1 12 25 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/30969b818b8e3eb7b285077def03c6fe.pdf 10b28507f24184b3019735fb9e5c2d6a PDF Text Text ITEMS AVAILABLE FROM SAlle Anagrama anagrama@cano.com.ar Centro Mapuche centromapU@bariloche,com,ar Testimonies of Indian women organizing throughout the Continent. Statements from grassroots Indian women leaders from South and Meso America. Includes resolutions from Indigenous women's meetings, a directory of Indian women's organizations and key contacts, ,t'1~'f1:'"<tj~ information on Indian women's pro~.: ..... ~, jects, and poems by Indianwomen. iI.· Contains 128 pages with beautiful black and white photographs. Printed on recycled paper. $8 + $3.00 shipping. ASEO (Asociacion Ecologica del Oriente )aseo@aseo,rds,org,bo Kechuaymara kechuaym@caobaentelnetbo PROEIB Andes proeb@dicyt.nrc.edu,bo CCPY (Comissao Pro- Yanomami) spccpybr@ax,ibase.org,br ClMI (Conselho Indigenista Missionaro) cimi@embratel.net,br Instituto Socio Ambiental socioamb@ax,apc,org ClR (Conselho Indigena de Roraima) cir@technetcom,br ADMAPU admapU@hotmail.com Consejo de Todas LasTierras aukin@enteichile,net --SAIiC's latest taped radio program is now available. Focusing on topics related to biodiversity and Indigenous peoples, it serves as an informative base with which Indigenous peoples can protect themselves against unwelcome bioprospecting and biopiracy. 1 hour. Narrated by members of SAIIC's Board of Directors. (Available in Spanish only) $8.00 + $3.00 shipping. -- ONIC (Organizacion Nacional Indfgena de Colombia) oniC@colnode,apc,org Asociacion Cultural Sejekto de Costa Rica lalvarad@ns,mideplan,go,cr -- ------ '---c--..,-.-. ALAI info@alai,ecx.ec Amazanga Institute admin@amazanga,ecx.ec South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAlle) P.O. Box 1870], Oakland, CA 94604 CONAIE (Confederaci6n de Nacionalidades Indfgenas del Ecuador) Defensoria Maya defemaya@guate,net Fundaci6n Rigoberta Menchu Tum rmj@infovia,com,gt CONPAH (Confederation of Autonomos Peoples of Honduras) conpah%conpah@sdnhon,org,hn ----....-.--- Frente Indfgena Oaxaquefio fiob@laneta,apc.org Binacional OIDHO (Organizaciones Indias pOl' los Derechos Humanos de Oaxaca oidho@antequera,com SEPRADI (Servicios Profesionales de Apoyo al Desarollo Integral Indfgena) sepradi@laneta,apc,org Union de Cooperativas de Chiapas coopschiS@laneta,apc,org Asociacion Napguana napguana@pty.com Movimiento KUNA mjk@sinfo,net Ashaninka ashaninka@amauta,rcp,net.pe CHIRAPAQ (Centro de Culturas Indias) chirapaq+@amauta,rcp,net.pe COICA (Coordinating Body for the Indigenous People's Organizations of the Amazon Basin) coica@uio,satnet,net Non-profit Organization US Postage PAID Oakland, CA Permit No. 79 � 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. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Items Available From SAIIC (Back Cover) Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Items Available From SAIIC (Back Cover) Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (40).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note Items available from SAIIC Pages 40 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/a9ae1802cc75db39042dff8a6ae62071 0fd6938194d046b63682ad35d57deb02 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. 4 (39).pdf PDF Text Text AKNOWLEDGEMENTS would like to people who supported the work of W ehave generouslythank the following their SAIIC, by sharing their time, their services, or homes with us. We value your committment to the Indigenous cause. Adriana Ballen of Community Consulting Network Edgar Ayala of Grassroots Publishing janine Antoine and Richard Trudell Holbrook Teter Asata lman, KPFA Samuel Guia, KPFA Jean Colvin Miguel Alse of Autumn Press I 1 A very special thanks to, those individuals and foundations who have generously contributed funding to support the programs of SAIIC: Dana Alston of Public Welfare Chris Peters of Seventh Generation Scott Neilsen Penny Cabot The Stillwaters Fund of The Tides Foundation Carol Brouillet Marianne Hegeman Ted Chen of The MacArthur Foundation The Foundation for Deep Ecology Maya Miller Victoria Ward Jefferey Bronfman judy Hatcher of Funding Exchange Bobsy Draper The judith Stronach Fund of the Vanguard Public Foundation We greatly appreciate the dedication of our volunteers, interns and staff: Paulus Bouma Wouter te Kloeze Nick Luem jessine Foss Sibylle Sholz Billly Trice jessica Falkenhagen ---- Vo1.10N0.4 39 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Thank You Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Thank You Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (39).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note A letter of thanks to volunteers, staff, and contributors to SAIIC. Pages 39 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/d6c02e74b422ae2ab18bbbaaa4e09556 715b32f02feb5f4bdbb75f930ae5beca 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. 4 (38).pdf PDF Text Text Bo o K REVIEWS PROTECTING WHAT'S OURS: INDIGENOUS BIODIVERSITY Compiled and edited by: David Rothschild. 1997. 93 pp + appendices, glossary, bibliography. Published by: The South and Meso American Indian Rights Center. PO Box 28703. Oakland, CA 94604. e need to be part of these [scientific] projects because the knowledge that they are taking is from our people, from our forests" (from Interview with Eudicio Castillo, page 78). Protecting What's Ours: Indigenous Peoples and Biodiversity is designed specifically for use by Indigenous peoples and organizations. Its introductory discussion of the issues surrounding biodiversity is simultaneously accessible and comprehensive. Written in plain language from an Indigenous perspective, the book explores major Indigenous concerns about protecting biodiversity It defines and discusses bioprospecting, intellectual property rights, the Human Genome Diversity Project, and agricultural diversity The book also overviews international instruments dealing with biodiversity and indicates how these can be potentially utilized by Indigenous communities in the struggle to conserve biodiversity and control the commercialization of knowledge and resources. Protecting What's Ours: Indigenous Peoples and Biodiversity also includes three particularly compelling interviews with leaders of Indigenous organizations that deal with biodiversity issues. Marcela Mendieta of the Bartolome Aripayalla Association discusses her organization's work conserving seed diversity with the Quispillacta in Peru. Eudicio Castillo talks about the his work with PEMASKY (the Study Project for the Management of Wilderness Areas of Kuna Yala,) which acts to conserve biodiversity and regulate access to 38 genetic resources found in Kuna territory in Panama. Leonardo Vitieri of the Amazanga Institute of Science and Technology, an organization of Indigenous technical and scientific experts, discusses his organization's work in environmental planning and the management of natural resources found specifically in the Quichua and Shiviar territories in Ecuador. These three interviews present various strategies, concerns, and goals of Indigenous groups working to preserve biodiversity and protect against bioprospecting on Indigenous lands. In addition, there are suggestions for the establishment of Indigenous guidelines on these issues, an extensive glossary of terminology, and valuable appendices that contain relevant exerpts of international agreements and conventions on biodiversity Protecting What's Ours draws a clear picture of the complex issues surrounding biodiversity while providing possible strategies and solutions to Indigenous communities, organizations and people confronting this lastest symptom of Globalization. It is an invaluable resource in the struggle for control and conservation of knowledge and genetic resources. LOS INDiGENAS Y LAS LEYES DE TIERRA LATINA By Wilfreda Ardito. Published by Survival International, 11-15 Emerald Street, London WC rights, and a historical analysis of legislation pertaining to and affecting Indian peoples. This report is a valuable resource for Indigenous communities and provides a concise yet thorough analysis of the laws surrounding Indigenous peoples and their territories. It is only available in Spanish, and is currently being updated for a second edition. It is free to all Indigenous communities and organizations; for all others it is US$ 15.00. For a copy please contact Survival International, 11-15 Emerald Street, London WClN 3QI, UK Fax: 44 171 242 1771. Email: survival@gn.apc.org ease ~ou A'fi!.- GO'f?'\[All-0 lf'tl!thA -to A 'ftctp-tloM. altb'fAttM.8 -tkt 'fdtA.st o{ J)\:_[[C'.s lAh.st publlcAttOM., "f'fottct[M.8 ?\)kAf.s Du'f.s: [M.?'\[81!.-M.OlA.S feoplt AM.?'\ "f>[o?'\[ l!t'f.Si-t-0" 1N 3QI, UK. his informative report is designed for Indigenous organizations and their supporters throughout Latin America. The bulk of the report is a detailed country-bycountry analysis of all national legislation relevant to Indigenous peoples, particularly relating to land and territory rights. Every country in Meso and South America is examined, from Belize to Surinam, 8 Salvador to Argentina. Other sections deal more specifically with the varying concepts of 'Indigenous", the importance of land to these communities, laws relating to cultural L=---~--' fl{.s.s(ovt C[,\ltuv-A( Ctvt-l:ex fl(.s.slovt Shu-t Cbttbowt 2/rtk 3. ZStk Shut~) SAvt "fv-Avtdsw ovt "fy[J.A~ ~ol!tJM.btY' 21, 1ggr 0-r pmJ "Rt{vY~kmot:l:~: C i'V'o8V'Am: Cr-8 rmJ i'nwt:l:A-\:[o~-t o{ -tkt book JI{A-t[vt fc.mu[cA~-t 'iZ)A~-tct b~ 6t~-tA 'f'AcAlv\o C\)[v\w Skobllt~-t8 o{ 6~-twt~-tho co~-t lo~ foA~A~ l~-tv\[8t~-tou~ i'ko-to 6X"ktbt1: A~-tv\ 6-tk~-ttc fou~[c Tickets available at the door Sliding Scale: $10 and Up For More Info. Call: (51 0) 834-4263 Abya Yala News � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Recommended Publications and Events Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Recommended Publications and Events Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (38).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note SAIIC recommended publications and events for their readers. Pages 38 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/1c5a641387300ac8c5ec64c3f3405ec0 486f4004cb67c6959cb745c69625d355 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. 4 (37).pdf PDF Text Text N II st I, I he SAIIC board of directors, staff and interns met in the hills of Sonoma county this past Labor Day weekend for SAIIC's annual meeting. The goals were to discuss ways to strengthen SAIIC as an organization and to come up with a solid plan for 1998. The three days of meetings were a great E w s F R 0 M SA I I C - mission and vision, we were able to form a more unified group, and to develop the strategies for realizing a plan of action for the future. Our organizational goals for the next year are to fortify SAIIC's foundation by initiating a strong resource development plan, continuing to focus on staff and board development, and instituting new and more efficient systems for operating the organization. success. A key element of the retreat was the strong spiritual element that pervaded our meetings and guided us in our work and our plans for the future. We came down from the mountain refreshed, renewed and ready to work hard to nur- ture SAIIC as it grows and develops. We came away with a clear sense of SAIIC's mission and importance, and we feel very confident that with Laura Soriano as SAIIC's Executive Director, and with the increased involvement of the board, the organization can look forward to a strong and vital future. We worked together to refined SAIIC's objectives, values, and long-term organizational goals. After carefully appraising our performance as an organization, we came up with a realistic plan for accomplishing our goals. With the help of Adriana Ballen, an organization development consultant, the board members and staff learned new tools to more efficiently achieve SAIIC's mission of developing and managing programs that promote peace, social justice and the full participation of Indian peoples in the decisions and events that affect their lives. The board members elucidated SAIIC's most deeply held values to be love, respect, honesty; unity; communication, creativity and commitment. By examining and clarifying SAIIC's values, Vol. 10 No.4 These new goals will allow SAIIC to better fulfill its programmatic objectives, which center around providing information about South and Meso American Indian people's efforts to defend their human rights, and to attain self-determination and protection of their environment. SAIIC will continue to facilitate direct communication, cultural and spiritual exchange between Native peoples of the continent and to provide information to Indian organizations and communities so that they can gain access to international resources appropriate to their activities. To achieve these objectives, SAIIC will execute the following programs for the 1998 year: to put out two editions of Abya Yala News in English and two issues in Spanish, to record and distribute four radio programs, and to coordinate the visits of four Indigenous leaders from the south. We are looking forward to implementing the new strategies and plans developed at the meetings that will help us face the challenges and opportunities of the future.'9 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. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 SAIIC Annual Board Retreat- August 29 - September 1, 1997 Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title SAIIC Annual Board Retreat- August 29 - September 1, 1997 Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (37).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note The SAIIC board of directors, staff, and interns went on a retreat to refocus their goals. Pages 37 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/fffaf0681ec601db9d769dc58b19cd2e 59e658f1f57ef7855249f113a802e122 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. 4 (36).pdf PDF Text Text I I N Ew s SA I I C F R 0 M i I i AIIC is proud to have the presence of Laura Soriano, as a our new Executive Director. It is important for us to recognize Laura's accomplishments and to acknowledge her energy and contribution as a young Mixteca and Zapoteca woman, originating from Oaxaca, Mexico. Laura has emphasized that she is guided by the words and advice of her elders, her grandparents and family Her father is Mixteco from a community near Nochiztlan, Oaxaca. Laura's mother is a Zapoteca from Tlacohuaya, Oaxaca. Their family migrated to Oaxaca City; where she was raised in a traditional family environment, as well as being exposed to an educational system that to this day, is demeaning and discriminatory towards Indigenous students. She persevered and received a full scholarship to attend Principia College, in Illinois, where she received her Bachelor's degree in International Relations. While in University, Laura had the opportunity to complete an internship with the Council of Mayan Peoples in the Guatemala countryside. While working with the elders in these communities, she defined that her life work and purpose is to serve and to dedicate herself to issues relating to Indigenous peoples. Laura has worked with the BiNational Oaxacan Organization, a grassroots Indigenous organization that fights for the rights of Mixtec, Zapotec and Triqui people across both Mexico and the United States. Laura has also provided workshops on human rights, as well as educational workshops on international trade agreements that have had a direct impact on Indigerrous communities. She 36 • • presented these workshops in communities that are primarily monolingual, speaking their own Indigenous languages and dialects, and need help with Spanish. She learned to be creative and clear in her explanation of these international issues to the people with whom she worked. She also worked with the Center for the Homeless Children of the Streets, which provides social services and resources for homeless children of Oaxaca City She worked with these street children living amidst intense poverty; many of whom are young, orphaned, Indian children. She could relate to the children's experience of explicit discrimination. es constant, yet subtle need to prove herself amongst Native men. Many Indigenous women who are actively involved in Indigenous organizing find that this need to emphasize the importance of mutual respect is a crucial step in beginning the consciousness raising amongst our own men in our communities. There is a need to continue nurturing a reciprocal relationship of respect and responsibility and to constantly reaffirm the value of the roles and responsibilities of Native women. Laura continues to coordinate SAIIC's radio program, "Indigenous Voices" which is sent to l l 0 Indigenous organizations in Mexico, Central and South While here in the America. From the posSan Francisco Bay Area, itive feedback and Laura has worked as a encouraging letters of "community organizer" support from the recipwith the Center for ients of the radio proThird World gram, it is apparent Organizing, based in that Laura's work has Oakland, California. been very successful. Laura has also provided She is now doing a year valuable input towards long apprenticeship at the initial organizing KPFA, in Berkeley, and formation of the where she is learning Abya Yala Fund, workradio production and ing directly with Laura Soriano, SAIIC's newly engineering. Indigenous representa- elected Execut1ve D1rector tives and leaders and facilitating their Laura shares with us her enthusiasm, meetings. It is most evident, from her her determination to struggle for the wide range of experiences, that Laura ideals and the cause of Indigenous peameets each challenge with the greatest ples; to persevere, to be patient, and to be capacity and potential. conscious of the spiritual ways and traditions. Laura is a great inspiration and During the summer of 1996, Laura example to all Native women. The sucattended an intensive journalism training cesses and accomplishes of Indigenous program in Madrid, Spain. Provided by women are not only personal, but are also EFE, the Spanish International News reflective of the strength of our people. Agency; it was a successful step in includ- We at SAIIC are honored to work with ing Indigenous journalists in the multi- Laura and to share our experiences, media, mass communications world. The visions and to riurture the on-going purpose of the program was to provide an process of assuring the inclusion of opportunity for Indigenous journalists to Indigenous women in decision making develop their networking skills, and to processes. create a space for Indigenous issues to be in publication and featured in the various '1fin~t :P~tc~ttdiJ communication media. Laura expressed President of SAIIC's Board of Directors that one aspect of this challenge was the Abya Yala News � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (Fall 1997) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource An Introduction to Our New Executive Director: Laura Soriano Morales Type The nature or genre of the resource Magazine Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title An Introduction to Our New Executive Director: Laura Soriano Morales Item Type Magazine Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (36).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note Laura Soriano Morales is the new executive director of SAIIC Pages 36 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/c4bb0dc86f7d17714ee34ca5f6b6518d ae7ca6fa27ec82b2c465af249797a2ce 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. 4 (34).pdf PDF Text Text HU RIGHTS M A N • I to I " " I emanding the fulfillment of the San Andres Accords and protesting the increasing militarization of the Indigenous regions of Mexico, the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) and its many sympathizers hit the road on September 8th to make their long march to the nations' capital. The rebel group undertook the 750-mile journey to Mexico City- its first mass excursion outside of Chiapas- to kick start the staled peace talks with the government and highlight the fact that their movement is still I I , I I~ struggling for their initial and basic I demands of respect for the Indigenous people in Mexico. Filling 50 buses, the 1,111 Zapatistas, representing the same number of villages in rebel held territory, drove out of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas and began their week long journey. The caravan steadily increased in size, as the buses stopped to pick up supporters, who came down from their Indigenous communities to line the roads and greet the group at each of their stops. Several thousand sympathizers met the rebels at their next stop in juchitan, Oaxaca and again when they reached the capital of Oaxaca the following day, September lOth. By the time the bulging caravan reached the tiny village of Acatlan, in the state of Puebla, over 2,000 supporters had joined the Zapatistas on their march. r il ~.1: ! . ! Once in the capital, the Zapatistas had a busy agenda for the next five days- staging rallies and meeting with other organizations. They emphasized that they are look- i I 34 ing for peaceful solutions to the problems wracking the Indigenous communities. They left their arms behind when they embarked on their march, and asked that the Mexican government withdraw the estimated 40,000 soldiers at the 200 military outposts in their home state. The increased military presence in the remote highlands of Chiapas has further deteriorated living conditions in Indigenous communities. Threatening incidents are on the rise in these regions where people are now virtually surrounded by the army or the guardias blancas- private paramilitary guards hired by landowners. On September 12 the procession reached Xochimilco and continued marching into the Zocalo of Mexico City, where it held a massive political rally Hundreds of thousands of people attended the demonstration applauding as the EZLN and the CNI (National Indigenous Congress) speakers called for just and dignified treatment of Indigenous peoples in Mexico and the fulfillment of the San Andres Accords. It was noted that the government's failure to uphold the promises of the San Andres Accords is also a failure to uphold ILO Convention 169. Saturday was perhaps the highlight of the Zapatista army's activities in the capitalthe inaugural meeting of the Founding Congress of the Zapatista Front of National Liberation (FZLN). The FZLN was conceived on january l, 1996 as a response to the national consultation for peace and democracy held in August 1995. After a 20 month gestation, the FZLN was born this September 13, realizing what was called for in the Fourth Declaration of the Lancandon jungle. As a civic organization committed to peace, the Zapatista Front of National Liberation has a specific task ahead of it: not to struggle for power "but for a new relationship between those who are governed and those who govern." The Zapatistas of the EZLN stressed repeatedly that they will not form a part of the FZLN, the very organization which they called for. They emphasized that the two will be sister organizations, each with similar goals but different approaches. The Frente will adhere to the philosophy of "governing by obeying" whereas the clandestine, rebel wing will continue its armed struggle in the mountains of southeastern Mexico. The EZLN stated that they have great hopes for the FZLN, but that the two must remain separate. They said that they must remain ready for war but look forward to uniting with the front "when there is peace and dignity in Mexico." On Sunday, September 14, the EZLN met with members of the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) to discuss the goals and demands of the Indigenous communities across the country On the following day an 'Encounter with Civil Society' was held in Cuicuilco to provide a space for all those who "are not in agreement with the way things are, who feel that there is still hope, and who struggle for a better Mexico" to gather and express their thoughts. The EZLN joined their sisters and brothers of the FZLN on September 16th to celebrate Mexican Independence Day and to attend the closing session of the FZLN Congress. Meetings and events with other political and social organizations were held on the 17th, followed by a farewell ceremony for the Zapatistas, who returned to the mountains of the southeast on September 18th. '9 All quotes from communiques of the Clandestine Indigenous Revolutionary Committee-General command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. Abya Yala News � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 the great Zapatista March- From Chiapas to Mexico City: September 8-16, 1997 Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title the great Zapatista March- From Chiapas to Mexico City: September 8-16, 1997 Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (34).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note Zapatistas have marched on Mexico City to protest the the militarization of indigenous regions, to demand the implementation of the San Andres Accords, and to renew peace talks. Pages 34 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/70d907563223d2f453d95c776072228a 2081fdbb2695396a8b649c5c012bc1ea 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. 4 (32-33, 35).pdf PDF Text Text Hu M A N RiGHTS ver the last few decades, Indigenous peoples have been successful in impacting United Nations (UN) decisions by creating activities therein. Forming these activities within the UN system has allowed Indigenous peoples to influence the decision making processes, and move away from being the objects of discussions to being voices in these debates pertaining to their rights. The first dramatic change began to occur in the 1960's, when Indigenous peoples began to organize themselves and began asserting their ideas about their rights to self determination. In the 1970's, with the support of various nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) and a number of international conferences, Indigenous peoples continued to forge a pan-Indigenous movement to fight for their rights of survival. The 1977 International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, organized by the NGO Sub-Committee on Racism, Radical Discrimirl'ation, Apartheid and 32 Colonialism, was a real turning point in Indigenous activities within the United Nations. Indigenous leaders became versed in the myriad ways to access the UN bodies. UN legislation permits NGO's to create activities within the UN-system, especially within the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) system. However, the national governments within the ECOSOC must first grant these organizations a consultative status. At this point, no Indigenous organization has been successful in obtaining such a consultative relationship with the ECOSOC. Because these NGO's represent peoples who aren't represented by the national governments of the countries in which they live, governments are often anxious about the influence of these organizations. Since it is only national governments who vote on the granting of consultative status, it's almost impossible for Indigenous NGO's to obtain such a formal free-ticket to develop activities at all ECOSOC levels. As of now, Indigenous organizations' only means of access is· to be represented by an organi- zation that has consultative status. In practice, Indigenous representatives therefor often rely on human rights NGO's. To defend their rights at an international level, Indigenous peoples have to find other ways to participate in the UN decision making processes on issues that concern them. In addition to their participatory role in the drafting process of the International Labor Organization's Convention 169 and other international conventions and conferences, Indigenous peoples have developed activities in relation to the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP). With their presence at international NGO Conferences ('77/'81), Indigenous representatives called attention to their desperate living conditions, their struggle to survive as communities, and their under representation in the processes that formulate the standards incorporating their rights. This heightened awareness within the international community led the UN Continue on page 33 Abya Yala News �HU Subcommission on Human Rights (Subcommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities) to recommend that the UN Commission on Human Rights and the ECOSOC establish a working group on Indigenous peoples' rights in which Indigenous peoples themselves participate. Since 1982 the WGIP has been holding its annual meeting in Geneva at the end of July, just before the session of the Subcommission on Human Rights. Consisting of five experts, the Working Group has a dual mandate consisting of the study of problems confronting Indigenous peoples and the elaboration of international standards for Indigenous rights. At every session, hundreds of Indigenous representatives are present to participate in the drafting of these standards. The WGIP focuses on Indigenous intellectual property rights as well as on a comprehensive investigation of the treaties that exist between states and Indigenous peoples. The fact that Indigenous peoples from around the world, NGO's, specialized UN agencies and governments are all free to participate in the Working Group's open meetings makes it an excellent forum for multilateral discussions and exchanges of information between these diverse groups. In 15 years, the WGIP has made an enormous contribution to the development of standards dealing with the rights of Indigenous peoples. Perhaps their most consequential project is the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, created by and for Indigenous peoples. In 1993, the WGIP adopted the completed draft of the declaration, which was unanimously approved by the experts of the Subcommision on Human Rights in August 1994. This approval is extremely significant because it acknowledges that a higher impartial UN organ of human rights experts has accepted the special competence of the WGIP to create their own proposals concerning their own rights. And whereas the text of the Declaration is not as strong as a declaration drafted solely by Indigenous participants would be, it constitutes standards for Indigenous rights (including political autonomy, control over resources, and land rights) that are more satisfactory Vol. 10 No.4 than the ones in ILO Convention 169, although as a declaration and not a treaty it will never be binding. M A N RIGHTS Indigenous Peoples. With no Coordinator to apply to, is now very vague how Indigenous organizations are to gain access to the working group. The Declaration is now being negotiated by a special inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights. The Commission is a human rights organ above the Subcommission consisting of state representatives. The Declaration has thereby begun its tortuous passage from the expert bodies up to the highly politicized realm of the UN. Here the draft will probably be amended and then pass through the ECOSOC to the General Assembly of the UN for final approval. In addition to impacting the UN decision making process on the Draft Declaration, the activities of Indigenous peoples in the WGIP also had an affect on the General Assembly's proclamation of the International Decade for Indigenous Peoples in 1993 and its consequences. After this proclamation, many Indigenous speakers at the WGIP asked for a deadline for adopting the Declaration during the Decade. In addition, many speakers urged the UN to take more operational measures and to show Like the ECOSOC, the working group stronger political commitment to a perof the Commission on Human manent forum for Indigenous THE FACT THAT Rights is open to human peoples. rights NGO's with a consultaINDIGENOUS tive status, but initially not to The debates in the WGIP on PEOPLES FROM In Indigenous NGO's. the forum show that the AROUND THE response to Indigenous peoexamination of this question WORLD, NGO'S, ples' demand that they be preis making some progress. In sent at any attempt to define 1996, most Indigenous peoSPECIALIZED UN their rights, the Commission ples agreed that the forum AGENCIES AND introduced the possibility of should not replace the WGIP, GOVERNMENTS but should be a high level participation for Indigenous organizations. The process for ARE ALL FREE TO body within the ECOSOCPARTICIPATE IN application however is long system with a wide mandate. and complicated. The At the latest meeting of the THE WORKING WGIP in July 1997, Indigenous organization or GROUP'S OPEN representative must apply to MEETINGS MAKES Indigenous delegations recthe Coordinator of the ommended to the experts International Decade for IT AN EXCELLENT that the forum should be on Indigenous Peoples. The the same level as the FORUM FOR Coordinator consults the state Commission of Human MULTILATERAL government of the concerned DISCUSSIONS AND Rights, and that it should organization, and then forconsist of Indigenous repreEXCHANGES OF wards the information to the sentatives, state representaINFORMATION UN Committee on NGOs in tives and representatives of New York. It is this body THESE specialized UN agencies, all which has the power to DIVERSE GROUPS. with an equal right to particdecide which Indigenous ipate. Every six months, in organizations are allowed to attend the February and July, the forum should meet working group of the Commission on in Geneva, and discuss all Indigenous Human Rights. With 87 out of a 112 issues. These recommendations are now applications approved, it seems that the being negotiated by the Subcommission possibility would now exists for some on Human Rights. Furthermore, wider participation of Indigenous repre- Resolutions have been put forward in the sentatives in the work of the General Assembly concerning the Decade Commissions' working group. However, and the possible establishment of this governments often don't recognize these permanent forum. The issue was also disIndigenous organizations, rendering the cussed at special workshops in whole process of application useless. In Copenhagen ('95) and Santiago ('97). addition, recent UN reorganization has put an end to the position of Coordinator On the whole, the number of UNof the International Decade for meetings and activities of concern to Continue on page 35 33 j �------------------------ H ---------- Continued from page 33 Indigenous peoples has expanded substantially within the last few years. In March 1996, the above mentioned Indigenous subjects and activities were an agenda item at a meeting of the Commission on Human Rights, for the first time in the relationship between the world's Indigenous peoples and the UN. Conclusion The WGIP has become a vast forum of Indigenous peoples. The impact of this group cannot be doubted, as the question of Indigenous peoples is now solidly attached to the list of UN concerns (for example, see the 1993 General Assembly proclamation of the International Decade for Indigenous Peoples). Such success has woken up some sleeping national governments. At the level of the Commission on Human Rights, the Draft Declaration prepared by the WGIP was the subject of detailed examination, and it is feared that several essential provisions adopted by the WGIP and the Subcommission on Human Rights will be modified restrictively The fact that the WGIP is at the bottom of the UN hierarchy makes the success a bit of an illusion. Within the UN, governments decide, which makes it necessary for Indigenous peoples to gain access to the higher UN fora. Hence the debate on the creation of a permanent forum. Action must not be limited to the level of the WGIP Gains need to be consolidated. Over the last thirty years, Indigenous peoples have successfully challenged the derogatory procedures that have characterized the past, and have made great strides in having their exis- U M A N RIGHTS tence, as distinct, independent cultures with special concerns, acknowledged by the world's most powerful international bodies. Their mobilization and dedication has led to significant changes in the way their issues are addressed and acted upon, but there is still a lot to be done before Indigenous peoples hold real positions of power at the higher levels of the UN system. In the WGIP, Indigenous peoples need to focus on the strategies that need to be developed to have an impact at all levels of UN decision making in the future ..... Information from: IWGIA (International Working Group for Indigenous Affairs), The International Service for Human Rights, Nilo Cayuqueo, Sharon H. Venne. For more information concerning the consultative relationship between the UN and NGO's see: ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 South Am.erican Explorers Club The best source of information and advice for travel in Latin knerica 126 Indian Creek Roacl, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA Tel (607) 271-0488 F"" (601} 217-6122 e-mail explorer@Nmexplo.org http>//ww.u.... mexplo.org The SAEC is a non-profit organization The Native Monthly Reader A scholarly newspaper for young adults !Jf.l-r(q(invitesyou to su6scri6e for1our sclioo~ cfassfoom, B6rary, orJatm{y. The Native Monthly Reader is published throughout the school year, (Oct.- May), and is designed for the middle and high school grade level. This publication is breaking the resistance to muti-ethnic and ethnic-specific curricula in the educational system. Join us in 6ritfg_ing cross-cu(turaf understandingfor toaays youth aru£ thefuture. Eight Issues: US$18-Single; $60-10 per mo. $110-20 per mo.; $150-30 per mo. Apubijcaflonol RedSun Institute P.O. Box 122 • Crestone, CO 81131 (7 19) 256-4848 Phone/Fax Vol. 10 No.4 Featuring direded by arwtnamu Fantasy Songs from IN AN EFFORT TO HElP THE YANOMAMIINDIANS OF Blb\ZIL RECLAIM THEIR LAND fROM GOLD MINERS ~ 'i'he Roxie Cinema, San Frandsco * tursday, October 23, 1997, 7:00pm* : $10 donation at !he door* Proceeds from the evening go directly to support the Yanomomi * ~ Tickets available of Modern Times Bookstore * Info: 415-398·4409 or visit: www.amazonjournol.com 0~ * * * * 35 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Indegenous peoples at the United Nations: How much influence do we have? Type The nature or genre of the resource Magazine Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Indegenous peoples at the United Nations: How much influence do we have? Item Type Magazine Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (32-33, 35).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note Indigenous communities have had an increasing amount of influence in the UN, encouraging change within the international community. However, more could be done, leading many to suggest the creation of a permanent forum. Pages 32-33, 35 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/d67c29aa644248aa94315d3bc50086ad 75d4768243eeeb0cfca31f46376612fe 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. 4 (30-31).pdf PDF Text Text ENVIRONMENT • I • I I Reserve: n the 14th of May; 1997, the Venezuelan government approved presidential decree 1850 which contains plans for the use of the Imataca Rain Forest Reserve. The reserve will be shared out to mining companies and timber merchants, in an effort e - in this region in harmony with these diverse ecosystems for centuries. With the complete breach of their fundamental territorial and human rights, the treatment of the native peoples is shamefully poor. The proposed plans make it clear that these communities are considered valuable only as tourist attractions or manual labor sources for the future development projects. to achieve total industrialization of the region. An elaborate infrastructure is planned for the complete exploitation, processing and commercialization of the natural resources of the reserve. The area, the equivalent of the size of Holland, contains three and a half million hectares of rain forests. Imataca is an abundantly biodiverse region, rich in genetic resources, water and energy Gold, diamonds, iron ore, bauxite (the principal ore of aluminum), magnesium, and numerous other valuable mineral reserves are found throughout the territory The ancient forests are home to four Indigenous peoples: the Warao, the Karina, the Akawaio and the Pem6n. It has long been recognized that the protection and preservation of this biologically affluent environment should be a national priority I I The 'Plan de Ordenamiento' and regc ulation of use of the Imataca reserve will undoubtedly have serious negative effects on the rain forest itself, the Indigenous peoples who live there, as well as the fragile ecosystem of the region as a whole. The Indigenous peoples will effectively be prisoners in their own territory; as a result of the widespread exploitation activities which will severely impede the continuance (and expansion) of their subsistence activities. The Plan de Ordenamiento does not recognize or acknowledge the territory belonging to the Indigenous peoples, who have lived 30 If all three million hectares are used for commercial activities as planned, the effects on the Imataca Forest Reserve will be devastating and many of the repercussion will mirror those that occurred in the North of Orinoco after exploitation there. Consequences included a shortage of water, an irretrievable loss of much of the region's biological heritage, an increase in the frequency of droughts and flooding, and the destruction of a permanent forest. This will also happen with the Imataca Rain forest reserve. Because of contracts with timber merchants, large parts of the reserve will be deforested, encouraging erosion. The areas' rivers will be contaminated and a significant amount of flora and fauna will be destroyed due to the influx of industries. Since its inception, Decree 1850 has violated a number of laws and treaties. The failure of the promised public consultation period points up the true nature of the document as one displaying the manipulation of interests and exploitation of the natural wealth of the forest for the benefits of a minority. On May 7th, the government held a meeting to present the plan to the public. Unfortunately, the majority of those present at the meeting had only received the document the previous day. It was decided that the attendees had until the 30th of May to present their opinions. However, the Council of Ministers approved the plan on the 14th, shattering any faith in a true public consultationperiod and showing this gesture Continue on page 31 Abya Yala News �ENVIRONMENT to be a parody of real democratic proceedings. Ironically; in a press release earlier in the year, Vice Minister of the Environment Luis Castro had proudly announced that "for the first time the minister of the environment is opening the process of public consultation so that persons and organizations interested in the ecological ramifications can listen to the presentation of the instrument, share their opinions and plan their responses/ observations." Aside from being considered "grave" and "deplorable", the process of public consultation carried out by the government violated five articles of the Organic Law on the Ordering of Territory; which afford the public the right to be informed and consulted about matters pertaining to this natural area. Presidential decree 1850 also violates two different national laws mandating congress' approval for any project that affects national territory; specifically the forest reserves. The plan establishes a fundamental change in the use of the Imataca reserve and the granting of large mineral concessions without the authorization of the National Congress. According to the Law of Forests, Grounds and Water, forest reserves are never allowed to be colonized or transfered without the approval and authorization of the national congress. The decree also violates a number of international laws and conventions, signed by Venezuela and ratified by the National Congress, including the 1941 Washington Convention on the protection of flora, fauna, and natural beauty of the Americas; the Convention on Biodiversity; the Convention on Climate Change; Agenda 21, the global action plan endorsed by Venezuela at the 1992 World Summit on the Environment in Rio de janeiro, as well as ILO Convention 107 on the protection of Indigenous people. It also ignores domestic law concerned with the territorial and other fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples. Besides these irregularities and violations, the plan is causing controversy within the professional sector of the nation. The government claims that the plan was created with the help of the faculty of the Forestry and Environmental Science Department at the University of the Andes. The government surveys of the Imataca Researve were done on a Vol. 10 No.4 scale of 1:250,000. This myopic investigation cannot provide adequate information about the majority of the ecosystems in the region. The University denies involvement and says that the plan is based on a misinterpretation of their research. Many find it ironic that an eminent administrative organization would contradict the opinions of technical and scientific specialists, who are demanding the abolishment of the decree. On the 14th of june the faculty approved a pronouncement soliciting the President of the Republic to revoke Decree 1850. This was followed by numerous other formal denunciations of the plan by politicians, academics, and over twenty Venezuelan environmental groups. Decree 1850 continues to cause a wave of protest in the country. The church, questioning the environmental policy of the government, believes that the plan for Imataca will amount to environmental degradation and fails to take into account the rights of Indigenous people. Some members of the Venezuelan National Parliament refer to the decree as a means of legalizing the destruction of this reserve. According to a ex-governor of the state of Bolivar, which comprises much of the Imataca reserve, Decree 1850 contains technical, legal and political failures. The social Christian party of Venezuela, COPEI, urged the government to revise Decree 1850 claiming it disregarded the opinion of major sectors of the population and reminding that the Council of Ministers does not have the right to decide about the use of national territory. They requested that the government study the true riches of the forest, the fragile ecology, the Indigenous communities and the biodiversity. Scientists are asking the government to abolish decree 1850, to create mining limits, and to conduct a new investigation to get a realistic idea about the effects of the plan. In response to the public outcry, President Caldera has said that the opening of Imataca to mining and wood exploitation represents the desire of the population. One minister even went so far as to say that the plan is a continuation of the Venezuelan government's policy of "rescuing the Imataca reserve" because the ecosystem is already being destroyed by wildcat mining workers .... Continued from page 11 alternative lands in all possible cases. All of these qualifications leave a lot room for interpretation. Convention 169 is a great improvement on the previous convention dealing with Indigenous peoples, but it has not totally succeeded in abolishing the integrationist approach of Convention 107. Articles 8 and 9, dealing with Indigenous customs and customary law, are good examples of this. Article 8 guarantees Indigenous peoples the right to retain their own customs and institutions, where these are not incompatible where Customs and customary law shall be recognized as long as they are not conflicting with national laws and regulations. This means that recognition will only follow if these customs are compatible with the national law, for this to happen a lot of customs and customary rules will have to be adapted. Convention 169 does not reflect the wishes of Indigenous peoples regarding their recognition as peoples, the issue of territories, nor does it include the concepts of consent and control. So in this sense one might conclude that Convention 169 is not a great step forward in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples. On the other hand, it was necessary to provide for a lot of diverse situations worldwide and agreement could not be always be reached on many of these issues. It was obvious that the governments were not going to ratify the Convention if it was so strong that it would require them to change their legal systems; and without ratifications there are no obligations or standards at all. It is important to remember that ILO Conventions are minimum standards and that no governments can ever create new legislation based on Convention 169, and thereby disregard national regulations that grant more extensive rights. Convention 169 is one of the instruments which stands along side the national regulations and legal framework. The ILO has proven to have built up quite an expertise on Indigenous issues, starting with the adoption of Convention 107 in 1957. This knowledge, together with the supervisory procedure, has the capacity to contribute to an improving human rights situation for the world's Indigenous peoples .... 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. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Destruction of the Rain Forest- Imataca Reserve: Venezuela Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Destruction of the Rain Forest- Imataca Reserve: Venezuela Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (30-31).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note The Venezuelan government has issued mining and lumber concessions within the Imataca Rain Forest Reserve, which will isolate indigenous communities. Doing so has violated national laws. Pages 30-31 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/5b8253b6274d1ef777e3d7bae4e07a6e b0bc002e4826f3800129a913b886002b 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. 4 (25-29).pdf PDF Text Text ENVIRONMENT THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN REVISED, EDITED AND UPDATED. "Of what use is the electric light if this light comes to illuminate the death of a community?" -from a public declaration by the Council of Indigenous leaders of Chiloe (Consejo General de Caciques Chiloe) eated debates continue over Endesa's, Chile's largest and most powerful electric company, plan to construct the Ralco dam on the upper Biobio river. The Ralco project is part of the megacorporation's "Serie Hidraulica del Biobfo" composed of seven interdependent hydroelectric power plants designed in a step like fashion being built in the Alto Biobio, home of 7 Pehuenche communities. The "Pehuenche," whose name means the people of the land (Pehuen = nature, soil and Che = people), have been living Vol. 10 No.4 in the mountainous region of the Andes for centuries. Gradually exterminated through the 19th century by the conflicts between the governments of Argentina and Chile due to the "opposition to the. established borders," the Pehuenche were forced off their ancient lands and concentrated themselves around the Biobio region, next to the river of the same name. Today, only about 10,000 Pehuenches live in the rugged territory along the upper reaches of the Biobio. They are the survivors of armed attacks by colonial powers and Chile's own military, as well as decades of assimilationist legislation. They are now confronting the overwhelmingly powerful Endesa, Chile's utilities giant. The Biobio river, and its watershed area, is unquestionably both culturally and ecologically one of Chile's most important bioregions. The Biobio originates in the lakes of !calma and Galletue high in the Andes and runs all the way to the sea. Over 400 km long, it contains an estimated 15,000 waterways. Its' course is divided into two sections: the "Alto Biobio", which takes an intricate path through the steep parts of the mountainous region of the Andes, and the "Bajo Biobio," which runs through the central valley, is wider and contains a larger body of water than the Alto. The Bajo Biobio however, is heavily polluted by industrial waste, timber, petro-chemicals, fisheries, and the untreated waters of over a hundred villages and cities. The area of the gulf of Arauco, transformed into a sewage disposal, has been considered by the state and international environmentalist groups to be a "Natural Catastrophe The author has studied environmental issues, and is currently getting a graduate degree in Environmental Science in Berlin, Germany. He has spent an extensive amount of time with Pehuenche communities in the Alto Biobio, and has been actively involved with the GABB (Group of Action for the Biobio) engaging in debates with the government and with national community over the implications and impacts of the projects proposed by the Endesa (National Electric Corporation) in the upper Biobio. Currently he is working in Berlin, carrying out debates and writing articles on this issue. Continue on page 26 25 �ENVIRONMEI'IT Zone." One million people depend upon the water of the Biobio and almost 500,000 drink directly out of it. The Mega Hydroelectric complex will threaten the health and livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands who rely on the river. The Origins of the Biobio river Projects Since the 1973 military coup, liberal market economic models have been implemented with emphasis on the privatization of nationally owned enterprises and the extraction of natural resources for exportation. In this new environment, some groups started to rise as the "upper class" who gained and established their economic influence over the whole Chilean economy, concentrating on such activities as the communication, mining, forestry, construction, and energy industries. Along with this process, a larger portion of the population was becoming the "lower class," increasingly migrating to the nations cities from the rural regions of the country. With this new economic environment, the energy sector became a priority for the government, which began to make huge investments in the construction of hydroelectric power plants. However with the current rate of investment, the natural resources necessary for the hydroelectric industry will be depleted by the year 2020. The section of the Biobio slated for the projects has been one of the regions that has contributed the most to the national economy through its natural resources, though paradoxically it has the second highest rate of poverty in the country, accounting for 50% of the country's poor. 1,' il ,, .,, When Endesa finished its privatization process in 1988 (under Pinochet's dictatorship), most of its share holders consisted of armed forces personnel and the upper class. According to a state official, the operations caused losses to the country estimated at around one thousand million dollars, and debts to the country of about six hundred million dollars. The mega-corporation is currently concentrating on Enersis (Electric Group), the second most economically powerful group in Chile, which in turn controls Chilectra, one of the biggest distributors of electricity for Chile. The director of Enersis, Jose Yuraszeck I 26 Troncoso, is also the president of Endesa and of Pangue S.A. creating in this fashion the monopoly of the enterprise that controls 87% of the electricity of Chile, which furthermore owns the entire electric network of the country (Sistema Interconectado Central, SIC). The Pangue Power Plant At the end of 1989, Endesa created affiliates to look a little less threatening within the electric industry. Pangue S.A. Since 1950, Endesa has studied the Biobio river, slowly amassing studies and reports to aid them in building an argu- is one of these "daughters of the company" which focuses on the materialization of hydroelectric power plants in the Alto Biobio. Endesa has envisioned a massive interconnected series of large scale hydroelectric plants and has been designing them since the 1960's. The seven projects combined will flood close to 26 thousand hectares of river, 35,000 hectares of native forest and displace close to 10,000 Indigenous people from the MapuchePehuenche communities. Decisions regarding the construction of the Ralco plant are not only made by Pangue S.A., but also by Endesa together with the Chilean government. These plans are being made without consulting the Chilean people, the regional communities, or the Pehuenche people who are most gravely affected by these megaprojects. ment supporting the idea that Chile could benefit from the creation of dams along the river. The energy generated by the projects would be consumed mostly by the cities of Valparaiso and Santiago, located about 500 km to the north, and Endesa is contemplating expanding their sales to Argentina. The first electric power plant is Pangue (followed by Ralco, Huequecura and Aguas Blancas, being studied are Quintraman, Ranquil, and Queuco) which floods over 500 hectares occupied (until a few month ago) by the Indigenous communities of Callaqui, Pitril and Quepuca-Ralco. They were forced to abandon their ancestral lands, which were uncompensated, and now have no direct access to the river or to the Araucaria Forest, where they have traditionally harvested fruit by this same name. According to Grupo de Accion por el Biobio (GABB), a Chilean NGO, what Pehuenche land was left along the shores Continue on page 2 7 Abya Yala News The Pangue plant, the first of the proposed series, was inaugurated March 6, 1997 in spite of the massive public outcry and controversy surrounding the legality of the project. �ENVIRONMENT of the Pangue reservoir, the artificial lake formed by trapping the water of the Biobio, is now in the hands of private real estate developers. The Pangue dam contains over 175 million square meters of water, with the capacity of generating 450 megawatts. The cost of the power plant is over US$ 4 70 million, part of which is being paid by Endesa (US$ 190 million). The rest of the funding came from international backing, such as a credit from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank good for US$ 150 million, and other loans from Switzerland and Norway, estimated at about US$ 35 million. The investment agreements contained provisions to protect the Pehuenche people and the environment of the area. The environmental destruction caused by the Pangue project are severe, and will likely be so for the Ralco project as well. With the irregular currents of water of the Biobio, the quality of the water content coming in and out of the dam is drastically altered. Damage is being done to the biome that is formed at the shores of the river, to the climate around it, and to the biological activities (micro and macro) that take place in this area. Six species of fish ( known only to this area) will be unable to adapt to the In November 1995, GABB (Grupo de new environment, and thus will be driven Accion por el Biobio) asked the World to extinction. Environmental Bank's independent inspection THE MOST panel to investigate their impact studies, independent charges that the IFC had failed from those done by Pangue SERIOUS S.A., show that 192 species of to live up to their agreement. SOCIAl flora are endangered, 86 After claiming immunity from species of birds, 24 mammals, IMPLICATION the inspection panel, the bank eventually agreed to evaluate 9 amphibians, and 8 reptiles will suffer negative ecological Of THE PANGUE the situation. Last year, impacts from this project. At POWER PlANT, University of Arizona anthropologist, Theodore Downing the same time, the process of AND THE submitted his critical report on alternately drying and flooding the proposed measures to aid the dam to create "tip energy" PROPOSED and resettle Pehuenche commuwill cause great erosive damRAlCO PLANT, nities, reproving the company age affecting the water ways of IS THE SlOW for the poor treatment the the lower regions, altering the amount of spring water availDESTRUCTION Pehuenches received during the able and the level of the water construction of the Pangue dam. OF THE channels used for transportaJay Hair, former head of the tion. The climate will also be World Conservation Union, PEHUENCHE completed a 379-page study on altered by both projects, with CULTURE IN increased humidity affecting the environmental and social everything from crops to soil violations caused by the dam's THE AlTO erosion. To make the fragile construction. Hair's study is said BIOBIO ecological picture further to declare that the environmenunstable, there are 5 volcanoes in the tal violations are even worse than those area. Three of these are active volcanoes alleged by GABB, whose original com(Callaquen, Lonquimay, and Compache), plaint sparked the investigation. one of them being only 10 km away from After perusing the two independent the Pangue power plant. The studies conducted by Pangue S.A. point towards the reports which investigated " IFC's perforconclusion that there is no danger mance and compliance with World Bank towards the electric plants, since these environmental and social standards," have been designed to withstand the World Bank President James Wolfensohn damage of an eruption. had chastised Endesa for taking " a less than constructive approach to its enviThe environmental effects of the Ralco ronmental and social obligations." Once plant are estimated to be equally devas- word spread that Wolfensohn had threattating. It is predicted that about 3,400 ened to publicly declare the company hectares of native forest will be flooded guilty of violating the investment agreenegatively impacting 45% of the fauna ments, Pangue S.A. quickly prepaid their IFC loans to avoid any implication in and 60% of the flora in the region. Vol. 10 No.4 their alleged violation of the social and environmental conditions of the loans. By paying back their loans they were absolving themselves of the responsibility to honor any stipulations they agreed to when borrowing money from the World Bank's private-sector affiliate and other European institutions. The company claims that it has switched to the German Dresder Bank because it prefers their lower interest rates. The most serious social implication of the Pangue Power plant, and the proposed Ralco plant, is the slow destruction of the Pehuenche culture in the Alto Biobio. The construction of roads for access to the power plants will allow for the entrance of logging industries into the few remaining native forests. The construction of bridges, electric cables, and wire fences (in order to "protect" the power plants) are responsible for the death of the already limited fauna and in some cases have even taken human lives. The massive immigration of workers into these lands is having a negative impact on the Pehuenche communities, as these workers do not respect the traditional social structure and laws established by the Pehuenche. The loss of access to the territories around the Biobio will limit their ability to harvest, to enter their sacred land to pray and to bury their dead, all of which have severe repercussions for Pehuenche culture and traditions. Particularly damaging is that the rivalry among the Pehuenche people to get jobs, or compensation for the damage caused by the power plant, is dividing their communities. Pangue S.A., however, has been pressured to make several compromises with the Pehuenche people. Among these are the hiring of 1200 Pehuenche people (as disposable workers), and more as need, until construction is complete and the workers are not needed anymore. Their other projects include an "Ecological Station" that will "revert" the ecological impact caused by the Pangue Dam, and the "Pehuen Foundation" which is in charged of improving the living standards and reinforcing the cultural heritage of the Pehuenche people. The Pehuen Foundation is made up of a board of directors composed of three representatives of the Pehuenche people and four representatives of the company The comContinue on page 28 27 �ENVIRONMENT pany chooses the three Pehuenche representatives, a number that is not representative of the number of people that are being affected by the construction of the On this matter, the lonkos dam. (caciques or Indigenous leaders) of this region have accused the Pehuen Foundation, along with the other programs created by Pangue S.A., of being the company's way of "bribing" the Pehuenche people. The main function of the Foundation has been to subsidize 60-80% of the purchase of all basic goods by the Pehuenche people in exchange for their signature, making them "partners" of the project. It is interesting to note that lists of signatures were presented to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank as "proof of the backing of the Pehuenche people" for the construction of the Pangue dam. Moreover, the Pehuenche Foundation does not recognize the existence of the Ralco project, which affects around 500 MapuchePehuenche people of the Quepuca-Ralco and Ralco-Lepoy region, as it floods over 5,597 hectare, stressing that the Ralco dam "has no financial backing from Pangue S.A." However such statements are false, as Pangue S.A. gives over 0.1% of the profits of Pangue (over US$ 120,000) each year, increasing that amount to 0.3% this year. The company has DEVELOPED developed a slogan: "represas o A SlOGAN: pobresa" ("dam or "REPRESAS 0 poverty"), inflicting the idea that POBRESA" without the dam there will not be POVERTY") any other economic opportunities for the Pehuenche people to raise their standard of living in the future. Despite its propaganda, the Pehuen Foundation does not have the Pehuenches' best interest at heart. Since its inception, its true goal has been to deceive and coerce them to relocate, with blatant disregard for the Pehuenches rights to stay on their land as granted under the recent Indigenous Law of the country. ----------------------------------- Communities long-standing Since 1989, the Pehuenche communities of the Biobio have expressed their rejection of the construction of dams in the Alto Biobio, giving public hearings on their opposition and visiting environmental, social, and regional organizations. Unfortunately their determined efforts have met with little success. The seven communities surrounding the Biobio area have been coordinating their efforts with the Action Group for the Biobio (GABB), an activist group that has been extremely vocal in fighting against the construction of the dams, studying and analyzing the damages caused by the projects, and calling for international support for the Indigenous communities and the biodiversity of the region. Their greatest achievement took place in September 1992, when GABB filed protection from damages caused by Pangue S.A., presenting a document with more than 3000 signatures. On june 22, 1993, the court delivered their decision in favor of making it illegal for Pangue S.A. to change the flow of the Biobio, to dry the Biobio, to use water discharges, or to flood an area. However, Pangue S.A. argued that it was difficult to stop the construction at that point given the promises and contracts that had already been established with the workers. The following day, Endesa presented its appeal to the Supreme Court of]ustice in Santiago, questioning the accuracy of the data that was presented by GABB. At the same time, Endesa together with the government, announced that it would raise the price of electricity if the Pangue project could not be completed. Two months later, the Supreme Court reverted the decision made earlier, arguing that at that point there was no way of telling what the consequences of the construction of the dam could be. Cultural Rights, as well as Article 1 of the Chilean Constitution. This time around they are using the Indigenous and Environmental Law along with their six years of experience to defend themselves. Their inevitable eviction from their territory, as well as Endesa's illegal occupation of their territory, is a violation of the Law of Indigenous Development of 1992. Nevertheless, the government of Eduardo Frei is ignoring the pleas of the Pehuenche people, who have already turned down the land offered to them as compensation for their relocation -land that had already been acquired by Pangue S.A. a long time before getting the permission from the government to begin the Ralco project. In August of 1995, the GABB presented a document signed by 300 Pehuenche people, expressing their opposition towards the construction of the Ralco dam and power plant, and demanding: (l) The recognition of their lands as stated in articles 13, and the right of the Indigenous people to participate in decisions affecting their living conditions stated in article 34 (2) The immediate departure of Endesa from the Quepuca-Ralco and Ralco-Lepoy communities. (3) That the Pehuen Foundation be entirely composed of a board of Pehuenche people elected from their own communities. (4) That all funding given by Pangue S.A. to the Pehuen Foundation be increased from 0.3% to 1%. The Communities of Qupuca Ralco, Cauoicu, Callaqui and Malla Malla presented a document expressing their opposition to the Ralco project and their frustration with the governments lack of attention, which begins with the statement "We have repeated many times that we do not want the Ralco dam and are opposed to its construction. We oppose the Ralco project because it will affect us all, as Pehuenche people of the upper Biobio ... we know that this problem, the With Pangue completed, Endesa is seven dams that they want to build, wormoving ahead with its plans for the sub- ries all of the Indigenous communities in sequent major hydroelectric project. the country. We don't want injustices Once again the Indigenous communities against our communities because if they are strongly opposed to this project, go ahead with their plans to make that whose consequences constitute a viola- lake, the great volcano in all its power tion of the The Economic, Social and will be angry and will erupt, to punish Continue on page 29 --------------------------------------------Abya Yala News 28 �ENVIRONMENT with fire and hot ash and to re balance the water, the river will not be calmed by (the piling up oD money The compensations that they are offering us we cannot accept -20 hectares, 80 sacks of flour- these will not sustain us through our lifetimes. It won't be enough for our children and they will suffer. We say to CO NAMA that we will not leave our lands, we will not be moved by Endesa with their offers of money because the land is ours, it is where we were born, where we grew up and now they offer us the El Barco property; far away from our home and we will not go. We are tired of repeating our demands and having nothing change. We, as the leaders of our communities of the Alto Biobio, are taking the initiative to make thing change because there is no justice in what is happening to us." Frei is openly siding with the industry giants in the Ralco battle. Mauricio Huenchulaf, the director of CONADI (the national commission on Indigenous development), stated that Ralco was in violation of the Indigenous Development Law of 1992, which was established to protect and promote Indigenous cultures and aid in their self-determined development. The law guarantees to ethnic communities the possession of their lands and authorizes CONADI to initiate legal proceedings to impede the destruction or exchange of these lands. For opposing the construction of Ralco and questioning its legality, Huenchulaf was dismissed from his post. CONADI's director had become an obstacle impeding the implementation of a political economy Frei's hard-line policies are becoming more apparent as the controversy continues. The Chilean government also seems to be looking for a subtle way to eliminate Domingo Namuncura, the new director of CONADI, because of his position on the issue. They are proceeding cautiously so as not to provoke the ire of public opinion. The Update Vivianne Blancot, the executive director of the National Commission on the Environment (CONAMA) has stated that the resettlement plan, by Endesa "is well done and assures that, in any circumstance, the Pehuenche communities will be better off in terms of quality of life Vol. 10 No.4 than they would be without the project." The lands that were given as compensation to the communities affected by Pangue were not of equal quality and in no way improved the living conditions of any Pehuenche family After a visit in early August to the El Barco property, the land Endesa is offering to the Mapuches who will be forced by Ralco to relocate, the CONADI director has declared the territory absolutely uninhabitable. Due to adverse climatic conditions, the scouting team couldn't even reach the property The fact that their vehicles got stuck, coupled with the amount of snow, gave them a taste of " the difficulties that the area would present for a normal life." use of alternative fuel sources, such as solar, geothermal and tidal energy, and through the creation of micro power plants that would generate enough electricity to satisfy local needs. The focus need to be on planning the use of energy; allocating it to were it is most needed, and emphasizing the protection of the environment. Of course, there are alternatives to the flooding, genocide of communities and destruction of the ecosystems that surrounds the Biobio. By using natural resources more efficiently; countries like Chile can continue to grow economically without relying on destructive technologies. Primary in this new approach to planning is educating a populous to understand the costs involved in the creation of dams, and a government that will be able to efficiently allocate resources and wisely control the generation, distribution and use of electricity For example, improving current energy combustion, electric engines and lighting, through the The development of the Pehuenche people does not depend upon the construction of the power plants around the Biobio, nor does the productivity of Chile have to rely on them for its economic growth. The Pehuenche people are not alone in this fight, as the IFC and the World Bank have funded projects that have violated Indigenous communities all around the world in the name of "development." Short term gains need to be weighed against the long term repercussions of such damaging projects. Chile would do well to research energy alternatives that take into account social as well as environmental diversity and sustainability , Using our resources in a sustainable way will help nations regain a lost balance. Part of that balance with nature will be the respect for the Pehuenche people and their culture thus giving the Pehuenche people the opportunity to live their lives, without losing their culture. One of the major achievements towards this balance is the creation of the Alternatives to Indigenous Law which has been in effect for over 2 years, and will hopefully Pangue and Ralco ensure that Indigenous communities will Pangue and now Ralco are glaring have the opportunity to live their lives example of the true social, environmen- with dignity and justice. The law grants tal, and economic costs of large-scale the Indigenous people an opportunity to hydroelectric dams. Their impacts can take an active role in the development of never be completely assessed before it is projects in and around their areas. Such too late. The human and enviprojects include agricultural ronmental costs of large dams BY USING NATURAL and grazing projects, and crafting. The never outweigh their reperRESOURCES MORE wood cussions: the blow to biodiPehuenche people can conEFFICIENTLY, tribute to the productivity of versity, the climate changes, the flooding that drowns the COUNTRIES LIKE the country; while generating income for themselves. land which is later stalked by CHILE CAN Ecotourism has been sugdroughts. If it is ever possible gested as another alternafor human beings to learn CONTINUE from the past, we should contive. Economist Michael TO GROW sider large dams, with the Nelson has pointed out that ECONOMICALLY damage they have caused in the future, areas surworldwide, as an obsolete WITHOUT RELYING rounding the Biobio could technology that development bring in over US$ 45 milON DESTRUCTIVE lion per year to the national banks should stop subsidizeconomy ing. TECHNOlOGIES. 29 � 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. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Chile's Upper Biobio: the Battle Against the Ralco Hydroelectric Dam rages O as attacks on Pehuenche communities and the environment continue Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title In Chile's Upper Biobio: the Battle Against the Ralco Hydroelectric Dam rages O as attacks on Pehuenche communities and the environment continue Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (25-29).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Author Dario Jana Abstract Note Indigenous communities along the Biobio River continue to protest its construction on the grounds of community displacement and ecological ramifications. Pages 25-29 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/50465726ca2e5b945051ac286d8e8d3d a94cddbeb496cf3d9559a48e6cfc0583 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. 4 (22-24).pdf PDF Text Text B YA Y A l A --------~----------------------------------------------------0 F DAUGHTERS I that they can influence the public sphere and licia Canaviri, Aymara, is a obtain positions of power to better protect social worker and community their culture and their rights. Alicia told us organizer. about the necessity of CDIMA's work when She is the general coordinator of the Center for Aymara she was in Oakland this summer. Women's Develop (CDIMA) in La Paz, Bolivia. CDIMA works to help Aymara communities, especially women and young people, overcome discrimination and poverty by providing training and educational workshops. CDIMA rose out of the severe social, economic, political and cultural crisis facing Indigenous women, who were suffering discrimination and exploitation by the system for being women, for being poor and for being members of an oppressed people. As Indigenous women they were seeing the price l of their products fall, and their work undervalued, underpaid and unrecognized. The 'I' fact that there are no laws to protect 'I Indigenous women's work is a grave injustice, which Alicia would like to remedy. CDIMA develops programs to empower and educate Indigenous women and youths, the most marginalized sectors of Bolivian society, so How is neoliberal globalization affecting Indigenous communities in Bolivia, and how are you, as an Indigenous woman and a founder of CDIMA (Aymara Women's Development Center), trying to empower Aymara women and young people to be able to face this new ideology of economic development? It is true that this situation is affecting all Aymaras and certainly all Indigenous people in Latin America. I will speak about this neoliberalism in respect to how it affects Indigenous women. In Bolivia, the systemic problems are very serious. We suffer exploitation, oppression, the marginalization of women, especially Indigenous women. A woman who doesn't know how to read or write is scorned. In order to attend school, one needs to know the Spanish language. Therefore, when I was ten years old, I learned to speak Spanish because 1 had to. If I only spoke the Aymara language, I would be severely discriminated against in this society And my fate was already decided because I was an Indigenous woman who wore a comisa de pollera y una chompa de obeta (traditional clothing) and therefore I wasn't worth anything. I automatically didn't matter. It hasn't changed. It is an experience that I've had all of my life, not only when I was young or when I was in school. When Indigenous women begin to look for work, they are never treated equally with other women and even less so with men. There is a triple discrimination against an Indigenous woman: for being a woman, for being Indigenous and for being poor. I and my Indigenous sisters in Bolivia and across Latin America have suffered this every day of our lives. For this reason, CDIMA, a group of Aymara women was born. We organized ourselves for the purpose of educating ourselves and empowering ourselves to defend our culture and our language. Our language was used as the means to achieve our goals of defending the thoughts and ideas of our people. We began to work initially on a voluntary basis to fight against marginalization, exploitation, and the different forms of oppression against the Aymara woman. We began to work with the local women's organizations in different rural communities. Women in these small communities have no opportunities to enter the public sphere, and are not encouraged to make any effort to do so. We met many women who had previously received certain kinds of training for women to make them good housewives. They had been taught little manual skills, how to cook, how to take care of their children, all in Western style. When we began our work this was the only type of training available for women. Continue on page 23 --------- ------------------------------------------------ 22 Abya Yala News �DAUGHTERS We confront this situation by offering another kind of training. We taught them to analyze their situations in their communities: What role do women play at the local level, within their own communities? What role do Aymara woman play in the power structure at a national level? All this internal analysis has affected the women in the communities and shown them that they are marginalized. Once women began to question their positions in the community and beyond, they began reacting against this marginalization and discrimination. Aymara women are confident that they as women can do important activities to benefit the entire community CDIMA does not work only with the women. We also work to educate the men and raise their consciousness. In the past, everyone only worked with the women, but in order to really change the situation we need to work with the men also. The women began to invite their husbands to our meetings and the men began to come and we began to work together. This has been successful in many communities. Women and men both participating is a positive step, because it is crucial for both Indigenous men and women to work together in the struggle to control our communities. What type of training did you give the women? Can you give us some examples? Initially, we had women leaders discuss their experiences: the history of Indigenous villages, the participation of Indigenous women, all of this. This work proved to be very worthwhile. Then, we began to work at organizing from the base level. And during the different courses and activities that we did, the women selected those people who had the potential to be leaders in their communities. Out of the 8 communities, 40 women were chosen. We worked with these 40 women in intensive courses to train them to be leaders. The first thing that we taught these potential leaders was to lose their fear. The women were scared of speaking in front of people, so we worked with them on public speaking because most Indigenous wDmen are not accustomed Vol. 10 No.4 0 F B YA YA to it. The three steps of the courses are to identify their fear, then work on selfesteem and confidence raising to help them overcome their fears, then to apply this new confidence to their relationships. These three things are fundamental in order for a woman to become empowered as an individual within her community This is one of the goals of our work. The 40 women who participated in these intensive workshops learned how to overcome their fear of speaking in public, and more importantly they learned to speak their minds freely without fear. working with young people. As I said initially, we work mainly with the two most marginalized sectors of the society, women and youth. We have seen in Bolivian society that these two sectors are completely forgotten by the central government. The youth in our country are managed, governed as a minority, as dependents. And what we want is a space for this minority in the power structure, at the national and international level. In the first place, we believe that Indigenous people should govern themselves, and be represented in the Parliament of Bolivia. These first 40 women are now liberated, empowered, and organized to defend and fight for the rights of the Aymara woman. Our organization is dedicated to providing training and educational opportunities to all Aymara women. It is fundamental that the women are trained to occupy important positions. If they are not trained, they will never break into the system. It has been very important to train the adult women, because they act as mentors in the society Therefore we work with the women who educate the children, and with the youth, because they are the future of the country and the future of the Aymara people. We have taken on this marginalized sector of society, because it is here that the great potential for our people lays. Another objective of CDIMA is to work in conjunction with other Indigenous organizations, not only Aymara organizations, but with all types of organizations at the national level. There is a relationship between Aymaras and Quechuas, and between Indigenous women's organizations. This exchange with other organizations helps our Aymara people think about their actual situation and question it and compare it to the situations in other Latin American countries with relation to globalization. Together we investigate the economic problems being created in these countries and the destruction of the environment. In our villages, many times we don't know in advance what the results will be when big companies bring in equipment to cut down the forest. For example, many forests disappeared without the Indigenous people being aware of what was going on. But through organizing and becoming educated, we can defend our rights and the land. l A We did a diagnostic on the young people's situation within the communities. We went to their villages and met with them, because we believe that the youth are people too. In Aymara when a person is of a certain age and is not married, he is not considered a person and we call him "eljaque". We have seen that because of this stigmatization, the young people marry and are required to take on a position without any knowledge or experience and are easily manipulated by the different political parties. This is why it is extremely necessary that we need to train this sector. Initially, when we went to the communities, the young people (13, 14, or 15 year-olds) would run away from us. This forced us to adapt our methodology of work. We would bring balls and play in the fields and after some games we would have a little break in which we would ask them what role they (the youth) play in the community You also educate and train the Aymara young people so that they will be able to defend their Indigenous heritage. What kind of programs do you have for these youth whom you are helping learn how to defend themselves? We saw that the youth were being neglected. And so we met with the authorities and the fathers of the families to ask them what are they doing to benefit the young people, so that they are able to be productive women and men in the future. The youth are seen as children, CDIMA has had a lot of experience and not as people who have roles in the ____________ C_on_t_in_u_e~on. page ?-i__ __ 23 �A By A Y ALA DAUGHTERS 0 F ------------------------------------------------community We discussed with the communities what happens when our young people grow up without receiving any education or training. We began organizing traditional music and dance classes for the young people of the communities. We are also teaching them our stories. Right now, we are organizing a competition in the stories of our Aymara ancestors. The young people who know the ancestral traditions and tell the story best will win a prize. We want to educate the youth in what our stories and traditions mean. Through these classes we help them to learn who they are and to identify with the land, because without knowing who they are they will lose their identity And if before they liked Western music, now they like our own traditional music. For example, one of the young people came to one of the classes and listened to the traditional music. He said "This music is different. I feel something for this music, it attracts me, I don't know, in my body something else happens. And before when I listened, I didn't feel anything. But now, I don't know, it makes me sad, it makes me melancholy" It is experiences like this that prove that we have succeeded is helping the young people feel that our music is their own. One of our greatest achievements is that our young people identify as children of Aymaras and as Aymaras. We are proud that they take Aymara as their own identity One of our objectives is that the young people who enter into high schools and universities and other jobs remain Aymara. We also want the youth to learn about their rights as Indigenous people and to form concrete ideas about their future as Indigenous people. In the communities where we work, we actually have around 30 young people that are creating their own proposal, calling for popular participation as a base for local power. This proposal will truly defend our rights and help us to defend against the outside influence of globalization. If we don't educate our children, they will be manipulated by other people. In our communities, it is necessary to defend against all of the types of exploitation that exist. We need to defend ourselves with knowledge, through information and training. If this does not happen, Indigenous people are going to continue to be manipulated, to be exploited, and to suffer as a result of this neoliberal system. The youth, women, and men are now creating their own ideas about development from their own communities without losing their identity, without losing their traditions, without losing their language. One of the biggest obstacles in the present system is that Aymara youth have no opportunities to become professionals. They remain in their communities or they go to the big cities to be day laborers, to be white peoples' assistants, to be porters or simply to be drunkards. This is the life of Indigenous young people in the cities. And what we want to do is train the youth so that they will grow up to be great men and women and play an important role in the cities and in their communities. Because of our work, the young people think differently now. They want to be professionals. They are eager to be trained. They have a better education and greater self-esteem and can there- A fore enter into positions of L power. Of course, in relation E to the population, this is a N small group of young peo., ple; between those trained D and those in training, there A are around 369 young peo- R ple. We want at least 50% of I these young people to 0 become professionals. And if they aren't professionals, then we hope that the majority hold important positions within different spheres, as directors, as leaders. We also hope that when they obtain an important position within the public sphere, they won't be used and manipulated by political parties, but will be true to their own personality which is Indigenous. c . Our major goal is that in 10 years we want to see our Aymara young people trained as professionals and to see them in Parliament. There are possibilities through new laws that have been implemented in Bolivia. If they achieve this, their goals are realized at the public level and they are in the power structure and can work for their people and for their nation. One of our biggest objectives is that at least 10 young people, after 10 years will have entered the governing body For us, for CDIMA, this would be a great success. And if there are more, that would be even better. They can set an example for the other youth in the community And I believe that this is a realistic goal because the 30 young people with whom we are working now, are beginning to work with confidence. What advice would you like to give to the Indigenous movement and to Indigenous young people in particular? I would like to tell the youth that in the first place we need to think about what is happening with our people. What is our place within the society and what is happening in our countries with the young people? What do our governments say about the youth? And by responding to these questions, maybe we can escape the situation in which Indigenous young people are currently The young people will allow us to move forward with our A y M A R AA c T u A L initiatives and the initiatives of our ancestors. Therefore what I want to say is that we have to continue the struggle. We can't leave our culture. As Indigenous people we have to face the situation and move forward, making sure that our people are respected, that our rights are respected, and that the youth are educated and trained. Because, with training, it is possible for them to achieve everything that they desire. If we don't have training, if we don't have better information and education we won't be able to move forward. This is the most important thing that I have observed. When the youth are informed and understand what is happening around them, then they can reflect on it and propose their ideas about overcoming the problems of their people. ~ f' I 24 Abya Yala News � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Alicia Canaviri talks to SAIIC about Women... Young People and Globalization in the Indigenous communities of Bolivia Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Alicia Canaviri talks to SAIIC about Women... Young People and Globalization in the Indigenous communities of Bolivia Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (22-24).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note Alicia Canaviri talks about teaching and training indigenous women and youth in professional development. Pages 22-24 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/df21f56fa8dfce102cc6c4b49cec1d57 e54ca3fcdd6e63c82ad57dd4ba471313 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. 4 (21).pdf PDF Text Text SELF DETERMINATION ~=--~"'---~~~- I tion confirmed, Ecuador's marginalized would no longer countenance exclusionary elite politics. Earlier this year, a massive popular demonstration on February 5 forced the impeachment of former-President Abdala Bucaram and demanded fundamental changes to the workings of the Ecuadorian state. Central to the February "Popular Mandate" was the call for a National Constituent Assembly charged with re-writing the Ecuadorian Constitution. In late July, however, President Alarcon together with conservative congressmen decreed that the National Constituent Assembly must be postponed for another year. rriba, abajo, el pueblo, carajo! Izquierda, dercha, el gobierno a la mierda!" (March chant, Quito, August 12, 1997). At dawn on August 11, 1997, thousands of Indigenous and campesino woman and men dug ditches and hauled trees across Ecuador's major roads. The coordinated uprising halted transport for 48 hours and sent a forceful message to President Fabian Alarcon of the power of popular conviction. Demonstrators felt ridiculed by recent state decisions that scorned their interests. As the paralyza- Indigenous and peasant groups rejected the audacity of such a state edict. Through unprecedented popular support, the February "Mandate" asserted citizens' rights to condemn corrupt rule. The August 1997 protest further substantiated that right and denounced the government's contempt for the February popular fiat. As the president of CONAIE (Confederacion de N acionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador), Antonio Vargas, noted Indian and peasant organizations were the only representative bodies capable "of generating true democratic debate"; no political regime could dismiss this authority August's road blocks interrupted commerce and travel throughout the country The military's presence was strong, leading to sporadic confrontations. In Azuay Province, an angry trucker ran a blockade injuring three protesters. On the principle highway north of Quito, soldiers intimidated protesters and repeatedly shot tear-gas into demonstrating crowds. Despite considerable risk, a group of peasant women explained that they were fighting against "the economic measures that made life only more and more difficult": rising commodity and health care costs, inflationary credit, soaring rural debt. "Only like this, united together," one woman interjected "can we move forward." The presence of a huge CONAIE banner intimated deeper meaning of this campesina's words: "united together" as Indians and peasants, protesters could hold their ground. Indeed, a growing indigenous-peasant coalition throughout the 1990's proved the effectiveness of Vol. 10 No.4 A N D TERRITORY popular resistance. Conservative politicians characterized the August mobilization as "violent" and "destructive." Popular leaders insisted, however, that the paralyzation was the only means at their disposal for confronting "an antidemocratic, exclusionary; and authoritarian" regime. Like earlier Indigenous uprisings in Ecuador this decade~ May 1990 (5 days) and June 1994 (10 days)- the August 1997 protest challenged neo-liberal economic reforms. In addition to the Constituent Assembly, the paralyzation demanded the congressional ratification of ILO Convention 169 and denounced government plans to privatize the peasant social security agency and areas deemed economically strategic for the functioning of the state: telephones, electricity, and the state petroleum industry In particular, the August mobilization sought to further a long-standing struggle to construct a new democratic order in Ecuador. On August 12th, 500 demonstrators in Quito staged a wake and funeral procession for the February 1997 "Popular Mandate." Solemnly clothed men bearing a massive casket lead the procession through city streets. Behind them followed chanting protesters carrying banners and brilliantly colored wreathes. Protesters' mock mourning symbolized their repudiation of the government's decree to defer the National Constituent Assembly; the funereal rite gave witness to this "betrayal"~ the figurative killing of the Constituent Assembly Ending their procession outside the National Congress, protesters set the Popular Mandate casket ablaze. "So burn the stratagems of an antiquated political class," bellowed an Indian leader: "so burn attempts to scorn the Popular Mandate. Let us seize this opportunity to construct a new democracy" Many obstacles still threaten such efforts. As Luis Macas, an Indigenous congressman and former CONAIE president, observed, little has changed since Abdala Bucaram's ousting; "elite leaders continue to deceive the citizens and exacerbate economic misery" A new Constituent Assembly is slated for December 1997. ~ For further information please contact: Susana Sawyer, smsawyer@ucdavis.edu, or Antonio Vargas, President of CONAIE, conaie@ecunex. ec 21 � 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. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Indian-Peasant Protest for a New Democratic Order: Ecuador Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Indian-Peasant Protest for a New Democratic Order: Ecuador Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (21).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note The postponement of a National Constituent Assembly by the Ecuadorian government has elicited massive demonstrations from indigenous and campesino groups. Pages 21 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/dee6551c33d86477a285e5a79bd87530 5747e55fe5ca727df1595eafe2e7600f 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. 4 (20).pdf PDF Text Text S E l F DETERMINATION A N D TERRITORY- - - - - - the canal. This base has long been abandoned, but the region has been of interest to archeologists interested in colonial history, and some speculators who have tried to follow up rumors of mineral resources. ill ill he proposed establishment of a naval military base in Indigenous territory, with the purpose of combating international drug traffic, has provoked a heated debate in Kuna and Panamanian public opinion since mid1996. The original proposal was for construction of a base in Puerto Escoces, a site of historic importance to the Kuna, where they first opposed colonizing efforts by Scottish settlers, and where the United States had built a naval base during World War II, ostensibly in defense of ,, 1 '·' 'h I Although the Panamanian government claims that Puerto Escoces is "uninhabited," the bay is owned and used by nearby Kunas, who cultivate their crops along the rivers, fish and hunt as well as gather wild provisions. The natural beauties of the area are described as a "paradise" of crystalline waters and verdant vegetation. In response to the proposal to take over this area, first presented in early 1996, local Kuna demanded an environmental impact study, negotiations with binding agreements, and payment for confiscated lands. These demands were met by blunt refusals from the government, who expressed indignation that Indigenous people would try to be involved in negotiations or indemnifications. human rights groups and the Kuna Women's Federation, have spoken out in support of the General Congress decision. Of special interest in this dispute is the role of the U.S. Ambassador in the debates concerning the base. The U.S government had reportedly agreed to finance the building of the facility (many believe it was their idea, in light of the closing of U.S. bases around the canal), through Kuna authorities have never been told the exact arrangements or the dollar amount pledged. When the Kuna were having trouble getting Panama to negotiate, a group of Kuna leaders went directly to the Ambassador and presented their case. The Ambassador said that he didn't want to get involved in internal matters, but if the Kunas persisted in opposing the base, the U.S. would take their money elsewhere. Since the first proposal, the Kuna, who have a long reputation as staunch defenders of their autonomy, their lands and of environmental preservation, have mobilized resistance. Despite numerous attempts to divide the communities and leaders, attempts which included threats, blackmail, and offers of special privileges to some leaders, the Kuna General Congress established a commission to study the issue. In June 1997, the Kuna General Congress decided unanimously to oppose the military base at Puerto Escoces, located deep in Kuna territory, suggesting instead the port of Obaldia on the border with Columbia. The border itself, they argue, is the place for such activities, and is already disturbed by the nearby warfare between Colombian forces and guerrilla groups, as well as narcotics traffickers. Puerto Obaldia is already a refuge for many impoverished Colombians fleeing from the violence in the region. Various groups, ranging from the Catholic missionaries in Kuna Yala, ( This article has been revised, edited and altered from the original by Atencio Lopez, a Kuna lawyer and President of the Kuna organization, Napguana.) I ·I At this point the Panamanians stepped up their campaign of intimidation and subterfuge, even producing a phony "Accord" which they claimed had already been signed by local community leaders. Those who opposed the base were publicly branded "narcotraficantes and their allies." In the words of Kuna spokesperson, Atencio Lopez, "there has been a resurgence of standard myths about 'national security,' of 'economic development of the Indigenous people through military industry,' of 'the laziness of the Indigenous people as synonymous with Third World underdevelopment,' and other barbarities." As Lopez says, the disputed land is Kuna land, "so we must be the ones who preserve nature in the place that has been converted to another 'blood-stained land' ( from which comes the name ABYA YALA, or blood-stained continent.) The agitation and debate on this issue have "placed in danger the political, administrative and territorial autonomy of the Comarca Kuna Yala, the most ancient and distinguished Indigenous autonomy in the New World. With this move the Kuna have demonstrated once again their political capability, because in spite of everything they have brought a halt to a project of great scope promoted by the governments of Panama and the United States, of which we can only with difficulty predict the benefits or problems for the Kunas' future." ill · Abya Yala News I 20 � 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. 4 (Fall 1997) 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 Negotiations on a Naval Base in Kuna Territory: Panama Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1997 Language A language of the resource English Zotero Title Negotiations on a Naval Base in Kuna Territory: Panama Item Type Newspaper Article Attachment Title Vol. 10, no. 4 (20).pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Issue 4 Language English Publication Title Abya Yala News Volume 10 Abstract Note The Kuna and Panamanian government have come into conflict over a proposed naval base on Kuna land to fight drug trafficking. Pages 20