1 12 26 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/376369e9c13eb1c09a92de5c8dcc811f.pdf beb1190f48133fc690232bdb8a669e14 PDF Text Text BR AZIL "Um Jeito de Ve-IQs:"• Old and New Representations of Indian Peoples in Brazil by G/lton Mendes his brief :miclc does not seek to trent " new set or informative. facts on Indigenous peoples in Brazil. nor even to undenake an exhaustive onalys•s of unknown aspects of the sodol hves of lndtgenous people. Nor do I rep~nt the \'Otce and poh· llcs of lndl3n people. I wish to problemati=e two ospects that I consider tmpona.nt; one, the politiCil suatcgies adopt.ed by lndtgenous orgamza<ions to confront the new challenges In contemporary Bm:il. the Other. • brief frame of the actual economic rtalities by which they are nffecttd. T Background There ex1sts In llmzU. approximately 200 Indigenous peoples and e.1ch pre· sents a set of p;lrtlculnrities with respect to its customs. L1nguage, and sod<>-polit· ical SIY\Icturcs. They vary In population; The maJOrity are munericnlly small sod· eties (almost :llwa)'$ COI\Sldered. indr.idually. to have been more populous m the jXISI). reduced to a few hundred or at times hardly • few doun pen;ons. The at'C35 they inhabit v.ll')' m stu and. in some cases. have already been officially demarcated. The v.1SI majority, hov.-ever. rem.1in barely deUneated and many more hllve nOt even been identified or recognized by the federnl government. This means that Indigenous peoples in Bmz\1 live In <-onstnnt lnse<-urity in relation to one of the mOSt essential resources thllt they h.we ahva)'$ possessed; the land! Gillem MMdts is an agronomist in Mato Grosso, Brazil. He has worked cxl<nsivdy "'lh tht Enaw<nc·Nawc and rcantly compltttd a two-month tnremsktp "itlt SAIIC. Indian peoples Inhabit cm;ronments where they have nlwnys existed in singular ways. set!tng and interpreting the world in wa)'$ that an: spectOc to each. They have CS~abllshed a very intimate and COntinuous re.lntion with their surroundin&-. which lt'.1ds us (or should lead us} to qutSitOn the rational. dichotomous. ond genenc vision of mankind ond ruuurc. d1:lrnctCnSIIC of 'Western socoety•: on one side humankind and itS lntereSIS, on the o<her. n>~urc, stnUc, rt\'taling itself through phenomena... Indigenous peoples are seen and represented In a fom1 that is almost always ne~ive, both in the elnbomtion of dis· courses-which nre n1so pmclicc5-{l5 i_ n people's consciousness. as a consequence of the fonner. State policies ne.1rly alwnys fall with· in 1he realm of '\,-etfare." envisioning nati\'e communities as dependent on their protection and intti:uives. From this point of ,;ew. Indian people are seen as in a proc:= or prog~ve lntegrauon into nauonal socl<:ty, components of a claimed -unitary n.>~ion." The chun:h ,.;s;on. like that of many non-gO\..,m· mentol org.1nlzations (NG0s). is 001100 distom from this continuous provision of welfare nnd protection. :ll'vays in a way that fulfills its own interests. All this would tend towards another level of representnuon: the intemali%3tion of the national society~ cultuml values by native peoples theonsel\'f:S, often taking on the role of the •prote<:ted," subject to state politics and programs and actions originating from civil and religious enlillts. Yet ohis in no way impltes thm lndlm peoples do not consider themseh·es tndl\iduals belonging to a different society New Strategies of Organization? With completely different cultural realities from nationnl society and with low population numbtrs. Indigenous peoples in Braztl nrc foct-d with huge adversities in the realm of nnuonal poli· tics. For this ICilSOn, thnt they ha'" COn· mntly refonnulated tht fom\S of 1\lSistanee and stTllt•g•es to ,.,lonu thcor rights. theor mtei'CSIS.. theor demands. Here. 1t lS now l"lC«$531)' co mentton the fight againSI the revision of Decree 22191. whi<h reguloted the process of demarmtion of lndtgenous nnd 01hcr special lands. Presently. the stgnmg of Decree 1.77!> by president Fernando Henrique C:trdoso has unleashed a new national mobilization. 1 x:rhaps the largest ever, of entities devoted to the Indigenous c:ausc. This mobili:~'lion is calling for the revocation of this Decree. itself a fundamentally altered version of its predecessor as far os the secunty of lndian lmds are concerned. This SJtua· tion shows a C3p;lCity for pohncal catal· }-sis. including one wnh "mtcmanonal effectS." It is necessary to draw Bll<ntlon to one of the most relevant ospect.s of the Bmzilian reality which Is the conduct of many organizmions working In suppon of Indigenous peoples. These, in general, have taken on the role of mobilization and dissennnatlon of lnfomlmion on communities that are "dis.1dvantaged" in rdntion to the st:otc nnd distant from the urixln eemers nnd the political decisions. and those with limited contact 'vith national society. In many cases. these organizations imegrotc themselves thus creating a third coalition phase in which lndig<nous and non-lndtgcnous combme for a Stngle cause Md l'tpresentation. �BRAZIL Til.. cthmc dwet:Suy of lndion peoples m Bmal hos pert.lps been one of the mam fliClors for the generation of reststancc •mn::tll\"e:S because it has produced a dm-ct r<lauon of multiple loc:~l forces c-•pable or mobalizlng, internally and amcnsavcly as well, each panic-ular socacty. On tho other t.lnd. it's also 1mponant to note th:l1 the new stnue· gies adopted have been similar to those used by the different social groups of national socict)'· Stmtcgics that, often, result m imcrnnl conOlcts and difficulues, and arc capable of clashing with the more trndiuonal expressions or the different natwc societies (sec Interview with jacar J~ dc Souza). A Brief layout of t he Economic Relations If cultuml dwersuy as reflected in the search for new possibilities for politacal organizauon of Indigenous people. an the eonfrommion ngJ~inst the interests of grou1>s or pet:SOns belonging to national society, the ~me i.s true leodmg Into the lntenor. supponed by federal intthuvu (along with scandalous conupuon). ~ c-ut thi'O<lgh tens or thowands of males of Cores~ and savanna. wathout the sllghltst prcocc-upauon for the dcstruC'lion they email. both for native peoples :md,their environment. In the end, nntuml rcsour<:es have been WMted, p.1nlcularly timber. and massive deforcstmlon hns followed the installation of rum! induStries. Many Indigenous groups. in the face of this stampede, were removed from trodiuonol orcas where natuml resources abounded and relocated in rcgaons completely unknown to lhem or alrtady dmlncd of thc same t J in the economic arena. Each panacular society presents a different history or economic rclotions with surro1mding societies. At the same time that some lndagcnous peoples ore cng.~ged m antense rommcrti:ll tmde, there are others tt.lt t.l'-c t.ld minimal contact "vnh ttn)' m~ke:t. Bel''-'ttn these two txucmes. there are those who arc eng;Jged an scasoml commercial tmde. Th.. decade of thc 1970s deeply marked the h\·es of Indigenous people an Bmztl m that. through the elaborauon of gigantic "development" projects and an the "interest of national security." the authorhminn state staked out a policy of occupying the Amazon . This opened two bloody wounds: the violem contact wnh peoples previously isolated. leading to partial or total e:xtemli· nation. nnd the IrresiStible incentive for milhons of persons to migrate \vith aim to sculc the "terms in.1bitadns" of the rcsouras. Thas t.ls resulted an untold hardship, :IS evidenced by the high rate of suicide tXJsttnt m groups like til.. Guamni-Kolowa Mony other peoples continue to suffer the consequences or these largescale projectS (doms, umber extmction. mines. roads, fnctories, fisheries. ngro· industries, etc.) estnblishcd around or even inside their territories. For many. Lhe only option left open is sc<lSOnal labor outSide or their indigenous arc•. selling their labor for ranches or in regional markets ot derisory rates. or migrntion to chaos. where they live in conditions of extreme poveny. Amazon. Diverse ev:lluations made of the ~lundrtds of panacular undenakang.s m til.. Amazon t.lvc followed ond Indigenous Sllll3110n tn Brll%11 a.rc pracconnnue <o follow the maJOr roads tically urommous an tt.lt these trends Vol. 10 NO -:-f t.lve m.1de tlung.s much worse: destroying tmduion:tl forms o( production, st.lrpcning "dependence· on outside aid. and !coding to environmental collapse. in thas context, today, perhaps more then ever. the question of Indigenous peoples' relation to the mnrkct (the genemlion of income, the management of natuml resources. nnd the mainte· nancc or 311 imcgml. mtional, balanced liJe in relation to the environment) ls more complex 1han ever. Contemporary Initiatives In the field of the indigenous economy have followed the trend of ancreascd sm.~ll-scale projects. Governmental programs (M imposed by mtemotional finance banks) ha,·e encoumge<! undertakings bclongmg LO the category of "SUS!ainable development" proJectS lndagenous organizauons themselves and suppon organizauons arc anell ned to favor economic activities tluu lncrcmcm production within l11digcnous areas: O<'tivilies Lhat seck to add value to products destined for specific markets; activities centered around the rntionaliz:nion and exploration or determined natural resources for a greater p.•rtlcipation of native communities In the production and organlz.11ion of work for commerce. The positive side or these decisions cannot be dtnied. just os the results art noL gnmdiosc and tmmedt3le. Time is being bought to be able, more cle:arly and dcodedl)\ 10 find CXI5lS tt.lt 3re proper and "mdependcnt." On the other t.lnd, one musl also lnquare if Lhis doesn\ COOSltlUtC a new politiCOll stmteg)• utilized by nationol society. geared lO\\'llrds itS own CC'Onomic imcrcsts, aiming at the incorporation or new markets. especially those held as "alternative." In the end. one must Onnlly nsk, to wt.lt extent these Initiatives constitme de fa.ao something new, or are they leading Indigenous people, once ag;Jin, into "modern· and sophisticated schemes of economic explouotion. 17 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Um Jeito de Ve-los:" Old and New Representations of Indian Peoples in Brazil Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gllton Mendes Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title "Um Jeito de Ve-los:" Old and New Representations of Indian Peoples in Brazil Item Type Journal Article Author Gllton Mendes Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 16-17 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note Indigenous organizations confront the new challenges in contemporary Brazil the and a brief frame of the actual economic realities by which they are affected are discussed Attachment Title Pages from Abyayala_v10_n1_p16-17.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Brazil Indigenous Politics Non-Governmental organizations https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/728ecbc86cf08efc6c99351cd8614054.pdf ab8763995d3925383bc78cc7a184e4b7 PDF Text Text --------------------------------~~ N DIG EN 0 U ~ S~-~ O M E~ ~~~~ N~~Q R_G A _N I~ I ~~ ~~ ~c ~ Z~ N G Absent Visions: A Commentary on the Women's Conference in Beijing year more than 28.000 women nication hampered the preparatory comi· rom 185 countries met to auend e Founh World Conference of Women, from the 4th to the 15th of September. in the city of Oeijing, China. This conference was organized by the United Nations in order to receive the input of women from all parts of the world to influence the Platform of Action, nental meeting in Ecuador where some 150 women from 24 nationalities and communities met to elabor.:~te their pro* posals to be sent to Beijing. The meeting took place later than planned, and as a result the Indigenous women's' proposals were not received in time to be submitted in the final document or the Platform of a document on womenS rights, which Action. U was on the United Nations' agenda. The limited preparation and panicipation or Indigenous women in the conference is due to many factors beyond the control of the Delegation of Lmin American Indigenous Women. Unfol1llll.1lcly, as other sources have said, the organizational Structure and the agenda of the confer· ence did not offer equal conditions of participation to lndigenous women. From the beginning. there was a lim· ited Oow of information between Indigenous and non-indigenous women. The fonner had liule access to contacts. infom1ation, and financial resources. From the level of the United Nations to the non-governmental organiuuions, space was not granted them as organized people. This was one of the biggest complaints that came out of the Meeting of Indigenous Women of the First Nations of Abya Yala, held from july 31 to August 4. l99.5. in Ecuador. The location of the conference made it hard for Indigenous women to attend. Only 30 Indigenous women arrived, an abysmal number (consider the number of Indigenous nations in the Americas). Getting funds to cover the ~'OSIS of the Oight was a great difficult)<Thus. in spite of the huge interest they expressed to aucnd this event. they were once again not able to panake in decision making processes that will affect their lives. As stated above, the same financial factors and lack of suppon and commuVol. 10 No. 1 ln spile of these lim_ itations. their pro· posals were presented in writing to the conference. Their document presented the vision of Indigenous wonwn or Abya Yala. emphtlsizing the challenges of selfdetennination and the survh'lll as a dis· tinct peoples. Among others. the Declaration of Indigenous Women in lleijing put forward the following propos· als and demands: (1) Recognize and respect our right to sclf-detemlinatton; (2) Recognize and respect our right to our territories and de.vclopm.em, e:du~ cation. and health; (3) Slop h\tma.n rights violations and all forms of violence against Indigenous worn en.: (4) Recognize and respect our cui· tural and intellectual inheritance and our right to control the biological di\oer· sity in our territories; (5) AsS<tre the political panicipation of Indigenous women and amplify their er. emphasized the economic problems that affect women, the globalization of the economy, and international womenS rights-terms and concepts that few Indigenous women h..·we experienced directly. Another issue was the Indigenous \~~men~ Delegations concern over the agreement in Beijing that an investig.uion · occur on Indigenous knowledge of health and management of naturol resources. Indigenous women want to take pan in the study and not only be its objects. They recognize the nece.<Sh)• of their panicipation so that the study include the Indigenous vision. If one analyzes the theme of "human rights· in the Beijing proposal. it becomes clear that Indigenous women envision these ' rights' differently. Indigenous women do nol see them· selves as competing with men. They have a more integral vision of them~ selves-not as individuals. but more as pan of a community. In situations where women work in the formal economy. the resulting rnemality is a competition belween women and men. for most indigenous women, work is something shared in a community. and not a competition. Thus, the right of equality between Indigenous men and women is inseparable rrorn this systen'l of production where the concept of capabilities and their a<:cess to rcsourc.;:s. . dualily predominates, meaning that Essentially. the document stressed ma_ and worn.an complement each n Indigenous tcnitory as a key for the e.xis· other in what they think. do, and say. Jndigcnous womenS lack or particitence of Indigenous peoples. it also touched on intellectual propeny rights, pation was a significant weakness in which the women felt should be respect· lleijing. It illustrates the necessity for us ed. it also called for the ratification of to devise new smucgies so that our International L.1bor Organization (ILO) vision can become an integral compocConvention 169 along \vlth other decla· nenl of lhe broader womenS mo\r rations on the rights of Indigenous peo· ment. a presence to be recognized espe· pies. The Plan of Action of the World dally during watershed encounters like Conference of Women in Beijing. howev- the Beijing conference . .., 13 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Absent Visions: A Commentary on the Women's Conference in Beijing Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Absent Visions: A Commentary on the Women's Conference in Beijing Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 10 Issue 1 1 Pages 13 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English, Spanish English Abstract Note 28.000 women from 185 countries met to attend the Fourth World Conference of Women, but there were many factors that caused the imited panicipation of Indigenous women. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p13.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Beijing Fourth World Conference of Women Indigenous women https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/9af637c41ac47039ba3b0196d8ce7e0e.pdf c87248c75f2a74b0af2583a708f4d036 PDF Text Text E NVIRONMENT Biobio River: Chilean Government Renews Ralco Dam Concession In the Spring 1995 issue of Abya Yala News we reported that END£$A. the largest private company in Chile. is planning to construct six hydroelectric dams on the Biobio river In southem Chile. The first of these. Pangue. is already 70% completed. ENDESA now says it will move ahead with construction of the largest of the Biobfo dam. called Ralco. Ralco threatens to displace 700 people. including 400 Pehuenche Indians. Since our last article. the struggle to save Biobio and the lands of the Pehuenche has been intense. Now. the Chilean state has broken down s barrier for the construction of Ralco. n january 12, 1995. ENDESA announced th:u d<Sput OPJ'O"• tion by <-1titen groups nnd lndigenollS people, membcl'> of the Chilean Cong~Y:SS, and ev.:n some gov· crnmcnt agencies. the office of the lnspe.:tor General of Chile had approved the renewnl ofENOESA\ piOVISion:ll eoncession for surve)'ing In the Rolco area of the Up1>er Bioblo. The oppo5nion to the ~"""'1\1 had callSCd the normally auton>~tic renewal pi'O<less to be ddnyed for neorl)' a year. The groups opp(>SM the renewnl booiW<' of the ncg.1tivc impact of the sur''cying work on the ecology of the Upper Btobio nnd the Pehuenche lndtgenollS c-ommunh1es who live in the ~u\."n. lt1lco would be a 155 meter·hlgjl d.1m with a 3:100 hectare reservoir, which would Oood over 70 km of the rh'Cr vrtlle)' and displa(t': over 700 people. including 100 Pchuenche Indians. Environmental and lndigenollS righ.s groups oppose the project not only because ofthe Wide S(ll]e destruction '' would cause, but also because projections or Chtl~~ future energy requitetl'lcms indi<'att that the energy It would produce will not be need<'<! ENDESA hos been continuously con· ducting surveying activhies in the are:o, despite the L'lC1 that tbctr ongm~l proVt· soonal «>ncesston exptn.'<l m 1993. and their activities have c;onsistcml)' been camed om \Vttltout the collS<'nt of the land owners. The opPQ$ition groups O 30 hold d.at while R:llcos impac.s ~~a_,-e not been evsluated or appl'O\'ed by the \\'el'C misled by ('fldesa Into selhng their Lmds. Others have n:slsled actt\'cly, ask· appropriAte government agencies. lngEndesa engineers I OV.Icate their com· ENOESA should not be permiued to munili~ unmedi:u.ely 'Since It has not conunue to bring dC$lructrvc clements to been pol'Sible to discuss things with ENOESt\ , and due to the ossaultth:!t our the R.•lco area. Under Chilean Lnw (l.nw of Mopuche Pehuenehe people nre being Protection, Suppon, ond Development of subjected to, we feel forced to take the lndlg~nous Peopll:). the f'ehuenche dccisron to ask them to lcn\'e Pchuenche Indians :w not n.'<jutred to lea"e their lCnitOr)'. Out of the commulllUCS o! lands again.<t their will nor to accept nny Quepttcn-Ralco, Palmucho, Quepuca, reloauion package offered by ENDESA. Ralco-Li:poy. l.epoy, l.:t Veta, The Pehuenche h:!w made d<nr their Cbenqucco..: (IV<rMn (chtcfs) or opposition to the R.~lco PR\icct and the Quepucn-R.1lco tond R;Jico l.epoy). 'II' presenc.: of ENDESt\ repii!Semmi•·<'S in thetr temtory, but the «>tlctSS!on \\ill Wntt rQ the Ptmdcnt Oulc. Ed11anlo Fr<l ennble ENDESA representanves to move mtd 10 rite diplonwtic rcpr!!smtatfl•ts of Chllc through the Pehucnche Indians' temtory in your "''"' coun.try. <Uki•g th<m to r<:ij>(ct agatnst their wish~ the righiS of lndogtrwu.< l'toplt$ tn Chile In Oppo5tuon to the gr.tmlng of the per- accordtmce •·.illt tltt Cltllean lndigcno.u mit h:!s been widespl'l:<ld. Onjanu.vy 19, Ptdpla I.D.- and lm<nutfll)rtal Tr<'<ll~ a p~ conference was held to crillclze the decision to l'Cncw tbec!n•m. A decla- lidU<~rdo Frd, Prrsidcnt< d< Ia Rtl"lblfca do· rolion \\':IS signed there b)' the major Olilc: Fox: -+S6-2·690·4020 or • 56·2-®0environmental groups and by youth ~329: ll!tp:ll"""'l""srdtnaa.cU; j/Jhn Biehl. org.•mzatlons o{ the politlrol panle.s in Chll«tn Amba,><U/Qr to tilt United Storts: the &0\'Cming C<JQihlon <>f Chile. Also. Fax; 202-887-5579 the Chile.tn Bureau or Indian Alfatrs (Corporation Nadonal de Oesarollo Ccmplltd from Corri<ntcs, MW$/cllcr of the lndl!;<na- CON:AOI). re(<'fltly =.ated to Bll#o Action Gn~Up (GABB), and 81oblo impl~mcnt Ch ile~ new Indigenous updmc. (transloucd by IR.'?· fo>' More Pt<iples Lnw, intervened against ENDE- lnjonn<Jtion, contatc Gro.po de Atdon por d S,.\.. Bioblo, !!• II<'Sto The Pehuenche comm1.milies m the path of Endcsali project have had to contend with a well-<>tt.hestrated cmnp.11gn of mis-information and btibcl)\ Some R;xcltw. Santwgo de Odie: Te/:+56-!2·737· H20: Fa.r. •56-2-777-6'11-1. tmall· gabb@hucl<n.rcuna.d l'l!ltO I.Dgantguc l J2, � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Biobio River: Chilean Government Renews Ralco Dam Concession Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Bioblo River: Chilean Government Renews Ralco Dam Concession Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 30 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note ENDESA. the largest private company in Chile is planning to construct six hydroelectric dams on the Biobio river in southern Chile. ENDESA now says it will move ahead with construction of the largest of the Biobfo dam called Ralco. Ralco threatens to displace 700 people. including 400 Pehuenche Indians. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p30.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Biobio River Dam Chile ENDESA Pehuenche Indians https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/18659f14403d01c92d8c74e96be6d99c.pdf 82b8ccc28cb02a36458a5261e564a57a PDF Text Text --R I GHTS HUMAN Cocaleras Take to La Paz! A 350-mile March to Demand Human Rights in Bolivia bolll five hundred QuechuaAymara women organized a 350-mile march from the Chap.1re (a coca (Erychroxylum coca) producing area) to La Paz. Bolivias cap· ita!. The women marchers entered the capital on january 18, 1996, thirty days after having left from the upper reaches of the Amazon basin. Their main purpose was to demand that the Bolivian governmenl of Presidem Sllnchez de Lozada respect and enforce human rights in their home region, since abus- A es against the women and their families. also known as cocaleros. have increased recently. It was the first time organized 1ndigeoous·peas.·ml women From lhe coca areas marched to La Paz to discuss coca-related policies that affect them and their comm1.1nitics. Coca: Spiritual, yet Demonized Coca, the raw material for the production of cocaine, is a native crop to the area. It was first made illegal by the Vienna Convention of 1961. However, due to strong Indigenous resistance (coca holds ancient spiritual and cultur· al value for the Indigenous peoples who cultivate it), Bolivian officials agreed on a depenalized status. Ritual consumption and cultivation or coca has been allowed since that time by the Vienna Convention of 1988. However, due to the uncontrollable status of cocaine exports and consumption abroad. gov- ernments have demonized coca leaves. condemning the product and pressing for eradication. Surprisingly. here in the US, the well known writer 'A~IIiam F. Buckley Jr. recently reactivated the debate over legalization or dntgs in the jou.rrt.•l National Review. The fact is that consumption or dntgs in general, and not only or cocaine. has been steadily rising in the US and Europe. A possible answer, Buckley stresses. lies in legalization. (William F. Buckley Jr.• "The War Vol. 10 No.1 on Drugs is Lost" National Review, Vol XLVIU No.2, February 12. 1996: 34-48). War on Drugs or People? In the same way that the War on Drugs is perceived by policy makers as a failure, above all in the US, Indigenous peasants are not convinced by the long line of ~hemtuives to coca cultivation. Chapare Indigenous peas.•nts indirectly answer to foreign demand-the "consumption side," in rhe US and Europe. whic-h is almost never discussed. From the point or view of states, coca harvests must be condemned as the main regarding the implementation or alternative development projects in the area. The Women'S Cocalera March received massive suppon from: the pub· lie. A)o11ara leader Cristina M:\rquez. who represented the COS (Bolivian Workers Union) during the march. said the "women are clearly struggling against the neoliberal model" led by President Sanchez. Ximena lturralde and Lidia Katari, first L"ld)' and vice President CArdenas' wife. respo::ctively, agreed tO analyze the demands of the cocaleras in order to better understand their situation. providers of raw material for cocaine UMOPAR: Spreading Terror in the Coca Regions US embassy in La Paz has cominuall)' processed outside their domains. The pressured the Bolivian govemment for complete eradication or coca fields. However, there has been a general fail· ure to demonstrate the economic viabil· ity or altemative development projectS, or alternative agriculture. Ox:altros are trapped in a never-ending profit cycle A sharp condemnation or UMOPAR, a specialized anti-dn•g anned "nit. was voiced by Quechua leader Silvia 1.azarte. "For us [cocalerasl there is no life,justice. peace nor tranquillity in the coca fields... we continue to suffer sys· based on coca harvests that continue to about this. • she stated. This coincides with a recent Human Rights Wacch Americas report which analyzes the human impacts of the War on Dmgs: "The resources possessed by Bolivian tematic abuses. v~l e want you to think guarantee their income. and thus their survival. As part or the march. the cocaleras clearly addressed the fact that crimina.lization or coca has spelled disaster for antinarcotics forces are too few: too few the Indigenous peasants of Chapar:e. men too poorly equipped are being The state militarized the area. which asked. on the one hand, to battle wellthey denounced as a violation of their entrenched drug traffickers funded by human rights. In addition. the women immense profits. On the other hand, ma.rchers demanded the cessation or they are being asked to control the eradication of coca fields. compensation thousa.n ds or poor po::ople who labor at for Indigenous po::asants who were killed the lowest end of the drug production or have been physically disabled due to pyramid ... This law enforcement effon. police bnuality in the area, government moreover. is conducted in the absence support for initiatives seeking viable of institutions and traditions that hold altematlvc development, lcg.1.l protec- public agents accountable for their own tion for union leaders who represent adherence to laws protecting civilians Indigenous peasants in the coca areas, from abuse." (July 1995. Vol. 7. No.8. page 38). ~ the decriminalization and commercial· ization of coca leaf nationally and internationally~ and government account· ability for agreements signed in 1994 (Compiled with information from the &>livian National Newspaper; Presencia) 31 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cocaleras Take to La Paz! Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Cocaleras Take to La Paz! Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 10 Issue 1 1 Pages 31 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English, Spanish English Abstract Note Five hundred Quechua Aymara women march 350 miles to La Paz, Bolivia to demand that Bolivian president, President Sllnchez, enforce human rights in their home region. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p31.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Bolivia Human Rights Quechua Aymara women Sanchez de Lozada Gonzalo https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/8025a887636d9d13b5eb2b450a8b47fc.pdf 5ada909f0d314d6e644352d851343333 PDF Text Text JOURNA OF 1HE SouTH AND MESO ~ INDIAN RIGHTsFENTER (SAIIC) VOLUME 10, NUMBER 11 SPRING 1996 PRICE Orn@JB PEOPlES OF $4.00 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cover Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title COVER PAGE Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 1 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p1.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Abstract Note Cover page https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/56569bd097f18389a14e25301ee792dc.pdf 0cc921d0a9417efdc33aa066b7760771 PDF Text Text ANNO U NCEM E NTS AND A DS Cultural Survival Canada: Research, Education, and Advocacy in Biocolonial Times A round (he world, Indigenous peoples nrc the care· tnkcrs of sacred knowledge nbom the unity of all livIng things and life processes. from genes. micro· orgamsms and spectcs, to human societies nnd the ecosystems m which wt hve. These gtfts of the Cre01or h:t\'C enabled our peoples tO survive ftve centuries of colonialism and to continue to nurture an cxtmordinary diversity and richness of life. even within our much dlm>mshed land bGsc. Our sacred rclauonship with MO(htr Eanh >S also '""I for humanity as a wholt as the world seeks w3)'S to rebal- mals. and genetic motorial from bo ocllvcrsity roch regions, nnd of the associated knowledge-systems of indigenous peoples. Whether the Convention becomes a mechanism for protecung lndogenous peoples' nghts or a tool for cntrendnng b>ocolontallsm will depend to a large exlent on the negotlattons set tO bcgon in November in Buenos Aires where the Conference of the Parties to the CBD finttlly has Indigenous peoples' nghts on agenda For more anjormm1on, pleast comact; ance humnn need!io wnh respect for the environrncnt. 'fodny, however, the gifts of the Creator art under siege Cultw·al Sunlval Canada, lntmuttional Qlordinathog Ojffu. b)' corporotions and go''tmmcnts attempting to make hfe lndig<noou Proples' Biodi\Wily Ntl\,ork GPBN) 30-f-200 15ab<l/a itself anO(htr form of plivate propeny. This new wave of Strut. Ottawa. ON. Canada. KIS /Vl Phone 6JJ.2J7-S36J: colonmhsm seeks to open one "lnst fronucr· for ccononuc FDX: 613-2J7-IS47: Emaol cse@wcb.apc.arg globahzation: the expropriation of our knowledge and the privatlzn.tion of sacred plants. nnlmnls and our own genes. CulturJI Survivol Canad3 (CSC) ban autonomous charuable org3nization supponmg Indigenous peoples· struggles for self-determmntion and territorial integrity. In the face of this new wnvc of colonialism. we ore engaged in rcscarth, public educ:nion and oclvo.:acy around Issues of biotechnology. intellectual propeny rights. and other aspects of the intcmnuonaltrode tn genes and Indigenous knowledge. CS Canada also sup pons advocacy and capaC>· ty·bUJiding initiatives aimed m strcngthemng Indigenous peoples' ability to Intervene tn tmernauonal fora where polocoes on biocoloniallsm are bcmg shaped Biodive rsity and Human Rights CSC b worklng closely with Indigenous peoples' o~a­ nizatlons around the Founh lntcrn.1uonal Techntcal Conference on Plant Genctk: Resources of the Food ond Agriculture OrgamtntH)Il (FAO) {l.iepzig. Germony. J une 1996). the FAO's Food Security Summit (November J 996, Rome). UNESCO's lmemationnl Bia<thics Committee and, eriticall). the next meeting of the signatories to the Convcnuon on Blologocal Diver,,ty {CBD) (('lo,·cmbcr 1996, Buenos Aires). The CBD is a binding inte~overnmental agreement rot· ified by 138 states, including the majority of states In South and Meso AmeriCil While the Convention dots include some recognition of the rights C)( lndigenou• lleoples over our knowledge and innovations. private and public inter· ests '" the North are clearly poosccl to usc the Convcnuon as. fromework for exp.•nded privmization or plants, ani· 38 lit ~ r. lit BuF~ COM .. .. -~ ..: N ew n-o m t. U.Uurnl " on biological dlvcNJIIy Bu ffalo Commons dclbut:s Write to CS Caned a. t:mall: ~veb . apc.ol'l(. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cultural Survival Canada: Research, Education, and Advocacy in Biocolonial Times Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Cultural Survival Canada: Research, Education, and Advocacy in Biocolonial Times Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 38 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note The gifts or the Creator, which many indigenous groups admire are endanger in today's society. These gifts have enabled indigenous peoples to survive five centuries of colonialism and to continue to nurture an extraordinary diversity and richness of life. But today the gifts of the Creator are under siege by corporations and governments attempting to make life itself another form of private property. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p38.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Biocolonial Times Canada Human Rights https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/3c576cbd8f68f6e913fc9b00f6eea014.pdf 46733ff34e58b6efb1c9738a103c5ed8 PDF Text Text B RAZ I L Decree 177S:An Attack on Indian Lands in Brazil "Decree 1775 is more than a setback: it's a death sentence for many Indigenous groups . .._ GOlAB (Council of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Brazil) ndigenous organizations tmd their allies initialed a major c~mp~ign of resistance ofler Brn<illan President Fernando Henrique Cardoso signed Dtaee 1775, responsible for t"" demarc:nion of lnd1a.n lands. on j~nuary &h. 1996. As the cherished baby of Minister of justice Nelson jobim, Decree 1775 oiTers a 90-dly ptriod for "Slates and I mumdpaliuu containing the :uea to be demarcated, and Ol""r inter61ed panies" to exercise the ctmmu!irorio, or legally comes1 the process. Addiuonlllly. it sub· jects 344 of the 554 Indian Areas in '""Y Brazil to rtVISion btcause ha\"e )'CliO be entered into'"" country$ official land registry. Armed with such legal backing. contenders of indian lands have already staned invading and stak1ng their claims ms1de !nd1genous 1erri1ones. Indigenous organi.a110ns and NGOs m BrutI. tn sol· idarity with interna<ional forces, are worki.ng 10 pressure the Brazil ion state to revoke the new decree. What's Wrong with Decree 17751 indigenous forces and mdigenist NGOs have been unanimous in their protest of the new decree. After the passIng of Decree 22/91, which tn fact allowed for the demarcation o( se--eral Indigenous Arc3.S, many Indigenous nations fought espteially hord 10 demarcate their land. The Macuxl in Raposa Serra do Sol, for example, ha,·e been lroding an tntemallonol campaign for demarcaoon. to S«Ure thm territory 18 from gold miners and ranchers (see ano- equtpptd 10 deal with the eminent clc page 2()). Now, with Decree 1775. onslaught of legal claims against those eiTons appeor 10 have been m vain. Indigenous areas. Indigenous organi<ations point out In addition. CAPOIB claims that that one of the major problcms "ith ~ 1775 will cr<att an "IndUStry of Decree 1775 IS 1hat it was dev!S<d in indemmues: since It c:tlls lor the comabsence of open debate. Mony ptnsatlon of panics cl1tmmg a loss of Indigenous and indlgenist enuues had land due 10 demarcation, with titles to requested meetings 10 discuss the show for it. All cblms ollndenmity made imi>•cts of the decree. CAPOIB, an on lndlgti\OUSareasnot )'<I r(81Sitred are indtg<nous umbrdla organizauon based ''tlhd. The agnbustness compan)' m Brnsilia acttvc m the fight agatnst Colon1z.1dorn. Terranont Ltda. altead)' Decree 1775. point$ ou11ha1 on August solicited comptnsation for lands belong15th, 199.5. Presirlr.n1 Cardoso assured ing to the Enawene-Nawc Indigenous :trea in MAt() Grosso s1a1e; • sum to the 1une or 7.6 milhon Brazilian real$ (US$7.9 million). In Pam stalt them that he would not 1113ke any d«i· alone, the summed tndemmties for all SIOn wuhout discussing the mauer m romes1ed lnd•geriOUS ""'"' would reach detail with Indigenous organizations. approximately US$1.4 billion. Even after the signing of Decree 1775, Indigenous voices say Decree 1775 MtmSier jobim was quoted as saying. "nsks the lives of lndtgenous ptople, • refemng lo B111Zi\13n NGOs ltodmg the and add IMI im-as;oriS and '"" proliftra· tnlernalional Cllmpatgn against the lion of d~SaSCS in mdlgenous are.u will decree. "These groups are no1 tnterested increast Rtttnl news lront Braztl prove in solving the mdigcnous problem. They this aMlysis 10 be comet. According 10 are interested In creating problems and confirmed and unconfirmed reports. we 'viii ha"e no dialogue "''h those who in,'lSions are presently occurring in a cause problems" (follta ik54D Paulo, Feb. host o! h\digenous areas, including Barto de Antonina (Kaingang). the Mundurucd 6). In a clever fnshton, Decree 1775 area In Amazonas. R10 Guamd (Tembt) In effwivcly paralyzes land demarca11on by Par.\, Panmnbizn1hno ond Sete Cerros subjecth)g the process to the inter· (Guarnni-Kaiowa). both In Malo Grosso. mtnable bureaucracy of legal eoun bat· Coroa Vermelha (Pat3X6) in Bahia, Surul ties 0\'tr bnd FUNAI (National Indian and the area o( the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau in Foundation). whtch h3.S historical!)' Rondonhla. Other threatened •~ con· locked anthropologists and Ja,V)crs. "111 tested by the government and the mtllbe responsible for ~arrying out required tary for their "strategic value· are Kricatl legal, geographical. and ethnographic (Marn.nhM). Bau (Pnr.t), Mar.\iuapsede work prior 10 an)' deman:ation or as part (Mato Grosso), ond Rapos:.1 Serra do Sol of any revision FUNAI. hO\\'e\'er, IS til· near the border with Guyana. Abya Yala News �B RAZ I L Indigenous Peoples and NGOs According to jobmt, the new decree abides hy the constitution (section 55 of React article 5) because it guamntces a thi(d A well articulated number of forces, party the right to contest a judicial from Indigenous organizations :1nd process through the conrradlrorio. a NGOs an Brnzilto human right.s. environ'bost< tltment of democracy•, says mcnt, church groups, and t\'Cn SOm<o jobam. He also argues thot the court govcmmmts around the world fomted an C25CS agaanst Decree 22191 Slalled an the response to the re,•ersal of pohcy on Fedeml Supreme Court w1ll no longer Indigenous lands in Brazil. Samteg1es for have a base now thai the new decree revoking the decree have varied, hut the con~nins this clause: otherwise, all the mn;ority center on directly prcssuring the areas demarcated under decree 2219 I 6nu11ian stnte through leuers, the press. could ha"e been declared unconstitu- faxes, and other similar ntcans. tlon•l. For jobim, the Bnuallan gO\'<:rnintereSIIng. too. has been the route mcnt's •mage will imp!O\-e because they taken by CAPOIS-representing more ~~o,.., ftxed a legal · error· th~t "ill final- than 100 Indigenous groups 1n ly put a stop to the endle.<S demarcauon Bmztl-wluch sent a letter to the World procedures. &nk and the nmbas..<adors of the G-7 However. one of the strongest orgu- coum rl~s ond the European Union merns asainst the new decree, and one requesting the "temporary suspension or ~dopted by a number of leftist politicru resources dCSiined for projecu which ludcrs 1n Brazil, is that h goes :lg.1inst ha,·c among other priorities the demareathe sparit of the Brazil ~an constitution. tion of lndi~nous lands. such os Projelto The Brazilian constnuuon st3!rs that, Terras lndlgtnas. Planaforo, and wnh reg.1rds to tradition3l Indian lands. Prodeagro." Since those funds would hke· 111$lhe duty of the "Umon to dcmnrcate ly fall prey 10 the legal quagm1re winch them. pro· teet lhtm, .m<I nssure counts amongst us members most of 1he we11 known US environmental and pro· Indigenous o rganizations such as National Wildli(e Fedcmtlon. Environmental Defense Fund. Saerrn Club. International Rivers Network, Ratn Forest ACtion Network, Amanalcaa, and SAIIC. The CoalitiOn plans to support the efforts of Broztli•n ind1genous ~nd human rights org.onizations and will ells· cuss funding de\'elopment i>rojects linked to Indigenous areas in Brull "~th multinational agencies. Decree 1775 mUSI be \iewed "ithin the lnrgu conltxt of the long 1em1 plans held by a consonium of gO\-rmmental and pm'!ltt intereSI$ to develop large areas of the Amnzon bosin and other nnt· Art 9 " Nou ckM.-t'QQOics rm cun.o. C\.90 4ecftto bornolopa6tfo o.10 lCTIU ridG objftC) dO ~tuO en;a an4tlo 4rnof:llltjrio ou ~ Soc•noria do Patrimc)nlo ct. IJnliO 4o Mml.dtelo u.m f'nA'Od.it- o. locc~ 1 , .., ot.On•fc:.LUooM, oo. •........._do f .. cto .,. t'". 110 ~ • ~ ....._ • da.'-- 4.a pue,u ;• .s-. ~o. the respeCt of oll of thm resources." Mony atgue that tht new Decree prt\'Cnts thiS basic duty from being fulfilled. "II fnghtens us to ,.,. that the go\'crnmenl intends lO revnaUz.e, wnh 1hc new decree. titles to land tim the consthmion regards as 'null and void,' since they were created centuries ago when the land was clearly Indigenous: says Congressman :olilmarto Miranda (I'TCS1dcnt of the Comm111ce for Human Raghts of rhe Chamber of Depuues). Jobam 1S wasting no ume tn implementing Decree 1775. Soon after the J~1sslng or the decree, he scm lc!!ers to S<:\'cral go,·ernors primarily in the Amoton reg1on listing (or them the areas 10 bt revised in their n:speeti\"t Sl3tts. For tXllmple. In a leuer to the go\'crnor or ParA state dated the lith or January, he liSied 14 lndtgenous are.'\5 up for revision. mcluding two whose combined arc~ is only 58 hect~res. Vol. 10 No.1 Pany and a strongly worded protest leuer signed by 80 environmental and human rights groups scm to President C.rdO!IO from the Coaliuon in Suppon of Amazonian Ptoples and Theu Emironmcnt. • coordinating body b.1sed in Washmgton DC. The leuer exhorts him to r.-'0~ the Decree. The Coahuon promlSCS to ensue from the 1'(\'1$1011 or do:ens of exiotmg Indigenous a!t3$ The CAPOIB documem claims th.1t "SJn<:e it took office over a )'<Or ago. the g<)\'emmcnt or Fernando Hennquc C.rdi>SO has been 1>1111ing In place a delibenue policy or reducuon of indigenous tcrrilorks.• Indigenous organizations are also calling for the cancelation of Gcrm:m funds (S22 million) don:ued to Brazil aftrr tht 1992 Earth Summit for the protcetaon of tropical ramforests (P1Iot Progmm lor the Pro<e<:uon of Trop1cal R.1inforests). Pan of that effort included funds spcciOcally destined for the demar· cmlon ' of Indian Areas. Indigenous groups pomt out that Decree 1775 does not comply \\1th the objecti\'.S or thc grant and they fear that some of lhc fund· ing from Gcrmany could be dl\'t!rted to the te\'151011 of CXtsting areas. Other major efforts agamst the decree include '' motion of unconstilutlonalily put forward by the Brnzllinn Workers ural :1rcas. M wuh thr m3mmoth Hid!0\13 proJ«t (see page 28). and progressi"<l)• mtegr:ue lhc entire reg10n mto the nauorml and mlernational econom1c system. In deOancc of the lnttmatlonnl Decade or Indigenous Peoples declared by the United Nations in 1993. the new decree sets down the foundations for a future of large scale de\'t.lopment ummpeded by Indigenous groups stllking claims to thttr ttaditlonal lands and resources. ..., You can support rhe rfforts of Indigenous !>«>plrs Bra~il b.)' s<ndlng. Ja.<!ng. or· ematllng .)'0<" lmers of procat 11> the jolluwir.g add,.'$$1$. in Frmaru!D Htnrlqut Cardoso. I'Tdldttll of 1M Rtpubltt. Pal<ldo do PlaJ:G.ho, Brwtlia • DF • 70. 160-900. Fax; SS-61-226-i$66. tnuld: pr@cr·df.rnp.br; Nd$0n )obim, Mintsfcr cJ )usll<e, ~!$planada dos Mmisrerios·Bioco T. Bra.<ilia • OF • 70.06-1-900, Fax: 55·61 ·22•1· 2448, errwll: l\)oblm@ax.ap<.org � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Decree 1775: An Attack on Indian Lands in Brazil Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Decree 177S:An Attack onIndian Lands in Brazil Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 18-19 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note The Council of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Brazil discuss how Decree 1775 is more than a setback; it 's a death sentence for many Indigenous groups. Attachment Title Pages from Abyayala_v10_n1_p18-19.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Amazonian Peoples Brazil Council of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Brazil) Decree 1775 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/19348addcaad0aa0abab3eef8e32d669.pdf fec3203c33313d1784ce8dcf907dbf56 PDF Text Text ED I TORIAL n light of the recent Fourth Womcns World Confere1tcc In Beijing. and the intemational aucntioll thnt is l>ei11g focused on womcns issues, we dedicate this Issue to Indigenous women. in the context of the Beijing conference nnd the International Decade or Indigenous Peoples cclebnlled by the Umted Nations. Indigenous women rOISC the or VOIC· es froon oil nauons. peoples. org.>.nizations. n11d communities 3nd call for the respect or Mother Ennh. hfe. territory. S<!lfdetermonation, and communal intellectual rights Through th1s calling. lndig,enous women also seek to gather forces for a better conscrvouon of Indigenous philosoph}~ the ethical, ~helle. and spiritual values contained In the \'lSton of our 3nastors. Women. ~long with giving binh to the new geocrauons, are the guardians and thoS<! responstblc for tmnsmittlng. devclopmg, nnd protecting the ,,.lues whtch ldcnufy us as peoples. This is why womtn have pb}'l:d such an tmponam role In histoncal struggles for life, although tl\,1l role is utmost never acknowledged. I In the llet)mg conference, despite the lomued a=ss for our vooees, we lndogenous wom<n mode n dcclnmtlolltO the mternmional community in which we e.'pressed our opposulon to all forms of social injusttce. and •11 types of violence and discrunm:UJon which aJTect our communhies. \\)t denounced the re-colonization and the thre:n to Lhe ccologicol equilibrium in our communities, which under the name or glob31iuuon. creates conditions for wenlthy n"tions to once a~,tnin 1m•nde our territories to exploit the resources that, thus fnr. we have managed to prese"·c. We spoke out against accords ond entuies such as GATT and the World Tmde o ,·gnnizntion {WTO), which help create the Instruments for the approprlntion nnd privntlzmion of our communal lntcllecwal J >fOJl<ny. We denounc-ed the "pirating• of ancestrnl resources by tmnsnnuonol companies in this age of ·ncolibcrahsm." Under such models. our value.• ond comnmnal exchange practices wllll><.>come a thJng of the past, substottued w'llh the greed required by the rules of the free Market. We are cvcu witnessing the appropriation of our genetic inhcrit:tnce, under the name of the Human Genome Oovershy Project In the mean ume. our rivers, the oir we bre.uhc. ;~nd the lond we live on are continuously fouled, leading to the slow death o( out Mother Eanh. In the: cffon to sustmn our families. we ha>-e had to tncorponue non·lndigtnOUS ways. but we strive to ~m:un in harmon}' wtth the em1ronmem. We choose ~onsclously to sllmubte those economiC octi\Ottts that strengthen our peoples. underst>nding that out communities depend mainly on lr.ldluonol systems of productiOn like fishing. hunung. famtl)•agnc-uhure, ond small cnfts enterprises. The moventcnt of Indigenous \\'Omen toda)' confronLS all $OilS of senous threatS as it places itself in the path of powerful nnd d~ructivc forces. It is uti:ent, considcnng the cttrrent sttualion. to develop better methods of communtcation between Indigenous women so as to cwrdinatc effective action.< in the defense of our peoplts. Along with this, our double. vital role ns reproducers and preservers of our people must be strengthened. Faced 'vith this histolical, trnnscen· dcmal nliSSIOn. we shou1d seek inspirnlion and wisdom m our ancestors ror our journey to the ncx1 millennium. \Ve should look for strength, coumge, and detennination m the future, which is the future of our communities. organiza· tlons, and our peoples. and their right to exist in dignity. In this issue, In which Indigenous and non-Indigenous women have conrributed anicles, we explore the \\'O}'S that Indigenous women have participated in the broader Indian movemcnLS in Latin America. the spcctnc org.1n1Zntions and programs that h:ove focused on women:S needs and activities. and. by means of interviews. the pomt of view of notive women thc:mseJ,-es; how they envision their role on n.111\·e and notional society, and the hardships they must endure when they try ond change those roles. SAIIC ll«vd of OtrectoTS Vol. 10 No.1 -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. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Editorial Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Board of Directors SAIIC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Editorial Item Type Journal Article Author Board of Directors SAIIC Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 3 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note In light of the recent Fourth Women's World Conference In Beijing and the international attention that is focussed on women's issues this issue of Abyayala News focuses on women's issues that specifically concern indigenous women. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p3.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Editorial https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/c4ac743f93430cb0179afb9706002e6e.pdf c58992632fd7731d26e8c79e4b4993a6 PDF Text Text --- IH OIGEHOUS W O M EH 0RG A H IZIHG Empowering Native Women: New Initiatives to Reclaim Indigenous Women's Status in Central America Paying attention to women's roles as managers of territories and transmitters of cultural identity, we locus on two regions of Central America where small-scale Indigenous women's initiatives are encountering success at re-inserting women as dynamic members of their societies. By Laura Hobson Herlihy ndig~nous women's involvement with conservation. development, nnd human rights Ol'S"niz~tions h<1S given them new political and econom· ic power in the Honduran Mosquh•~ nnd an P:anama. Conser.'lluon dfons h•'• almost always focused on men\ role In <eonomic actnitits and thcar usc or naturnl resources. Howe"er. foeusong 3llCntion on the amponant role or women as managers or commu· nlty territories nnd transminers of Inn· guage and cultural Identity pro,•i<les ghmpscs of the emerging empowerment process that many lnchgenous women are presentlr experiencing In C.ntml Americo. In this onicle I pre· Sl'nt the case of the Masklto •nd A r~e and and re-valoriuuon of lnd.genoos womal's SUIIJJS is poosible Tawahko of Mosquitia and the Kuna, IIYOUSh their <1Ml QI9MIZObOO and i~ With conscvauon. ~ Embent, and Ngobe-Bugle Guayml an conservation, ~- and tunon lights (l(S«liZ&ions. PanatJU\. Kamokasna, and Wasporasnl. muJti-colored, b.1gs with • long shoul· Krausirpe. the biggest "lloge. has a der strop. A few ytars l~ter, MOPAWI population of about 400. Because (ew (Mosqultln Pawls,'\), a non-profit develMajao: A Women's Market in lndigcnous women In Mosquhia Slill opment agency In Honduras, took over Moskitla weave bags made from rainforest FITH's bag-making project and incor· I The Tawahka Sumu (population plants, I was surprised to ftnd Tawahka 700) live nlong the upper l'l.-aches of women weaving b;tg$ made from the the Rio Patuca in the Hondumn maJaO (Heliocarpus Ooneii-Smlthh) · Mosqultla. Hagh atop cleared n,·er tree. The women expWncd thot FITH b.lnh, houses cluster to form the ~I· lngts of Krausirpe, Krautara, Yopuwas, (Fede~6n lndlgena Tawahka de Honduras>-• legally rccogmzed laura 11obson Herlihy is a Ph.D. student lndagenous federation tlmt represents In sodo·culturol anthropoiOjp• at tlat the Tawahka people-tnltlat<d a local Unlver:<fty of Kansas. Sla< has worked market in the late 1980s to l)urthase with various Indigenous gr·oups fn their woven majao b:1 In order to be gs. llondums, an the Rio Platm1o Biospherr marketed in Tcgucignlp" as "book lks.!IVt of the Honduran Mosquifla, and b.,gs· or "purses." FITH representatives tn Panama. requested thot women w;:av.: smaller, 14 pomted It Into their "Formaci6n de Ia Mujcr· pr0f111m. which has helped ampi'O\e women$ soctoeconomac status in Mosquaua by pro\<ldang them w11h local aash-eammg opponunitaes. Markeung woven majao b.lgs is a posa· uve element m Tawnhka Sumu soci<t)'· Bag manufncturing Is not honnful to the rainforeSt envamnmcnt and it pro· vidcs a mechanism through which women pass down traditional knowl· edge to their daughters while, at the same tfme, providing Income for thetr households. In the process, the �------------------------~ N_D ,I G E N 0 U S ~~ ~ won1ens majao bags have become one of the recognizable symbols of their broader struggle for their own identity and cultural survival. Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve Just nonh and contiguous to the Tawahka zone is the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. It was established under the United Nations Man and the Biosphere Program in 1980 to protect the natural and cultural heritage of this special part of Honduras. The Misldto. the largest Indigenous group in the reserve, lived in 19 villages with a pop· talation of 4,500. In Kuri, a small Miskito village (population 122) on the Caribbean coast~ Indigenous-held territories within the biosphere are passed down through the female line. Sisters built their homes around their motherS patio and reared their children together as one greater family. \Vomen inherited both coastal village and rainforest territories rrom their mother. known as Mama Almuh or Kulw. the powerrul grandmother figure, village elder, and head of the maniloca.l group. Miskito men lived away from the coastal villages for long periods of time. earning cash off-shore while divtng for lobsters and doing subsistence agricultural work up-river while Jiving on their wives' rain(orcst territories. \~lith the men gone. women passed down Miskito language and culture to their children m matrilocal residential groups. teaching them traditional kinship terms and women's activities. Indigenous Women's Congress in Panama Farther down the isthmus, in a broader and unprecedented way. Indigenous women in Panama recently organized an annual. national-level congress called "Mujer Incligena de Panamoi" with the help or non-governmental development organizations (NGOs). including UNICEF-Panama. the United Nations, and the Centro de VOiTo No. 1 W 0 MEN ORGANIZING Estudios y Acci6n Social Panamc1\0 (CEASPA). I auended the first Indigenous women's' congress in 1993. Nearly I 00 Kuna. Emberil, and NgobeBug.le Gu:.t)'mi women met over a weekend to discuss their common problems and goals in this Central Arnerican cou.mry. First, the participants analyzed the political, legal, social, economic, and cuhurnl involvement of Indigenous women in Panama. Next. they analyzed the histOry and status or women in each culture group. The objectives of the meeting were to promote the participation of \verar<l (EmberA woman). merv (Guaymi woman). and ome (Kuna woman) as one force. ~nd to formulate proposi· tions to be included in the "Plan Nacional de Ia Mujer: At tbe end of the three day meeting, the Kuna, Guaymi. and Ember;\ leaders proposed that the "Plan" should include. among other programs, education, health care, land titling. and work opponumues (including the marketing of ans and crafts) for all Indigenous people in A ~mq Nmuk 0< Kvk8, U1e grandmother figute and village that legislators enforce lhe demarc.11ion of the already existing Kuna and Emberil Comarca boundaries and for the removal of newly seuled colonis-ts within their limits. Newspaper Panam.:l. reponers recorded the event and these Beyond this, some Indigenous demMds in the national press. That the women in Panam<\ also hold loall and govemmem did not respond to all of regional political offices. Cella Mezua. them did not diminish the significance President of the EmberA "Congrcso of this event. For the first time in General." holds one of the most power- PanamaS histor)•. Indigenous women, ful indigenous political positions in the coming from different cultural identicountry. As Presidem of the Congreso. ties. ~cted together in unified opposiMezua presides over a council of lead- tion to the national government. ~1ezua ers who make important cultural. and the other Indigenous women leadpolitical. and economic decisions con· ers cominuc to pressure the governceming the Ember~. The daughter of a ment concerning their tenitorial and forn1er cacique (chieO. Mezua graduat- human rights. The Indigenous women~ ed from the national universit)~ became congress meets annually to discuss a local leader. and was then elected to these and related issues. regional leadership positions. Indigenous wornen in P~nanla and During the first Indigenous Honduras are aware of the 1mpacts womenS meeting in Pcm~ma. Mezua colonialism. incl\tding "Modenlization.. called out for justice and decried the and .. VVestemizmion,. which have his· governments taking of a Ngobe torically subordinated them. Their Guaymi mans life, and for their use of organized resurgence and self-valorizatear gas against pregnant Indigenous tion. as well as their involvcn1cm with women who had recently demonstrat- territorial conservation, their own defied in Panama City. She also called for nition or "'development ... and collecti\r e the national legislature to approve the human rights. are hopeful signs that l. w recognizing the Guaymi Coma:r~a they will ensure a fmure for their larga homeland. likewise, she demanded er societies for years to come. ~ 15 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Empowering Native Women: New Initiatives to Reclaim Indigenous Women's Status in Central America Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Laura Hobson Herlihy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Empowering Native Women: New Initiatives to Reclaim Indigenous Women's Status in Central America Item Type Journal Article Author Laura Hobson Herlihy Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 14-15 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note It is important to pay attention to women's roles as managers of territories and transmitters of cultural identity,Focusing on two regions of Central America where small-scale Indigenous women's initiatives are encountering success at re-inserting women as dynamic members of their societies. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p14-15.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Federation lndlgena Tawahka de Honduras Moskitia Panama Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve Tawahka Sumu https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/0864d4f5306b88e3a9e8f3f5c32cbbae.pdf 6005e82fd10d836f965882cfcb8a15cf PDF Text Text B RAZIL Fighting for a Macuxi Homeland Macuxi leader Jacir Jose de Souza is a well known Indigenous activist from the Raposa Serra do Sol Indian area. Brazil. After 25 grueling years of work, this area has yet to be demarcated and has been the site of numerous killings and human rights violations (see Noticias de Abya Yala. Vol. 9 No. 1), Now. the revocation of Decree 22191 puts a cloud over the prospects of official demarcation. In this interview. not yet knowing the outcome of the revision of Decree 22/91. Jacir confides in SAIIC the hardships faced by the Macuxi people and the often conflicting process of organization and representation that occurs in a common struggle. f~~ .w~ Jacir Jose De Souza Why and bow d. d you st.~rt fighting for i the Macu.'<i people? 'm from the mal0«1 (village) of Mamruca, in the Stllte of R oraima, Brazil. Our land had been invaded, but the ruxaua (chieO of our Maloca wasn\ responding. On April 27. 1987. we had a meeting and I was chosen to lead the effort to defend our community, to replace the Tuxaua of the maloca. Our first Step was ending alcoholism. which the garimpdros (gold prospectors) were bringing into our community. Then, we Started to organize other communities and work with the other Tuxauas. Still, they thought I was new, and lacked experience. I argued that, for the future. we had 10 take action on our own behalf. The government was never goi.ng to do any· thing. FUNAI wouldn\ help us. Our effons continued: communities Started helping each other, clearing fields, building houses. !took this experience of working with the Tuxauas to the annual general assem· bly. 1chose four people in my maloca (village), went 10 the assembly, and told all the 1i<Xauas about the village council we had fonned. The reaction was pretty neg· alive: They said, "What, you won\ respect the Tuxaua any more. and there won\ be a legitimate authority?" But, when they saw the results of our work, they agreed 10 unite and work together. I 20 In 1987. we decided to extend our organization to the city to work for the demarcation of our land. I suggested 12 people, from all the communiti. s, e 10 start. In April, 1987, we went 10 all the malocas. explaining what we wanted to do. that in Maturuca we already had a council, and that this was for the future of our children. The people agreed. After one month we wem to the city. We had no house or anything. FUNA! didn't want to help us. So. we went to talk with a bishop, Don Aldo Mongiano. and he said he could provide a house we could use. We divided up the work. Three people stayed in the cit)'. and the others returned to the malocas. After a while, the process was reversed. We set up a place where people could go for help. After two years, everyone was with us. 1 was in the middle of everything. We bought another house for an off\ce in Boa Vista. People brought food from the villages. We put together a small project that rec~ived support. In 1988. we had a meeting in Manaus with COlAS (Brazilian Indigenous Peoples and Organizations Articulating Council). There was an election. and six people were chosen including me. l told them l didn't have enough experience, and that this is a very big city. But , they convinced me and tOld me it would. be fine. By 1990, we were doing well. Then, there. was an outbreak of malaria in my maloca. Many people fell sick. My ,vifc \\'$one of them, and she died. When I got back to Boa Vista, they wanted me to work for the Council. but l said I had to take care of my children. When I got back to the maloca, they said you can\ leave. A 1itxaua is a Tuxaua. After four months. they chose me to coordinate the region. where there are 5,000 people in 48 villages. 1 agreed to coordinate thi.ngs from my home. Our organization. the Indigenous Council of Roralma (OR). now has diverse personnel, including a lawyer and an agronomist. Since we divided up imo eight regions, some Stay in their areas while others work in the cit)• Now, we are even trave1ling to other countries. In September, the vice-coordinator wem to Italy where he met with other organizations. Today, I am here. Our work to defend our rights continues. What are the principal problems faced by Macux.i communities? At the beginning of 1995, the state government wanted to build a dam on the Cotingo River. \vithin the Indian area Raposa Serra do Sol. They sent the miliAbya Yala News �B RAZIL tary police who destroyed a house, beat up the Rtxaua, and kicked people out and burned a house. We resisted. We held that it was illegal to do this in an Indigenous area. We contacted the attorney general and FUNAI. We explained how they had beaten many people. later, the federal government decided to bring in energy from Venez\tela. so things calmed down. The s(ate government was doing this to hold up the demarcation lof our ~'nd). The arn1y came into the area, also destroying houses. Vole had a meeting and called the military and little by little they left. Then in October. they proposed creating a town, a nmnicipality within Raposa Serra do Sol. How could they get away with this? The)• called for a plebiscite and scheduled a day to hold it. Jacir Jose de Souza (right) during Amazon Week VI, 1995, during a panel on They brought electronic voting Indigenous Rights. machines. The ranchers and miners Vole built a blockade and st.~yed there helping us: But this is in the city of Boa voted. as well as the Indians. In another plebiscite a year ago the months, not letting anyone or any vehi- Vista, where many lndiallS are suffering, results were annulled because the cles pass. Then. FUNAI sent the federal and can\ go back to their village. Indians !.:new about it, and being well- police in 1992 to expel everyone. We organized, boycotted it. Now they managed to kick out 600 garimpeiros. Have you received the support from po pu1atious in pulled a new maneuver. announcing the The ranchers inside the area also began non·lndigcnous plebiscite with onl)• two days o£ advance to leave. One o£ the meanest, named Jai, Rorai.ma? notice. The Indians didn\ have a chance left after destro)<ing many o£ our houses. In any city in Bmzil, there are people to organize. They brought computers, Now. this area is clean. and the forest is defending our rights. There are journalwhich people had not seen before. beginning to grow. ists who help us. The church also SUI>So. today, there are very few cattle pons us. FUNAI also scm a decree to the Needing assistance, they could not vote in privacy. Now, they say they will build inside. But, \vith the suppon o£ the state min.ister recognizing our tenitorial lim· a city near M:uuruca. \Ve. believe th.is is government. son1e remained. Now. there its. And, there are many organizato destabilize the Indian movement. and is a lot o£ pressure to establish a munici- lions-CIMI (lndigenist Missionary pality. The fight is getting seriotts. and Council), that organization in 5.\o Paulo, to prevent the demarcation o£ the area. we can't give in. the CPI (Pro-lndian Commission), in So, I'm very concerned. Its a very serious problem. Rio de janeiro. Oid you s peak with Minister Jobim? So, we're working togelher. Any How many years have garimpeiros It's difficult. We've tried three times place we go, we find allies. But, powerto schedule a meeting. We tried to speak ful people \vith more money stay on top. been inside the area? Its been about 25 years. They staned tO the president in New York, but we working manually. Then. machinery 'vas couldn\. Some of our members have What can people here do to help the brought in. In the last seven years, they spoken with the minister. but hear that Macux_i people? On this trip, I've met other Orgatli.zabrought in dredging equipment. he is going to sign the decree !decree tions like RAN (Rainforest Action destroying the rivers. polluting them 1.775). Network). and asked for their help to with mercury, leaving them filthy. When the fedeml government took ...and the s tate government? speak \vith the government here. People the miners out o( the Yanomami area in The state government, through buy- can send letters asking our government 1989-90, many came to the Macuxi area. ing ofT some of ottr people and giving to respect Indian people. Everyone can This was when fakipanan malaria-the them small presents like clothes, got the pressure the us government here ruso. most serious kind-became rampant. Indians to S<'\Y that "the government is Continued on page 36 Vol. 10 No.1 21 �OR G ANI Z AT I ON AND C O MM UNICA T IO N Corot/nucd from pasc 21 ru.s \\'Jut bctn tht rt<~ of poopk in 1M dties of Bra:il? AI"( th<y a""'"' of the situa:don? ABYA YALA NEWS BACK ISSUES! <Back Issues are availabl e in both Spanish and English for $3 each plus shipping. Be fore 1993, the journal wa s called SAIIC N e w s l e tter.) .:l State Frontiers and Indian '3 II Continental Encounter of N atlone Vol 9 No.I. Spnng 1995: Includes lndigenoue People• Vol. 7. Nos. 3 & 4. w.nter 1993 <not av8llable 1n Spanishl. Also inCludes • Oot Compan•es Take Over the Ecuadorian Am4zon • Ecu.cjo<Peru 8ocde< WM • lnteMOW leona<do V.ten • MelUCO's Domestic and lnterMI'Onal Borders J Confronti ng B loc:olonlallem Vol. 8. No. 4. Winter 1994: Includes • Tho Human Genome Diversity Pro)oot • Sofoguardlng Indigenous Knowtedgo • Tho Guoym1 Potent • Blodivors•ty ond Community lntognty .J Indian Movements and The Electoral Proce . . Vol. 8. No. 3. Fall 1994: Includes· • Me>c>co lndogenous Suffrege Undet Protest • BoiMO. Reconstructing the Aytlu • Guatemala· Maya Poloucal Crossroads • Colombia: Special Indian 0. str1<: 111'9 .l Chlapae: lndlgenoue Uprlelng with Campealno Demande? Vol 8. Nos 1 & 2. Summer 1994: Includes: • Moyo Identity end the Zapatista UpriS•ng • Cho onology of Events • lndogenous and Cemposono P~ Proposels • lnteMOW With Ant<nO Hemondez Cruz of CIOAC 36 • Free Trado's Assault on IndigenouS Roghts .J 19113 Year of the World'• Indigenous P eople• Vol 7. Nos. 1 & 2. Wintcr/Spnng 1993: Includes: • UN DecleroUon of Indigenous Rights • Stotorne<lt ollndtgenous Ne110ns at tho UN 0 Excluelve Inte rviews w ith Fo ur Indian Leaders Vol 6. No. 4. Fel 1992: lnteMeWS • M.queas Mollercs. AIOESEP CPerv> • Mateo Chumore Guarano <BoiMa> • Marganto Aull. API C Mexoco> • Caloxta Gobtlel. Kaqchokel Maya CGu.1temelal :J March on Qulto o Amazon lndlane Demand to be Heard Vol 6. No. 3. SpOng & Summer 1992 <not aveiloble '" Spanosh> Also Includes: • lntcrlilew with President of ONIC {Colomboal •(X)IC~n r<.re YOO P.nmll 0 Newe from Around the Continent Vol 6. Nos. I & 2. Spnng & Summer 1991. Includes: • Pehuenche Organ•z•ng Pays Off CChoiel • South end Cent<lll Amencan Women's Gathcnng <Peru> lthmk tlut t~l"( IS <Om< actl\11)! ~n: os ullk of org;mwn~ 2 protNt 1n 8rasllu When t~rc ~~ mont)' to bnng 300-400 Ind"1ns to 6msiha. t~rc 1> ol\\,1 little time )"' to plan. Whnt is the situation regnrdlng the co11· struction of the go<•cn>mtnt dam o n the Cotingo River? The t'OIIStniCtlon of the d:uu was sus· pend.'<!, and cltctncny Will b< brought 1n from \'tne%Ud>tAAad But, \\C don\ know what \\111 h.1ppen lat<r un Is the bordu area h<a<i ly miht•rizall ~ m1htary tS 1n :-onnand~:~ :md 8-8. They want 10 bUild .1 town. and tile)' k~p <'OIIllniJ through t~ am. htlpmg the ranchers, bum1ngan lndo.tn hom< here and thtre. How about in Indigenous areas? Calha None mcluded n lxt<c <whm Rapos:l/Scrm do Sol. but they don\ have """"'>' to btnld It )<1 The nulttary ll3> declared ll~lf ag1llMI demarcation of lndmn lands. nnd supports loc11l interests They bwlt n blcxlodt oro t~ Ml)· rood tlut links the CillO <mh thr m.1loca,, and ....,ned the nght to -rch cmcnng Ind1:1ns to mumtdate t~m Arc Indian lands •ubj«t to OrgAAized iowasions by large companirs, o r small bndltss farmtrs and miners? ~ b~r «OROrniC IIIICI"(StS ha<·t plans to get mto the nrca. Tht)' want to j\Ct the rn1ntrs out. so t~y cnn (Ollie 111. Bill. we don\ want anyont to come m .., S<otd foxes to l'rrsltla ll l'cmamlo Hcrrrlq• < CllrJooo ~~ him I<> f,lld<~nl« th< d<matal· '""' of lnchg<nc>US ""'" In Roatrl. and c r«-ol:< o D«•« 1775: l'rmJrldo Htnn<jl>t C..o.i>w. PI'Ouklll of the RrpoblK. Pa/cllld do l'liVIollro, Braulia • DF • 10 !60-900. frl< SS-6!·121>-7566. (?lloUI. .... ,...~ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fighting for a Macuxi Homeland Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Fighting for a Macuxi Homeland Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 20-21, 36 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note Macuxi leader Jacir Jose de Souza is a well known Indigenous activist from the Raposa Serra do Sol Indian area. Jacir confides in SAIIC to explain the hardships faced by the Macuxi people and the often conflicting process of organization and representation that occurs in a common struggle. Attachment Title Pages from Abyayala_v10_n1_p20-21,36.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Brazil Brazilian Indigenous Peoples and Organizations Articulating Council De Souza Jacir Jose Raposa Serra do Sol https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/55ff5a6f3c32c8320d4f73e51fbf2d64.pdf 1bc78a5bf256ced16958afd426af32df PDF Text Text 0RGAHIZATIOH AHD COMMUHICATIOH Forging Unity, Zapatistas Call for Indigenous Forum ith more than 300 delegates, 250 guests. and mtemation· al obst"~rs and reponers. the Natoonal Indigenous Forum took place on Janunry 3·9, 1996. In S.1n Cristobal de Ins<"=. in an area called the Valley of Jove! The event WllS called by the EZLN {Zap:uista Army of Nntlon:•l Libenttion). the Commission for Pacification {COCOPA), and the Plural lnd tgenous Assembly for Autonomous RcgtOI\S {ANIPA). 1\venty four Zapatislll commanders, four of them won>en. participated In the Porum by chatting the Working Conunissions. The orgamznuonal fmme of the Forum revolved around th< objecttvcs of the controversial "Peace wllh Dignhy and Ju.suce· ncgouauons between lhe go,·crnmem of Prestdent Ernesto Zed!llo nnd the EZLN oceurring in San Andrt!.< l.1m!inznr. Chiap.1S. '!'here the parttes reached ngreements on the first theme or lnd•g~nous Culture and Rights on January 18. W Pre,;ou< to the Forum. the EZLN consulted ""h its more than OM<! hun· dred adviSers out of whtch '10 are Indigenous people. The Forum was di.;ded into six Working Commi;slons: I. Community and Autonomy. Indigenous Riglu.s 2. indtgcnous Culture 3. Indigenous Educ:nion 4. Condiuon, RighiS, and Culture of Indigenous Women 5. indtgenous Peoples and Mediums of Commumcuion 6. Political Repre.scmation and PaniC!palion lndtgcnous Peoples It was the n.,.t 11me that the Zapatisto> met ";th Indigenous repre· scmativcs from most or t he 57 indigenous notions m Me.<ico. numbcrmg today appro.umatCI)• 14 mtlhon In the Rcsoluuons, most of the delegates expressed strong support for Autonomous Indigenous Regions as w.:ll ~ the need 10 ha'-e • ptrm:~nent forum to discuss lndtgcnous issues. or Another resol ution that came out of the Forum was to demand that the go\'cm· mcnt a.n d congress rctnSiale ~rttcle 27 of the Consmution •n order lO ensure that communal lands won't be sold to out· stdcrs. Al.so, the Forum proposed 10 change sc,·cml other an1cles of the Consmution wnh aim to cre~tc a pluri· nauonal state adapted 10 the many pueblos that hvc m Mexico today. ~brgarita Guntrrtz. lil>nhu from the Stole of Htdalgo and one of the coor· dmalors of 1\NIPA. spoke I><>Silively of the event. "ThiS is a great Forum bceallSC n has united gr:ISSrOOis Indigenous Reprtsenlllti\'\'5. and engag· ing In dialogue with the F.Z~N com· manders helps 10 have an understand· tng of the cultures nnd problems we are foong. Al.so, the !'ttct that m the EZLN women have full paniclpation is very poshivc. We haw to make an i memnl revoluuon first whtch Is to allow wom<n to paniClpate fully m all dcct· s•on-making procr:sscs. • .... Peace Accord Signed by EZLN and Mexican Government 'The EZLN and the Me>elcan state agreed oo a prebmlnaty I peace agreement oo Februaty 16th ln the Chiapas town of San Andres Larrainzar. It was agreed that lncftgenous rights must be stated in the coostitutlon: lhat Indigenous poltllcal participatioo and representation be V>lide1y b<ood· ened: lhat justo:e be gu~~ranteed to lndtgeoous peoples: that Indigenous cultural expre$$ion be supported: and that Indigenous pe<>ples receive support for the creation of their own educational systems. . The peace agreement ~ afte< the roundtable negotiation from Janua.y I 0· 18 In San Andres Sacamch ·en de los Pobres. where the two factions agreed to re·define the relationship bet...veen the state and Indigenous peoples. or estOOWI p<indples and componeots for the construe. lion of a "new soc181 contract." tn whiCh Indigenous peo· pies participate ss full members of society. all within the context of a "profound reform of the state.· or 34 By far the most slgn!r.cant advance of the negotia· lions are the modtficalions to the Mexican constitution. namely the recognllion of Indigenous peoples' right to self-determination and autonomy. This comes after an lnltJal stance of complete rejection of the even the men· 1100 of the word • self·deterrmnatton. • However. due to pol•lical pressures. the need to re·establlsh M exico's Image of stability as seen from abroad. and a negotiat· ed definition of the nature of autonomy, the government conceded. What is the nature of the ·Autonomy· granted to Indigenous peoples after this Initial round of agree· ments? Autonomy was declared at the • communal" level. which ts a far c.y from the lndtgenous vtsion of dlslincl and proper territonal.lurfdlcal. and political enti· ties. This point will no•doubt be contested in negotiat· lng sessions to come. Attya Yaia 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. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Forging Unity, Zapatistas Call for Indigenous Forum Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title Forging Unity, Zapatistas Call for Indigenous Forum Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 10 Issue 1 1 Pages 34 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English, Spanish English Abstract Note The Zapatistas group held a massive gathering where the Forum revolved around the objectives of the controversial "'Peace with Dignity and Justice" negotiations between the government o£ President Ernesto Zedilio and the EZLN ocuring in San Andres Larrainzar, Chiapas. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p34.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Chiapas Zapatistas Zedillo Ernesto https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/fb0b90fee6744d9c0109406d384f69e4.pdf 01fd5e53b121e9475a9af0ecaa07773d PDF Text Text IN BR I E F Peru : Ecological Protection Zone Plan Threatens Indigenous Lands NRENA, the Pemvian National lnstitme of Natural Resources, in concordance wllh article 12 of the Le)' de Tierras (L 1nd Law), has put forth a proposal to create Ecological ProteCtion Zones out of 40.5% of Peru~ Amazon lands. Within these zones. concessions could still be. granted. The rest would eventually become private property. This would be disastrous for Indigenous commtmities. most of which do not have legal title to their land. The proposal, published In the Peruvian newspaper El Peruano, defines Protected Zones as natural are.1S already protected (national parks and reserves). swamps, fragile watersheds. and lands along rivers. More than 31 million I hectares of the Pcnwian Amazon would fall into this <:ate· gory. The NSt. about 46 million hectares. would be classified as Areas Free of Ecological ProteCtion and be administrated by the Ley de Tierras, making it eligible for sale by public auction to private investors. Indigenous groups have already reacted strongly against this project. The Aguanma and Huambisa council fonvartled itS own amendments to the Ley de Tierras to the Ministry of Agriculture. Now, it only remains to see how the Minister of Agriculture, who stated that he ' vas open to recei,•ing the input of all sectors. will react to the national and international pressure. Information received from El Comercio, Uma, m1d the Amazon Coollr!on Women March in Chiapas to Commemorate International Women's Day On international woman\; day, March 8,1996, between five and seven thousand people, mostly Indigenous women, gathered at the Plaza de San Diego and marched to the plaza of the main cathedral in the center of San Crist6bal de las Casas, Chiapas. This march. which coincides ";th the dialogue at San Andr~s Larrainzar between the Mexican Government and the EZLN (Zapatista Army of Natiom\l Liberation). was held to commemorate International Women's Day and was organized· by the Comisi6n de Mujeres Por El 8 de Marzo (The Commission of Women for March 8th) and the Frente Zapatista de Liberaci6n Nacional (Zapatista National Liberation Front, or FZLN). 1'he participants came in caravans from Indigenous communities all over Chiapas, including the Laca.nd6n jun· gle. It was an emotional and inspirational evcm as women, 4 some carrying babies on their backs, and many wearing ski masks, marched through the streets. Some banners denounced the unfair treatment of Indigenous women and demanded equal rights for women , and others announced support for the FZLN and the EZLN. Compiled from reports from Global Ex<lumgt Volunteer'S Honduras: Violence Flares Against Indigenous Communities he Commission for the Defense of Human Rights in Central America (CODEHUCA), has expressed grave concern over the safety and life of Chonfs Indigenous members and leaders, a commlU>ity residing in the depart· ments of Copan and Ocotepeque. Representatives of the Confederation of Autochthonous Peoples of Honduras have reported a series of death threats made against the leaders of the Indigenous Chortfs Council of Honduras (CONICHH) and members of their families. T Particular mention was made of 1he following persons : Antonio Arias, Marfa de jesOs lnteriano, jose Ernesto Suchite. jose Domingo Mejia, Victoriano Ptrez. Natividad Lopez. juan Amador Mtndez, Andrts Ramirez. Estanislao Ramirez and CristObal Pinla. Members of the community have been subjected individually and colleCtively to several attacks including the destruction and burning or their houses. fields and other possessions. These acts have been attributed to caule breeders and land owners in the region who are opposed to the reclaiming of land which the Indigenous population has occuj>ied for over a century. Within this context. on March 2 and 4, 1996. the hous· es and other possessions of seven Indigenous families were burnt and destrO)'Cd. One of the fires also caused the death of the child lsmacl Arias Leon. CODEHUCA remarks that in 1994 the Go,·emmem of Honduras ratlned ILO (International Labor Organization) Convention 169 and in july of the same year also signed a commitment, stipulated with 8 Indigenous at>d Black communities. in order to resolve conflicts over land possession. In spite of this, so far there has been no definith• distribu· e tion of land to the Chortls communities of CopAn and Ocotepeque. The International Secretariat of OMCTISOS-Torture believes that the failure to comply with the obligations mentioned have encouraged the commission of acts consti· tuting grave violations of the right to life and safety of peo· pie. as well as their economic and social rights. Abya Yala News �- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - '1 N_ '--'-' lnfonnation from OMCTISOS-Torwrt Plwe se.nd leiters to Ou: liondumn government expressing yQur concern: S.E Carlos Roberto Reina, Prc:sidente de Ia RepUblica, . Casa Pr;:sldcncial, 6a Avcnida, Ia Call<, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Fax : (504) 34 35 73 Telex : 1129 MMRR H0/1429 HO Guatemala: Government Approves, but Modifies, Convention 169 n March 5, 1996, the Guatemalan Congress uru1ni· mously approved Convention 169 on "Indigenous and Other Tribal and Semi-Tribal Populations in Independent Countries· of the International L1bor Organization (ILO). revised from an earlier version in 1989. Ratification, how· ever. occurred only after the ntling part)' modified the first article of the Con\'ention. The night before the congressional session. hundreds of Mayan people h.~d gathered in front of the Legislative Palace in a vigil for the "new dawning. • Convention 169 was first brought to the Guatemalan Congress in 1992. It wasn1 until 1995 that. under the Presidency of General Efraln Rios Mont. it was once again up £or ratification. At that point it was taken to the Cone de Constitucionalidad (Coun of Constitutionality) to determine if it contntdicted the national constitution of G\latemala. Its constimtionality a. sured. Kaqchikel-Maya s depmy Aura Marina Otzoy of the Guatemalan Republican Front proposed to re-open the dialogue in February of this ye3r. The debates for and against the Convention were intense. Siglo XX! and Prensa Libre, both major Guatemalan national news publications. came om with headlines such as · convention 169 to the Trash Bin!" and "Ratification of Convention 169 Creates Environment of Uncertainty.• The reaction of the private sector wa.s one of cautious apprehen· sion. "11691 might be harmltss to the country. nevertheless in no way does it benefit the interests of Indigenous people." s.1ys the president of the Agriculture Department and the Committee of Commercial. Industrial. and Financial Associations. •... it will on!)• bring chaos to the country." Indigenous organizations. on the other hand. did their best tO ellS\Ire that this favorable piece Of legislation get approved by the national government. COPMAGUA (Coordinator of Mayan Organizations of Guatemala) stated that · with the ratlncation of Convention 169, the Mayan people seek to build a solid and lasting peace in the country... We are calling out to you so that you may realize the necessity of change in this society. that its no longer possible to go on accepting living conditions implanted during O VoL 10No.1 .B R I E F 500 years of sacrifice, pain, despair, indignation, and alienation." Seventy-five deputies were initia1ly presem at the voting session. $eventy•tWO remained at the moment Of deCiSiOn, and voted unanimously for Convention 169. Nevertheless, the governing party (PAN - Party of National Advancement) managed to modify Article 1 of the document, en.s uring that the ratification is being made with the understanding that the dispositions of the nationtll constitution come before those of the Convention. Information p•<>vidcd by Atencio Lopez BRAZIL: Marcio Santilli Resigns from the Presidency of FUNAI O n M3rch 8, 1996. Marcio Santilli, resigned from the presidency of the National Indian Foundation (FUNA!) after 5 months of service. This comes as the agency's fundamental aim of demarcating Indian lands has been undermined by the recent passing of Decree 1775 which allows outsiders to contest the process in a coun of law. After 10 years of documented FUNAI corruption. Santilli was in the midst of attempting a clean up the organization. Many high level decision-making FUNAI authorities have been accused of illegal logging and mining in Indigenous areas as well as having long-standing patronage ties with some local leaders. Where Santilli had identified blatant cases of corruption, he had replaced S(a!f. combating powerful job security laws for the public sector. After the passing of Decree 1775. howe"er, FUNA!'s effectiveness seems to have completely plummeted. Faced with corntption scandals, an outbreak of invasions of Indigenous areas. and police inaction, Santilli resigned. "We owe Mareio Santilli our thanks for his effort to clean up FUNAI. and put it in shape to effectively defend Indian rights in Brazil. But it is now clear that the National Indian Foundation needs radical surgery. not band-aids. if the ddense of Indigenous rights in this government is to move from rhetoric to reality." said Carlos Alberto Ricardo. executive secretaf)' or the lnsfiruco .Socioambitmtal. On March 14. 1996,Julio Gaiger. a lawyer specializing in environmental, agrarian, and Indigenous rights. took office as the third president of FUNAI during Henrique C1rdoso's term. Last year Geiger worked as an auxiliary to the jtasticc Minister and is responsible for the final text of Decree 1775. J,ifonnarion from Environm~mwl DcfenSI! Fund <md Amanaka'a, <1nd rhc lns.rituco Sotioambiental 5 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource In Brief Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title In Brief Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 4-5 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English Abstract Note This journal introductory discusses some of the top stories and events that have taken place throughout Central America. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p4-5.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Brazil Guatemala Government Honduras Violence Indigenous Women's March Peru Ecological Protest