 indigenous languages of Colombia were ofRdally recognized, requiring the state to train bilingual teachers for community schools. The multi-<!!hnic and cultural diversity of Colombia is also recognized and protected by the Constitution. As a permanent guarantee of the political·institutional recognition of the indigenous peoples of Colombia, a special electoral body was formed. Two posts of the 102 senatorial seats, along with one of five posts in the Chamber of Representatives will be permanently provided for indigenous delegates. · The changes taking place in Colombia today are not only of great significance to Colombians, but to Native peoples of the entire continent, especially when one considers that indigenous peoples were not even mentioned in the last Constitution, written in 1886. The new Constitution was In danger of not being approved because of the additions by the indigenous representatives. Due to increased ~ng and an outcry of support from indigenous communities, the proposals were approved. Selections from the new Colombian Constitution a.rc as follow: Indigenous lands are collectively owned ... Act:Qrding to the Constitution and law, indigenous territories wiU be governd by councils formed and rultd acamling to the use and customs~ their communifilS and will aercise the fol/Qwing functions... Design the Voi6Nos 1&2 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. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) 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 Three Indian People Elected by Nationa Constitutional Assembly Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Three Indian People Elected by Nationa Constitutional Assembly Item Type Journal Article Volume 6 Issue 1,2 Pages 9 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note Three indians elected the the ANC help give a voice to the 600,000 Indians of Colombia. Attachment Title Three_Indian_People_Elected_To_National_Constitutional_Assembly.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Colombia National Constitutional Assembly reform http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/e8fac1131d230b79ae878c1f1f726864.pdf 607d0a53eb35b630bfef466ff18b2f9f PDF Text Text HAWA I' I Natives Hawaiians Mark Centenary of US Takeover OnJanuaxy 17.199312.000NaUveHawauansandsupporters marched from the Aloha Tower to 'lolanl Palace In Honolulu to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the overthrow or Queen L!U'uokalanJ. It was the largest publlc polllleal demonstration seen on the ISlands 1n recent hiStory. and It marks a quaUtaUve shift In the conscious ness of the NaUve ISlanders. Queen UU'uokalanJ. the last queen of the Kanaka Maoll nauon. was overthrown by the United States Martnes onJanu~ 17. 1893. She had attempted to protect the sovereignty of Hawai i by changing the consUtuUon and cabinet. But that didn't sll well with a group of mosUy wealthyAmeriCan merchants and sugar planters wh o belonged to the Annexation Club. These haoles. or whites - men with names like CasUe. as In CasUe and Cooke. and Dole. as 1n Dole Pineapple -wanted to be part ofthe United States to avoid high Import tartll's. So with the help of 162 u.s. Marines, the haoles overthrew the queen. tried her for treason and stripped her oCher royal lands (see Queen's statement. box thiS page). Queen's Protest I. L!U'uokalanl. Queen by the grace of Cod and under the constitution of the Hawallan kingdom. do hereby solemnly protest against any and all acts done against myself and the consUtuUonal government or the Hawaiian ktngdom by certain persons claJmlng to have established a ProviSional Government of and for thiS kingdom. That I yield to the superior force of the United States of America. whose MiniSter Plenipotentt:uy. HIS Excellency John L. Stevens. has caused United States troops to be landed at Honolulu. and declared that he would support the said ProviSional government. Now. to avoid any colliSion of armed forces. and perhaps the lossofllfe. I do. under thts protest and Impelled by saJd forces. yield my authority untU such time as the Government of the United States shall. upon the facts being presented to u. undo the acuon of Its representative. and reinState me In the authority which I claim as the consUtutlonal sovereJgn ofthe Hawaiian Islands. Done at Honolulu thiS seventeenth day of January. 1893. Fonner U.S. President Grover Cleveland wrote In 1893. upon hearing ofHawal'l's annexation to the United States: "Hawat'IIS ours. As !look back upon the Orst steps In thiS miSerable business and as 1contemplate the means used to complete the outrage. I am ashamed of the whole atraJ.r. • Natlve HawaiianS make up only about 20 percent oC the populationoltheiSlandstodsy. Thetrlandtscoveredwtthgo!Ccourscs and sugar plantations. overrun by tourtsts and bombarded by the u.s. mll!tary. Recently the movement for Hawaiian sovereJgnty has been growing and most naUve HawaiianS now support some kind of sovereJgnty. One organl7.ation. the Pro-Hawaiian Sovereignty WorkFor more informolion contact: Ing Croup. IS putting the U.S. government on t:r1al. Pro-Howoiion Sovereignly Wotlcing Group They wrtte: "Our prtm:uy charge againSt the United States 3333 Ko' ohinoni Drive, Honolulu, HI 9 6817 government IS tts Illegal Invasion of our country In 1893, and the 1898 Phone: (808) 595-6691 Illegal annexation and continued occupation and plunder of our Fox: (808) 595-Q303 homeland. These acts flowed from a long-standtng U.S. policy· Since 1789 - or exploiting the Kanaka Maoll nation and Its resources to serve Source: SF Weeldy. Third Force u.s. Interests." Vol 7 Hum 1 & 2 37 � 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. 7, nos. 1 &amp; 2, (Winter/Spring 1993) 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 Hawai'i: Natives Hawaiians Mark Centenary of US Takeover Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring/Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Hawai'i: Natives Hawaiians Mark Centenary of US Takeover Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 1,2 Pages 37 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring/Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note Frustrated Native Hawaiians march in 1993 to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the US overthrow of the Hawaiian queen. Native Hawaiians are becoming more in favor of Hawaiian sovereignty. Attachment Title Natives Hawaiians Mark Centenary of US Takeover.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Hawaii Native Hawaiians http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/41ffe672889148d537f226e0719e59bd.pdf 863aa9ac4148354839220aea3c6d7c22 PDF Text Text SNOW PREVENTS EVICTION BY LUMBER COMPANY Pehuenche Organizing Pays Offill (Chile) The ISO Pehuenche or the Quinqucn Valley (see SAUC Newsletter, VoiS, Nos 3&4, p. 16) lost their 30 year battle for legal title to their lands on July 16th, and then the Chilean President changed the picture again by proposing to tum the valley into a national park. A Chilean court ruled against the Pehuenche and gave the Quinquen Valley, the home or the sac:rcd and endangered araucaria trees, to a lumber company. Nine feet or snow blocked the mountain pass leading to their vaUey, which prevented the police from evicting them. Julio Meli"ir stated, "The police forces can come at any moment and they can arm themselves for war with this community, because we don't want to leave this place, we're going to defend ourselves. U they arm themselves, not only Indians will die, police are going to die too.'"' That was before an unprecedented tum or events which took place in August. President Patricio Aylwin or Chile sent a biD to Congress proposing that the Quinqucn Valley be turned into a national park- overriding the court decision and the claims or the lumber company and allowing the Pehucnche to stay. It is widely believed that the measure will pass in the Chilean Congress. The Pehucnchc say that the bill is a landmark for Indian rights in Chile. For leaders like Jo~ Melit\ir, years or struggle have borne fruit. When the issue came to a head recently, Meli"ir made frequent trips to the Chilean Capital or Santiago to lobby politicians and get press coverage. He states, '1n times past, our ancestors fought with physical rorre, but now, you have to fight in another way. You have to fight with paper, because now we know the language or the white man, and we know how to write, and we can write le«ers, and whatever else we have to do.'' He goes on to say that the bill constitutes a precedent. As many as 60 other land claims may eventually be presented to the government by representatives or the 600 thousand Indians in Chile. "This is just the beginning. U we solve the problem or Quinqucn, I think we are going to begin to find a solution to 4 SAIIC Newsletter �other problems, in the same way. And that's what is important for our people." He remains cautious, waiting for the national park to be officially sanctioned by Congress. "Quinquen is a symbol of the struggle of the Indians, of our people. So that's what we're struggling for. I can only hope that Oillean society would realize once and for all, that the authorities, who have always discriminated against us, would realize that this must not happen again... Pleose write today to encourage President Aylwin k.. continue pushing for this important legis lotion President Patricio Aylwin President of Chile Polocio de lo Monedo Sontiogo, CHILE Phone: 56-2· 714· 103 or 56·2·717·054 810-810 DAMS THREATEN PEHUENCHE (Chile) 1he mountainous river basin of the Bio-Bio is the ancestral land of the Pehuenche Indians. Their right to cultural and economic survival is now being seriously threatened by the proposal of Oille'selectric company, ENDESA, to build a series of six dams on the Bio-Bio. Approval for the first of the dams has already been obtained, but full-scale construction has been delayed pending a decision by the International Finance Corporation (the private sector wing of the World Bank) on whether to provide 25% of the Pangue Dam's funding. Chilean and international environmental and indigenous organizations have sounded a warning that the social and ecological costs of the project far outweigh any potential benefits. Perhaps the greatest indictment of the project is the fact that the Pehuenche, whose subsistence is directly tied to the river and its banks, have been almost entirely left out of the planning, assessment and decision-making process. At the eleventh hour, they have been told that their future is in perilous danger. If approved, the IFC loan will be the beginning of the end for the 5,000 Pehuenche inhabiting the region. Part of the Mapuche indigenous society that once inhabited much of southern Chile and Argentina, the Pehuenche are still living traditionally. 1he subsistence activities of the Pehuenche are carried out along the banks of the river and its tributaries where they live, cultivate, raise livestock, and celebrate their religious ceremonies. 1he proposed Pangue darn would have multiple "The flood.i ng, which is projected to be 14 kilometers in length, would directly result in the relocation of 600 indig· enouspeoples and 300 non-native Oillean peasants. Roadbuilding and excavation for construction materials would displace another 400 Pehuenches. Three of the six proposed dams would irreversibly destroy over one-half of Pehuenche territory. It's estimated that the flooding of the scarce flat and arable fields on the banks of the river will do away with almost all of the subsistence agriculture practiced in the region. 1he construction of roads and other structures is already having major effects on the physical landscape, and is causing culture shock in this formerly isolated region. Major tourist development of the reservoirs created by the hydroscheme is likely. Around the world, this type of development has been accompanied by environmental contamination and degradation, the loss of land ownership by poor and indigenous people, and dramatic changes in local subsistence economies. Already there is evidence that local landowners are using bribery and corruption to take advantage of the need to prove legal title to the land and claim traditional indigenous lands as their own. Human and cultural rights are guaranteed by international laws by which the new government in Chile portends to abide. The social and economic co~dl of the United Nations has prepared a Universal Declaration on Indigenous Rights which affirms the collective right of indigenous peoples to exist without being forced to assimilate, the right to their traditional property and lands, the right to indemnization, and protection against discrimination. 1he International Labor Organization has issued a similar document, signed by many heads of state including Chile's President Aylwin, manifesting their intention to 1espect the rights of indigenous peoples. Moreover, Chile's proposed new indigenous legislation reaffirms the right of Native people to maintain their ethnic identity, cultural customs, and the right to live on their ancestral land. In compliance with the most fundamental human rights principles, the government of President Aylwin and the IFC must reject any project which could adversely affect the traditional way of life of the Pehuenche and Mapuche people. Because ENDESA is privatized and the Pangue Dam project has already been approved, there are limited avenues for Oillean organizations to apply domestic pressure. Still, they are hopeful that coordinated international pressure applied to the World Bank, ENDESA and President Aylwin, will give them leverage to convince the government to re-evaluate the project. Please toke action todaylll Write to the World Bank, encouraging them not to fund the Pangue Dam project: BarberConable, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW Washington, DC 20433, Fox: 202·477·6391 direct and indirect consequences for the Pehuenche people. Vol6 Nos 1&2 5 � 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. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) 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 Snow Prevents Eviction by Lumber Company: Pehuenche Organizing Pays Off!!! Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Snow Prevents Eviction by Lumber Company: Pehuenche Organizing Pays Off!!! Item Type Journal Article Volume 6 Issue 1,2 Pages 4-5 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note Snow prevents Indian land from being seized long enough for the land to become a national park. Attachment Title Snow_Prevents_Eviction_By_Lumber_Company.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Aylwin Patricio Chile penhuenche quinquen valley http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/8fb581acb0504fd6b2e48448f4951037.pdf 8f0af7b1faf60afe63289cafb55f9a1b PDF Text Text MEXICO Mixtecs and Zapotecs Organizing in Oaxaca and California Interview with Arturo Pimentel: In September of I 992 A rturo Pimentel became General Coordinator ofthe Btnalfonal Mlxtec andZapotec Front. which IS based in Cal ifornia and M exfro. This organization IS made up ofagriCultural workers ofM lxtec and Zapotec ortgin who work in the Untied States. The Front IS made up of the Civic and PopularMixtecCommittee, ComtM'Ilacolulense ofLos Angeles. the BenU.O Jumez Civic AssodaUon. the Regional Organization of Oaxaca. YqJsachl El BqJo Assoc1at1on. Yaj sachl El Alto AssodaUon. 71acochauaya AsSOdaltoo. San Miguel Cuevas Oppressed Peoples. andOPAN. Arturo Pimentel represented the Civic and Popular M lxtec Front of California at the Frrsl International Meeting on Migration and Human RlghiS that took place in Hueyapan. oaxaca in July 1992. "I think that we have to reject the rhetoric of Mexico's lndlgenlst J)ollcy which prescribes for us, In a paternalistic manner, everything that we as Indigenous peoples have to do.• 34 SAllC: Please tell u s about the First International Meeting on Migration and HumanRlghts. AP: Themeetlngwasorganl7.ed by two malO organl7.ations: the Civic and Popular Mlxtec Front. which IS part of the Binational Mlxtec and Zapotec Front and the Technological University of La Mlxteca. The objective was to appraise human rights and migration ISSues related to the Mtxtec people. SAllC: How was thiS meeting received by the participants? AP: There was a lot of Interest. There were Indlgenous organl7.ations. academics, governmental organl2atlons and Indlgenous peoples. SAllC: What have been the results? AP: The Meeting estabUshed a communication sYStem so that we would be considered part of a larger organ12at1on which IS the Indigenous peoples of Sou th and Meso America. Another result was to ch annel our Mlxtec andZapotecdemands: these demands have been deslgned to press the Mexican government to respond to our needs: drlnk1ng water. water for Irrigation. electricity, schools and roads. We also ask that the government respect our poUtical wtlJ, whiCh has been subject to official governmental interference. So. we agreed on a set of demands brought by the d.Ul'erent Zapotec and Mtxtec communities. But we also agreed to press for them, so that au these demands be met. We also agreed to organiZe an Inter-ethnic conference. Inviting alllndlgenous organl2ations of our Oaxaca State. SAllC: I understand that officials of the local government tried to take over this Zapotec/M!xtec meeting. Is thiS true? AP: Yes. Our Indlgenous organiZation and the University's Chancellor. who answers to the Interests of the state. agreed on a poU cy ofnon-lntervenu on. Therewerenolnvttauons madetoanypubUc official because we wanted a meeting free of state control. We wanted to have an Independent meeting. But without previous a nnouncement. the governor of Oaxaca Mr. Eladlo Ramirez L6pez showed up at the opening ceremony. This moment was tmportant for the official party. Oaxaca was a bout to elect poUtical authorities. We did not want our conference to be u sed poUtlcally. The poUUcal situation at the time made Eladlo's presence at the conference even less appropriate. The majority of the organl7.ations rejected the p resence of the governor. There was an exch ange of words with the Ch ancellor, but we InSisted on our autonomy. All organl2ations remained fum. rejecting manipulations. and we were able to defend our position of autonomy. SAllC:Are other Indigenous organl2ations In Oaxaca . besides those representing ZapotecandMixtec llv!nglnCaUfomla. thinkIng about autonomy? Abya Yala News �MEXICO "Traditionally historians thought that Zapotecand Mlxtecs could not get along. But here we are working . together." For more infonnation contact: The Binational Mixtec and Zapatec Front 104 Koshland Way Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA Tel: (408) 459·8827 AP: When we talk about autonomy were are talking about a movement that has to be bullt and that has to move beyond political parties or the control of state. Autonomy IS a fundamental ISSue. As an Indlgenous movement we have our own demands whJchariSefromourclrcumstancesand needs. I think that we have to reject the rhetoric of Mexico's IndlgenlSt policy which prescribes for us. In a patemallstic manner. everything that we as lndlgenous peoples have to do. We believe that autonomy should exist and that It must be respected bY the state. SAIJC: Your statement about autonomy IS clear. Do the grassroots understand thiS position. Do you think that lndlgenous communities are ready to work on autonomy? AP: Unfortunately there are different levels of understanding. The state's control has been so pervasive through programs such as COPIAMAR. PRONASOL, and even the lndfgen!St Institute. The government's polldes have made people so dependent and manipulated that there are sectors that are not clear about themselves. or about the ISSue of autonomy. However. there are other sectors In Oaxaca - the Tr1que. Zapotec and Mtxtec o,;ganlzations - that are thlnklng about autonomy. There lS a clear viSion and we are movtng toward lt. We are trytng to define our vlSlon of autonomy. bu t also we are reacting to the state. So, we are In that struggle. Autonomy wtJl also consider ldeologlcaland political ISSues. We know that government progJams have addressed some needs. but those are patches. We need to address the ISSue from the base. We think that If we retrieve our own cultu ral roots and fight to retrieve our culture. thiS lS autonomy too. Vol7 Num 1 & 2 We want Mexico to recogn.tze our autonomy. but lt lS not only a political autonomy. It IS also a struggle that searches for political alternatives. such as promoting Jn. dlgenouscultures. Autonomy wt1l not be total If It remains only political. Autonomy IS also recogn.ttion. real recognition. of our existence as Indigenous peoples. As you know Oaxaca has two main Indigenous peoples. There are also sixteen Indigenous languages and Ofty-slx dlalectlcs. '!Tadltionally historians thought that Zapotec and Mlxtecs could not get along. But here we are working together. That IS Important. We can do it. We have to continue buUdtng our strength. SAIIC: How are women participating In the o,;garuzation? AP: Their participation IS Important. They have always been Important. We have to recogn.tze. as a movement, that changes have not been made. We still notice their oppression. We are conscious of the need to brealc away from past behaviors that dlscr!mlnated against women. Oppression and subordination ISserious. We really have to work on thiS. They definitely participate. but not with the force that they should have In the movement. SAIIC: Would you Uke to add something to thiS Interview? AP: I would Uke to can. not only the lndlgenous peoples ofOaxaca, but also others who are mtgrant workers In the U.S. I would Uke to propose to these Indigenous brothers and siSters the creation of a larger entity, an Independent lndlgenous oiganlzation. Becausewe are Inconstant cornrnuntcatton with our own communities. we can be part of their solutions. not only In a mater!al way but also politically and economically. ThiS lS a call to oiganl?.eand tocontlnueworklngthrough the Btnattonal Mtxtec and Zapotec Front. 35 � 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. 7, nos. 1 &amp; 2, (Winter/Spring 1993) 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 México: Mixtecs and Zapotecs Organizing in Oaxacaand California: Interview with Arturo Pimentel Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring/Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title México: Mixtecs and Zapotecs Organizing in Oaxacaand California: Interview with Arturo Pimentel Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 1,2 Pages 34-35 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring/Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note SAIIC interviews Arturo Pimentel, the General Coordinator of the Binational Mixtec and Zapotec Front, which is based in California and Mexico. The meeting established Zapotec and Mixtec demands for basic infrastructure from the Mexican government as well as autonomy goals. Attachment Title Mixtecs and Zapotecs Organizing in Oaxaca and California.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Binational Mixtec and Zapotec Front Mixtec Pimental Arturo Zapotec http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/e1d98cfaf7f5682fbf950b8972d96bcf.pdf 94ff1c437168abba09c67fb2ab739811 PDF Text Text Drawing courtesy ojCONAJE PARAMILITARY ATTACKS ·IN COTOCAXI (Ecuador) A series of attacks on indigenous communities in the state of Cotopaxi began on September 21 sl One indigenous leader was assassinated, and several others were kidnapped and injured. On the 23rd of September, CONAlE (the Confederation of Indigenous Nations of Ecuador) issued a press release denouncing these attacks by paramilitary groups. 11le latest series of events have their origins in a long~tanding conflict over land rights. A decree dating back to 1825 granted five indigenous communi· ties the rights to 15,000 hectares of land. Rights to 300 hectares of this land are being disputed by a group of local landowners, who also have legal property titles. In order to dislocate the indigenous communities from the land in question, the owners have organized armed paramilitary groups to terrorize Indian inhabitants. 11le army has also participated in the campaign of violence, as demonstrated by the recent detention and torture of Jose Maria Cabascango (unrelated to Julio), the human rights secretary of CONAlE. The escalating violence throughout the region, and the persecution and death threats made against Indian communities have made it impossible for the people of these communities to travel freely and safely. On September 21st, at about 2:30 in the afternoon, a teacher by the name of Feliciano Tercero was travelling to the community of Churo Lozan for a meeting on bilingual school programs. He was attacked by a group of approxi· mately 400 armed people, led by the powerful landowner Washington Alban. One Indian man, Virgilio Ganzino, was assassinated. Many others were wounded, and ten people were kidnapped, including Feliciano Tercero. Up until this moment, nothing is known of their fates. Following this confrontation, the paramilitary bands went to the viUages of Chine and Churo Lozan and launched a violent attack on those communities. Community members were beaten and mistreated, houses, possessions and property were destroyed, and animals were stolen. Wrilolo the President of Ecuador, and d.mand: 1. The completo di...olution of armed paraiTI1itary groups in the cauntrysicl.. 2. The d.tonlion and prOS<KU6on, lo the fullest •xtont passlbl., of the ~ responslblt for the allo<ks. Pntsid.nlo Radriga Borja, Palado Nacional, Quito, ECUADOR Teltx: 393·223·75 PREREP ED Please send copies of your lotion lo SAIIC and lo CONAIE at Los Granade» 2553 y Av. 6 d. Diciembre, O..ilo, ECUADOR. 8 SAIIC Newsletter � 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. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) 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 Paramilitary Attacks in Cotocaxi Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Paramilitary Attacks in Cotocaxi Item Type Journal Article Volume 6 Issue 1,2 Pages 8 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note 400 armed militants attack and kill local Indians. Attachment Title Paramilitary_Attacks_In_Cotocaxi.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] CONAIE Cotocaxi Ecuador paramilitary attack http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/4d8013be6270c6faa5fb731e39b76989.pdf e1fd90e34572f4a8dafb472d10867b40 PDF Text Text SAIIC News from SAIIC he Indigenous movemem has grown immensely over the last decade. and the problems facing Indigenous people are as diverse and pressing as ever. In acknowledgment of lndigcnouspeoplcs'shiflingpolitical,economic and ecological realities, our informalion dissemination and networking activities have focused on supponing Indigenous organizing for territorial, environmental and human rights. vVe have also been busy improving our internal organizational srructurestOenable us to use limited resources most efficiently. Being located in the US puts us in the privileged position to effectively distribute information. offer technical support and act as a communication link for lndigenousorganiuuiOllS. We do not try in anyway todefineorshape the decisions of I ndigcnous communitics because that power legitimately corresponds to the people's grassl'OOl5 organizations. Our role is to give those T organizations and conununitiesa voice here in the US and internationally. Since january I this year. we have turned muchauention to the situation in Chiapas. Mexico. The peoples of this region. which was bypassed by the first Zapatista revolution of 1917. may finally have the possibility to shape their own destiny. Outsiders have ahva}<S sought to impose their prioritics on the Maya of Chiapas. Now Indigenous peopksare fighting to take their destiny into their own hands. SAilC offers support tO the many lnd,igenous organizations in the state engaged in this struggle, as well as to thestatewidecounciltheyhave formed with campcs\no organizations. Through networ\<ing. publishing information, and makiog our voices heard at events, confe<enccs and meet- ings across the world. we are working to advocate for Indigenous peoples on other important issues as well. Board voi.8No.l &2 member Alejandro Argu.m edo has actively pursued refonns in the International Biodiversity Convention. Wara Alderete also on the SAIIC board. is active in work relating tO Indigenous peoples' health care and respect for traditional systems of healing. Board member Guillermo Delgado continues to participate in the development and organizing efforts of AlPIN. the first Imernational Associ at ion of Indigenous Press. With the assistance of the lndiansk Mediaseme•· in Oslo. SAIIC has been providing fresh news OJl Indian issues to support organizations in Europe. SAIIC is pleased to have been able to help build the Abya Yala Fund. and to have hosted its founding meeting (see ' Abya Yala Fund formed' in this issue). SAIIC's Visitors & Exchange program continues to coordinate or otherwise assist in visits and speaking tours by Indigenous representatives. Most recent!}'· Araceli Burguete, research coordinator for the Independent Indian People's Front of Mexico, made a tremendous impact during her California tour educating the public about the conflict in Chiapas from the perspectiveof Indigenous organizations work· ing there. We were also fortunate tO share in coordinating a joint solidarity tOur of Indigenous leaders Leonardo Viteri and Hector Villa. il from Pastaza m Ecuador, as well as three representatives of COLPU!'vLALI.·· the regional Maya organization in Chiapas. jorge Matamoros. Miskiro sociologist from Nicaragua presemed information on the situation on theAtlantic Coast here. Last year, Rosa Jalja from the Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Women in Bolivia and Atencio Lopez. Secretat)' of the Kuna Nation, provided inspiration.and advice at SA liC's Board Retreat ip M.ountain Wolf. Califomia and gave presentalions,tlnoughout the country. Finally, we were honored to have Mapuche elder Jose Luis Huilcaman here fora short time in November. The l'ord Foundation recently reponed that less than l/10 of l percent offoundat ion assets go to Native AmeriC.1nflndigenous programs. This report has helped shape efforts to increase our base of support among individuals and institutions as both donors and as subscribers lO this quarterly journal. Support from the General Service Foundation has allowed us to spend concerted ime and altention on our organiza· tiona! needs and plan (or fuwre work. ln the process, we have spent a considerable amount of time ex'j)anding and streamlining our computerized database. Two public awareness campaigns arc planned for this year. one targeting individuals and one targeting foundations. One of SAIIC's goals is "To communicate the Indigenous perspective tO policy and funding institutions whose work affects Indigenous people.• We have therefore designed a mailing to foundations designed to raise their a'vareness of indigenous issues. thereby. hopefully increasing the amount of support that goes to lndigenousorganizations. We want to thank all of you who have hung in there with us throughout the years, despite the. at times, sporadic nature of our conur1u· nications. It has been hard for us to focus in the midst of so many pressing issues facing our brothers and s isters in the South. We, however have never forgouen our supporters in the North. We are very grateful to the individuals and fonndations that have supponed us, including: john D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Foundation for Deep Ecology. Public Welfare foun· dation, The Tides Foundation, Public Media Center, VictOria Ward , JeffrC)' Bronfman, Maya Miller, Rosa Alegria and BillyTrice,Jr. MuchlsimasGracias 4l � 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. 8, nos. 1 &amp; 2 (Summer 1994) 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 News from SAIIC Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource SAIIC Board of Directors Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1994 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title News from SAIIC Item Type Journal Article Author SAIIC Board of Directors Volume 8 Issue 1,2 Pages 43 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1994 Language English Abstract Note SAIIC draws attention to a few areas of interest that occupied recent months and this issue of Ayba Yala including the Zapatista uprising, advocacy for indigenous issues, noted people who have recently educated people in the US on indigenous peoples throughout the world, and future efforts to reach more people with news about and by indigenous peoples. Attachment Title abya yala p43.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] indigenous news saiic http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/8a3b1ac67234cfb8bf4d0009721f9cbb.pdf ca0f043c64a2a65dcdec15664261693c PDF Text Text CENTRAL AMERICA Learn a Mayan Language in Guatemala lximche Language Center The lldmche Language Center (CLO IS a p~ectofCojb'lylnRlq'utn Catlnamlt. which tn Caqch!quel means "we walk with our people". We are an association of Maya CaqchJquel Indian professionals. workers. farmers and craftspeople who are taking up the chaDenge of conserving and promoting our culture and our Identity. We have created the language school as part of an Integrated program of sustain· able development. At CU. we offer proven language Instruction techniques. as well as the opportunity to share our Mayan splrttual traditions and our way of Uvtng. The school IS located In the town of Chtmaltenango. tnthecentral-westemreg!on oftheh!ghlands. UnUkethelargercttieswhere tourists congregate. Chlmaltenango presents the opportunity to witness the true life of an Indian town. The program offers the student a cho!ceof!nstructlontntheSpantshlanguage. ortnoneoftwoMayanlanguages: Caqch!quel and Quiche. It features tndlv!dual. one-on· one classes with teachers who are carefully trained and dedicated to sharing the cultural values of our community. WhUe studylng at CU. students are encouraged to stay with a Maya-CaqchJquel family to practice their language sldlls. A portion of the proceeds of the Linguistic Centerl.ldmchetsdedlcatedtothedevelopmentof an educational and cultural center for Caqch!quel Maya children. For more lnfonnatlon please contact: GrupoMaya Quj Semej Junan P.O. Box 40892 San Francisco, CA 94140 Centro Linguistico lximche 4a. Avenida 4·53 Zona 3 Tel: (415)824·2534 Tel: (502) (9)39·2331 Chimaltenongo Guatemala Kunas Protest Land Invasions OnApr!IIS. I993colon!7.ersdestroyed a house within Kuna territory which had just been constructed by members of the !bed! Kuna community tn collaboration with the Association of Kunas United for Nabguana. Thehouse.tntheKunadiStrtctofMadungandl (Alto Bayano). was to be used by Kuna villagers who were planning to begtn work on demarcating thiS part of Kuna territory. Because the law whJch establishes the Kuna DIStrict ofMadungandlts languiSh· tng tn the National Assembly and the government claims It does not have the money to demarcate the land, the community members decided to do the job themselves. There has been poachtng of endan· gered animals, tnd!scrtmtnate loggtng and the Vol 1 Num 1 & 2 pollution of the rtvers tn the Alto Bayano region. The Kunas feel that demarcation of the land ts the first step toward gatntng re· spect for the boundrtes of their terrttory. The followtng ts an excerpt from a statement made by the Association ofKunas United for Nabguana responding to the destruction of the house: 'We condemn thts hostile act by the coloniZers who want to sabotage any actiVity whJch mJght brtngabout a real solution to the problems the Kuna people face tnAito Bayano due to Ulegal Invasions of our territories by people who care little about conserving na· ture and who are trytng to provoke our people so they can later accuse us of betng the Instigators." For more informo· lion conloct: Asociaci6n Nabguona, Apdo. Postol 536, Panol1)6 1, Panom6 31 � 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. 7, nos. 1 &amp; 2, (Winter/Spring 1993) 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 Central America: Kunas Protest Land Invasions Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring/Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Central America: Kunas Protest Land Invasions Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 1,2 Pages 31 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring/Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The Kuna have demarcated their territory. Colonizers recently destroyed a house within Kuna territory. Attachment Title Kunas Protest Land Invasions.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] AKUN Ibedi Kuna Indigenous reserves land rights http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/1720b584fbd935cc45724ce42ddeac90.pdf 70e42421d45e7ac7deead40930189aa5 PDF Text Text courtesy of CONAlE. bilingual education dq>fVtnu:nl. OIL WARS IN THE ECUADORIAN AMAZON! An Interview with Leonardo Viteri (Ecuador) Leonardo Viteri, of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAlE), the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE) and the Organization of Indigenous People of Pastaza (OPIP) visited the Bay Area last Spring, on a speaking tour of North America. He is a Quichua Indian from the community of Saragura in the Province of Pastaza in Ecuador's Amazon region. Approximately 200.000 Indian people live in this region, with the Quichuas numbering around 90,000. Other groups include the Shuar, Huaorani, Cofanes, Siones and the Secoya. The following is excerpted from an interview between SAUC and Leonardo. SAllC: I understAnd that you come from a large family. Are all the members of your family actively involved in thedt{enseof the rights of indian peoples? 14 SAIIC Newsletter �Yes, we worked first of all to achieve unity in our methods and politics at the level of the family. This alloWEd us to obtain the necessary baclcing and support for our work and also to inVolve the whole family in the cause of indigenous peoples. I do come from a large family ·I have nlne brothers and sisters, and we are all working with different organizations and focusing on distinct areas of work. SAJIC: Whm did you bt:gin to organize yourselves at the ~nal and nationalleoels? In the Amazon region, the Shuar Federation was the first to undertake a broad and significant process of organizing. Thereafter, indigenous peoples like the Quichua, Cofancs, Siones and Secoya, and most recently the Huaoranl, have organized themselves. The Quichua people of Pastaza have been organized since 1978, and we form part of the Organ!· zation of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza (OP!P). toward work, nutrition and sodal behavior are adopted, all of which diverge totally from the culture oi our people. SAJIC: Whm did the incursion of tl!e pmoleum companies bt:gin in the &:uadorian Amazon? The petroleum problem bega.n for indigenous peoples as far back as 1926. Since that time we have been waging a petroleum war in the Amazon. Confi'onted by our permanent opposition and struggle, the companies have withdrawn on several oocasions, but in 1970 they returned with much greater force. This date marks the beginning of the oil boom in the Amazon, which has been one of the most complicated and conflictive periods of our time, and also one of the most destructive in terms of the region and the cultures of indigenous peoples. SAJIC: Wiry harJe indigenous tmiWries btrm militariud? 1llose who stand i.n opposition to the interests of indigenous peoples are very concenoed by the accelerated p<OCCSS of organizing being carried out by indigenous peoples of the Amazon and SAJJC: Can you describe in throughout Ecuador in general. greater detml what Through the creation of regional CONFENAJE is, and whom it confederations, such as repr~ts? CONFENAIE in the Amazon, CONFENAIE Is a EOJARUNARI in the Sierra, regional, non-governmental and COICE in the coastal region. organization of indigenous we have been able to unite and peoples. It i epieserlls six successfully organize ourselves I'M<~ b7 M. Htt.,... nationalities that live in the uoiiiJTt/q Viteri on his visit to North AI7U!rico. at the national level. CONAlE, Amazon region, specifically the Confederation of Indigenous the Quichua, the Shuar·Achua.r, the Huaorani, the Cofanes, Nationalities of Ecuador, represents the synthesis of all of the Siona, and the Secoya. CONFENAIE was established in the regional organizations. Through CONAlE, we are able the Amazon 11 years ago, and it is the representative to struggle and put forth, as a united front, our proposals to organization of the majority of indigenous peoples of the the Ecuadorian State in order to seriously discuss and find solutions to the problems that have built up as a result of Amazon. 500 years of oppression. The mlUWization of our territories SAJIC: What has btrm tl!e impact o{tl!epdroleum amrpanieson and the persecution of indigenous peoples Is also due to the indigenous peoples? struggle ignited by the indigenous uprising of June of 1990. The policy of repression which the Ecuadorian govemrnent The government's oil policy has provoked the has adopted has caused many problems for us. plunder of 5,200,000 hectares of indigenous territory in the last twenty years, because It has awakened the ambitions of SAJIC: What companies art optrating in tl!e Amazon? outsiders to come in and grab land. Immense areas of land have also been given as ~ns to timber companies, to There are more than 22 oil companies operating in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Fifteen of these are from the agribusiness companies cultivating African palm trees, to tourist companies, and to the armed forc:es. At present, the United States. Texaco, which has been there for almost oil companies are occupying some 3,080,000 hectares. Their twenty years, Is the company that has caused the greatest operations the exploit the entire Amazon region. The ecological and social damage in the region. ARCO, which Is also present and operating in the territory of Pastaza, has presence of the companies also implies cultural changes because at times our people go to work for the companies. militarized Its block in the face of opposition from the nus creates an economic dependency, and also transforms (setwnor@,p. 45) their way of thinking. Other life-styles, other attitudes Vol6 Nos 1&2 15 �just possible way, the interests of indigenous peoples and of Leonardo (continued from p. 15> the society in general. militarized its block in the face of opposition from the indigenous peoples of the zone. SAIIC: 1992 is appi'OtJChing... What dotS the future hold fin' Indian p<Oples and their relationships with the inlemational community? SAIIC: Is the mililtlry guarding the petroleum wells? Yes. At this very moment there are military troops guarding the oil wells, particularly those in ARCO's Block 10 and Occidental Petroleum's Block 15. The Conoco (a division of Dupont) company is also involved with petroleum exploitation in the Yasunl Park, territory which belongs to the Hauorani. SAIIC: Whal is Conoco planning to do in lhe Amazon? Conoco wants to exploit the reserves it has found within the Yasunl Park, which are yielding some 40 thou· sand barrels of oil a day. In order to exploit these reserves the company wants to construct a highway through the park. There is strong opposition to this plan from indigenous peoples, ecological organizations in Ecuador, and the public in general, because it represents a serious threat to the ecological integrity of the Yasunl Park. For this reason conoco has begun a series of maneuvers i.n the area • dividing communities, trying to cause confrontations between indigenous peoples allied with religious organiza· tionsand the military, the colonists, and companies with interests in the region -basically to confuse national and international opinion. At the same time, COnoco has begun to use environmental groups in the US, Ukc the NRDC (Natural Resource Defense Council), or perhaps this group has offered itself to support the interests of Conoco in order to convince indigenous peoples to negotiate the extraction of petroleum in these territories. Arguments being used are: a) it would be impossible to get Conoco out of the fe810n, b) Conoco's proposal for environmental regulation is better than anyone else's, and c) if Conoco leaves, other much . more destructive companies like Braspctro from Braz~l, Will move in. With these kinds of arguments they have tried to pressure Indigenous peoples and elicit their approval for the negotiations. We the indigenous peoples of Ecuador, are concerned by the fact that today, as we approach the SOOth anniversary since the European invasion of America ·the scxalled "discovery of America" ·the governments of the world still have not committed themselves to seriously think through the policies needed in order to oonstruct a harmonious relationship with indigenous peoples. Oppression and exploitation still exist, and governments continue to permit genocide in indigenous territories. Now the process is not so blatant, irs not with rifles and bullets, but with other strategies which kill us culturally and physically • contamination of the rivers, destruction of nature, the looting of territories and natural resources, the imposition of religious and educational systems that are alien to us. Faced with this, we the indigenous peoples of the continent, have a moral a. d historical responsibility to take this date, n the SOOth anniversary, very seriously and to begin discussing future continental alliances. The continental conference held in Quito in)ulyof 1990wasa very important precedent. If we want to keep moving toward the future with common proposals and objectives, it is necessary to con· tinue our work at the continental level. Only in this way, can we create the groundwork and the oonditions necessary for an alliance of indigenous peoples. SAJIC: We understand that CONFENAJE has filed an interna· tiona/ lawsuit against Conoco... Knowing the impact that the construction of highways and the activities of oil companies have indu~, we have found it ncccssary to take action at an International level because our demands and our proposals are not heeded by the national government. We have considered it critical to take this issue to international forums. With the cooperation of the Sierra Oub Legal ~fense Fund, a~ organization of lawyers in San Franosco, we have peti· tioned the OAS (Organization of American States) to intervene and mediate these conflicts. Tile problems between indigenous peoples and the Ecuadorian govern· mcnt are truly very big, and for this reason we believe that the mediation of an international organization like the OAS Is important. In this way we can conduct serious discussions, that will result in solutions that address in the most Vol6 Nos 1&2 45 � 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. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) 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 Oil Wars in the Ecuadorian Amazon Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Oil Wars in the Ecuadorian Amazon Item Type Journal Article Volume 6 Issue 1&2 Pages 14-15,45 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note Many quechua people are being moved so that oil companies can drill. Attachment Title Oil_Wars_In_The_Ecuadorian_Amazon!.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] CONAIE Ecuadoran amazon oil wars