96 12 1190 http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/6fef86b3252648b0581f54b2b7b9cbdd.pdf 2c717f5d9262f76cb9678a79cda01d1c PDF Text Text INTERV IEVV MAURICIA WITH C A STRO In 1991, Vicente Matute,fonner FETRIXJ president, and other members of the Directive Commission were ambushed and assassinated. Mauricio Castro, Xicaque,then SecretaryofFETRIXI. assumed the presidential office which she holds to this date. She is manied and is the mother of three children. run by LadinOISand the children are prohibited SAIIC: Does tbe government have any l3w fromspeakingtheirnativclanguages. Wehad that recognizes tbe indigcnoos communities? a case in which a first grader forgot to greet his Mauricia.: Nothing specific. Tbereisonlyone teacher in Spanish and instead greeted her in article tbat refers to Indigenous peoples in the Tolupan. Tbe teacher said she could not constitution. 'lbere is no law from which we understand him and that he could no longer be can infer bylaws. The organized nations of SAIIC: Very littleissaidabout thelndigenoos in school. The child was then forced to Indigenous peoples have passed a legislative peoples of Hondurns. How many are there abandon his dass<s. Socially, the native proposal that we call "Protection law for lndigeoous Nations". We did this with the and what groups do tbey belong to? language is DOl spoken, Ollly in the borne. belp of some lawyers and with tbe bad:ing of Mauricia: In Hondurns we have 6 groups, 7 ow lndigCOO<JS peoples. It has been in Conincluding the Cbonis who are not )'CI org:a· SAIIC: Is there mcism? niz<d. Within those 6 groups, with their Mauricia: In Yoro there is tremendous rac- gress for more than four yeaJS. One adminisdiverse languages and customs, there areal· ism. Our people are wori<ing to develop tration takes over, then another,and there is no most half a million Indigenous peoples. there consciousness of our own identity bu~ for one to promote this. Weare also taking action are the Ltncas, which number 80,000; the example, wearing our trad itiona!clothingonly for the ratification of covenant 169 of tbe Pcicben, about2,000; theGarifunas, 300,000; serves to frighten people or create aspeaacle. Intemational Labor Organization (lLO) but there are very few of u.~. In addition, tbe theMisikitOIS 40,000; and the Xicaques which number about 32,000. The Ltncas live in SAIIC: How is the land situation in Hondo· government functionaries are very cleve-r. Ltmpiro, La Paz, and lntibucan. Tbe Peichen rns? Do you have enough? Arcyoorcommu- Some of tbem come 10 the !ndigeoous communities and if there is a problenn, they say and MislcitOIS Iive in Pahuac:as,Sull'lOS,Gracias nities respecled and rccogniz«l? a Dios, and Colon. Mauricia: The situation is critical. The gov- they will solve it and we aeversee tbem again. ernment passed a law called "modemaation SAIIC: Do these Indigenous nations still con· of the agricultural sector" by which they give SAIIC: The Honduran peoples are traditionpowcrtotbelargelandowners 10 appropriate ally agricultural? serve their languages and tradir10ns? Mauricio: We, the Xieaquesareon the verge more lands. This law convcns the land into a Mauricia: We, the Xicaques cultivate com of losinp our language. This is why we arc marketable good tbat can be sold to tbe and beans and we make some crafts, such as working so hard to strengthen it and spread it. tr.lJISnationalcorpomtionsandforeigners. Tbe baskets, mats, and pottery. The Ltneas make specifiC problem of the Xieaques is tha~ even weavings from wool and they also cultivate SAIIC: Whatiseducationlikeinyours.:hools? thoogh we were given titles to oor properties com and beans. The Miskitos dedicate themMauricia: This istbemostseriousproblemof in 1861, people keep appropriating oorland selves 10 eollecling coconuts, oranges. and to tbeXicaques. Tbemajorityofthescboolsare due10 this law of "modcrnil.ed agriculture". planting rioe. In Amuskiti, whicb is a very auriciaCastro: My name is Mauricia Castro and I come from tbe De panment of Yoro in Honduras. I am pan of the peoples ofXicaque orTolupan, located in the Nonh of the country. M 26 Abya Yala News �Wo:\ll ~ ~~s Ma;m'ela Castro at the lnte,..Amuicon Encounrtr on lndlgtn()US Rights and Common Low swampy, the people fish. They have little This issue ha.• led to a campGign org;10ized by pGrctls, islands in themiddleoftbelakes. It's thelndigenouspeoplesofHondurasandpeople an extraordinary place. The rivers Patuca, from tbe popular sector, syndicates, farmers, Platano, and Coco are very laJge and navi- and organizations, because this is an attack g;~ble. l..asl year,the president wanted to give >g;linsl humanity. a concession to exploit !be . - - - - - - - - - - - . "lbe Spanish gave us the SAUC: Do you have a jungle of Anwquitia, a name Xiquaques because relllionship with tbe virgin jungle. I believe we were not easily tamed farmill8 sectOr? that in Centnl America so we decided to keep the Mauricia: There have this is the mos1 luxurious name, always rebels." been conOiCis with 1be and mos1 dense tropical &nners wbo have come forcsl. into our lands by force. SAIIC: Have you tried 10 exploit those re- The Union of Fann Workers (UTC), wanted to come into Yoroand therewas a very serious sources? Mauricia: The govemment tires. There is a confrontation. We know that this was not the law called the law of Honduran Corporation desire or the fam>ers themselves but rather of and Forest Development that says that the some of the leaders and some of the catUe forests belong 10 the state, independent of the ranchers, and although we were in jtil for faCithatthesc lands may be private lands. So several days, we earned respeCI for the aunow lbc government has the autonomy to sell tonomy of thelndigtoous people. Now, even lbc forests of our communities. Butlbcsc bas lbc coffee gtOWers have to eonsull with us been much resistanc:e. In some cases lbc before lbcy can mechanize tbeir planta~ Indigenous peopk have said that it was lbc responsibilityoflbcgove~iflbesepcople SAUC: Do you have traditional forms of entered and later found lbci r machinesburned. O<g;lnizatioo? Has it been difficult to fonn VOl. 7 N O. 3 &4 fcdcrntions that are based on Western forms of organizing? Mauricia: The Tribal Counci.ls existed but lheywere not united. But with the helpoflbc Catholic Cburcll, tbe missions, and some of the fanners that wanted to "make friends" with lhe Indigenous peoples 1 recuperate 0 vacant lands, we heg;IO to know each Olher. From 1970 10 19n there was a process of exchange between the tribes in order to share experiences and gc,t better acquainted. In 19n,lbc federation was organized but in an almoslgbotstlyfasbion. Everyyearweplanned .-iogs but somelbiag always happened. Between 1981 and 1983, we begao to orpoizc lbc councils and in 198S, lbc fitsl OrdiaaryCoogJCSS was beldwbicb gathered alllbc ml>esofYoro,EINegrito,Oianchito,Mozaran, andotbers. TheCoogJCSSofTribeswascstablishcd and tbestalules were made. There were many discussions about the name of the federationbecause many said we were TolupGOCS and nOI Xicaques. the SpGnisb gave us the name ~Xicaques" because we were noteasily lamed sowe decided to keep the name, always rebels. SAUC: What isthename, then,oflbcfcderatioo you belong to? Mauricia: Federation of Xicaque Tnl>es of Yoro, FETROO. SAUC: Do you belong to any confederation? Mauricia; This work came after FETROO. We begao to realize that on tbeone band lbcre were the Mislcitos and on theOiher,tbe l..enkas and others, so, with the help of some university students, anthropologists, that always study us, we managed to have the Fitsl Gathering of lbc Indigenous Peoples of Honduras in 1987, one year after having formed FETROO,. In 1988 we held the Soeend Eocounter from which a provisional committee for lbcconfcderation was born, and where we realized that there wereotbcrolgilnizcdgroups. ThcThirdEocounterwasbeld in Yoroandlbc Fourth in Tegucigalpa when our leader, Vicente Malule, was assassinated . Bctv.-.en 27 �thesecrelat)' and they said that we were going secrelat)' and they tell him what to do. But we to be dead. Butthefive, two women and three don't wish to make a parallel organization of men, were from different oounciJs. women because we believe, and this is a custom of the Xieaqucs, that women without SAllC: Does the intimidation oontinue? men can do nothing. and equally men without Maurieia: The other day I reeeivod a call women. Even though "machismo" always saying: Maurieia Rivera de Zubirana is pay- exists, we resist by saying: "Don't walk in ing someone to kill you and two other leaders front of me, don't fall behind, let's walk of the tribe. But I don't know...who knows? together". We have no prolcction. I oould believe that the Police are protecting me but it's just as SAIIC: How is your spiritual life? Is there likely that they are investigating me. The much Catholic influence? Police are like that always. The fodcration has Mauricia: There is a lot of inllueoee; little of been given many diplomas of reoognition but our spirituality remains. The Evangelists you sec that it's all politics. The deputy of introduce themselves into our oommunities Yoro is the one that exploits the Plangrande and putthem to sleep. Theydon'twaotpeople tribe. He is a landholder, the deputy, so how going to meetings. They say it's a sin to are we going to register aoomplaint ifheis the promote the development of the community, one who is exploiting us? There arc Indig- that the riches arc in heaven, that the poor are enous zones, where more than 200 non-Indig· blessed. They put all this in pooples' heads so cnous families live, that they want to tum into they later say: "But well, this is how God 1986 and 1992 wcformed the Confederation municipalities. There are schools, electric wants me to Hve". I don't go to mass. Priests of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras light, roads, and even though we have prop- have oome to visit me and ask why I have not (CONPA). erty tiUcs, we indigenous peoples live cling· baptized my children. I teU them I don't ing to the cliffs. We have resistod du.ring three interfere in their spiritual lives. I don't want it SAIIC: Wbat lod to the assassination of regimes because we are the legal owners. and my children don't otiss it. ViccnteMatuteandthereprcssion? Weknow various Indigenous leaders have diod. Who SAIIC: What is the situation of women in SAllC: Do you have hope in the Continental are the repressors? relation to the organizations? Indigenous Movement now that you have Mauricia: FETRIXI is the only organization made oontaet? Do you think you should unite Mauricia: [The repressors arc) the land hold· that has three , - -- - - - -- - -, with the Indigenous pooples of "We have no protection. ers and the cattle ranchers of Yoro. We women oo lbe America? I cou.ld believe that the realized only at the end that themililat)' killod hoard. Five men Mauricia: The principal goal of police arc protecting me Vicente. There is a whole tribe that is under and three women, CONPA is to bring our forces to· but its just as likely that the oontrol of a general of the Annod Forces andwebelievethat gether, search for our ancestral they are invcsti.g ating of Honduras. Vicente was a very bonOS! and in lhe next term pas~ and oommunicate with all me." quiet man and in a meeting with president there will be four. Indigenous peoples of America. Calleja-we have the video and the tape reoord- Women participate We know that we are not all the same, but we know what we want ing-said that he wou.ld not he surprisod if the in decision makIndigenous peoples of the Sao Francisoo tribe ing, whethertbc men like itornot.UI see that at lhe continental level. go into a field to get their firewood and are it is in favor of the majority, then that is my hangod and taken away. ApparenUy they decision. Since 1987, womenleave the house SAIIC: Anything else? killod biro for talking like that and go to the assembly. Because the wo!SI Mauricia: I want us to prepare ourselves so problem is that women stay in their bouse, and ou.r rights as women are respected, so we are SAJJC: Have~other leaders been assassi· how are they going to be taken intoacoount if given the space that has long been dcniod to natod? • theydon'tgo tothesessions? Noone is going us. Tbisdoesnotmeao wewaottotakeit from Mauricia: In 199l,theyearthey killodVicente, to oome to the house to tell them: "we named men, we want to be given an equal opportuthey advisod us that they were going to kill you Cacique". In other oommunitics, there nity. Greelings to all the Indigenous women five of us and that's whatthey did. They said are no women in lbc organizations. In of theoontinent and let's keep going forward it would be those of the directive hoard. I was FETRIXl there arewomen who have a mao as because the struggle is ours. 28 Abya Yala News � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Interview with Mauricia Castro 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Interview with Mauricia Castro Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 26-28 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note An interview between SAIIC and Mauricia Castro the president of FETRIXI about her involvement in the Federation of Xicaque Tribes of Yoro, the state of Honduras, and rights of her fellow country women. Attachment Title Interview_With_Mauricia_Castro.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] FETRIXI Honduras ILO Indigenous women Mauricia Castro saiic Women's Rights Xicaques http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/1066636e65d0b09c5c37993a2d5d3377.pdf 412abb39098179ce0c3c6cdfda682350 PDF Text Text OtHIA~IZATIO~ AlPIN om October 13-24, members of AJPIN(Inlemational Association of Indigenous Press) mel 10 p~~blicly announce recognition of lbcir o!lical staiUS by lbe International PressAssociation. AlPIN is comprised oflndigeooos people and organizations lbal work wilb various ltlOOiums of mass communication, press, radio and television. ll's objective is 10 make 1he Indigenousvoiceanactiveonewithin mainstream society. F . I:'\ & COMMUNICATION RADIO WAVES FOR WOMEN recenl conference organized by lbe "MujeresAymarasyComunicaci6n" program of lbe Center for Education and CommunicatiOn in Puno, Peru, brougbl together Indigenous Women who make community-Jcvel radio programs in PeruandlloIivia The programs, made for and by women, deal with problems faeed by women everywhere, such as domestic violence, discrimination, and marginalization. Their object islo unite women around their mutual concerns A and 10 provide an avenue lbrougb whieb women can mobilize for social ebangc. The conference provided the women an opporiUnity 10 share lbcir experiences and 10 create a network of support As Rosa Palomino, wbo producesaradioprogramin Perunoledaltbe end of lbe eonference: "The radio programs provide a system of mui\Jal supporl, a fonn of devclopmenl- Ifwedon'lincludelbcwomen, we will nol develop..." • • • • • • • • • • • D E F E :"\SE OF hDIC)E:"\Ol 'S i\1tGH.\:"\T \VOHKEHS nited Fann Workers (UFW) And Representatives of lhe Binational Mixlee-Zapolec Front (FM-ZB) have signed a joint agreement 10 Spill organizing and advance lbe defense of human and labor rights of Indigenous migrant workers in lbe U.S. Thousands of Mixlee and Zapelee Indigenous peoples comprise lbe latest immigrant group of workers toiling in lbe agrieuiiUral fields and the service industry of California. Mixlee-Zapotec Bi-national Front is lhe largest and most impertanl Oaxacan organization in California The new immigrants are Indigenous workers from the U Mexican Slate of Oaxaca wbo, through a joint effort of lbe UFW and FM-ZB, will be encouraged 10 join lbe United Fann workers Union while still maintaining lbe autonomy of lbeirown organization, under an agreement thai was signed on September 24, 1993. UFW President Arlllro Rodriguez and FM·ZB General Coordina· lOr Arlllro Pimentel Salas signed the agreement in Los Angeles, CalifomiaonSeptember 24, 1993.1beagreement is expected 10 boost a new union organization campaign begun by Cesar Olavez shortly before his death last April 22. WINGS FOR THE YouNG LAS, Solidarity Alliance of Latinarnericans, is a projecl driven by Carnita Piedra Castaneda Foundation of Ecuador, thai seeks 10 promote links in the union among lbc young Indigenous peoples of Abya Yala 10 initiate solidarity and an international support network. This projec1 covers lllree specific areas: I) The creation of a network of communication on a national and international level allowing young people access to infonnation in order promole exchange between different community organizations. 2) To prolllOie national and international gatherings with Indigenous youth. wilboul walls", community v.'Orkshops, and the "university of lbe Streets", utilizing lbe methodology of "learning/doing, the commu· nity leaches the eommunity". The objectives of ALAS are to achieve unity and leadership of young people on ~half of communication and education so young people can become fundamenlallo lbc development of their communities. ALAS will hold lbe Continenla!Eneouoler in Riobarnaba, Ecuador nexl year, People interested can contact Mauricio~ Coordinator/Secretary City of the Yoong-Penipe Box826 Riobamba, Ealador Tel: 474-124 FAX: 593-2-962263 3)1becreationof pep<~lareduealionprograms whalwillbea"sebools VOl. 7 NO. 3&4 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 In Defense of Indigenous Migrant Workers 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title In Defense of Indigenous Migrant Workers Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 37 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The United Farm Workers(UFW) and the Bi-national Mixtec-Zapotec Front(FM-ZB) signed an agreement to work together to defend the rights of indigenous migrant workers in the U.S. on September 24, 1993. Attachment Title In_Defense_Of_Indigenous_Migrant_Workers.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Cesar Chavez FM-ZB Indigenous Rights Migrant Workers UFW United States http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/797e50c03c24824435472f743c10c657.pdf defa2a4d738d47c60353010dcbd31ef6 PDF Text Text BRIEF. CHILEAN GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTS MAPUCHE PARTICIPATION IN DECEMBER ELECTIONS apo.ocbe leader Auean Huileaman's bid to run for Con oppressiveactiontakenbythe0lileangovernroen~l44Mapuehes gress on behalf of Aukin Wallmapu Ngullam ( All find ourselves condemned for reclaiming our legal rights. This is Lands Council), was denied by the Qualifying Electom! one of many ways that the fundamental rights of the Mapo.ocbe arc Tribunal. His alleged ineligibility is due to a . - - - - - - - - . . violated, especially where their participation in pending ease in which be is accused of unlawful malcing deCisions that concern the country's fu. association and "illegal"land take-over. ture is concerned," Slated Huileaman after learn· The ease in question was initiated in 1991, ing of the Tribunal's nullifiCation of his earn· after 144 Mapo.oches occupied lands that areeur· paign. rentlyclainnedby privateowneJSaod the Chilean If the Mapo.oches are found guilty, the dcfcn· state. The group, under the auspices of Aukin dants plan to appeal to the Supreme Court, the Wallmapo.o Ngullam, bad legal documents that highest coun in Chile's judicial system. If not proved their rights to the lands. acquincd, they will take the case to the Inter· The Mapo.oches have initiated a strong move· American Justice Court in San Jo.se, Costa Rica. menttbrougbout the country to protest the decision, which they It is vitaltbattbe ease be resolved before the presidential elections consider a clear indication of tbe government's attempts to impede in December because the new administration could prove to be even their participation in the next elections. "Because of the clearly less favomble to the Mapuche's struggle. M AYMARA ELECTED AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA nJune7,1993, Victor HugoCardeoas,Aymarallnguislof lbe Tupac c.tari Revolutionary Movcmen~ was elected 10 lbe vice-presidency of Bolivia. Hundreds of people from di1fem~tlodigeGOUSeommunitiesgathered in La Paz to support biro on lbe day of his inauguration. Cardenas's speecb, prot10UIICed in Spanisb, Aymara, Guarani, and Quccbua ISSCrted thallbe current govemmcnt woold be guided by lbe four fuodamclltal principles of O VENEZl ' ELAN I ~rH,..,.Ns~i\.T t <>~ALs Vol. 7 No. 3&4 His election bas geoetatcd great expectations for Indigenous peoples of tbe Americas who hope Cardenas will further lbe cause of Bolivia's Indigenous populalion. Ci<>VEHN!\IE~T oF urioglbelastdaysofAugust,lbemassacreof16Yanomami at lbe hands of &azilian mine<S, Wa$ eoufirmcd to have taken place on Ven~lan tenritory. Tbe internatiollal community IICCUScd tbe Veoezuclan government of violating lbe Rio declaration under wbich policies of eoonomic development lliUSI bescnsibleaod respec::tfu1 of lbe ecosySicms and oo!Oll)unities they affect. However, in recent ycus, violenoe against lbeeovi!l)nment and Indigenous peoples has intensified. A montbafterthemassaae, Fernando Ochoa Aoticb, Veue211ela's MinisterofForcignAffairs,affirmcdduringasessionofthcGenenl Assembly of lbe United Nations, that the protection ofIndigenous peoples was out oflbegovernment'soootrol. He went on to dir<clly D lbeQriginaiAIIdeanpeoples:"Amasua,amallulla,amaklldla,and ama llunk'u" (do not steaL do oot be lazy, do not lie, and do not give &be praise). YAN<>:\tA!\11 BLAMES MAssAcHE iiOCOISO lbe gold and diamond multinational cotporatioos thai work in lbe area of promoting deforestation and the acu of violeooe againSl ~OOCIS CO!Oll)unitiCS. Aooording to Ochoa Aoticl!, lbeseoorporationsbuijdlaodingSltips and supply the minels with machinery and weapous. Tbe Minister Slated tbat only an open dialogue among lbe countries of tbe Amazon region eao po.ot an end to this aitical situation. He appealed 10 the mining tnnsnatiortals 10 undersUnd thai development did not mean destruction and pointed out that a$ long as poverty and igno181l<lC persisted among large segments of lbe population in Latin America, violence and environmental desuuaioo woold continue. . 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. 7, nos. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Chilean Government Obstructs Mapuche Participation in December Elections 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Chilean Government Obstructs Mapuche Participation in December Elections Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 9 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note In 1991, 144 Mapuches were taken to court for occupying land that the Chilean government claims they have no right to own. While this case is in progess, Mapuche leader Aucan Huilcaman is denied eligibility to run for congress. Attachment Title Chilean_Government_Obstructs_Mapuche_Participation_In_December_Elections.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Aucan Huilcaman Aukin Wallmapu Ngullam land rights Mapuche http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/add98f826e7a473d0f4a370340419abb.pdf 4df323bd58bfabdb2ae3607b6c6017ce PDF Text Text ENV IHO:--.:ME:--.:T & DEVELOPMENT ecades of petroleum exploitation in people that !ive'there. In 1992,afferextrncting the Ecuadorian Amazon have bad a over one billion barrels of crude oil, Texaco devastating impact on tl\e region's Oed the country leaving behind 2,500,000 environment and its inhabitants. Among the acres of baneo rainforests, abandoned toxic Indigenous communities directly affected, materials, 17 million gallons of spilled petro· Qu.ichua, Cofan, Siona, Sccoya, Huaorani, !cum and 20 million gallons of toxic spillage and more rccently,Shuar, Achuarand Sbiviar. in the Amazon's rivers. The ecological damage has bad a profound a growing movement to organize against the effectuponthelndigcnooscomrnunitics.Asidc exploitation of oil conglomerates is Sleadily gaining momentum. Complex and volatile, from the disruption of traditional lifestyles the situation in the region is changing and and massive displacement, it has caused growing more critical as the Ecuadorian gov- severe health problems. According to differemrncntscckstocxpandthcconccssionsgiven ent studies done by Acci6n Eco1 6gica (Eco· to petro-chemical corporations and the logical Action), an Ecuadorian environmen· privatization of Pctroccuador tb.rough there- tal organization, and The Institute for Eco· form of the hydrocaroons law. These policies nomic and Social Rights (IESR}, skin dis· will, on the one hand, lead to an increased role cases, digestive and respiratory problems, for private companies in the Ecuadorian malnutrition, cb.ronic headaches and cancer Amazon while on tbeother, reduce tbe State's run rampant throughout the communities. A control over the exploitation of a delicate separatcstudy by the Canadian company HBT Agra, assessing the environmental impact of coosystem. Texaco's activities is to be presented to both TEXACO tbe Ecuadorian government and Texaco. The repon will not be published, however, and For twenty years, Texaco'soperations have both Indigenous and environmental groups decimated one of the world's mOSl biologi· are quCSlioning its validity as it neglects to cally diverse regions, wreaking havoc on the mention the indelible impact of Texaco's environment and the 300,000 Indigenous actions up:m 1he region's inhabitanlS. D VOl. 7 NO. 3&4 In response to the extensive damage Texaco has caused, a campaign to hold Texaco accountable bas been launched on an international scale. Presently, there is a world-wide boycott of its products with campaigns taking place in Denmark, Holland, and England. In addition, IWO lawsuits in the United States have been filed and anicles in The New York Times, Reu1ers News Agency , and New Yorker Magazine attest to tbe fact that this conflict bas fmally caught the eye of the international press. \1 \Xl"S Wbile the campaign against Texaco intensifies, the Nonh American petro-chemical company, Maxus, continues tOexpand expiO· ration of Block 16 wbicb includes pan of Yasuni National Park and Huaorani territories. Evenbefore beginningextraction, Maxus bad already caused a 900 barrel oil spill when a pipeline belonging to the Occidental Company was accidentally perforated by a Maxus work crew. Even though the spill was, fort be mOSl pan, contained, oil did manage to reach tbe estuaries of the Napo River. Moreover, tbe road tbat Maxus built to 19 �support itsoil extraction in Block 16bas ledto the colonization of the Tiputini River area. Through the purchase of wood for its encampments and extraction towers, it is promoting massive deforestation of the southern portion of the Cuyabeoo Reserve which was recently declared one of most biologically diverse regions in the world. The company is also responsible for several chemical spills in Ibis zone. As unbelievable as it may seem in the face of its disruptive practices, Maxus is attempting 10 present iiSCif as "protector" of the environment by promoting the establishment enous peoples of Pastaza, created social instability, and divisively manipulated and corrupted local individuals. Need I affirm that we find this tactic unethical and reprehensible?" Cuyabeno Reserve in Cofan tenritory, forcing the corporalion 10 negotiate with the Cofan community. The Cofans demanded active participation in Petroccuadot's activities on their tenritory and lbe financingof solar panels for their villages. A provisional accord was ...,!~---~· turned down by the corporate executives in , Quito who only agreed 10 the purchase of tbe solar panels valued at $10,000. The Cofans unanimously rejected tbeofferand stated that unless someone with sufficient authority agreed 10 their demands, they would be forced once again to shut down Pctroecuador's ex- L .. ploration activities. This conJlict was temporarily resolved when Petroecuador announced that no oil bad been found in Paujil. Nevertheless, there is evidence that suggests that Pctroccuador plans 10 perforate a few miles outside the reserve. of an environmental inves4igation srationand sponsoring an archeological project to "preserve Ibe cultures that have been occupying the region for thousands of years." ARCO I'ETROECUJlOR .-\\ll TilE I'E\IJI\G IIYDROC\RIIO\S L.\ \1 REFOR\1 Another petro-<:bemical corporation is ARCO, which hasuscddivisivetacticsamong Indigenous communities in Block 10 of the The future privatization of Petroccuador Pas1aza province. During a meeting with lead- has potentially devastating implications. If ers of the Organizationof Indigenous Peoples passed, the World Bank sponsored of Pastaza (OPIP), in Berkeley , California, privatization and reform of the Ecuadorian during the month of October, 1992, ARCO hydrocarbons law will sever the stale's ability agreed: 1) 10 rcspccllhe political and cultural 10 control and sanction oil corporations. The integrity of Indigenous peoples in Pastaza 2) new law would open up the region 10 innot enter into divisive negotiations through creased exploration and exploitation as well lhe buyingoffofloeal individuals; 3) todesist as grant new ooocessions to multinational from creating tensions which may lead 10 the corporntions, aecelernting the pace of demililaiization of the region; 4) 10 keep all struction even more. meeting allendces abreast of present and In response 10 the impending reforms, a future exploratory activity. Nevertheless, campaign bas been launcbed which seeks 10 ARCO has forgone this accord and launcbed minimize tbe impact on the region. The a campaign 10 politically debilitate OPIP. "Amazonia for Life" campaign is currently Through manipulation and bribery, ARCO pressuring the Wodd Bank toconsider its loan has created a parallel and independent organi- 10 the Ecuadorian government as a "Type A" zation, DICIP, and is unwil.ling 10 continue loan, calling for environmental and cultural lhe dialogue unless DICIP part icipatcs equally. impact reports prior to any further exploration Needless 10 say, OICJP unconditionally sup- in the region, as well as establishing a process ports ARCO's activities. In a rcccntlellct 10 of public participation that would include the ARCO's CEO, John Middleton, Hector affected Indigenous communities and repreVillamil, president of OPIP stales: 'To date, sentative organizations. ARCO bas neglected 10 comply with (the above)"guaranlccs and bas actively pursued a COFA\S CO\FRO\T strategy which systematically and insidiously PETROECL\DOR undennines the political integrity of OP!P. During the past months, ARCO has reinstated On October 2&, 40 Cofans took over a an un.eaJied for hostility toward the lndig· Petroccuador oil well located inside the 20 IILOCK 22 EXCLU>Eil FRO\ I 199~ CO\CESSIO\S In November, 1993, it was confirmed that Block 22, inside Yasuni National Park, would not be included in the concessions being offered for 1994. Th.is is undoubtedly due, at least in part, 10 pressures from the international and Ecuadorian environmental communities. However, the right of Indigenous peoples 10 control oil development on their lands still needs 10 be addressed. •••••••• The prolonged pctroleum extraction activities in the Ecuadorian Amazon has taken place without environmental or sociaJ impactS being taken into account. Important decisions have been made without consulting with the Indigenouscommunities who inevi- tably suffer the brunt of these deleterious activities. National parl(s, reserves and Indigenous tcnritories which bad supposedly been pern1anently designated as cultural and envi· ronmental reserves have not been spared. II is within this context, that the Public Enterprise Rcfonn, 10 fi6ECUPA103 in Category A, calling for an all-inclusive Study of social, environmental and cultural impacts of petroleumactivities, isbeingadvocated by various international and national Indigenous, environmental and social justice organizations. Sou.r«: RafofON:SI Action Nttwork Abya Y ala N e ws � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Oil Companies Take Over 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Oil Companies Take Over the Ecuadorian Amazon Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 19-20 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note Petroleum extraction by oil companies has caused extensive damage to the Ecuadorian Amazon and as a result local indigenous populations have suffered the most. Oil rights have changed control often in Ecuador, but policy makers have yet to address the environmental and social impacts caused by the oil extraction. Attachment Title Oil_Companies_Take_Over_The_Ecuadorian_Amazon.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Amazon Cuyabeno Reserve ecological damage Ecuador Environmentalism Petroleum Extraction Texaco http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/85f3c1869d21474b2f9d8d661b9ce9ec.pdf 1c49ef309e605de2066b5e9d7c8bce65 PDF Text Text LETTEHS Dear Brochers; Dear Friends: Dear SAllC Slaff: I congraiUiale and lbank you for I have received IWO casscues of I was deligbled 10 receive your your invaluablemagazineandm· your radio program, Voces news journal for lbe firs! lime. I dio programs, lbey have been so Nalivas. lgreaUyappreeialelind- found il very u.sefullo show and helpful for us here and lhc lndig- ing ou1 aboul aclivities lhal arc educalepeoplelhalcomelbmugb enous cause as a whole. The happening in lbe Indigenous lhe park and research slalion abundanl information and male- world, reclaiming righiS to land, (Parque Amacayacu, located in rial from all over lbe Indigenous naiUral resouroes and life. The the Colombian Amazon). Howworld has both stimulaled and SAIIC program is important for ever, articles describing wbal is infonned us. both Indigenous support groups happeningwilbnarureandeveryand Indigenous peoples them· !bing lbal lives wilhin i~ were Soon we will also be sending in· selves. missing. fonnalion aboul Napuruna and who we are. I will be sending you infonnation Rodolfo Pinilla and pholograpbs aboul us and lbe Parque Amacayacu Yesterday, "Voz de Ia Selva," a activities our men, women and Lelica, Amazonas Colombia radioSiationiniquilosworking al children are involved in. lbe forefronl wilb Nalive com· munilies, did a nalional report on Loila Rener lbe conlarnination of lbe Napo Managua, Nicaragua River. Valerio Grefa of COICA is a paisano and we speak in We've eome &om Quichua. It seems as !hough a ·afar to talk about God, petroleum company is going 10 Slarl operations in Peru close 10 \ civilization, and eternal lbe Cumry river which leads 10 ' - - - wisdom lbe Napo river. If Ibis happens, where are we going 10 find fish 10 cal and clean waler? Dear SAIIC S1aff:, . I would like 10 unile my voice wilb lbeolber people lbal see and read lbe Boletin, even lbougb I am far away, wilb unified senti· meniS in an eeho lhal will grow louder every time. I a.m a mesli2a from a region of O>Iombiaandbaveworkedmany years wilb various elbnic groups. As an anlbmpologist, I work wilb women and lbus am very interestedinfonningawomen'sgroup in the furure. For Ibis reason, I would very much like 10 receive your book Daugblers of Abya Yala. Amanda 0 . Delgado Cali, Colombia Since I live by lhe Napo River, I lold lbe people in charge of O>n· servalion and lbe Environmenl aboullbis possibilily so lhallhey migbiSiarldoingsometbing. Unfortunalely, lhey are in lbe clouds. Bul, if we keep lalking 10 lbem, lbe migbl do act. They have said 10 me, "You, lbe Nalive peoples, aretbevoiceofalarm." They also would like 10 receive your news journal. Padre J O>quinche Mercia Mision Napuruna, Rio Napo Iquilos, Peru VOl. 7 NO.3 39 � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Letters 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Leters Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 39 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note Copies of letters written to the SAICC staff. Attachment Title Letters.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Abya Yala saiic http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/7d788f7b4e52e4c6dbae7ae0287e9ced.pdf 9be5a7a656a7bfeda761c43d68057c25 PDF Text Text DINEH STRUGGLE ' AGAINST PEABODY COAL CONTINUES illegally for 9 yeatS, the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and U.S. Department of the Interior have purposely neglected to e.oforce the law and require Peabody to Slop mining with invalid permits. In addition, there have been recent repotts of livestock confiscation in the region. Your immediate action is needed now. The destruction and suffering mUSl be stopped! Help bringjuSlice to the sacred lands of Big Mountain by sending letters and faxes expressing the need to uphold legal mandates to: __ _, ....-----------., US. Otpctren• oflllledor 111111 ud cser..a. NS. wake of fiagile ecosystem destruction, desecration of sacred es, and the depletion of valuable water resources, a major paign to hold Peabody Coal Company acoounlahle for its actions is being launched by tbe Dineb peoples of the Four Comers area in the North American Southwest. Blacl< Mesa/Kayenta mine is the largest Slrip mine and only coal slurry line in the U.S. It bas been carved into the most sacred azea of the Hopi and Dineb people, destroying all homes, grave sites and sacred azeas in its path. ·Even though Peabody bas been conducting its mining activities E W~DC.­ Fu:QOl)._ -~ Dlo<ll Ropl2045 w, 3rd 134 w-..,AZI6N7 Fulpbooe (60:1) m.:mr7 Eet':\DOHI:\~ l ~DIGE~Ol 'S MOVE:\IE~T TIIHE:\TE~ E D n the evening of October 31, COJCA's beadq\Wlers were broken into and robbed of over $6.000 worth of off1CC equipment . The wee. prior to the i nciden~ COICA was k prompted to take extraordinazy steps to improve its security when it learned that CONFENAIE's office had suffered a similaz break-in. Earlier in the montb, a dead dog was found neaz COICA's office with messages on it saying, "Mateun indioy haga patria"(bea patrio~ kill an Indian) and "Muera Lucho Maeas el reformiSla" (Death to O Lueho Macas,the reformist). The first of these messages has also been painted on numerous walls azound Quito. Luis Macas is the president of CONAIE, Ecuador's National Indigenous Federation. Wblle this bate crime is particularly ominous and disturbing. there is no evidence that it is connected to the burglary. As this type ofevent is unusual in Ecuador, membetSoftbe Indigenous community believe it could signal the emergence of a right wing effort to undermine the movement. Valerio Grefa, General Coordinator of COICA, bas written the Coalition in Support of Amazonian Peoples and tho Environment asking for its moral, political and financial assistance. Please mall or fax leners to President Sixto Duffin with copies for the Picbincha police chief. Besides expressing your concern and hope tbattbe government wlll take steps to protect COICA from threats and violence, your letters should state that we are closely monitoring the situation and will report any future incidents to the US human rightS communityandNGO'sworkinginsolidaritywithlndigenouspooples. , _.. Sblo Duna CaSI PI tdJ ~a c:lal Gtnia-1043 QuHo. £<uado< Fu: (593) z.sti0.569 Mort lnf'onnalion <'2ll be obtaiotd through Denllis Udal~ AC'tiQg COOfdJ_ator n lor tbt Am>ZOft Coalllloo at (617) 723-2578. 34 Abya Yala News � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Ecuadorian Indigenous Movement Threatened 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Ecuadorian Indigenous Movement Threatened Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 34 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note Concern develops when COICA's headquarters in Ecuador is victimized by burglary and hate crimes. The indigenous community worries such events signal a development of opposition. Attachment Title Ecuadorian_Indigenous_Movement_Threatened.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] COICA Ecuador Indigenous Hate Crimes http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/d8d25bb61ae0dfdbf919850ed9756a4b.pdf dc7b5962f36fe6c026c87ac63e1fab00 PDF Text Text 0HGA:".'IZATIO:".' & COMMUNICATION. SEEKING UNITY IN GUERRERO epresentatives from Nahuatl, Mixtooo llapanooo and Amuzgo communities attende<l tbe First Congress of Indigenous representatives of Guerrero from September 23 to 26 !993. This conference was a big Slep forward in tbe unification of Indigenous Communities of Guerrero and their struggle to estahlisb autonomy. The rights of Indigenous communities, including land rights and perspectives regarding culture and development, were among the themes addressed during the conference. ill terms of Indigenous rights, the need for the recognition of individual rights as well as traditional forms of enforcing justice was expressed. The election of commissioners within municipalities and the partitioning of Indigenous land by the Dcpattment of Agriculture was denounced as going againSt tbc traditional communal land structure. Propo6als in relation to these issues were tal<en to the National Consultation Forum of lnd.igenous Nations, where land issues and the enforcement of Article 169 are dealt with. In addition, a propo6al for the passage of a law entitled Indigenous Electoral of the Sixth District, which would allow for Indigenous representation R within the Chamber of Deputies, was put fonb. The need for direct patticipation in development programs taking place throughout the region was discussed. In this contex~ a format (or devising solutions to problems of education, unwieldy infrastructure of services, the sustainable use of natural resources and the financing of agricultura.l production was designed. In order to implement the solutions and projects, the creation of a government fund for tbe economic development of Guerrero's Indigenous communitics, to be managed by tbe communities themselves, was suggested. In order to preserve their traditional cultures, the representatives pcoposcd the creationof educational programs in which children could learn the music, dance and language of their people. The Second Conferenoc will be taking place March 15, 1994. e lnteramerican Encounter on lndig enous Rights and Common Law took place from June 16-19 at the beadquarters of the Alliance for Development in Guatemala. The event was organized by MayaOdtureCenter(CECMA). Representalives from different Indigenous organizations from throughout the continent pattieipated, including: National Indigenous Organization T: Vol. 7 NO. 3&4 of Colombia (ONIC), The Honduran FederationoftheXieaqueofYoroTribes(FETRIXJ), the General Guayami Congress and Kunas United for Napguana both from Panama, Sejekto of CoSia Rica, the Council of Mayan Organizat.ions of Guatemala, representatives of the Autonomous University of Mexico as well as representatives from SAUC in the United States. 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Interamerican Encounter on Indigenous Rights and Common Law 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Interamerican Encounter on Indigenous Rights and Common Law Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 35 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The Interamerican Encounter on Indigenous Rights and Common Law was an event organized by Maya Culture Center that took place on June 16-19 in Gatemala. Attachment Title Interamerican_Encounter_On_Indigenous_Rights_And_Common_Law.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] CECMA Guatemala Maya saiic http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/a1bc4e5d895143e8da5bbef28a4611fa.pdf 9b77fda7b1048e3be12fd2604570a72d PDF Text Text II Co~T I ~E~TAL ENcot:~TEH oF I ~D I GENO L ; s PEOP L ES, NATIONS A~n 0H.GA~ I ZATIONS CON I C lh the participation of more lban 300 Indigenous delegates, sup porters, and observers, the II Continenl.11 Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, Nations, and Organizations took place at the OtomiCoremoniaiConteroftheNathoNahnu people, in Ternoaya, Mexico, from the 8th through lhe 13th of October. The Encounter was organized by lhe Coordinating Comnnissionof Indigenous Nations and Organizations of the Continent (CONiq. Th.s Encounter i was a follow up to the First Continenl.11 Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, which took place in Quito, Ecuador in July of 1990. Its goal was 10 consolidate an autonomous and unified Indigenous movement throughout the Abya Yala continent A Provisional Council, responsible for pu«ing together the Third Encounter that will take place in Guatemala between the months of September and November of 1994, was fonned. During the Third Continental Encounter, CONIC will he fonnaUy oonslitutedand regional workshops will he organized around the various issues that Indigenous Peoples are faced with. The first meeting of lhe Provisional Council will lake place in Bolivia in February 1994, organized by the Coordinadora de Mujeres lndigenas de Bolivia. The following are members of the Provisional Council: Conscjo de Todas las Tierras (Mapuche, Chile); Coordinadora de Mujeres lndigenas de Bolivia; Confederaeion de Nacionalidades lndigenas del Ecuador- W 4 I. Spirihmlit~ and Tntditiun CONAlE; Consejo deOrganizaciones Mayas de Guatemala; Kunas Unidos por Napguana Panama); Frenle lndependienle de Pueblos The spirituality of our cultures and the many Indios, Mexico and Consejo lndigena de traditional forms in wllich lhal spirituality is Guerrero,Mexico,TONATIERRAandSAIIC expressod, are the deep essence of our identity. The Great Spirit that shellers aU of Abya of USA Yala unites us, protects us, and offers us the co:-;1c llrdaralion ofTemoa)a. 199.1 means to bridge our differences with mutual respoet. We conclude that a basic condition 501 years after the European invasion, the for maintaining the spirituality and traditions Peoples and Original Nations of Abya Yala of our Peoples is the recovery ofou.r territories gather together. Their song has causod the and lhe healing and renewal of ou.r Sacred heart of the Earth 10 vibrnte, given Strength to Morhe.r Earth, returning her green cover and our voices and illuminated our thoughts, nourishing her with organic life rather than strengthening the wannth of the sacred fire. with the chemicals that poison and profane her. We agree that it is vil.1lto foster, develop, and strengthen the roorsofour identity; therefore it is offundamenl.11 importance to work for the recovery of ou.r own fonns of living with and relating to ou.r Father Sun, our MOibe.r Earth, ou.r G.raodfalbcr Fire, and our Grandmother Moon We demand of lhe NationStates the recognition of ou.r religious practices and ouruse of traditional andceremonial medicines, as well as the decriminalization of Thus, every morning, we greeted our Fa- coca, peyole, mushrooms and other plants of lher Sun and welcomed the new day. His sacred and healing value... energy has united us and given us strength to II. :\loth('r E:.ulh. Tt·rl'ilor.\ , ;md progress in ou.r work. We conclude five days llarmon inus De\ l'lopmcnl of work towards agreements and consensusof dialogues and debate. With pain and with hope, wilhjoyandwithangcr, we havereached One of theprinciple agreements reached althe the following agreements and conclusions fo.r Earth Summit that took place in Brazil in the future: 1992, was the warning call that united all of Abya Yala News �lbecounuies and social sectors oflbe wo~d in face of lbe gteal dangers that confront our Planet. In add.ition, fuU recognition was given to lbe sustainable and SUstaining technologies lbat have been practiced by the Original Nations for thousands of ycaiS. For our Peoples, ecology is not a fashion statement nor a recent development. This islbewayourelderstaught us: "If you are going to cut down some trees in order to plant the seeds of your nourishment, you need to ask permissionoflbespiritsofthe forest and study lbecyclesofrencwal in order to help regenerate what you bave altered. You must ask permission and give offerings to the Earth Mother before opening any wounds in her body witb the sharpened steel of your tools. You must study the agricultural calendar for the weD-being of the other living beings who acoompany you in this life. In order to eliminate the root of the plunder and genocide suffered by our Peoj>les, it is necessary to undertake a profou'l.d territorial reorgani2ation at a continent4levellhat bas as its objective lbe redefinition and the recognition of autonomous territories. As Original Peoples, we denounce the neoliberal econontic model which continues to generate more povt(ly, buoger, and environmental degradation. We are convinced of the need to establish alliances with lbe different sectors of society in order to join our efforts and work together towards the creation of alternative ecooontic models which will 001 be based upon consumption and coltinuing ecological degradation. R<':\olutions Peoples of Honduras addressing the plenary 4) Their adverse impact on Sclf-Oetennina- 1HE F1JU. EXERCISE OF OUR SELFtion and Indigenous rights. DETERMINATION." This self-detennina5} Their elimination of smaiJ-scale agricul- tion must • ...be expressed as fuU recognition. ture in favor of multi-national agribusiness. 6) Their po!ential for aUowing the exploita· tion of child labor. 7) The lack of access our chil~n have to the basic education that wouJd allow lbem to compete intcmationaUy. We protest and express our consternation and dismay at the proposal to collect human genes on lbc pan of'ProjectHurnan Genome Diversity Project (seearticle,(l'!ge 12) We demand that tbe HGD Project cease and desist in its attempt to coUect human genes from Indigenous peoples, and that the United States government withdraw its application to patent the genes of a Guaymi woman, and any other similar applications. We also demand that GA1T not approve any Agreement about the Patenting of Human Genes or other forms of life. A) Witb the purpose of promoting a harmonious, sustainable, and community-based deIll. Sclf·l><'lrrmination. l.l•J.:.i'lation. velopment, we strongly denounce and oppose :.1nd lndi~<'llOUs Ri;:,ht-; GA1T and NAFTA for tbe following rcasons: The First Contioeotal Encounter in Quito in 1990constitutes a significant reference point I) Their adverse impact on Nature. in the actual struggles waged by the Original 2) Their exploitation of the Indigenous work Peoples of Abya Yala. In lbat occasion, we force. produccdtheQuito Declarationwhich in 1993 3) Their violation of lnd.igenous inteUectual is still very relevant We said: "We are now property rights with respoct to Indigenous fully aware that our definitive liberation CAN Oora and fauna. ONLY BE EXPRESSED BY MEANS OF VOl. 7 NO. 3 &4 TElOUROWNINDlGENOUSSELF-GOVERNMENT AND CONTROL OF OUR OWNlERRITORIES."!nordertomakereal this objective, we maintained: •rr IS NECESSARY TO HAVB A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH TRANSFORMATION OF lHESTAlEANDNATIONALSOCIETY. We ratify the understanding of ourselves as Peoples, as the Original Peoples and F'U$1 lnbabitantsof this continent Were vindicate our right to be recognized as such by the international community, and the United Nations. The opposition,of the national States to the acknowledgment of our rights has its principal origin in the very configuration of the Nation-States, wbieb by their very nature exclude our Pooples. 11 is not enough for them to declare themselves "multi-cultural" or "multi-ethnic", as these declarations do 001 modify them in the least. 11 is necessary 10 BUILD MULTINATIONAL STATES tbat will recognize the coexistence of multiple Peoples within one State. CONIC needs to work towards gnarantceing the panicipatioo of Indigenous Peoples in tbe different meetings that the UN carries out in regard to our rights and request that it consider a proposal to re-structure itself in order to include Indigenous Nations as full members. 5 �detcnnination. However, there have also been aggressions against our people as the vora· cious neolibcral appetite for our territories From remote times, our Peoples established We consider it necessary to promote the es- and resources continues. thefamilyastbcbasicunitofsocialorganiza- tablishment of an educational system in acWe must make an effort to de-colonize lion. The roles of men and women, of youth cordance with the philosophy and world view ourrelves, to recover our capacity to be indigand elders, were different in their functions, of our Peoples. The formation of one's iden- nant over any attack and any injustice combutequalintbeirim- . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . , mined against a fellow portance. The hisPeople. We need to estabtoric situation of our lish more effective lines of peoples bas laid a communication between great burden of reTo the UN Secretary General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali the continental Indigenous sponsibilities on movement and the womcn,buttbanksto We, the members of CONIC are writing to express the following: grassroots communities ourstrengtbandconandorganizations. We also viet ion much of our At the opening ceremony of lbe International Year of Indigenous Peoples, need to be more effective traditions and cusat the UN in New York, CONIC made an effort to invite 231ndigenous in the handling of national tomswerekeptalive. delegates from aU over the world, in order to support the UN initiative in and international laws. Women play an imdeclaring 1993 the Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples. During the Anocberoftbeadvanccs portant roleasaprinffitcials expressed their which webaveacbicved in inauguration, government representatives and UNo the last three years as ciple leaders and desire for a new partnership with Indigenous Peoples. counsclorswithspiriCONIC is the relationship tuality being the thatbasgrownbetweentbe Today, ten months later, this new relationship has not yet materialized, organizations of the North source of our strength. The world regarding participation and dialogue. For this reao;on, we are requesting to and the South of the contiview of Indigenous have a meeting between CONIC members and other Indigenous Peoples nent. This brings us much women is not one of the world with the UN... joy because it also signifies which divides and the fulfillment of a propbseparatcs, but is inWritten attbe Otomi Ceremonial Center, Temoaya, October 12 1993. ecyofourancestors, lhcrcstcad a holistic one. encounter of the Eagle and the Condor. We are thus The importance of the role of women in the continuity of our tity is a fundamental part of children's and creating the basis for a true continental indigculture was higltligbted. The need to educate young people's educational process. That enous unity. our children within the family, in our own identity begins at home, but it must be reinTo this end, we must higltligbtthat this U Encounter has bad as a distinctive sign the culture and mocbcr tongue was insisted upon. forced and strengthened at school. permanent spiritual presence that accompaIt is recommended that we build even closer relationships with our children, in order to \"1. Organi1.ation - CO:>;JC nied us during all oftbedaysof the Encounter. The presence of many gf.mdpareniS, elders, transmit our spiritual strength to tbem and prevent alienation and distancing form their One of the most important achievementS of and spiritual guides made it possible for us to original cultures. To this end, it c~ considered these three years that have transpired since the have great energies to dedicate to our work, important that in tbe forthcoming year of first Continental Encounter in Quito in 1990, and contributed to the successful completion 1994, which has been declared by tbe United is the consolidation oft be Indigenous struggles of our task... A complete Report of the Second EncounNations as the "Year of the Family", funds be in each of our countries. channeled specifically for the purpose of Currently, the international community bas terwill be published in tbe next Couple months. strengthening Indigenous families. We need begun to recognize the just nature of our If you wish to receive a copy oft be Report you to promote women'sorganizations incoordi· claims, and we can affirm that we have gained can write to SAIIC, also to: TONATIERRA. nation with family and community. importantallies in support ofour right to self- P 0 Box 24009. PbeeniJ<, AZ 85074. USA. IV. \\"omen. Famil) and Communi!) 6 V. Education. Culture and Youth Aby a Yala News � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 II Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, Nations and Organizations Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource CONIC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title II Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, Nations and Organizations Item Type Journal Article Author CONIC Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 4-6 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note This article is an abbreviated report of the second meeting of Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, Nations and Organizations that took place at Temoaya, Mexico on October 8-13, 1993 and the article outlines the goals the organization wishes to accomplice by the fourth meeting that is to take place in Bolivia in 1994. Attachment Title II Encounter of Indigenous Peoples, Nations, and Organizations_from abyayala_v07n03_04-2.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] October 1993 Original Peoples Temoaya Mexico http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/7e895dbaaae26fd8c80657276251dca9.pdf b37d8d3708fae8460d09bd42b40591a2 PDF Text Text LoGGI~G TIIHEATENS 1~ h~· BHJTISJJ NATIO~s CoLt : ML~IA Stl-..m O'Doncll International attention has focused on Oayoquot Sound, British Colum· bia, wbert the battle over clear-cut logging of an old·gl()wtb rain forest has resulted in hundreds of arrests in Canada and protests at Canadian em· bassies around the world. Indigenous peoples make up about half the population in the Oayoquot Sound area. The Firsl Nations oppose the Canadian government's decision to clear-<:ut tbe forest and want a solu· tion that both preserves their natural environment and creates jobs for their people. A November 1993 court decision stated that the government of British Columbia mUSI consider Indigenous land rights wben awarding loggjng contradS. AspokespersonfortheNuu· cbab-nultb Tribal Council said he bopod his people would now he given a share of the loggjng profits and a guaranteed peroentage of the forestry jobs. About 70% of the Indigenous people in the area are unemployed. Canada's new prime minister has said he would be willing to declare the Oayoquot Sound area a national park if the province and the Nuu-<:hab-nulth First Nations agree. However, many Indigenous people in tbe area have reasons to he suspi· cious of his offer. A similar fight over loggjng of traditional Haida land in the nearby Queen Cbarlone Islands ended about six years ago when the federal government created a new national park on Haida territory. The government promised that tourism generated by the park 22 FJHST Giam redw()()(/s such as this one on Meares Island are threare.ned by clear-cut logging would create jobs for Indigenous peoples in the area but, six years later, the only new jobs have been given 10 white bureaucrats and tbe tourists have not appeared. Instead, an army of government bureaucrats arrived 10 tell the Haida how to care for forests they had been looking after for time immemorial. "It's like a new set of missionaries have been steaming in here to save us," a Haida woman told a reponer. "Butwe'renotbeingconvened. We know how to take cart of our land." Many 01her First Nations across Canada - , arc fighting the destruction wrought by logging companies on their traditional lands. In most eases, the Firsl Nations are not seeking an end to logging but want sustainable logging practices and a share of the jobs created. First Nations haveal.ready won many court battles but still the logging continues. Canada has been called tbe "Brazil of the North" because of its destructive fores~ry poUcies and a comparison he· tween the two countries reveals many similarities. For example, trees cover about 40% of bOlb. Nearly 100,000 Indigenous people live in Canada's tern· perote and boreal forest, and about 170,000 Indigenous people live in the Amazonian min fores~. In Canada, an acre of forest is clear-<:ut every 12 sec· onds while in Brazil, an acre ls cut or burned every nine seconds. While the seale of devastation in both counllies is similar, an important difference exists in the human motivat.ion behind the destruction. In Brazil, a driving force-for miniCSI destruclion is tbe poverty of the loggers, while in Canada, the driving force is tbe greed of multinational corpora· tioos. For more infonnation contact tbe Nuu· chah-nulth Tribal Council, wbieb represents the 14 First Nations in the rogion: Nuu-dlab·nullh Tribal Coondl PO Box 1383, Port Albernl BC, Canada V9Y 7M2. Phone: (604) 724STS7 Fax: (604) 7234163 Abya Ya l a News � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Logging Threatens First Nations in British Columbia Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Susan O'Donell Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Logging Threatens First Nations in British Columbia Item Type Journal Article Author Susan O'Donell Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 22 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The First Nations opposed the British Colombia government's decision to clear-cut the forests on their land. In 1993, courts mandated that the government must consult with the First Nations when making a decision regarding logging. The First Nations are now faced with the desire to preserve the natural environment while still wanting to create jobs for their community. Attachment Title Logging_Threatens_First_Nations_In_British_Columbia.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] British Columbia Canada First Nations Indigenous Peoples Logging http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/6576e328d2dcd6a5e06fe416b092bbcd.pdf 9d36efc933cd4ab92f3ef4e4ae11d025 PDF Text Text WoMI::N's !.! ~ ~==~-...J ! INDIGENOUS W O M EN I N BOLIVIA SET EXAMPLE F OR A B Y A T: Indigenous women of Bolivia have come to occupy an imponant and in uential role in the lndige.nous movement after many years of struggling for their rights and !boseof their peoples. Using Native American women as models of or~tion and unity, today, Bolivia has the greatest national organization of Indigenous women in tbe Abya Yala continent The Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Women of Bolivia (CCMIB) was cie· ated during tbe First National Gathering of Indigenous Women on July 1993, in Acbocalla, La Paz. The Commission's purpose is to strengthen the Indigenous, popular, and campesino (peasant) movements through tbe active participation of women. By orga· nizing different gatherin~ and seminars, the Commission seeks to unite all the Indigenous and non- Indigenous women's organizations working tbrougboutthecountry and promote tbe formation of leaders in the various mem· ber organizations. VoL 7 NO. 3&4 Y ALA The Commission is guided by the funda- Diroetors was eloeted to organize the Second mental principles of doeentralized authority Encounter, which will take place next yw, and respoet for tbe autonomy of each member and where a permanent Boald will be eloeted. organization. In addition, !bough it is a women's organization it is not "feminist" Instead, the Commission looks to compli· ment its activities with those of its maJecoun· tcrpartS, since, as on participant affirmed, "in e original,traditionalcommunities,separatelevels of power between a man and woman did not exist A eouple made doeisions of mutual a:t:..J:....::II-iOiliriA• •lilllllll aooord, because the struggles of both the men ~ and tbe women were tbe same." Nevenhe· For More Information coniJ>Ct: less, taking into aecounttbe marginalization that the government's exclusion policies Combi6n Coordinadora dt' makes them face, the Indigenous women have 7\fuj('rC's lndl::<"na.~ de Rolhia considered unification a priority so that they Casilla 2315 can begin to devise theirO\vn methods to eloet Calle Yanacocha \o. +II representatives of their nationalities to the Edif. ..\reo lris.l'i<o 13. Oficina 13112 Bolivian government La Pa1. lloli•ia During the Encounter, the unification of 25 women's organizations was consolidated Telephone: 369.963 in tbe CCMIB, and an interim Board of � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Indigenous Women in Bolivia Set Example for Abya Yala 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Indigenous Women in Bolivia Set Example for Abya Yala Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 25 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note The Coordingating Commission of Indigenous Women of Bolivia(CCMIB) formed in July 1993 was created with the purpose of promoting indigenous involvement in movements across the country. CCMIB is carrying out this goal by focusing on electing representatives of indigenous communities to the Bolivian government. Attachment Title Indigenous_Women_In_Bolivia_Set_Examples_For_Abya_Yala.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Bolivia CCMIB Indigenous women http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/84b792af98ca5fdd2d0dfd3e4ccfb8df.pdf 6e52c0c12fc5e4a24f7607f8c42bdf6d PDF Text Text D I TORI AL. The year 1993 (Gregorian year) is behind us. ln different ways and for different neasons, great expoetations were created because it was said that this yw would be beneficial for Indigenous people. ln the fmt place, the United Nations declared 1993 the "Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples". The yw was conceived to provide a platform so that consciousness, sensibility, and human rights to favor Indigenous Peoples would be created throughout tbe world. Nation-stales reacted positively to tbis call, but ~e.-repairs to oppression and discrimination have seldom benefited o~r peoples. In truth, we can affirm that no signifiCallt fact o~c rep3!l! i5>n is concrete. If this would be true, there would have been some advances in J Indigenous legislation, commitrnents o CSJabl· h di~ alit fuJ1.he~ (o~ogicil conservation and economic implementationon z Indigenous Territories. ;AI \~ ? ' ~ The World Bank and the Intern Development Bank, after sgonsoring <tceadc{bf ~ironmental destruction, accompanied by genocide and ethnoeide, have only receatly decided to invite lndif~ representativefui \~ dial~es. These banks have offered some " economic support and technical ~bu ~ ere is noguarantte lhat'illey;vill stop fundingde&liuctivc ~je<:ts on Indian areas. The United t' =~~eloproentProg13111prOmised~j;,rtproje<:~~~i?,nofbiodive:~teiJCC)tualrightsoflndigenouspeoples' Indeed, aU of these can be ~"'{ ~e. How er, thM·~~teeJ!!!!.!W ,s: ag;kmeo~ proposals, and proje<:ts wiU be implemented under conditions of "!luality ~d !1'.\'tualrcspoe~ i.e.witb-i~_:9.'Uprticipati01f~f J.!)digenous peoples in the decision making or implementation process. There is alSo no gueie<: Indigenous TerritOries and natural r~ees within bose territories will be respected. that The Indigenous fund, created by the ~e ents of Bolivia and MexiOO has only~n.,rntified byfi~e or six governments even though it has beenwidely publicized. What isev~worsc, is h~paii";CI~tionby-au~~~njZaltons in thedecision-maki.ngprocess and not one Indigenous women's orga$ization h~ invited even thoug,. there man~~')/ Re<:ently, the United Nati<>ns has~ t~of Indigenous P!'OPICS, from 1994-2004 to beip, among other things, to disseminate information (education) regarding Indi~ us P~~ resolutio~ bowev~, does not rellect" the full participation of the Indigenous Peoples in the activities of the Decade. It ~~Ued · ew P~ec;M>"-tbat bad ibeOretically begun in 1992 has already ended, ~ for it has not been mentioned anywhere. ~ '~ ~ !} Despite cunrent processes of dernocra tion in Jftin Ameri~ assacres, ~ression, assassinations of Indigenous representatives, and endless waiting for territorial demarcation ~laws, ~ntinued to the end of tbe Year t e w id~ndigenous Peoples. We must print for the record, tbe massacre of the Yanomami in ~· theK ~aninka ~e in t~o'!>eruvian~n, tlie assassination ofa Macuxi leader in Brazil and several Indigenous peoples of theF i'Itures fOUifd in Gua~m~a. ~inations ~ve also ~en place in Colombia and repression in Ecuador and Panama does not escapeoy eo.lbm: In~qilc, 11w{Mapuche ~pie were tmp~ 1,and continue to be prOS<X:uted. Similarly, ' when it comes to Territorial Demarcatk>n, t'U'USI pqjnt out the Macu~ ~I) o~tbe ~ea Ra~.Serra do Sol and the military strategies used to intimidate them, as well asJhe ~~~~ilizatiqn of 125 Mocovi lndi~'\Qusl,o~nities against the "Law of Indigenous c Communities" approved by the gove.OOr ~santa" 1;''9, 1\r~ntina.pe liSt <jf eount~es that.have -qolated, intimidated and refuted the rights of Indigenous peoples continues to grow1All ~hJ dei1)o~trilles tha~ in ~raetiec, !be& oontiDues to'be violations and denial of ancestral Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The publicized WOdj q>n!ere.l& Human Rights of t.berUoited Nations in Vienna (1993), bad no significant ' anainments. "'-. I II! 4 It is important to emphasize, as a positiveoutcomeof]hisco~tintiOOS continentafand world struggle oflndigenous Peoples, that we have advanced nationally, regionally, continentally, and globally. The Second Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples organized by CONIC, ' ~! , tbe "Coordinadora de Naciones, Pueblos y Organizaciones lndfge®S ije\ Continente", last October, marked a historical milestone in the consolidation of continental unity, organization, self~riticis"j:. and P/?~itional political position. The hopes and yearning for a 1rue year of justice, peace, and hannony l' r our people is the wish of the entire Continental Indigenous o Community. With thesegoals in mind, we are building community, IoJkiDg to ibe future, and taking ftnn steps to voice our continental demands. are 1 1 'f tn • Peace, JUStice, and Harmony with Mother Earth SAIIC Board ofDireclors VO L 7 NO.3 3 � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Editorial 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 Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Editorial Item Type Journal Article Author SAIIC Board of Directors Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 3 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note An editorial highlighting developments in the indigenous community during the year of 1993. Attachment Title editorial.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] saiic Second Continental Encounter of Indigenous Peoples World Conference on Human Rights of the United Nations Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples http://saiic.nativeweb.org/ayn/files/original/fbbc18c22f99b58cbe5d0d121138ed40.pdf cf237d8d27139d3e68a691a4b16cc79b PDF Text Text '7o rake human DNA and parent its p roducts, that t~iolares the integrity oflife itself. and our deepest sense of nwrality." Isidro Acosta, President of the Guaymi General Conguss. ''When a foreign govemment comes into a coumry, takes blood witlww explaining the real impUcarions to local peoples, and rhen tries to patent and p rofit from the cell line. that's wrong." P01 Mooney, RAFI Executive Dirtcror. you haven't heard about scientifiC en the method of execution to the exclusion of ally. From financial compensation to the deavors relating to the Human Genome, Native representatives in project discussions, potential for biologjcal warfare, it is essential yousoonwiU. Aswe plunge <leeper that all foreseeable consequences and into the decade, the bcxlfellows, bioimplicationsassociatedwitbtheHGD llnm.l!l Cit'nontt· = Hlo . c~oc~ gt'lk"'· tolll.lillin~...: .111 tcx:hnology and science, are having a Projcx:t he taken into account before indi\ idtldl.... t wn-dil. u\· inhu cn.llion. lnuod in.tll !llt· dircx:t impact upon Indigenous comfurther damage occurs. < dl' l 1! .1 llunt.Ul I )( 'ill}.!. munitieswitbovenidingrepercussioos I h u ll-111 <it ·notm · 1 llg.tniz.tlit ,,.., Ill " ;c 1 tl >. ~~ ·d in I .on< for humanity at large. In the previous 11.\CKGROt:\ll doll! r ill. lilt i.t\ ,IIIII ol (it"ltti!IK' (("'-('.lit ll- \\.lllt"l Abya Yala News joumal, we provided Bothun. I'H" ... idt 'l\1 ci .. UII'' C.Hl!OI. \"1' a sketch of the HumanGenome DiverGuided by tbe premise tbat the ge· sity Project. Since then, much more netic composition of different ethniC Jhul\.111 (it'llOillt' IJi\t'l'il\" Pwjn 1 d !Cil> t•rojn IIl 'lopo~ll lot ollt"( I ,l!ld '!lid\· gt'I"K'Iit 'Ill It 1111<' ol information has been made available groups may vary slightly , the project \ ·, niott... 1·f llllit group... . \ lot ....t • it Hl'n.,llit 111.11 t on.._. u · and patents applications on Native organizer.; aspire to gain a better litull ol ttJ11\t'1'11i<· ... ,tnd ...t it'llli' l' 1h.11 .tilltlo }.!.llhn peoples' eelllines bave been revealed. under.;tanding of why diseases vary blood. ).,tit .ttMIIlltlttih ..... uupk" ol l,ugt·lnl pop11l.1· The following article hopes to eluciso much in their geographic distribu· lion... t on... itk-t nllo he Oil lht· ""'-<"1}-!t"' o l c\littt lion date the various components and imlndi}-..'t.'lltttt-. gtottp... w lnu·d to . 1 · t...tl!.ttc... ••I Ill'· ... tioo and from there, try to find out if In t i(" hllt' lt"'l.- l"tilll.tl\" l'to jn I h llti.llot: l.tti;.:,i I.Utd plications assoc.iated with the Human such variation is caused by human ('d\" lh·...,!OI/•1. l'lnft·..,..,ot Lnlt"liltt... ol c;ctM'III' ,11 , Genome Diver.;ity Project, highlight· adaptation to local environments or Sl.lllhtttl ing its impacts on Indigenous Peoples changes in genetic make-up (5). around tbe world and course of action Through these findings, it is boped taken thus far. that new methods of dealing with While the potential benefits sbould not he are being seriously questioned by Indigenous fatal diseases, i.e. cancer, AIDS, etc. wiU he underestimated, all oftbe related issues, from organizationsandsupportg,oupsintemation· developed. I 12 . Abya Yala News �NATIONAL. INTEH \IETIIOII Through RAFI's research, it is known that 712 groups have b«n !Mgeted for sample collection. The following ootline provides a brief overview of the sampling and lab research process: ceU line has b«napproved how will compensation be determined? Wbat systems arc in place for assuring that Indigenous peoples will be appropriately compensated on all commercial gains? To date, these questions have not b«n answered. ing the instiMions that have waged an unbridledwarofopprcssionandgenocidcagainst Native peoples for the past 500 years. Ill. IIIOI.I)(;J('\1. II \lll-'.\llE l hll ii.UI (it 'll(IIIJ<' Prnwt I· I ·.s !.Collect blood, hair and mouth scrapings from selected population 2 Once gathered, samples rushed to lab(witbin48bourstiJm)wberewhite blood cells are to be "immortalized" a)wbite blood c:dls are cultured in the lab tben (men in liquid niuogco. Each cell contains a complete set of genetic DNA. This process allows the information in the genes to be preserved indefinitely for ful1Jrcsrudy. 3. Once in thi~ form, cells are l1Jmed intocelllincs( continuoosly dividing cells that can provide a theoretically infinite supply of genetic material). '4. DNA to be dcpooited and stored in scvenal "banks" around the world. Tbedcpooited material will be available for funhcr research. Results from resco.rch an then be patented tTIIt'W i' .t!'o \ lt•dit oll l k'-t.'oU< II ( 'tiUIIt ti1 \ IIH ~ l l un ~. 11 1 ( it'· nomt· .\l.lppul).! Prow< 1 11 1 Lnndot1• \ .... ~ l 1dltnn c llnrl \\I \I( II bq..~olll i ll I' lXX \\Jill lilt' )..:.11,11 ol IJI, IJI\IIIlg l"ottll til lh' l l • l.t il • l }.!!'Ill'' !CIIIJ)(j \\ tl illll t ltr~• lli'II....CII l iC '' .u~d "--'t[tln)lul;...:. 1lw nl- liw "'lft'ltll ol hn)(k·tl h\ •'1111 htull,\11 D' \ h\ !It~:• l , u ld li'lt ' l S ![)( ' \t'.l! .,!t l l'"; ,,111111\.1) ht...,!l:tUt ' ~•llh·.!~:1l S. llt'j).HitUt'lll o! l_u·rg\ 1DOI.• PI, 1\ ·c·r..., : I , , \lllt'fll olll 1\'J M.' ( :11Jit 1 ' ( CIJIC~ II~ Ill , l{t It )... \ 1llc' ft ~11). lhllthllg_ j)IIJI JI lei! olii i\'Jlt'' ul (~ l]]c •t IICll l: hO.OOI 1 r, m • llldlt 'I i,ll' II 0111 \ r, I ' I In I nn tl.IJ 1 t and pt.uu \ 'iHI"-''"" L\1. l.t•g,ll dt'J)(I...,i l t'IJ, lor li\·illg ™"' llldlt'lidl h\' l'.S. P.llt ' lll ollld TJcld t 'l llclfh..., I I[ !it l', :!. l'ti\,llt' hintt·t llnu!og~ · < tllll)lolllit'' :t \',Hioll' UIU\t'r...,i ltt '"' illt ht<IHlg: l 'CI .. \ . l'C Bcrhdt'\". Slctlllord. Yollt • In tcnnsoftbe ~nenal Agreement oo Tariffs and Trade (GATI), the United Sates is doing everything it an to make p<~tentingofall formsoflife a legal pall of tbc trade agreement Ifpassed as an intem>tional mandate, how will The fact that Indigenous representatives and organizations have not b«n consulted lndigenoos pcgple be able to hold governments, or included in the planningproecss thus(ar, instil1Jtions,corporationsaocountablewhensueh illustrntcs the patemalio;tic way in which tbc accountability will be regarded as a "barrier to projcct is being condUCled. Issues relating free trade?" to patentS, diversion of funds, access to II. STOR.\GE F.\('ll.ITIL~ gathered informalionandthe potentialtbreat ,\ \1 OIU.IIII \\1\ OF '11\.\' of biological warfare have yet to be addressed satisfactorily by project organizers. The idea is to create various "world banks" of DNA around the globe that woold include I. 0\1 WIN Ill' \\II P.\ TE\TS borh regional and natiortal storage facilities and It is a fact thai some products and pro- be accessible to government agencies, corporacesses f<'lated to extracted material will lions, foondatiom, and interested rescortbers. havesuhswllialcommercialvalue. Oncea In otbet words, tbc information will be made patent on material extr1aed from a buman available to an)'one who shows interest, ineludVOl. 7 NO. 3&4 In the context of genocide, marginalization, denial of traditional c:ulture practices, who is to say a govemmen~ with a history of awession toward Native populations and, in most ofthe eases, responsible for the it physical demise, will not take the readily accessible information and use it to eOOicate an "inuansigent" group or people? are sympathetic geneticists who fed that tbc feasibility of producing wgeted ethnic biological warfare makes the poosibility a long shot, but not oot of the question. Wbere are the controls? II. Ill\ l·. llSIO' 01- H \liS ' The exorbitant amoont of money necessary to imple~nt the project eoold be used to improve the present squalor that many of the targeted groups live in. In otbet "ords, tbe money eoold be spent oo helping the groups that are foc:ing "extinetioo"tooveteornC the various fortes that have placed them in this critical predicament so that tbcy an lead bcalthy, productive and self-directed lives now, rather than being recreated and "immonaliltd" in laboratories for future science projects. TilE Gl'.\ \'\Ill' \ '11-'\ 1'•.\ (;(.1\II'SE OF TilE Fl Tl llE (;0\E .\lillY \\OHSIII \RS( '0\11 I HL 'I· Despite tbe efforts of HGD Project organizers to make it appear be nip, equitable and absolutely necessary, the recent patent claim application on the cell line of a 26 year old Guayami woman from Panama, by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Roo 13 �Brown, illustrates tiM> underlying dangers and At the recent Second Continental Encoun- fused and anonymous makes monitoring even potential for the projec:tto get out of eonlrol. ter of Indigenous Nations, Organizations and more difficult. Thccballengc, then, is to make Collec~ed under dubious eircumslanees, the Peoples (CONIC), representing over 2,500 sure that research of!his nature stays transparwoman'secllline isbeingstoredattbeAmcri· communities and organizations throughout ent and accountable. canTypeOiiturcCollection(ATCC). Inquir- the Abya Yala eon tinen~ issued a resolution However grave the situation may seem, ies made by Isidro Acosta, President of the denouncing gcnomerescarcbandtheGuaynni positive and effective action can be taken by GuayamiGeneraiCongrcss, and Pat Mooney, patent claim. As infonnation aboullbe projec~ individuals. International pressure demand· Executive Director of RAA, about the cell reaches Native communities, opposition until ing !hat all types of related genetic research be line being repatriated to !he Guaymi conducted wilh clear, structured and people, have been met with ambigudirect involvement oflndigcnous or( :o"f .n1d i'"ullding: I !( il l I 'r 1;n ; I: 11 i 1, 1: I1\ t '·\ t 'd!' t 'lit )J\ 1"' t '\.j )( 't ted ous responses and lillie action. Thus, ganizations so lhatlhey arc an integral to< o:-;1 l>cl\\ I.'Cll ..._:..? ~ .~:1d ·;_-, Jlli!lio!l dfl~:.~: ..... !hecell line remains in the bands of the part of tiN> decision-making process, is L\;x·< tn! 11 1 ..;.. l :il!J~t- lruln Hl_IU) · 1.-,_U){ I !l~i ­ United States government and the vital. As tbe possibility for "a small lll.lll ...!l<'t illlt'll'"' \\t'J,I~~t·tcl],l! ( tl..._l Jlt 'f ~Hiljl]t· ATCC against tiN> wishes of tbe origi· number of corporations, universities, t.l:t.'...:.t'"' !1<1:11 ~~.1•1 l~l ,1"' Ju~~i1 .1~ ~::~xJ c~ · nat "owner." and govcmmcnrs owning life's genetic Curren:!\ ~cdi.lll.'~ !ll:Hiu~;..:. ~olH<('~ tro:n :- ~~~\· On a broader level, if the U.S. code,"(1) turns into reality, tiN> time to t'rtl!lH'll! ,l:~t'l\1 H ' "' ,lJJt! Jl!l\-, l:t· l4lli:Jti,tl:ll!l~. government manages to make tbe mobilize is now! tu nt1~:1:~ \\illrn•J..,l ~i!--;.d\ t~Jrll<' tf1J:!l tlw :\,li:<J:t. tl patenting of human material legal Sc:t'!Ht·h~o~tr:cl,ltl<l:J II<JjX'j...,\<ICJ)J:.IJ:J ...rJ:IH'<Jt underGAlT,disputingapatentclaim \\II\ T YOl" C.\\ JlO: \ lit ' IIIIJ!lt'\ gt.Jtl\t 'ti ]IJ l)j{' l!lll t l, lll (;t•:I<Jl!H" and repatriation would become !bat J•H iit't\ much more difticull To make mat· fi nd out who is doing research in II. I hull; Ill (it ·nonw Projt "< I L '\J)( ·ned 11 1ldl t c1.._: ters worse. tbere are reports of otbcr your area and bow it is being moni· ~:~ IJ:)!tfll\Hl IUIW.._lllt' grd!ll!llo:Jt"\" u ... t!~l:J\ .1!· possible patent claims on Navajo cell tored. Urge that indigenous orga.nizalul!t"d tor ..,t Lt'lllil:l l"t ''""t'dH 11 Fund1:l~ t ro:ll :lw lines as well as prodigious cell line tions be consulted, informed, and in· :\!II dtlt I I)( II: collection going on in Colombia. (6) volved during every phase of tbe Along with !he Guaymi eommu· projec~. for more information contact nity,lndigenous peoples and organizations as Indigenous organizations are properly con- Professor Henry Greely, Head of tbe North well as a growing number of concerned scien- sulted, informed, and directly involved, bas American Ethles Comminee at the following tisrs areverbalizingtheiroutrage. There have been !he resounding response. address: beenvariousresolutionsdenouncingtheHGD Project by first Nations. The Mataatua CO\CI.l SIO\ \\ll C \I. I. TO \CTIO\ DeclarationonCullural and lntellec:tual Property Rigbrs of Indigenous Peoples in June, At this poin~ the HGO Projec~ bas not Professor Henry T. Greely 1993, stated the following: received the substantial funding it requires to Professor of Law Call for an irnmed.iate halt to the ongoing be carried out and therefore bas the potential Stanford Law School 'Human Genome Diversity Projec:t' until irs of being stopped. However, before breathing Crown Quadrangle Stanford University moral, ethical, socio-econonnic, physical and easier, it is important to take a look beyond tiM> Stanford, CA 94305-8610 political implications have been thoroughly immediate situation. lftheHGD Projec~ does fax: 415.725.0235 discussed, understood and approved by In· not materialize in irs grandiose form, tbe e-mail: digenous peoples. possibility of genome researeh bceonning dif· Henry.Greely@I'Qrsythc.Standford.EDU j I. RAF1 Prm 8.deas<, "lndig<nou< P"'91e Pro<"' U.S. Sccttlal)' or Coolmer« Pa1cn1 Oaim on Guaymi Indian Cell Unc," IM5fl3 l Sud>cl, Gabrielle "Wo.kl W">dc Gene Study May Re,·<al Human H~IOI)'· s..nroro Obo<Mr, Juty-AugUSI 1993 .J:.-d., 3. RAF11bePanTh>l Feeds Us" ~ ~~ 4. RAF1 Coolmuniqut, "PaleniS, lndig<oous Peoples, and Human Groclie Oi,.rsily" M 1993 ay S. New Scicnlist, M 1993 ay l 6. RAFt COn<$(>ClCid<nc< wilh tsi<fto ACXIOU, S.pu:rnber 21, 1993 1. Wuelhrich. Btmi<» .,AJI Rjght:s Reserved, H lhe Gene·Patcnling Race is A.ffeding Sciertee,.. Scicnoe News, Vol 144- Septe--mber 4, 1993 ow 14 """)• Abya Yala News � 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. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 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 Gene Genie and Science's Thirst for Information with Indigenous Blood Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Daniela Spiwak Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Gene Genie and Science's Thirst for Information with Indigenous Blood Item Type Journal Article Author Daniela Spiwak Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 12-14 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note Concerns about the impact of the Human Genome Diversity Project on Indigenous Peoples are raised. No indigenous representatives or organizations have been included in the planning of the project. Misuse of information gathered during the project has become a concern. Attachment Title Gene_Genie_And_Science's_Thirst_For_Information_With_Indigenous_Blood.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] CONIC Human Genome Diversity Project Human Genome Project Mataatua Declaration on Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples