8 12 1190 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/1f98971c041129de869b0d074ae2eef8.pdf 44a2446fac7c189be286b2337f23eb53 PDF Text Text A Silent Strategy "The Clothes that We Wear" The following is~ and tnmsWtd from IM book. La Ropl Que l.lsamos, by Daniel EdUArdoMI>tul Momles,and published by Uga Maylllnlmladonal, Apdo. Postal 584 Oldigo 1100, San ]UAn de Tibas, CAsta Rica. "Our Maya humanity has a beginning, a start, an origin. We havea history.n Aj Pop For us, the Maya people of Guatemala, the c.lothcs we weave and wear are an eloquent representation of our historic continuity. Within them. we record abstract and cosmic principles in mathematical and geometric figures, some simple, others so complex as to be unidentifiable, all presented in extraordinary colors. The ideas represented in our clothes, beyond their aesthetic sense, carry a central theme which corresponds to the <:osmos, which brings us to the basic source of Maya thought. It gives us a formula to Interpret humankind, our relationship with nature, a.n d with God. We usc this formula for connecting the present and the past, and to remind us of our uncompromising decision to be free and original, like our ancestors. Our dothcs are genuine, well-defined, and revealing of our philosophy, customs, value system and collective consciousness. The fact that we wear them daily makes them an instrument for historic projection; it is a powerful social discipline. The main idea behind the clothes we wear has its roots in the original reflections of our civilization which can be traced back five to six-thousand years ago. The idea is that when a human is born, s/he is completely integrated into the Cosmos. Humankind and nature only make up tiny 30 parts of the total Cosmos. While conserving this cosmovision in our clothes, we are complying with our people's mandate. So the beauty and colorfulness of our weavings arc not merely aesthetically pleasing. but a brilliant way of keeping our writings and fundamental symbols alive. However, there is also a desire to protect these symbols from the greed of outsiders. Thus, in our wcavings we often present these symbols for the world to sec, but they go undccipheml and overlooked. They remain mute for those who don't Wlderstand their meaning. but they arc evocative elements when you know how to interpret them. Often, their main message remains hidden to those whose narrow vision impedes them from tuning into t.h e ancient expression of our collective art. It must also be mentioned that our art is not "art for art's sake," which would be absurd. Our woven messages are a silent strategy, within which is found a deep and fruitful knowledge which promotes respect Ph«o by Jmoe MinJr. and searches for equilibrium among people and nature. This equilibrium guarantees human survival. Thus, with our colors and designs, we have been struggling for five centuries against the destruction of our historical, social, psychological and mythological concepts. With plants, flowers and vegetables, we attempt to fonn consciousness of, and appreciation for the natural environment, in which everything has great value. It was nature's interaction with humankind which gave birth to our civilization. Our weaving is our way of admiring the world, but at the same time, we are transformed each day, SAIIC Newsletter �as the entire world is, even though it appears the same each dawn. Ourdothescanysymbolsthat teach one to 1espect one's place or origin, social status, and mythology. Some symbols, like those or Coban, tell or the romance between the Sun and the Moon in the framework or a magic scene or leaves, birds and day pots. In this legend, the Moon wove for the Sun, a gift which told or the day's events. In this way, we learn that life Is nothing more than the weaving or time. We have suffered since 1524, when the Invaders arrived. Our clothes have served as an expression or our solidarity and identification wherever we go. This is why we have kept our Native dress. For a very long time, the colors and figures we use have been chosen careruny without arbitrariness. They arc the result or systematic observa· tions. The four cardinal points illustrate this well. North is represented by white, because the clouds arc believed to come from there. The moon is also symbolized by white and the North. The South is symbolized by yellow, in tribute to the fertility or com and the legend or the Cosmic Tree which bore fruit in the union between the Sky and the Earth. The cross, in our ancient tradition, represents the four winds, the direction or the heavens, the four sides of our com fields, and the four cardinal points. When the cross has leaves on i~ this symbollz.es a very tall tree which, according to the Pop Wuj (Popol Yuh· the sacred book of the Quiche Maya), bore the fruits of life. "This cross is dearly visible in the sky on starry nights in the South. The East is ,ymbolized by red, the color or hope. It represents sunrise and eternity. West is symbolized by black, the death or light and the restive period begun at day's end. So we sec it is no coincidence that in our lives today, the link between people and their clothes remains ever strong, prevailing in Maya though~ because they bring us physlcal comfort and spiritual satisfaction. Archeology confinns the development of our garments. The murals or ancient Maya cemnonies in Bonampak provide testimony or how leaders, priests, chiefs and others of historical standing wore many kinds or precious jewelry, deerskin sandals, and woven clothes. The lower body was covered by an apron-like garment embel· llshed with brocade, embroidery, feathers and jewels. The upper body was covered with a huipll, shells, necklaces, beads, jade, metal and gems. Today, the huipils or Olimaltenango, San Pedro Sacatep6tuez, and San Pedro Ayampuc display a design Vol6 Nos 1&2 called "rush mat," which is the same as the one which appears In the sculpted figures of Stele 'H' or Quirigu<i.ln most huipils, the square is brocaded in a diamond position. "This can be seen in Untel24 at Yaxchil<in. Similarly, the jacket which appears in the woman's outfit at Yaxchil<1n is found stylized on many of the weavingsof the Western and Central Highlands. figure 54 or Codex Trocortesla.no clearly shows lxchel, the goddess of the Moon, weaving at her loom. The loom Is tied around her waist and to a tree, exactly like Mayan women today. Weaving has always been a sacred task. Usually, when a new piece is begun, a prayer is offered to the heart of the sky. And still, as before, our people value the role or the Maya woman as a historical thread that carries our deepest cultural roots. Our mythology states that Itz.amna, founder of Uxmal and Chichtm Itz<l, had lxchel as a consort. lxchcl was the one who taught us to weave, and also taught embroidery to her daughter, lxchebcl Yax. Spanish colonists gave vague, foggy descriptions or our dothes. Of course, this had to be the case; how could they understand a culture they ridiculed and discriminated against? We are sure that U we had abandoned wearing our clothes, they'd have been instantly hoarded away in museums. Today, wearing our cher· ishcd clothes makes us the focus or discrimination, humiliation, scorn and persecution in our country. The children of the invaders want to destroy the Maya culture. Ourdu1dren arc prohibited from wearing their own dress to school, yet the invade< portrays as quaint our abstract vision or the world and or life. The selling or our clothes is a very big international business today. The majority or the merchants arc ruthless non-Indian people who do not understand, nor care to understand the ancient symbolism. However, after 500 years of oppn$Sion, our custom or weaving our dothcs is s1ill going strong. As time goes on, we find our designs and colors more beautiful, and they introduce us to a vast universe or composition which reveals the dvoniclcs or Maya ure, from the earliest times to the brilliant future. They arc the testimony or our legiti· mate right to exist as a civilization, as a culture, and as a people. 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. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Silent Strategy: "The Clothes that We Wear" Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Daniel Eduardo Matul Morales Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title A Silent Strategy: "The Clothes that We Wear" Item Type Journal Article Author Daniel Eduardo Matul Morales Volume 6 Issue 1,2 Pages 30-31 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note The Importance of Native Clothing and Patterns Attachment Title A_Silent_Strategy_The_Clothes_That_We_Wear.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] art clothing Guatemala Maya https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/fbbc18c22f99b58cbe5d0d121138ed40.pdf cf237d8d27139d3e68a691a4b16cc79b PDF Text Text '7o rake human DNA and parent its p roducts, that t~iolares the integrity oflife itself. and our deepest sense of nwrality." Isidro Acosta, President of the Guaymi General Conguss. ''When a foreign govemment comes into a coumry, takes blood witlww explaining the real impUcarions to local peoples, and rhen tries to patent and p rofit from the cell line. that's wrong." P01 Mooney, RAFI Executive Dirtcror. you haven't heard about scientifiC en the method of execution to the exclusion of ally. From financial compensation to the deavors relating to the Human Genome, Native representatives in project discussions, potential for biologjcal warfare, it is essential yousoonwiU. Aswe plunge <leeper that all foreseeable consequences and into the decade, the bcxlfellows, bioimplicationsassociatedwitbtheHGD llnm.l!l Cit'nontt· = Hlo . c~oc~ gt'lk"'· tolll.lillin~...: .111 tcx:hnology and science, are having a Projcx:t he taken into account before indi\ idtldl.... t wn-dil. u\· inhu cn.llion. lnuod in.tll !llt· dircx:t impact upon Indigenous comfurther damage occurs. < dl' l 1! .1 llunt.Ul I )( 'ill}.!. munitieswitbovenidingrepercussioos I h u ll-111 <it ·notm · 1 llg.tniz.tlit ,,.., Ill " ;c 1 tl >. ~~ ·d in I .on< for humanity at large. In the previous 11.\CKGROt:\ll doll! r ill. lilt i.t\ ,IIIII ol (it"ltti!IK' (("'-('.lit ll- \\.lllt"l Abya Yala News joumal, we provided Bothun. I'H" ... idt 'l\1 ci .. UII'' C.Hl!OI. \"1' a sketch of the HumanGenome DiverGuided by tbe premise tbat the ge· sity Project. Since then, much more netic composition of different ethniC Jhul\.111 (it'llOillt' IJi\t'l'il\" Pwjn 1 d !Cil> t•rojn IIl 'lopo~ll lot ollt"( I ,l!ld '!lid\· gt'I"K'Iit 'Ill It 1111<' ol information has been made available groups may vary slightly , the project \ ·, niott... 1·f llllit group... . \ lot ....t • it Hl'n.,llit 111.11 t on.._. u · and patents applications on Native organizer.; aspire to gain a better litull ol ttJ11\t'1'11i<· ... ,tnd ...t it'llli' l' 1h.11 .tilltlo }.!.llhn peoples' eelllines bave been revealed. under.;tanding of why diseases vary blood. ).,tit .ttMIIlltlttih ..... uupk" ol l,ugt·lnl pop11l.1· The following article hopes to eluciso much in their geographic distribu· lion... t on... itk-t nllo he Oil lht· ""'-<"1}-!t"' o l c\littt lion date the various components and imlndi}-..'t.'lltttt-. gtottp... w lnu·d to . 1 · t...tl!.ttc... ••I Ill'· ... tioo and from there, try to find out if In t i(" hllt' lt"'l.- l"tilll.tl\" l'to jn I h llti.llot: l.tti;.:,i I.Utd plications assoc.iated with the Human such variation is caused by human ('d\" lh·...,!OI/•1. l'lnft·..,..,ot Lnlt"liltt... ol c;ctM'III' ,11 , Genome Diver.;ity Project, highlight· adaptation to local environments or Sl.lllhtttl ing its impacts on Indigenous Peoples changes in genetic make-up (5). around tbe world and course of action Through these findings, it is boped taken thus far. that new methods of dealing with While the potential benefits sbould not he are being seriously questioned by Indigenous fatal diseases, i.e. cancer, AIDS, etc. wiU he underestimated, all oftbe related issues, from organizationsandsupportg,oupsintemation· developed. I 12 . Abya Yala News �NATIONAL. INTEH \IETIIOII Through RAFI's research, it is known that 712 groups have b«n !Mgeted for sample collection. The following ootline provides a brief overview of the sampling and lab research process: ceU line has b«napproved how will compensation be determined? Wbat systems arc in place for assuring that Indigenous peoples will be appropriately compensated on all commercial gains? To date, these questions have not b«n answered. ing the instiMions that have waged an unbridledwarofopprcssionandgenocidcagainst Native peoples for the past 500 years. Ill. IIIOI.I)(;J('\1. II \lll-'.\llE l hll ii.UI (it 'll(IIIJ<' Prnwt I· I ·.s !.Collect blood, hair and mouth scrapings from selected population 2 Once gathered, samples rushed to lab(witbin48bourstiJm)wberewhite blood cells are to be "immortalized" a)wbite blood c:dls are cultured in the lab tben (men in liquid niuogco. Each cell contains a complete set of genetic DNA. This process allows the information in the genes to be preserved indefinitely for ful1Jrcsrudy. 3. Once in thi~ form, cells are l1Jmed intocelllincs( continuoosly dividing cells that can provide a theoretically infinite supply of genetic material). '4. DNA to be dcpooited and stored in scvenal "banks" around the world. Tbedcpooited material will be available for funhcr research. Results from resco.rch an then be patented tTIIt'W i' .t!'o \ lt•dit oll l k'-t.'oU< II ( 'tiUIIt ti1 \ IIH ~ l l un ~. 11 1 ( it'· nomt· .\l.lppul).! Prow< 1 11 1 Lnndot1• \ .... ~ l 1dltnn c llnrl \\I \I( II bq..~olll i ll I' lXX \\Jill lilt' )..:.11,11 ol IJI, IJI\IIIlg l"ottll til lh' l l • l.t il • l }.!!'Ill'' !CIIIJ)(j \\ tl illll t ltr~• lli'II....CII l iC '' .u~d "--'t[tln)lul;...:. 1lw nl- liw "'lft'ltll ol hn)(k·tl h\ •'1111 htull,\11 D' \ h\ !It~:• l , u ld li'lt ' l S ![)( ' \t'.l! .,!t l l'"; ,,111111\.1) ht...,!l:tUt ' ~•llh·.!~:1l S. llt'j).HitUt'lll o! l_u·rg\ 1DOI.• PI, 1\ ·c·r..., : I , , \lllt'fll olll 1\'J M.' ( :11Jit 1 ' ( CIJIC~ II~ Ill , l{t It )... \ 1llc' ft ~11). lhllthllg_ j)IIJI JI lei! olii i\'Jlt'' ul (~ l]]c •t IICll l: hO.OOI 1 r, m • llldlt 'I i,ll' II 0111 \ r, I ' I In I nn tl.IJ 1 t and pt.uu \ 'iHI"-''"" L\1. l.t•g,ll dt'J)(I...,i l t'IJ, lor li\·illg ™"' llldlt'lidl h\' l'.S. P.llt ' lll ollld TJcld t 'l llclfh..., I I[ !it l', :!. l'ti\,llt' hintt·t llnu!og~ · < tllll)lolllit'' :t \',Hioll' UIU\t'r...,i ltt '"' illt ht<IHlg: l 'CI .. \ . l'C Bcrhdt'\". Slctlllord. Yollt • In tcnnsoftbe ~nenal Agreement oo Tariffs and Trade (GATI), the United Sates is doing everything it an to make p<~tentingofall formsoflife a legal pall of tbc trade agreement Ifpassed as an intem>tional mandate, how will The fact that Indigenous representatives and organizations have not b«n consulted lndigenoos pcgple be able to hold governments, or included in the planningproecss thus(ar, instil1Jtions,corporationsaocountablewhensueh illustrntcs the patemalio;tic way in which tbc accountability will be regarded as a "barrier to projcct is being condUCled. Issues relating free trade?" to patentS, diversion of funds, access to II. STOR.\GE F.\('ll.ITIL~ gathered informalionandthe potentialtbreat ,\ \1 OIU.IIII \\1\ OF '11\.\' of biological warfare have yet to be addressed satisfactorily by project organizers. The idea is to create various "world banks" of DNA around the globe that woold include I. 0\1 WIN Ill' \\II P.\ TE\TS borh regional and natiortal storage facilities and It is a fact thai some products and pro- be accessible to government agencies, corporacesses f<'lated to extracted material will lions, foondatiom, and interested rescortbers. havesuhswllialcommercialvalue. Oncea In otbet words, tbc information will be made patent on material extr1aed from a buman available to an)'one who shows interest, ineludVOl. 7 NO. 3&4 In the context of genocide, marginalization, denial of traditional c:ulture practices, who is to say a govemmen~ with a history of awession toward Native populations and, in most ofthe eases, responsible for the it physical demise, will not take the readily accessible information and use it to eOOicate an "inuansigent" group or people? are sympathetic geneticists who fed that tbc feasibility of producing wgeted ethnic biological warfare makes the poosibility a long shot, but not oot of the question. Wbere are the controls? II. Ill\ l·. llSIO' 01- H \liS ' The exorbitant amoont of money necessary to imple~nt the project eoold be used to improve the present squalor that many of the targeted groups live in. In otbet "ords, tbe money eoold be spent oo helping the groups that are foc:ing "extinetioo"tooveteornC the various fortes that have placed them in this critical predicament so that tbcy an lead bcalthy, productive and self-directed lives now, rather than being recreated and "immonaliltd" in laboratories for future science projects. TilE Gl'.\ \'\Ill' \ '11-'\ 1'•.\ (;(.1\II'SE OF TilE Fl Tl llE (;0\E .\lillY \\OHSIII \RS( '0\11 I HL 'I· Despite tbe efforts of HGD Project organizers to make it appear be nip, equitable and absolutely necessary, the recent patent claim application on the cell line of a 26 year old Guayami woman from Panama, by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Roo 13 �Brown, illustrates tiM> underlying dangers and At the recent Second Continental Encoun- fused and anonymous makes monitoring even potential for the projec:tto get out of eonlrol. ter of Indigenous Nations, Organizations and more difficult. Thccballengc, then, is to make Collec~ed under dubious eircumslanees, the Peoples (CONIC), representing over 2,500 sure that research of!his nature stays transparwoman'secllline isbeingstoredattbeAmcri· communities and organizations throughout ent and accountable. canTypeOiiturcCollection(ATCC). Inquir- the Abya Yala eon tinen~ issued a resolution However grave the situation may seem, ies made by Isidro Acosta, President of the denouncing gcnomerescarcbandtheGuaynni positive and effective action can be taken by GuayamiGeneraiCongrcss, and Pat Mooney, patent claim. As infonnation aboullbe projec~ individuals. International pressure demand· Executive Director of RAA, about the cell reaches Native communities, opposition until ing !hat all types of related genetic research be line being repatriated to !he Guaymi conducted wilh clear, structured and people, have been met with ambigudirect involvement oflndigcnous or( :o"f .n1d i'"ullding: I !( il l I 'r 1;n ; I: 11 i 1, 1: I1\ t '·\ t 'd!' t 'lit )J\ 1"' t '\.j )( 't ted ous responses and lillie action. Thus, ganizations so lhatlhey arc an integral to< o:-;1 l>cl\\ I.'Cll ..._:..? ~ .~:1d ·;_-, Jlli!lio!l dfl~:.~: ..... !hecell line remains in the bands of the part of tiN> decision-making process, is L\;x·< tn! 11 1 ..;.. l :il!J~t- lruln Hl_IU) · 1.-,_U){ I !l~i ­ United States government and the vital. As tbe possibility for "a small lll.lll ...!l<'t illlt'll'"' \\t'J,I~~t·tcl],l! ( tl..._l Jlt 'f ~Hiljl]t· ATCC against tiN> wishes of tbe origi· number of corporations, universities, t.l:t.'...:.t'"' !1<1:11 ~~.1•1 l~l ,1"' Ju~~i1 .1~ ~::~xJ c~ · nat "owner." and govcmmcnrs owning life's genetic Curren:!\ ~cdi.lll.'~ !ll:Hiu~;..:. ~olH<('~ tro:n :- ~~~\· On a broader level, if the U.S. code,"(1) turns into reality, tiN> time to t'rtl!lH'll! ,l:~t'l\1 H ' "' ,lJJt! Jl!l\-, l:t· l4lli:Jti,tl:ll!l~. government manages to make tbe mobilize is now! tu nt1~:1:~ \\illrn•J..,l ~i!--;.d\ t~Jrll<' tf1J:!l tlw :\,li:<J:t. tl patenting of human material legal Sc:t'!Ht·h~o~tr:cl,ltl<l:J II<JjX'j...,\<ICJ)J:.IJ:J ...rJ:IH'<Jt underGAlT,disputingapatentclaim \\II\ T YOl" C.\\ JlO: \ lit ' IIIIJ!lt'\ gt.Jtl\t 'ti ]IJ l)j{' l!lll t l, lll (;t•:I<Jl!H" and repatriation would become !bat J•H iit't\ much more difticull To make mat· fi nd out who is doing research in II. I hull; Ill (it ·nonw Projt "< I L '\J)( ·ned 11 1ldl t c1.._: ters worse. tbere are reports of otbcr your area and bow it is being moni· ~:~ IJ:)!tfll\Hl IUIW.._lllt' grd!ll!llo:Jt"\" u ... t!~l:J\ .1!· possible patent claims on Navajo cell tored. Urge that indigenous orga.nizalul!t"d tor ..,t Lt'lllil:l l"t ''""t'dH 11 Fund1:l~ t ro:ll :lw lines as well as prodigious cell line tions be consulted, informed, and in· :\!II dtlt I I)( II: collection going on in Colombia. (6) volved during every phase of tbe Along with !he Guaymi eommu· projec~. for more information contact nity,lndigenous peoples and organizations as Indigenous organizations are properly con- Professor Henry Greely, Head of tbe North well as a growing number of concerned scien- sulted, informed, and directly involved, bas American Ethles Comminee at the following tisrs areverbalizingtheiroutrage. There have been !he resounding response. address: beenvariousresolutionsdenouncingtheHGD Project by first Nations. The Mataatua CO\CI.l SIO\ \\ll C \I. I. TO \CTIO\ DeclarationonCullural and lntellec:tual Property Rigbrs of Indigenous Peoples in June, At this poin~ the HGO Projec~ bas not Professor Henry T. Greely 1993, stated the following: received the substantial funding it requires to Professor of Law Call for an irnmed.iate halt to the ongoing be carried out and therefore bas the potential Stanford Law School 'Human Genome Diversity Projec:t' until irs of being stopped. However, before breathing Crown Quadrangle Stanford University moral, ethical, socio-econonnic, physical and easier, it is important to take a look beyond tiM> Stanford, CA 94305-8610 political implications have been thoroughly immediate situation. lftheHGD Projec~ does fax: 415.725.0235 discussed, understood and approved by In· not materialize in irs grandiose form, tbe e-mail: digenous peoples. possibility of genome researeh bceonning dif· Henry.Greely@I'Qrsythc.Standford.EDU j I. RAF1 Prm 8.deas<, "lndig<nou< P"'91e Pro<"' U.S. Sccttlal)' or Coolmer« Pa1cn1 Oaim on Guaymi Indian Cell Unc," IM5fl3 l Sud>cl, Gabrielle "Wo.kl W">dc Gene Study May Re,·<al Human H~IOI)'· s..nroro Obo<Mr, Juty-AugUSI 1993 .J:.-d., 3. RAF11bePanTh>l Feeds Us" ~ ~~ 4. RAF1 Coolmuniqut, "PaleniS, lndig<oous Peoples, and Human Groclie Oi,.rsily" M 1993 ay S. New Scicnlist, M 1993 ay l 6. RAFt COn<$(>ClCid<nc< wilh tsi<fto ACXIOU, S.pu:rnber 21, 1993 1. Wuelhrich. Btmi<» .,AJI Rjght:s Reserved, H lhe Gene·Patcnling Race is A.ffeding Sciertee,.. Scicnoe News, Vol 144- Septe--mber 4, 1993 ow 14 """)• Abya Yala News � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 7, nos. 3-4 (Fall/Winter 1993) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Gene Genie and Science's Thirst for Information with Indigenous Blood Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Daniela Spiwak Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall and Winter 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Gene Genie and Science's Thirst for Information with Indigenous Blood Item Type Journal Article Author Daniela Spiwak Volume 7 Issue 3,4 Pages 12-14 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Fall and Winter 1993 Language English Abstract Note Concerns about the impact of the Human Genome Diversity Project on Indigenous Peoples are raised. No indigenous representatives or organizations have been included in the planning of the project. Misuse of information gathered during the project has become a concern. Attachment Title Gene_Genie_And_Science's_Thirst_For_Information_With_Indigenous_Blood.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] CONIC Human Genome Diversity Project Human Genome Project Mataatua Declaration on Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/fbbb761959390b5a615a9b0deee03998.pdf 4f1205f1b4ea24f00c7f6842ee3c487e PDF Text Text PERSPECTIVES ON BIODIVERSITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Safeguarding Indigenous Knowledge: Intellectual Property Rights and the Search for a New Framework by Darrell A. Posey afeguarding 1raditional knowledge S :1nd biogenetic resources has become a ccntr1!1 struggle in the expression of Indigenous self-detCm1ination. V.lhitc il is a growing "''"''areness of dte scale of 1>ast and prcsem misap· propriation by science. industry and other commercial interests that has pro,. voked this concern, tr3ditional resoutces arc also increasingly sec1'l as the basis for greater political autonomy and economic self-sufficiency. lmcllecll!al Propert)' Rights. or IPR, has been proposed as a 1cgal ins1 nunem under which Indigenous peoples could seek protection for ki\Owledgc and resources. IPR developed as a western concept to protect individual, techno· logical and industrial invemions. The dangers lying within the IPR debate are well recognized b)' Indigenous peoples. Dr. D<zrrtll PO!<. has many ytar$' txptritncc )' working on IPR a11d biodi\'crsity issues. and is currtmly with tht WOrking Group on Tr·aditional Rtsoura Riglus al Lhe Oxford Centre fOJ· Envirunmcnl. ElhiC$. and Society at Oxford Un11·ersiry. Vol. 8 No.4 who, along wilh m~ny other researchers. a) Global funding for ex-plo itation: think that IPR is not an appropriate First. the Earth Summit (United N3tions mee:h3.nism to strengthen and empo,ver Conrercnce on Environment and troditional and Indigenous peoples. Development), held in Rio de Janeiro in The term Tradilional Resource June. 1992. dealt in large pan with how Rights. or TRR, has emerged from the biological diversity conservation could debate around IPR to describe a broader. be economically exploited through human-rights b:tsed concept composed biotechnological development. and of the "bundles of rights" taken from effectively highlighted the economic other international instruments and JX>tCntial of traditional knowledge and agreements (including IPR). TRR is a resources. The Convention on Biological £'irst attempt 10 define and idemify 10 Diversit)' which emerged from the what extent existing international cus· Summit calls for the study. use, and tomal)' law and practice c..1.n be used to application o( "traditional knowledge. defend Indigenous knowledge and bio- innov~tions. and pr:lClie:es." Its :lC<;orngenetic resources. and then to build panying document. Agenda 21. actually upon these "bundles" to achieve omlines funding priorities to implement Indigenous peoples' goals. Indigenous this process. As a result. considerable people will lead the process or develop- global funding will be directed toward ing this framework according to their the exploitation of Indigenous knowlspecific needs and pr11ctices. edge and biogenetic r~sources. b) BiOl>rospec ting: Second. an Biodiversity Prospecting and increasingly large number or companies Economic Activities are ..biodiversily prospecting--that is, To understand wh)' the safeguarding looking for biogenetic resources (plants, of knowledge has recently become a ~mimals, bactcritt, etc.), including major issue for Indigenous peoples. con- human genes. that can be used in the sider the following pointS: biotechnology industry. Quinine and 9 �PERSPECTIVES ON BIODIVERSITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY curare are familiar examples or this phe- nomcnOI'l, Never before. however. have there been so many companies and collecting organizations interested in those biogenetic resources that have been nur- tured. protected and even improved by Indigenous peoples. The Guajajara peo. pie or Brazil use a plant called Pl1il0<atpus jaJxmmdi to tr~at glaucoma. Although Brazil now cams $25 million a )1 ear from exporting the plant. the Guajajara have suffered from debt peon· age and slavery at the hands of agents or the companr hwolved in the trJ.de. Funhcrmore. Pilocarpus populations have nearly been ,,;ped out by ravenous. unsustainable collecting pracciccs. c) Economic possibilities for Indigenous peoples: Lastly. many Indigenous communhics need and are looking for economic altemati\'tS. In the tropics. there arc oflen few economic options other than timber exu-action, mining, and ranching. Yet. the tropical ecosystems are constantly touted as being one or the richest in biodiversity. \Vith a huge potentiaJ for cJiscoverie.s Of new medicines. foods. dyes. fertilizers. essences. oils, and molecules of prime biotechnological use. ln summary, the problem or knowledge and genetic resource exploitation nov.• experienced by Indigenous communities is only the stan or a huge aV'31anche. The Right to Say " NO," and Categories of Protection The first concern stated b>' Indigenous peoples in every imemation· al forum is their right not to sell. commoditize, or have expropriated cenain domains of knowledge :md ccrtai!'l sacred places. plants. animals. and objects. Subsequent decisions 10 sell. commoditize. or privmize are only pos-sible if this bas•c right c;~.n be exercised. At least nine categories o£ traditional resourccsllndigenous intellectual prop· Crt)' can be identifkd which a people or community may be concerned to pro· teet £rom mi.S<1pproprianon: l. Sacred properly (images. sounds. knowledge. 10 material culture. or anything that is deemed sacred}. 2. Knowledge or currem usc. previous usc. potential use of plam and animal species. as well as soils and minerals, kno\Vn to the ctthural group; 3. Knowledge of preparation, processing. storage or useful species; 4. Knowledge of formulations involving more than one ingredient: 5. Knowledge or individual species (planting methods. caring for. selection criteria. etc.}: 6. Knowledge of ecosystem conservation (that protects commercial value. although not specifically used for that purpose or other practical purposes by the local community or the culture); 7. Biogenetic rcsour<:es that originate (or originated) on indigenous lands and ter~ ritories~ 8. Cultural heritage (images. sounds. crafts. ans. perfonnances}; 9. Classificatory syStems of knowledge. Quite clearly. knowledge is a thread common to all t hesc categories. Many Indigenous groups have e.xpressed their desire that all or these be protected as pan of the larger need to protect land. territory. resources and to stimulate self· determination. Control over culu.lr:\1, scientific and irndlectual property is de facto self-determination-although only after rights to land and terriwry are secured by law and practice (i.e.. boundaries are recognized. protected. and guaranteed by law}. But. as many Indigenous peoples have discovered. even guaranteed demarcation of land and territory does not necessarily mean free access 10 the resources on that land or territory. nor the right to exercise their o v.rn cultures or even lO be com· pensated for the biogenetic resources that they have kept. conserved. managed. and molded for thous.1nds of > 'cars. The Search for an Alternative Framework: Starting points for a new system A wide range of imcmational agree· tnems, dedarations. and draft docu· ments have relevance £or building a newly designed S)'SLem to protect Traditional Resourc'C Rights. These are labor law: human rights laws and agreements: econo1nic and social agreements: intcllccmll propel'ty and plant variety protection: fanners' rights; erwironmen· tal conventions and law; religious free· dom acts; cultural propeny and cultural heritage; customaty law, and traditional practice. Highlights from each or these areas arc described below. Labor Law: IPR and ILO The International labor Organization (ILO) was the first UN organization to deal whh lndiger1ous issues. establishing a Comn1iuec of Experts on Native Wbor in 1926 to develop inter· national standards for the protection or native workers. In 195 7. the !LO pro· duced the Com•emion Conccmiug the PrOle:ction and lntc.:grarion of lndigenou$ and 01ltcr Tribal anti Semi-Tribal Populmians in Independent Countries (107). This was rewritten in 1987 as the Com•ention Cot~cembtg lndigetJ<ncs Peoples in Independent Cottnlrit.-s (Convention 169} with much or the original~ "inte· grationist l~nguagc" removed . The con· vc1nion's key <:omtibutiOrl is lO guaran· tee Indigenous peoples' rights to deter· mine and control their own economic, social and cultural developmcm. It also recognizes the collective ospcct or Indigenous possessions. which is of obvious importance to IPR issues. since collectivity is fundamental to transmis· sion. use and protection of traditional knowledge. Until now, Convention 169 has not been sufficiently used with implementation of IPR in mind. liuman Rights a1td lntellc<:t ual Property lmcrnational human rights laws offer some mechanisms for cuhurnl protec~ lion. The princ.•pal problem is thot these are oriented toward n:uion-statcs and do not easily "provide a basis for claims againsl multinational companies or indi· viduals who profit £rom traditional knowledge.• The 1948 Unive~·sal Dedararion of Human Righu 3_ d the n Abya Yala News �PERSPECTIVES ON BIODIVERSITY AND INTELLECTUAl PROPERTY Hundreds of potato varieties are grown and preserved by Andean peoples 1966 lnccr·natlomzl Ccwenmu on ECOtlOmic. Indigenous pc:oplts luwc: tht right ro tl1t Social tmtl Culrur'al Rights guarantee f1.111· t>rotc:ctlon and, wllerl: at'P'Otniatc, the damemal freedoms of personalintegrily re.ltabilitation of tltc rowl environment and and action; political rights: social and productive capacily of their lands ruul terti· economic rights: cuhuml rights and tories. and the rig1H lO tldequatt assisumce equal protection under the law. Within including irucmalio,lal cooperacicn to this this gu3rantcc is the right of self-deter- trul. mination. including the right to dispose It is dear that IPR should to be seen a.s of natural wealth and resources. This a basic Iutman riglu, worthy of incorporaalso implies the right to protect and con- tion in tht C<lmpaigns of lwman ,ights org:aserve -resources. including intellectu:.\.1 nit<tlions. property. Signincantl)• these human rights . Econon'lic and Social Agreements laws also protect the right to own co11ec· In 1972. the United Nations tive propeny. as well as guaranteeing the Economic and Social Council fonned a right to just and favorable remuneration special human rights Sub·Commission for work-which can be interpreted ns to Study the problem of discrimination work related 10 traditional knowledge. against Indigenous peoples. After releas· Finali)'. they provide for "recognition of ing a lengthy repon that found inadeinterest in scientific production. includ· quate protection of Indigenous peoples' ing the right to the protection of the rights whhin existing international moral and material interests resulting insrrumems. the Sub-Commission (rOO'l any scientific literary or anisliC released various resolutions recomproduction.· mending U>althe UN "Provide explicitly This language is echoed in the Draft for the role of Indigenous peoples as Dcdm·ation on tlte Rights of Indigenous resource users and managers, and ror Peoplc~s which states: the protection of Indigenous peoples' Vol. s No.4 right to comrol of their o'vn tmditional knowledge of ecosystems." It also requested the Secretary-General to prepare a concise report on the c.xtcm to which existing imernational standards and me<:h:misms serve Indigenous people in the protection of Lheir intellectual property. The human righlS commission has played an important role in pressuring other UN agencies to take action through these calls for protection of. and protection for. Indigenous peoples' IPR. Folklore and Plant Variety Protection The U n iu~d Nations Educational. Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) should be a logical forum for IPR discussion: yet, while UNESCO hns heard "petitions" of complaints by native peoples related to the fields of education. sde.nce. culture and inronnation, Indigenous questions remain marginal 10 UNf:SCOs agenda. The World lntellccwal Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva has 123 member states that have reached 11 �PERSPECTIVES ON B IODIVERSITY AND IHTELLECTUALc..P ~::;P E RTY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ~~ :..cRO :.,::,:::.:.!..... tions or ~rarmers' rights• and '"breeders! gested that IPR is essentially a question rights" have been extensively debated in of religious freedom for indigenous peothis context . In 1987 FAO established a ples. ..- uch o£ what they \VC\I'lt tO COO\· M fund for pL1m genetic resources. with mercialize is sacred to us. \Ve see imel· the idea that seed producers would vol- lectual property as pan or our cultureuntarily contribute according to the vol- it eannot be separated into categories as ume of their seed sales in order to I\Vestcml lawyei'S would wam."' Pauline r finance projeCtS for SUStainable USC of ·- angipoa, a Maori leader, agrees: plant genetic resources in the Third "Indigenous peoples do not li•nit their ~'or1d. Unfortunately, major seed pro· religions to buildings, but rather see the du~rs like the USA opposed mandatory s.'cred in all life." Exploitation and Other Pr<judicial Actions, which recognized individual and <:ollec· contributions to the fund. and il has Cultural Property ti"e folklore tr.1ditions. Though ne"er turned out to be totally inadequate. ratified. these provisions-backed up by In re~m )'ears, Indigenous peoples Etwironmental law: life after the have been incre-asingly successful in criminal pena1L1cs-proposcd prote(tion Earth Summit reclaiming the tangible aspects or their of folklore. including material which has not been written down. ·rheir secon.d The Rio Decl<lralion which emergtd cultures. or •cultural property." from important contribmion was to provide from the Earth Summit highl.ighted the museums aod institutions. This tenn for copyright protection or folkloric per- central importance Indigenous peoples has yet to be clearly defined, but has formances. have in attaining suStainable develoP" come to refer tO C\'erything from objects Within W IPO's jurisdiction, the ment. The Summits legally binding of an to archaeological anifacts, trndi· Union ror the ProtecLion of new V.1rieties "Convention on Biological Diversity"' donal music and dance:. and sacred sites. of Plants provides protect ion to breeders (CBD) does not explicitly recognize IPR The concept of ·cultural heritage· has of new plant varieties that are "'clearly for Indigenous peoples. but its language aJ)I>earcd as a related "legal instn.nnem .. distinguishable," suficiemly homoge- can easily be interpreted to call for such to link knowledge and information to neous.'" and "'stable in essential charac· protection. Following effective lobbying the cultural anifact, and has been used lCriSlicS.,. by Indigenous organizations. signatories successfully as a legal tool in Australia. The critical factor here is to link folk- to the Convention have pledged to: lore and plant genetic resources with respect. presen1e and maintain knowl ~ Customary Law and Traditional intellectual property. his this complicat- edge, innovations. and practices of Practice During inrormal hearings ror the ed legal linkage that allows for expan- Indigenous and local communities sion of the concept of IPR to include tra- embodying traditional lifestyles relevant 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. ditional knowledge. not only about for the conservalion and sustainable use Indigenous representatives pointed out species use.. but also about species man· of biological diversity, and to promote several basic problems with the conagcmcnt. Thus. ecosystems that Me their wider applic:uion with the ceptS of intelleCtual and euhural propermolded or modified by a human pres- approval and involvement of the holders ty: I) The di,osions between cuhural, ence are a product of Indigenous intel- of such knowledge. innovations and intellectual. and ph)rsical propeny are lectual property as well, and. conse- practices as well as to encourage the. not as distinct and mutually exclusive quently, are products themselves-or equitable sharing of the benefits arising for Indigenous peoples as in the Westem offer products-that are protectable. from the use of such knowledge. inno- legal system. 2) Knowledge generally is Furthermore. "'wild .....semi-domesticat· vations and practices. Agenda 21. which communally held. and. a.lthough some ed" (or "semi-wild"). and domesticated accompanies the Convention. specifical- specialized knowledge may be held by plant and animal species are products of ly includes Indigenous peoples and tra- cenain ritual or society specialists (such human activity and should also be pro- ditional knowledge in its "priorities for as shamans). this does not give the SJ>e· action"' toward sustainable develop ~ dalists the right to privatize communal tectable. heritage. 3) Even if legal IPR regimes ment. Fannc·rs· Rights and the FAO were put in place. most Indigenous The UN Food and Agriculture Religious Freedom comnmnities ,.,,ould not have: the finan· In a seminar on IPR at the United cial means to implemem. enforce. or litOrganization (FAO) has worked to find ways for developing countries and Nations Human Rights Con\'entiOI'l i1'l igate them. It was clear that under some ..Third \\'orld rarmers'" to get a share in Vienna, June. 1993. Ray Apoaka of the drrnmstances commercialization or . the huge global seed market. The ques· Nonh American Indian Congress sug- knowledge and plam genetic resoun.-es continued on pg. 37 broo1d agreements on the terms .;indus· trial property' and · copyright." Ho\vevcr. wilhin the \Vli>O framework Indigenous IPR. as cotleclive propeny. would be considered folklore and not protcctable. In 1984. however, UNESCO and WI f>O developed Model Previsions fer Natiorwl Laws on the Proccction of Exi>rcssions cf Foll1lcr< Against Illicit 12 IV>-(a Yala News �CONT I N U ED Biodiversity, Community Integrity and the Second Colonialist Wave Guatemala Peace Talks < Continued from pg.12) <Continued from pg.26) mighr be desirable. bm rhe prime desire f<>r Indigenous peoples was an IPR regime that suppons their righl to s.1y '"NOM to privatization and commercial· iu uion. Indigenous delcgares mcering in Rio de Janeiro released rhe Kari·O.:a Dttlamrion and ln<lig<nous Peoples' Earrh Charter. Clause 95 Slates d>at "Indigenous wisdom musr be reoognized and cnoour· aged." but warns in Clause 99 thar "Usurping of traditional medicines and knowledge from Indigenous peoples should be considered a crime against peoples." Clause I 02 of rhe Kari·<Xa to discuss rhc evolving IPR debate. During the 1993 UN Year for the Worlds Indigenous Peoples. intellectual and cultural property righiS were on the agenda of ne.1rly every major Indigenous encounter. One of the most lacking areas of IPR research is that or non·western IPR regimes. Up to now. the debate has centered around UN and \Vestem concepts of intellectual and genetic property. But whar abom the property rxgimcs of Indigenous peoples themselves? A syn· thesis and :\nalysis of non-Western S)'$tems would be very helpful in finding cre:uive solutions to IPR protection. Declaration is e.xplicit about indigenous peoples' concern on IPR issues: As creators & carriers of civllizar!ons Conclusion \\·hich have given & conlirwc ro sJwrt It is fundamental that IPR/TRR lmowltdgc, experience & values with should nor be used simp!)• 10 reduce tra· humanity, we n::quht that our rig'u to intc:l· ditional knowledge into Western legal · kcttwl & cultural t>roperties be guarameed and conccprual frameworks: Indigenous & that the mechanism for racl1 implemrn· legal systems and conccprs of property ration l>t in favor of our p<oplrs & srudied righiS should guide the debate. The role in depth & imt'ltmcnU<L This respect must of scicmists, scholars and law)'ers lndude the right over gttiClit raourtt."S, should be to provide informarion and gtlle banks. biorechrwlogy & knowledge of ideas; it will be Indigenous and rradibiodivCI">ily programs. rional peoples rhemsclves who will. in Since the Earth Summir. dozens of man>' different ways. define Tradhionll conferences, seminars and workshops Resource Righrs rhrough practice and ha,·e been held by Indigenous peoples experimentation. VOi:SNo. 4 ator to work with both panies. On January 4. 1995. Siglo Veinliuno reponed that President Ramiro de Leon plans to sign a peace agreement on Februar>' 24. The more direct intervention of rhe UN Secretar)' General appe~rs to be producing results. but it remains to be seen. It is interesting to note that neither Lhe Government nor the URNG has clearl>' presented its respective posilion to the Maya community or to the Guatemalan populace. Each of the tWO seem to have used the Maya comnnmily as a pretext to drag out the process toward a peace that didn'l sui! either one. In times of peace. you cannot justif)' the e.xistence of a repressive military. nor of a radical guerrilla movcmenl. That is why we must contin\IC to rcasscn the final words of Se<:rctary General Ghali : "The participants in the Guatemalan pe-ace process must. renew their commiuncut to a dynamic negota· tion that provides clear direcuon towards a quick and just resolution lO the conflict." Along wirh Mr. Ghali. the Maya. the principal-and numerous-vic· tims of this conflict, request ..a jltSt resolution" for themselves, for their children and for Guatemala. 37 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 8, no. 4 (Winter 1994) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Safeguarding Indigenous Knowledge: Intellectual Property Rights and the Search for a New Framework Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Darrell A. Posey Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1994 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Safeguarding Indigenous Knowledge: Intellectual Property Rights and the Search for a New Framework Item Type Journal Article Author Darrell A. Posey Volume 8 Issue 4 Pages 9-12, 37 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date 1994 Language English Abstract Note Safeguarding traditional knowledge and biogenetic materials has become a major issue among indigenous peoples. The article explores what is at stake for indigenous communities as well as possible frameworks for protecting resources and knowledge. Attachment Title Safe_guarding_indigenous_knowledge.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Bioprospecting Intellectual Property Rights Traditional Resource Rights https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/0cbf9c0e9e62055028489b82ced8e624.pdf 2f994b26b83ffa990d5154782a93a883 PDF Text Text PERSPECTIVES ON B IODIVERSITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY The Human Genome Diversity Project: Implications for Indigenous Peoples We reported on the Human Genome Diversity Project in Abya Yala 's Dec. 1994 issue. Indigenous opposition to the project has been growing since that time. and the project has yet to respond ade· quately to fundamental ethical problems such as those raised in this article. By Debra Harry he HUinan Genome Diversity Project (HGD Project) proposes to collect blood and 1issue so1m · pies from hundreds of different Indigenous groups worldwide for T gcnc1ic swdy. On the assumption 1hat these groups are headed for extinction, sc-ientists :ue rushing to gather DNA somples before they disoppe•r. Then, Issues of Concern HGO Project sciemists claim to be searching ror answers to questions about human evolution. However, Indigenous peoples already possess strong beliefs and knowledge regarding their creation and hiStories: funhemlore. this is not a ptiotity concern for Indigenous people. The HGD Projects assumptions that the they say. ;u least the human genetic diversity will be prcser:vcd in gene banks as "'immortalized cell lines." BUl why the tremendous interest in sa\ring the genes of Indigenous people •nd not the people themselves? Who rc311y populations will be "discovered" and sdemilkally •answered" is insuhing to groups who already ha\'Cstrong cuhural beliefs regording their origins. What will be the ilnpact or a scientific theory stands to benefit from this endeavor? of evolution and migration that is ami· What •rc the dangers and long-term implications of biotechnology and genetic engineering? These are ques· tions Indigenous people must ask them· selves tn order w protect their interests in lite face or such a mysterious and well-funded cffon. thetical to an ln<ligenous groups com· mon beliefs? Will these new theories be used to challenge aboriginal territorial cl•ims, or rights to l•nd? Debra Harry is a Paitde Indian from Ntmda, USA. Sl1e is n:scarchirtg ISS!(f.S rdatrd lo IPR •nd the HGD Proj<Cl. Vol.8 No. 4 origins and/or migrations of Indigenous Medical Benefits? The often repeated claim that med· ical applications will be developed to tre•t diseases sulfered by Indigenous peoples is a complete misrepresemation of the Project. •nd scn•es to coerce the participation of subj~ts based on the false hope for medical n>ir:~cles. The Project's mandate is simply to collect. database. and maintain genetic samples Md dma, not to develop medic•! appli· C.3tions. The HGD Project will make the genelic samples available to "the pub· lie ... However, it is not clear who will have access to the data and actual genetic samples. It appears that the HGD Project will maintain an open· access policy. This me<~ns th3t once genetic ma1erials are stored in gene banks. they will be available in perpe· tuity. with minimal control. to anyone requesting access. Scientists need only demonstr:\te the validity of thei r scien· tific research in order to gain access to the samples. Medical applications are in fact likely 10 result from the eventual research. manipulation. and commercialization or the genetic materials. But they will mosl likely come in the form of pharmaceuticals or expensive genetic therapy techniques. Possible benefits ";II go only to those who can 13 �PERSPECTIVES ON BIODIVERSITY AND INTELLECTUAl PROPERTY afford the high costs of such treat · ments. The proposition that medical bene· fits will result from genetic &'tmpling is further suspect since no aspect of the project will take imo account the role that existing and historical socio-eco· nomic or environmental conditions play in the health of lndigcnoll5 com· munitics. lf an Indigenous popuhuion were interested in researching a genetic ques· tion spec,ific to their group. they would not need the HGD Project to do so. Genetic research te<:hnology and cxper· Since 1980: .. there has been a disturbing trend in US patent law that extends patent protec· tion to life forms. tise is widely available. The enticement of potential medical benefits is an empty promise which will be used to gain access to communities for the collection of samples. Commercialization. Ownership and Intellectual Property Rights The HGD Project l'l!iscs inevitable questions regarding both ownership of the genetic samples themselves and who stands to profit from the commcrcializa.. tion of products derived from the sam~ pies. The Proje<:t puts Indigenous peoples' most fundamental property-their own genes-in the hands of anyone who wants to experiment with them. In dotng so. the Project opens the door to widespread commcrci31ization and potential misuse of the samples and data. The Project will enable "bioprospectors" to stake legal claims on the natural genetic resource base of Indigenous pe:o· 14 pies. Some of those claims will strike it rich, in the fom> of profitable patents. As in the case of future medical applications. the d irect benefits from the HGD gene banks will go to those who can arTord 10 invest in research , manipulation and commercialization of the genetic data. Patent law will be the primary vehicle which enables scientists to secure exclusive rights to the genetic samples. Patent laws gl'llnt a limited propcrt)' right to the patent holder and exclude others from using the patented item for a specific period of time. usually for n 17 -yeaq>eriod. Patenting Human Genes Since 1980. when the US Supreme Coun ruled that the creation of an oil· t..1.ting microbe ls patemable. there has been a disturbing trend in US patent law that extends patent protection to life forms. Since then, the US Patent and Trademork Office ( PTO) has granted patents for newly created micro-organ .. isms, living animals. and for human tiS· sues and genes, b reaking the longstanding policy thm animate life forms were not patentable. The National Institutes of Health. and others. ha,,e secured patent rights for fl'llgmcnted gene sequences. many with unknown function and physical significance. This lrend has enabled research inslitutions and corporations to secure patents for almost 5% of the entire human genome, and has spurred a ntsh for o'vnership of the remaining 95% of the human genome. Does anyone have the right to own a life form or to commodify parts of the human body> While many debate the ethical and mol'lll implia.tions or patenting life fonns, in 1993 US Secretary of Commerce Ron Bro"" filed a patent claim on the cell line of a 26-year-<>ld Guayami woman from Panarna. Her ceH line was of interest because some Guaya.mi people carry a unique \~rus, and their antibodies may prove useful in AIDS and leukemia research. Fortunately, intetnational protest and action by the Guaymi General Congress and others led to the withdrawal of the patent claim by the US Secretary of Commerce in November 1993. Patent claims have also been filed by the Secretary of Commerce for the cell lines of Indigenous people from the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands Government has demanded withdrawal of the patent applications and repatriation of the genetic samples. citing ar1 invasiort of sovereignty, lack of informed consent. and moral grounds as the reasons for protest. In early March. Secretary Ron Bro\llfl rejected these requests. stating that .. there is no provision for considel'lltions related to the source of the cells that ma)' be the subject of a patent application." In other words, according to existing patent lav..•, the source of a genetic sam· pie is irrelevant. Indigenous people must be aware that it may be extremely difficult or impossible to recover or reparriate sam· pies of our blood, tissues. or body pans, once lhty arc remo·ved from our bodies and stored elsewhere. In 1984 john Moore filed a lawsuit claiming that his blood cells were misappropriated while he was undergoing trearmem for leuken'tia at the University of Califomia. los Angeles Medical Center. During his trealmem. Moore~ doctor developed a cell line which proved '"'luable in fighting bacteria and cancer. The UCLA Board of Regents r.led a patent claim on this cell line from which they developed commercially valuable antibacterial and cancer-fighting ph3rmaceuticals. Moore claimed that he ' v:IS emltled to share in pror.ts derived from commercial uses of Abya Ya.a News l �PERSPECTIVES ON B IODI VERSITY AND I NTELLECTUAL PROPERTY these cells ~nd any other products resulting from reseateh on any of his biological materials. In a significant l990 California Supreme Coun deci· sion. the court established that '"donors· do not have an IPR property right in the tissues removed from their body (6). genes. Sample Collection seems like sc.ience fiction to many peo- The HGD Project will seek the conscm of the individuals and populations to be sampled. Questions of what con- ple. it is a reality. Through genetic engineering, scientists are capable of reprogramming the genetic codes of living stiuncs '"infomled consem" ~md how it will be secured remain to be answered. The HGD Project has secured a gram things to meet societtd or economic goals. Transgenic experiments can rni.x pJam genome with that of animals. and human genome with that of plams or animals. The ethical and legal questions prillls· cf living organisms. C- rle technofo· c gy ma,~cs it possible tc isofatt, s-plfct. insert, rearrar1ge, r-ecombiru: aJUI mass-r·ep!Q{II~Cc placemal tissues as sources for genetic samples? How will the project be explained in the local language? Will the full scope of the project and the short· Vol. 8 No.4 about the full scope or this project and the potcmial dangers of genedc manipulation before they decide whether to participate. It is impermive that our communities become fully aware of the Projects implications and begin documenting proposed or current sample According to existing patent law. the source of a genetic sample is irrelevant. collecting. 'Vlc need to form an interna.. Nonetheless, this area remains vinually tiona! Indigenous research group to unregulated. determine the e.xtent of existing interna· tional protec,tions for human materials. While the HGD Project itself does not plan to do genetic engineering. no safeguards exist t.o prevent others from doing so with the HGD genetic s.1mples. Genetic manipulation mises serious ethical and moral concems for Indigenous peoples. for whom any vi<r lation or the natural order of life is abhorrently wrong. Scientists are genet· ically manipulating existing life fonns. altering dte course of natural evolution, and creating new life forms. Genes are living organisms which reproduce. migmte and mutate. The full implications or genetically altered life forms released imo the envirol'tmem cannot possibly be anticipated. tlal uses or the samples be fully dis- Recommendations Indigenous organizations need to closed? \\r,ll donors be fully informed of the potential for pro£hs that may be alert all Indigenous peoples to the work made from their genetic samples? of the Human Genome Organiz.atfon (the body governing the HGDP) in order \Vith ger~t: lic engineer-ing ca.lmology today. it is P"Ssiblc to manlpulatt the 'bh•e· genetic materials that raised by genetic engineering technolo- gy are nurncrous and unanswered. a.nd long·term implications and poten· Other Potential for Misuse Ml)' community education ax'ld discussiOt\ -Andrew Kimbrell, The Human 8ody Shop. 1994. Though genetic engineering still from the J.D. ~nd C .T. MacArthur Foundation (despite the expressed opposition of Native leaders) in order to develop a model protocol for the collection of genetic samples from lndigenous groups. The concept of "informed consem· rniscs m3ny unanswered questions in the minds of Indigenous peoples, such as: Who is authorized to give consent? Should consent be required only by the individual being sampled, or also include the governing body of that par· ticular tndigenous nation? C.."\n consent be granted by government o!ftcials or the nation-state in which Lhe Indigenous nation is located? How will permission be obtained for collection o£ samples from the deod, or for use or fetal and reclaiming have already been taken. Indigenous people must engage in and to develop additional policies which insure the protection of our imellecLUal. cultural and biological propeny rights. Indigenous people must call for a world-wide mor3torium on the collec· tion, datab:~sing. transformation. and commercialization of cell lines and genetic materials of Indigenous peoples umil international standards and regulation are put into place which fully pro· teet the environment and the interests of Indigenous peoples. For Mort lnf()rmation Omrace Debra Harry, P. 0 . Box 72, Nixon, Nt:\'ada 89~24. 002) 574·0309 tmail: /)(bra_Narl)•@Togc:ther.org or dharry@igCAJX:.OI); jcanncut Atmstrc>ng. En'ow- in Ctnue, 257 k 8fi.UI.SWici.: Sttetl. Pt:nlteton. BC V2A l n materials by this project, or by free-lance (604) 493-7181 RAFl·Canada. (Rural Ad\'at~Ccmtm Fowtdation tncemalfonal), Suite 504-7 J Bank Sl'""· Oua..·a. Onwrio KIP 5N2. (613) 567· scientists. and to assist groups in 6880 lO pre,·ent the taking of their genetic 15 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 8, no. 4 (Winter 1994) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Human Genome Diversity Project: Implications for Indigenous Peoples Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Debra Harry Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1994 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title The Human Genome Diversity Project: Implications for Indigenous Peoples Item Type Journal Article Author Debra Harry Volume 8 Issue 4 Pages 13-15 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date 1994 Language English Abstract Note The Human Genome Diversity Project seeks to collect genetic information from indigenous peoples across the globe. Indigenous communities should be hesitant to comply, given the potential for misuse and exploitation. Attachment Title The_human_genome_diversity_project.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Genetics Human Genome Diversity Project Intellectual Property Rights Patent Law https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/53553da7dc1da9f77d52bd71046f4b3f.pdf 2e9c9d9c9c30aa503204664821401a49 PDF Text Text H uM ... N The Nightma re and Hope for Tomorrow ·Acual is the symbol of a "·ar of txtermina· t1on. tht true government rt)ponsc to the JUSl demands of the lndtgcnous p<opl-. of Mcxt<o. But A(ualls al.io the symbol of the Slruggle of'"" tfforu thor of rhe government "hieh seeM to mol:c 1mpunU)' and fory,tifulntsS rnumph. and rhar of cinl S«i<1)\ \<ht<h dtmar.ds !rut JUSilC< and rtfusc.; ro fory,tt rht worsr cnmt of tht IGSl 30 year$. And rhe sr~lt for mtmory and justice is the $l'14~1e for o JUSl pta<c... -Commtmlq11t from rht Qand<Sline Rt\'Oiutlonary lndiJ:cnou.s Commitrtt- Ccnual Command of rllc Zot>arista Army of NCttional Ubct·atfon, ]antwry 12, 1998 hesc words from a recent ZapatiSl3 l"OnununiCIU~ succmc-tly sum up the snu:ulon tn Ch1:\pas smce the Oeccmb<r 22. 1997 n13SS.1Cre of 45 Tzotzal Indtans m the vdbge of Acteal. \Vhat 1s clear from tht)t few lmes. and r«cnt eVJden«. as tlut the rNSS3Cre at Acteal "-'35 not an asolated UlCtdcnt. nor was u tht product or Inter-community confltct 3S the Mcxtcan go\'tmment would hkc us to behevt It was a cartrul· ly planned act .xccut«l by the htred gunmen or loco I PRl bosses. and tn complicity wnh Statt and even redtral authonues. Df:spne all thetr rhttonc. the Mex1can government cannot htdc the truth that ActC31 was the outgrowth of a larger framework or VIOlence :tnd terror created by the more than 60.000 Mextcan troops m Chiapas. and by government sponsored p.ummluary groups who have acted wnh tmpumty for more th~n 3 years. The sole tnttntton of ahe Mexu:an go,•ern· ment~ comp.11g11 stnce 1994 has been to repress lnd1genous proples and their nghtS 3nd hopes for~ new Mex,co. T has the terror and ""ll!ary smmglehold Ot'l the communlllcs II\ Clu:lpas ceased. The Mexican go\'emmcm~ low•lntensny war that has already cr,umed the lwcs or more than 1500 people smcc 1994. continues. Thtny-thrte ZapauSta commumties M\'t born the brunt o! at I<>St 44 anntd and tll<g.d tncurs•ons by fed<ral troops Stncc Oc<:<mb<r 22nd In all o! these ClSCS, soldten. ransa<:ked homes lookmg for we>pons. tnt<rrog,n«l and t\"t.n tonurtd some n:stdtnts m thtu search lor the Zap.lnsla l<>dtrshtp and msurgen1s. On january 121h, Stal< Secunly pohcc opened fire on pro1es1ers in O<:osmgo. ktlhng a 25 year old Indigenous wom:m and wounding her baby. In addnion 1hrcc Z.tpanS<a sympathizers were found hung weeks truer. For all the government rhetonc rcgordin,g the effotts 10 bring the gulhy of t1c1eal 10 JUStice. one must ask why the federal annr ins1.sts upon terronzlng lnd1genous com· mumues under the pretext or lookulg ror weapons. when the pro-government p.lr.lmthtary groups •nd 1he MeX1C3n mtlitary rernam rrtt and art :.'lllowtd to conduet the bUSIOCSS of dtny lOW·InltOSH)' war as usual The answer lS clcar-wh1le the Me.A1c.tn go,·emment talks peace n makes war. h makes war becaust 1t can not and wt11 no1 implement the San Andrts AgreementS on lndtgenous R•ghts and Cuhure. These unfulfilled p<ace accords. stgned by both 1he ZapatiStas and the Fcdernl government in 1996, pose :\ tremendous thrc~t and contradiction to the Ctlrrcnt reality of power and economic glob.1hzation in Mexico under the PRI The unplementa· tion or the San Andres Agrtements, the product of the dtaloguc and consensus or repr<sentanves o! th< filly-siX dt!ftrenl lndtgenous nattOrb 111 Mcxtco and the ZapouSias. would gwe rhe more than 12 Despite the SlltnCt o£ m~tn.SU'eam mtlhon lndlg<nas tn MtXtCO th< nght to mtdta OU!Stdt of Mtx>OO, the blood o! the stl£..dettrmmauon and autonom>' 1t lndtgtnous has not Slopped flowmg. nor ''"'Ould rcp~m a histone :md unprttt· Vol. 11 No.1 R I GHTS dented step tO\varcls redeOmng the rela· tionship o£ the Mexican st:ltC tO lnd1an p<opl<s, and would gl\'t lndtan p<oples the right to implement their own ronns of sel!-govcrn>nce. Such ngh1s would in<,,tably l<ad to brooder p.lntctpauon o! Indians peoples m the pohctes trot o!f«:t then commumues The agrtcments would also gtve lndtan peoples the nght to control thetr londs and the resourc<s wtthin them, as wtll as tht nght to rttam and nunurt d'l-(tr dt\'trse cuhurts. htst().. nos and languages Fmally 11 would optn the door 10 broadn and more profound changes wnhm the nauon :lS n whole and allow lor the posslbtll!y or a new MeXICO, in pannerslup with the Indigenous and all Mexican p<oples. The San Andres Agrccmenas were designed to tmd the conunuecl oppression. m.arginaliz.a1ion and exploitauon o£ Indigenous peoples that colontz.auon brought to the Amcncas Vet tt as clc:ar that the Mcxtcan go"cmmcnt has 100 much 10 lose by 3Cknowl<dgmg the l<gHnnacy or the Zap.1nsw dcnunds !or a It!• o£ dignity tn Mtxlc:o-land, housmg. work. rood, cducatton, hcahh t:art, 3UIOnomy. democrncy. hb<ny. JUSitc< and peace first it would bt an admiSSIOn that neoliberal econom1c pohcu:s. cochfied m NAFTA, have not htlped the extreme lev.. cis or poveny and m•sery s~tf!cred by the majority in Mextco. Secondly. the Mexican govemment would jeopardtze its a.bility and access to str:ncgic u:nurnl resources within nch lndtgcnous lands, such as those In Cluapas for example, Chiapan otl accounts for 81 2% or Mexico~ crude expons. 68 6% of tts petroleum dt:n\':.tllVtS and 90.6~ or HS p<trochemtcals Chtapas also produces 55% of MeJ,,cos hydroelc<trletly and COntains 2()% o( ll.S biO-(h\'CT)Ity tn the Lacandon JUngle. Fnully, to Justly mt<t th< demands or th< lndtgcnous peoplos v.:ould not mean makmg mmor adjust• Conttnu< on pagt JS 27 �S A I I C C...tonucd from pagt 26 damc:nsaons amo enVIronmental tmpact assessment processes of research msulutts, mululatcral institutions, go,•ernmcms, etc. 6. Dc\'elop standards and guidelines for the protection. maintenance nnd developmen1 of mdigcnous knowledge. whtch a) faclluate the development o£ SUI gcncns S)'Stems of protecuon for lndagcnous knowledge accordang to mdagcnou.s customary laws. \'alues and world VIew b) reeognize the concept of the collecuve rights of lndtgenous Peoples and mcorporate this in all nauonal nnd mternational lcgislauon c) take into account :md incorporate cx1stmg Indigenous Peoples' politkal ond !ego! systems :md Indigenous Peoples' cuswmary usc or resources d) recogmzc tr.tdluonal agnculturol systems or lndagcnous People> e) mvolve Indigenous Peoples In th< dtvelopment of research gutdehn.s and standards 7 De,·elop standards and gutddmes for the prevention of biopiracy, the mon· 11onng of b•oprospecting and access 10 genetic resources: a) affec1 a momwrium on all bioprospecling and/or collecuon or biologtcal n13terial,s in the territoncs or lndtgcnous Peoples and protected Mtas and patenung based on these collecuons unul acceptable su1 ·generis S)'Stems arc cstabhshed b) affect a mor.uonum on th< rcg>5<enng of knowledge c) rcrogmze the nghts of lnd•genous Peoples' to acccS> and repatnote genetic matenals held tn all ex-suu collecuons. such as gene banks. herbanums and botamcal gardens. 8. Ensure the sharing of the benc01s derived from the use o f indigenous knowledge includes other rights. obhga· uons and responsibilities such as land nghts and the mamtenance or lndtgenous cultul't's co faethtate the transmtSS•on of knowltdgt. mOO\oauons. pracutt.s and values to future generations. 9 Ensure that rtlevant pi'0\'1SIOns or tmernauonal mechanisms and agrte· mcms of dtrcct relevance to the tmplc· mcmation or :tntcle Sj. and rehued al'tt· clcs. such "' 1he Trnde Related lnlellectual Propeny agreement of the World Trnde Organization. the European Union dtrecuve on the patenung of hfc forms. the Human Genome Otvtrsuy Vol. 11 No.1 ProJect. the Hu.man Genome Dechrnuon of the UNESCO. the FAO Comm1sston on PJam Genetic Resources and national and regional intellectual 1>ropeny ngh1s legislation under development, 1 ncorpo· rote the rights and concerns of lndtgenous Ptoples as cxpreS>ed u1 the ILO Convention 169, the Draft Dechrauon on the RightS of lndtg<nous Peopl.s. th< Kan Ocl Declarauon. th< Mawtua Dtt:larauon. the Santa Cnaz Declarauon, th< Len= Declar:tnon ond Plan of Amon, the Treaty for a Life Forms Patent Free Paciflc and prtV1ous Slate· mtntS of Indigenous forums COIWtned :U prev1ous CBD/COP and mterscss1onal meenngs. 10. Provide material "nd non·matcri· al suppon mechamsms and mcenuvcs to lndtgenous Peoples for cap.1<1ty butldtng m1ttaU\'CS towards· a) the de,'tlopmcnt of SUI genens S)"Sltms based on andagcnous customary la"'s for the prot«uon and promouon of lndtgcno~ knowledge. mno,•J.ttons and practtces b) m.s.tttuuonal strengthening and negonoung eapacny c) local!)• controlled pohcy. research and development strategies and acttvlllts for the maintenance and development of Indigenous knowledge 11 Require the rcvualtz.uton and numtcnance o£ Jnd1gcnous 13ngu.agts as pan or the implementation or antcle 8j and r<loted anicles and suppon the de,·elopmtnl of cdutall(mal S)'Stems b;osed on mdig<nous valuts and world \'ltW, mcludmg lhC CStabhshmtlll Of :m lndtgenous uni,•ersny. 12. Require that research and devel· opment activities in the reahn or lndtgcnous Peoples' knowledge. practtccs tmd mnovation systems arc gl\'en 1he s:tmc financial and pohcy support :as •for· nul scacnufte• research and development l(IIYltlts. 13. PrO\ide matenal and non·maltn· a.ltnctmh·es for mamtammg and enhanc· tng biodivcrsit)1, indu~mg l:md nghts and the recognition of acluc\'ements by lndtgcnous Peoples in protcctmg btO<h· ve rslt y. '!I C...tmutd from page 2i mentS and rdorrns 10 1he Mexican State. rather n would be admmmg that what. is needed is a rndtcJI tr.msfonnntion to the corrupt structures or J>OWCr in Mexico that have been dommatcd by the more than 70 y<•or old PRI dicLatorship. It would mean allowmg for not onl)f the Zapaustas. but all of Mcx1can ctv1l soct· ety to have the nght to trnnsfonn the government mto $0mcthmg that would go\'em by obeymg the needs and consensus of the MeX1<3n people, rath<r than conunue to be medtator or due global busmes.s mtcrtsts and an msa.ru· mem of repress1on Unfortunately Mextco acts with the reassurances or its tr..dc panncrs, the United States and Canada. The only 1hing standmg In the way o£ Mexico's unacceptable pol•cy towards Indigenous pcopl.s IS ciVll SO<tety both m Mexico and globally Cl\11 SO<ltty through both tts pohtical "111 and ~IOns an put an end to Lht> gtnoctdal war. The Indigenous people art clear that the solutiO!\ wall come from nowhere else. nor can they do It alone. "'Nenher peace nor JUstice w1ll come from the govern· mem. They wtll come from civil society. from its a muauves. from us mobiliza· tions. To her. to )'OU, we sptak toda):''tl er,.t;l fdoiJcri is o ..... olIN,...,. K ,0, ;ti;o. r.ds f:t t:lt K :1iol<l( - l o t o.-<q ialli.Oco. SO. «:tlifd t:lt Ulitlnilyol !osuxia ~ ~ riett t:lt c ...P,Jtl loll ol«..tfon ia Hisl«y o o :J - . ; , SociolorJ r<llticrJ ~ ...t htt tmis ootl:. [opclirJ"' I• Stpllcfllll l 1996, liN ""' Dlit4 10 jojw tb• Noctb AmtricOJ lodioo O.S.,.rioo to tho U Kofioo~ llitt4 W"t~ 610119,. tilt Otch Oodototiocl co tho t~hts of llldigtAOlll Pf<9(" io Gt,o,,., In O.Crmhu of t!nt ym, sit tror..<d lolo toolidoJ, ~ M cod pcod.cod • irko '""F''·\om•IKitfi<g 'lf''clin' tiN sittlclioa;, llio.,....li«, ....t~ag 11ili N IJ.II. (JysJd C •w • ""'t ""A..""' lf<Jri<J ooJioc:oi4t,. .... - A.. ...t eclifn ,_ pk or«JCJ INI..,,....;.. "9'<XXr /omcg 01 "' ~ llriAr:toitco Slrog;fos ol ~ ~ io IU.dc• """,_.,,,owen" 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. 11, no. 1 (Spring 1998) 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 Chiapas: Massacre in Acteal Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Echohawk Crystal Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1998 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Chiapas: Massacre in Acteal Item Type Journal Article Author Crystal Echohawk Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 27, 35 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1998 Language English Abstract Note The massacre of the Tzotzil Indians in Acteal was not an isolated incident. There have been multiple violent incursions since. The passage of the San Andres Agreements would give autonomy to more than 12 million Indiginas. Attachment Title Chiapas_Massacre_in_Acteal.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Acteal Autonomy https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/38d5616f8ffb37922cbb6444a6fad084.pdf a836a70dadd09deb02b81a0619a72813 PDF Text Text -------------'-~ O_!: !...!~:....:; T I N G C_.::: N_F R O N:....,:_ C U L T U R A L E X T I N <T I 0 N y ( Reversing the Flow of Traffi.c in the Market of Cultural Property by Eric Bergman Indigenous nations today are struggling to preserve their cultural identity, not by placing it behind the glass of a museum, but by the active renewal of their collective and individual cultural traditional practices. The unique religious and secular items each culture creates are fundamental to its continuity. For centuries the Indigenous people of the Americas have suffered the steady loss of their cultural property. The international community is finally beginning to recognize the obvious right a community has to its own creations. The new awareness of this important link between people and cultural artifacts is resulting in the successful restitution of previously lost or stolen items. '' C onsidering that cultural property export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property, adopted by the whether for selfish purposes or out of constitutes one or United Narions Educational, Scientific ignorance, without consideration of the basic elements and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) of civilization and at its sixteenth session in Paris on the damage done to a living culture when it is stripped of the items of its national culture. and that its true v-alue November 14, 1970. This convention is the first major step taken by the heritage. international communit>' to address The Indigenous Perspectives can be appreciated only in relation to the fullest possible information regarding its origin. history. and traditional setting." So reads the preamble of the the centuries of plunder of cultural property of Indigenous peoples. Vast theft, continues today. Items are taken, To many people who trace their Convemion on the means of prohibit· quantities or anwork. religious arti· ing and preventing the illicit import. facts. and even funerary remains have roots to European cultures, the scien~ tific study or museum preservation of found their way into museums and cultural property is considered of great private collections worldwide. This value. h is important, however. to rec~ traffic, often in the form of outright ognizc that these views are not neces- Eric Bergman is an intent al SAIIC and resemdtes arlitles for Abya Yala News. Vol. 10No. 2 13 �C 0 H F R 0 H T I H G C U l T U R A l'--~E X T-!...!'-.:::...! I...,:::.....:.:.,._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ ~~ ~~ 1 H C T_ : O N sarily shared b)• Indigenous peoples. Items of cultural or religious value created by Indigenous .peoples were not intended to be placed in museum collections. The removal of cultural materials to museum archives severs the living connection and contact a people has with its works and past. This is especially tme of cultures with an oral rather than written tradition. Museums and cultural scientists must strive to maintain the vigor of the cui· ture that created the objects they seek to study. All too frequently archeologists and anthropologists consider the dead to be objects of curiosity and study: "a storehouse of biological information" as anthropologist johan Reinhard says. referring to the frozen bod)' of an Inca girl that he exhumed in Peru (see accompanying story). For Indigenous peoples, however, the dead are not scientific objects. thC)' are their ancestors. perhaps even their family. AncestOrs were interred with careful attention to respect and ritual that will see them to their proper destin)' after death. These efforts are disturbed by archeologists, grave robbers, scientists and other col· lectors who continue to violate burial sites and the remains therein. Restitution and legal Recognit ion Standards for the protection of and respect for the cultural property of Indigenous peoples are greater today than ever before. Major museums and even some governments are cooperat· ing whh l ndigenous nations to volun· tarily repatriate obj ects to their cultures of origin. The United Nations and the United States are beginning to legally recognize the claims of Indigenous peoples to their cultural property. Unfortunately, individual governments and police forces are doing lillie if anything to cooperate with the Unhed Not Dead Yet: An lncan Mummy Find Rekindles the Fire Over Science and Ethics wo men enter an Inca ceremonial burial site. They spot some feathers: the headdress of a small statue. The men scramble down a ledge. There they find a carefully prepared grave. Taking out their axes they begin hacking awtrf. Soon they uncover the body of a young woman. A little more ax work and they completely exhume the body. One man stuffs it in a sack and the other removes the remaining funerary arti· facts. They depart into the darkening sky. Returning later with more accomplices. the two men scour the area for any remaining items. including two more corpses. Another sacred burial site has been picked clean and the bodies removed from their graves. The two men. American archeologist Johan Reinhard and his Peruvian partner Miguel Zarate. found the grave·site last September atop Nevado Ampato in the Andean Cordillera of modem·day Peru. The bodies were originally buried on top of the remote 20. 700·foot mountain as part of a religious ceremony and remained there. frozen. for an estimated 500 years until Reinhard and Zarate arrived. Since then. the body of the young Inca woman was brought to a laboratory at Catholic University in Arequipa. stuck into an ice box and stripped of her clothing including a beautiful wool Alpaca dress. Scientists then conducted a battery of tests. took body tissue and fluid for tests. and then shipped her off to Washington D.C. to be put on display as an item of curiosity at the offices of the National Geographic Society. National Geographis 's display of the Inca woman's body and the archeologists' treatment of the burial site in general has drawn international criticism. ..The dis- T 14 play of mummies or any human remains stands in con· tradiction to the ethics regarding the handling of the dead.· said Dr. Konrad Spindler. a prehistory specialist at the University of lnnsbruck and leader of the research team studying the 5300·year-old .. Iceman .. frozen corpse found in an Alpine glacier in Europe in I 99 I . Although Spindler was invited to join the research team studying the lncan woman . he eventual· ly left the project because of his displeasure over the treatment of the corpse. Yachay Wasi. a non·profit organization dedicated to sharing and supporting indigenous culture of Peru. is sponsoring a petition in protest of National Geographic's handling of the situa· tion. Indigenous people in the United States and Canada are joining Yachay Wasi in protest. Although circumstances surrounding the decision to bring the Inca body to Washington remain unclear. National Geographic has made an admirable effort to consult the Indigenous people who are descendants of the Tawatinsuyu. or lncan empire. According to National Geographic spokeswoman Barbara Moffet. the second team of archeologists sent to excavate the Ampato burial site first paid a visit to the nearby village of Cabanaconde. No formal agreement was obtained by National Geographic. but Moffet claims that the villagers. who are believed to be the most closely related descendants of the Inca. were not only consulted. but eight villagers also volunteered to take part in the expedition. National Geographic has also made small a donation of photos and money to the village for the establishment of a museum in Cabanaconde. When the body of the Inca woman was brought to the National Abya Y News ala �CONFRON TI NG CULT U RA L EXTINCTION Nations. In addition, the US legislation is not applicable nor respected outside US borders. effon and can eliminate the need for legal baulcs. The legitimacy and coordination of the repa~riation effon arc also lions. charitable groups. Jlnd other Should an lndigenous nation wish to repatriate items removed from their innuemial. Any documentation or testimony that can assist in proving the may provide contacts. publicity, coun- community, they race a difficult but increasingly possible task. First the seriousness and costs of the effon n1ust be considered. An}' individual or institution thai has gone through great expense and effort to acquire and maintain valuable cultural items will not be eager 10 give them up. Securing the goodwill and cooperation of the pany current!)• in possession of the ite1ns in question is crucial to any repatriation Indigenous entities may be sy1npathctic to repatriation efforts. These groups cil, or other forms of assistance. Some claimams position will be very helpful. communities have been successfully Also the par1y making a claim for any pursuing repatriation for many yea.rs items should consider what measures and have developed mechanisms withwill be taken 10 insure the pr01ection of in their political system 10 respond to the items once regained: no one is like- concerns in"olving culturally sensitive ly 10 pan with rare ani facts if they sus- materials. journalists may be able to pect that they will be sold, stolen. or provide publicity and help bring public mishandled in any way. opinion behind the repatriation efforts. Many resources exist to aid Some govemments (most notably the Indigenous peoples' repatriation cam- United States) and the United Nations paigns. Non-governmental organiza- may also be of assistance. Geographic headquarters for display. former residents the National Geographic Society is aware of NAGPRA of Cabanaconde now living in Washington D.C. were in and the spirit in which it was drafted and chose to attendance. There was no charge to see the Inca exhibit. ignore it by not only funding the second expedition. but Despite National Geographic's overtures to the liv- also bringing the frozen body to Washington D.C . to be ing descendants in Cabanaconde. this case has raised put on public display. The display of the Inca woman also violated the spircriticism of the ethics of archeology. Does the curiosity of scientists justify the disturbance of graves? On what it of the United Nations. The U.N. Commission on authority do universities or other institutions take pos- Human Rights drafted a resolution entitled The session of the human remains of another society? Protection of the Heritage of Indigenous People which Among many national societies. such as the United states that · under no circumstances should objects or States and Peru. and especially among academics. any other elements of an indigenous peoples· heritage such as Reinhard. there is a double standard for the be publicly displayed. except in a manner deemed treatment of the dead. The legal and moral codes nor- appropriate by the peoples concerned" <Article 23>. mally relating to the handling of human remains and " Human remains and associated funeral objects must graves are ignored for Indigenous people. Although we be returned to their descendants and territories in a culare aware of no formal protests raised by Indigenous turally appropriate manner. as determined by the indigepeoples in Peru. many Native Americans feel the dead nous peoples concerned " <Article 21>. and should not be disturbed. studied or displayed at all. · Researchers and scholarly institutions should ...obtain Native American groups in North America have been formal agreements with the traditional owners for the fighting for protection of their ancestral burial sites and shared custody. use and interpretation of their herreburial of remains held by archeologists. Walter Echo- itage· <Article 33>. Hawk. who was a lawyer for the Native American The Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Rights Fund when Congress was considering NAG· Peoples. pending approval by the U.N. General PRA. says "If you desecrate a white grave. you wind up Assembly. also specifies the protection of burial sites. sitting in prison. but desecrate an Indian grave and you <Articles 12 and t 3. see attached article> It should not get a Ph.D .... and a fat check from National Geographic require a United Nations declaration to instill basic conit seems. The Washington D.C. based non-profit orga- sideration for the spirituality of a people. whether they nization supplied a grant of $100.000. mainly to fund be the ancient Inca or living descendants. " With this the second expedition. discovery. the spirit of Mount Ampato is challenging sciHad Reinhard and Zarate done what they did in the entists" says Eliane Lacroix-Hopson of Yachay Wasi: United States they would likely have been indicted for that despite legal limitations ... all involved should know grave-robbing under the provisions of The Native they are morally responsible in front of the Creator. American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Indigenous Peoples and their friends.· <NAGPRA>. Public Law t Ot -60Hsee section I 04 Hopefully during all the lesling. prodding. studying STAT.305t C> Fortunately for the anthropologist NAG- and analysis the scientists may actually learn something . PRA only applies within U.S . borders. Nevertheless. from the Incas: that they show respect for the dead. Vol. 10 No. 2 15 �C O N F RONTING C UL TURAL The United Nations The United Nations is taking an increased interest in cultural heritage and in the prote<:li~n of Indigenous rights. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has taken up the issue of the protection and restitution of cuhur· al property. For this purpose UNESCO established the Intergovernmental Comminee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation (henceforth, just the Committee) which currently num- EXTINCT I ON NAGPRA: US Takes legislative Action for Repatriation In November 1990 the US Congress enacted Public Law 101-601, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. also known as NAGPRA. This law provides a legal infrastructure to aid in the protection and restitution or funerary remains~ and associated items of cultural patrimony. NAGPRA outlaws the traffic in such items. mandating a ma."<imum of five years in prison and/or a nne for "Whoever knowingly sells. purchases, uses for profit. or transports for sale or bers twenty-two member states of profit, the human remains of a Native UNESCO. h will hold its nimh session in Paris from September I 6-19. The eighth session was auended by sixty- American.. or "Native American cultur· al items"[ll70 (a)(b)) . NAGPRA also requires museums and other institu- nine nations, international customs tions receiving federal funding to sup- and legal bodies, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the International Council of ply inventories of their items and return Museums. Several important ideas were laid down including the rights of a people to expect legal protection of cultural property and secure aid in its return. The International Council of Museums has voluntarily agreed not to admil items into museum collections that are not proven 10 be legitimately acquired and 10 inform authorities if approached with illicit material. So far the Commiuee has not discussed any cases concerning Indigenous peoples. The United Nations Economic and Social Council's Commission on Human Rights adopted a declaration at its eleventh session providing for the protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples including. "the right 10 the restitution of cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken wlthom their free and informed con- sent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs." (Article 12). More recently. in june of 1995 the Economic and Social Council drafted the report entitled Protection of the heritage of Indigenous people. Although the repon lacks any real legal power. it helps to lend legitimacy 10 individual claims. 16 the items upon the request of a tribal authority. Thirty-four states have passed additional laws 10 fill gaps in the NAGPRA legislation. Although NAGPRA only applies 10 federally funded institutions within the United States, it has set a precedent with many museum authorities on an Zuni believe that when Spanish and US agents stole the communally owned figures from their designated resting places, it caused the spiritual imbalance that the world is suffering in this century. The return of the figures lO their shrines is necessary to reswre harmon)' and protect the Zuni communi!)< Anthropologist T.J. Ferguson, a member of the Ahayu:da repatriation effort, warns... It is extremely important that both tribes and museums recognize that the amount of time and money required 10 assemble information and reach an agreement can be substamial. • This was the case for the Zuni people, for whom the saga of the Altayu:da lasted nearly a centur)< The first objects were removed to the Smithsonian in 1897. In April of !978. Zuni leaders began repatriation effons by meeting for the first time with repre- The return of the figures to their shrines is necessary to restore harmony and protect the Zuni community. international level. Museum institutions in the US have also repatriated items to Indigenous communities in South America outside NAGPRAS jurisdiction. One notable case was the return of several rza11rtas (head trophies) from the Smithsonian Institute 10 the Shuar peoples in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Austrian president, Thoma! Klestil, returned the mantle of Montezuma 10 Mexico. The beautiful mantle of feathers and gold had been out of Mexico for over 400 years. The Return of the Ahoyu:do An early and important repatriation effort in North America was the struggle of the Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico 10 return the sacred Ahayu:da figures 10 their traditional resting places in tribal shrines. Figures representing the t"1n war gods, Uyuycmi and Maia~cwi are placed in shrines to harness their potentially destructive powers. The sentatives from the Denver An Museum. By 1992 the Zuni secured the return of 69 Altayu:da from 37 different sources. representing all known US copies. Most of the effons of the Zuni to repatriate the Ahayu:da were accomplished without any legal backing from NAGPRA, which was not passed until November of 1990. The struggle of the Zuni to mount their repatriation cam- paign was intense, but in the end they prevailed. Their success is due mainly 10 dedication and cooperation. The museums were not, at that time. required by law 10 cooperate with the Zuni requests, nor did the Zuni representatives seck a legal confrontation. Instead, the Zuni approached the maller by presenting a solid case to museum officials and embarking on a series of friendly negotiations. Cooperation and respect kept the negotiations from becoming adversarial. Although the museums stood to Abya Yala News �CONFRONTING lose valuable portions of their collections. they respected the sincerity and legitimacy of the Zuni appeals. One of the concerns the Smithsonian raised before agreeing tO return cultural artifacts 'vas the security of the figures. The Zuni developed elaborate measures. including surveillance of the shrines. to protect the Ahayt.:da from repeated theft. "Indian tribes requesting repatriation of human remains and artifacts should be ready. as the Zunis were, to address questions from museums about the security of artifacts after repatriation: says Ferguson. Repatriation appeals can even begin a friendly cooperation between muse- ums and Indigenous peoples. The Zuni provided valuable information to the museums regarding the nature and significance of items in the museum col- leclion and the museum provided a secure record of cullllral artifacts and histOry that they shared with the Zuni Pueblo. Zuni artists and ceramics stu· dems benefited from studying pottery in the Smithsonian collection . Zuni reli- gious leaders also guided the museums' curators in appropriate handling procedures for those sacred objects that remain in museum collections. "'The power and continuity of Zuni culture and religion have been reinforced by the return of the Ahayu:da to their shrine on the Zuni Indian Reservation, and that is good: says curator of ethnology and Zuni anthropologist. Edmund Ladd. The Sacred Weavings of Coroma For the Aymara people of Coroma in the southern Altiplano of Bolivia. the sacred garments of Coroma are communal artifacts that illustrate genealogies and are believed to embody the souls of their ancestors. Some garmems art 400 to 500 years old. In early 1988, Professor John Murra, a well·known ethnohistorian rrom Cornell University. received a postcard announcing an ethnic an exhibition in San Francisco that reatured the sacred weavings of Coroma. Vol. 10 No.2 CULT U RAL He recognized the weavings as those that had been stolen or bought illegally rrom the Aymara community in the late 1970s and 80s. He contacted the Bolivian embassy and social scientist Cristina 6ubba Zamora who was inventOrying the Coroma weavings at the time through HISBOL (a Bolivian grassroots development organization). Concerned community elders emphasized the importance of the weavings and considered the discovery of the art dealer~ collection as a sign of their ancestorS spirits wishing to return home. "When a sacred gannent is taken from the community, a Coromei\o believes that the spirits of the ancestors have been kidnaped: explains Susan Lobo, one of the advocates of the Coroma repatriation efforts. The Boli,;an embassy and two reprt· sentatives from Coroma comactcd United States authorities and in February of 1988 US Customs officials confiscated about 1000 objects (mOstly weavings) from the dealer. Delegates from Coroma then went to California to identify the collection confiscated by US Customs. ..Our ancestors must be so sad and lone· ly: oommemed one of the delegates viewing the weavings Native Americans in the US and academics joined Cristina Bubba Zamora in rallying support for the people of Coroma. A San Francisco law finn also aided the ooalition. With the backing of the UNESCO convention. signed by both the US and Bolivia. the return of Conynine of the weavings was secured. 1n September 1992, Bolivian President Zamora received the weavings from the US government on behalf of the people ofCoroma. The extreme difficulty and expense in tracing, identifying and proving that the weavings were purchased illegally 'vas a major obstacle in this case. Many items could not be detennined to be illicitly obtained and had to be returned to the dealer. The return of the weavings attracted renewed interest and respect for the ancestral religion among many younger Corome1\os who had previously shown less interest it\ traditional culture. EXTINCT I ON The success of the Zuni and Aymara in recovering sacred artifacts from museums and unscrupulouS collectOrs is an important step in the prevention of the extinction of Indigenous peoples' living culture. Currently. the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is slowly taking shape. Now is the time for Indigenous peoples' to par· ticipatc in this document and work on the issue of repatria<ion rights. Perhaps most importantly, everyone can help by being vigilant for the appearance of sacred items in the ethnic an markeL 't' Thanhs to the followblg individuals who volunteered their time <md expertise to the n:s«>rch of <his al'ricle: Lynde! V. Prou, UNESCO ()'aris); Marie Samuet Yachay \Vasi, Inc.; Pollyarma Nordscr-<md, American Indian Ritual Objul Repatriation Found<llion. References Feest. Christian F. 1995 "REPATRIA· TION": A European View on the Question of Restitution of Nalive American Artifacts. European Review of Native American Studies. 9:2 pp33·42 . F owler. Brenda. Sunday, June 16, 1996. Should Just Anyone Be Allowed to Stare? The New York Times. Lacroix-Hopson, Eliane. The Inca Challenge. Winter 1995196. Yachay Wasip 'Simin' (Vol.ll No.3) Lobo, Susan. Summer 1991. The Fabric of Life. Repatriating the Sacred Coroma Textiles. Cultural Survival. Vol. 15. Merrill, William L.; Ladd, Edmund J.; Ferguson, T.J. 1993. The Return of the Ahayu:da: Lessons for Repatriation from Zuni Pueblo and the Smithsonian Institute. Cuffent Anthropology Chicago v.34 no 5, pp.523-567. Metz, Holly. April 1993. Remains to be seen: Relic repatriation fuels Native American activists. Student Lawyer. Vol. 21 No.8. Moffet, Barbara. National Geographic. Public Affairs Spokeswoman. (Phone lnteNiew July 16, 1996). R einhard, Johan. June 1996. Peru's Ice Maidens. Nationcl Geographic. pp62-81. 17 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 2 (Summer 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Reversing the Flow of Traffic in the Market of Cultural Property Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Bergman Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1996 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Reversing the Flow of Traffic in the Market of Cultural Property Item Type Journal Article Author Eric Bergman Volume 10 Issue 2 Pages 13-17 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1996 Language English Abstract Note Indigenous nations have been conquered and exploited, thus their cultural icons being dispersed to countries all over the world. This article details the efforts of indigenous nations and the United Nations to return these cultural items to their rightful place. Attachment Title Reversing_the_Flow_of_Traffic_in_the_Market_of_Cultural_Property.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Cultural Identity Cultural Property Indigenous Peoples UNESCO United Nations https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/675fceb45da9c49b5a0f7e42da5ce7d7.pdf 2b91061d87da45daff8c15982fd647b5 PDF Text Text SUMO LEADERS DENOUNCE TIMBER CONCESSIONS (Niazragua) The following letter, denouncing the cotreeSSibns urzs written by Sumo ~and sent to Mark Plotkin of Conservatibn lntenullicmal. Managua , September 4 , 1991 Dear Friend : We form part of a Sumo commission that is making inquiries to learn the terms of the contract signed by the government of Nicaragua and the Taiwanese company Equipe Enterprise , Ltd . We understand that the concession is of 375, 000 hectares . Our forest is being sold off and we have not been consulted on the utilization and destruction of the forest . Throughout history, Sumo people have struggled to preserve their traditions and their dignity . OUr traditions - cultural , ecological and religious - have not been respected . All the past governments utilized our natural resources without regard for the well - being of our communities . It would be important to reflect upon the true situation of the indigenous people , about the role of human rights defenders , and especially about the national laws and the role of the indigenous legislators . With regard to the rights and the struggles of the indigenous people, what is the relationship bet ween democracy and human rights? How do human rights .... . :. • • • • - • .... • fit i n? Do we or don ' t we have any rights? We urge the international communit y to lend its support . This is not just an issue of conservation, but an issue of human rights . In the name of the Sumo People, we hope that you will continue to help us . Ernesto Almendares 28 Ronas Dolores SAIIC Newsletter � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 6, nos. 1&amp;2 (spring/summer 1991) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sumo Leaders Denounce Timber Concessions Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ernesto Almendares Ronas Dolores Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Sumo Leaders Denounce Timber Concessions Item Type Journal Article Author Ernesto Almendares Ronas Dolores Volume 6 Issue 1,2 Pages 28 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note Letter from Sumo leaders to Conservation International. Attachment Title abyayala_v06n01_02_p028.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Nicaragua Sumo https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/51a82a542690290c878a3f63a065f5b8.pdf b870b853d55bd4bbe8eb3432f63ace7f PDF Text Text S EL f D ETERMINATI ON AN D TE RR I TORY Guatemala Peace Talks: composed of four M3)':1 Ot'!?nwuons: The t\c3dtmy of M~)'l\ LangU38"S of Guatemala. The Cound l of Moya Are Maya Rights Negotiable? Org,>ntzaltons of Guotemola. The Permanent Moya ~mbly. and The The tortuous dialogue between the Guatemalan Government's Office of Maya Unity ~nd Consonsus. Commission on Peace (COPAZJ and the National Guatemalan The document was first discussed and Revolutionary Union CURNGJ has been marked by exclusion of the approved by members of COPMt\GUt\, Maya community. a standstill on the subject of identity and and then edited ~nd approved by the Indigenous rights. sinking credibility of the parties involved, and eleven groups of the t\ SC. Fmally, the most recently, an ultimatum From the United Nations. document was prescmed to the repre· scntauvcs of the COI't\Z and the URNG by Estuardo Zapeta who lgt'\Oted it . A dny before the concluston of 1994 , the year tn whtc.h the Guotemalan go•·emmem had c.ommnttd luelf to stg~ung o p<ace agrttment. Gu.tcmol;ts n3llOrW d3ily pap<r Stglo Vttnrluno earned the front P"8" hc3dllnt, ' UN issutS on uhimotum to the Government and URNG" (Fnday. December 30. 1994). And an ultima· tum wns prcdScly whot the stalled p<ace proctsS seemed to need. The problems that provoked the Guatemalan civil wor-widespread illit· cracy. extreme poverty, m~l nu lri tion, Infant mortality, unequal access to fertile soli-remain unchanged :oftcr 34 years of conRict th>l hns ktllcd more people. destroy.:d more communities, dispbced mon: Guatemabns. and produced more widows :md orphans than the very proble~ th.tt $13rted tl. Conserv:ui,·e cstlmotes count over 100.000 dead, 35.000 disapp<ar<d. 22,000 widows, •nd 150,000 displaced people and refugees: the number of orphans h3s nc,-er been counted. Those most affect· cd by the SOC1altlls of a country characterized by lnjusucc and colonialism ore the s:~me ones who have suffered 95% of the ,;ctlms caused by the civil war: the Moya. Thllt Is why the open exclusion of any Mar:m represcnuui\'es in the discusSion of •tdcnmy ond rights of the Moyan commumty• has TC$Uhtd in criticism of fsluardo Z..ptta IS Maya-Caqchilju<l ar.d ""tit$ "''h lite untro dt fslwlro< dt 141 Culluta Ma)'a (CECMA) <{ Gtl<ltar.ala. the peace process ttsclf. The two groups pamcipaung 111 the d~nlogue. the gov· ernment and the URNG. 3re lyptcally lodmo (of European or miXed descent). urb:ln. and above all, exdus•onary. Gu.tcmab. on the other hand, IS pri· maflly ruml, muhtcuhur.tl and the m>JOnty (65") Is Mny>. Consequently. the "dtologue for p<ace· ts seen as • '"monologue· bctwc:c:n 1wo nnnorities who bas1cnlly m:tmuun the S.."\me coloni~l discou~. The negotl:nlon of Identity and Indigenous rights, on which the parties remam st.tllcd. Is being C'311ed Into question. Is May• ldemlty an element of the negouatlons? Are Maya nghts negotioble? Ycs. nppamntly so. smce this Item appears on the agenda, n appeors that the Government and the URNG behe'" th31 they are. Paradoxically, when the Moy> communi!)' petitioned 10 mclude their n:prcscnunlvcs in the "d••logue: the Go'..:mmcnt and the URNG I'Cspondcd wuh a resounding NO. h apJ>e.1rs thnt In Guatemala. after 500 yc.1rs, htstory repeats itself: two minorities nrc rnoklng decisions for the May> 1113JOrlty. The paper on Identity and lndigneous rights produced by the A.<scmbly of Ctvlc Groups (;\SC) and presented as • :<Ohd propos.1l in opposi· uon to the pantes involved In the "dia· Iogue• •Y:~S •gnorcd The ASC is an associatton of cle•-cn <Me groups. One of thes«: the M~ya coaliuon. Coordmoung O'l)>n•z.•uon of the Mayan lS Communuy (COPMAGUA). whkh is t\nother nern o( ncgon~uon m which the panics cannot 3grte as the mnf'ica· uon of the Covenant 169 of the lntemauonal Labor 0t'!?mzalton. ·on lndtgenous Communnte.s and Tnbal Groups mlndependent Coumnes.· The Guatemalan govemmem argues that Co\'tn3nt 169 tS unconstltuuonol; the URNG. for ns pan, ne•·er came out In fa,·or of ratifying the Co•·enam umil l~te in 1994. when the Co,·cnant was included as an item in the peace negoti· allons. Due to both p.1rtlcs' falling cred· ibility, the URNG~ support for Covenant 169 seemed u poorly timed polttlcal str.negy. All of thiS provoked n lcuer of ulti· matum from the Secretary General of the Unitrd Notions. 8outros 8outros Ghali, add~d 10 the Prestdent of Guatemab. dated Dcccmber 21. 1994. =ting the followmg. · t •m concerntd at the lack of progress m the p<acc ncgotialtol\S dunng the second p.1rt of 1994. As you know, the lat<'Sl round of discus· sions that beg.1n on October 20 has not resulted tn the hoped for agreement on 'Rights nnd Identity of the Indigenous Community.' This Is another delay after the suspension of discussion for four months due to the position adopted by the URNG between July and October" (Fret PrtSS. Dcctmber 30. 1994, p.2). Bectuse of the rejection of the ASC docu.mm. ond due to the fact that nc1· ther party could produce an ohcmativt proposal. the United Nations tnltiWntd by pre..,nung a draft proposol on Indigenous RightS ond nammg a moder· continued on pg. 37 26 Abya Yala News �CONT I N U ED Biodiversity, Community Integrity and the Second Colonialist Wave Guatemala Peace Talks < Continued from pg.12) <Continued from pg.26) mighr be desirable. bm rhe prime desire f<>r Indigenous peoples was an IPR regime that suppons their righl to s.1y '"NOM to privatization and commercial· iu uion. Indigenous delcgares mcering in Rio de Janeiro released rhe Kari·O.:a Dttlamrion and ln<lig<nous Peoples' Earrh Charter. Clause 95 Slates d>at "Indigenous wisdom musr be reoognized and cnoour· aged." but warns in Clause 99 thar "Usurping of traditional medicines and knowledge from Indigenous peoples should be considered a crime against peoples." Clause I 02 of rhe Kari·<Xa to discuss rhc evolving IPR debate. During the 1993 UN Year for the Worlds Indigenous Peoples. intellectual and cultural property righiS were on the agenda of ne.1rly every major Indigenous encounter. One of the most lacking areas of IPR research is that or non·western IPR regimes. Up to now. the debate has centered around UN and \Vestem concepts of intellectual and genetic property. But whar abom the property rxgimcs of Indigenous peoples themselves? A syn· thesis and :\nalysis of non-Western S)'$tems would be very helpful in finding cre:uive solutions to IPR protection. Declaration is e.xplicit about indigenous peoples' concern on IPR issues: As creators & carriers of civllizar!ons Conclusion \\·hich have given & conlirwc ro sJwrt It is fundamental that IPR/TRR lmowltdgc, experience & values with should nor be used simp!)• 10 reduce tra· humanity, we n::quht that our rig'u to intc:l· ditional knowledge into Western legal · kcttwl & cultural t>roperties be guarameed and conccprual frameworks: Indigenous & that the mechanism for racl1 implemrn· legal systems and conccprs of property ration l>t in favor of our p<oplrs & srudied righiS should guide the debate. The role in depth & imt'ltmcnU<L This respect must of scicmists, scholars and law)'ers lndude the right over gttiClit raourtt."S, should be to provide informarion and gtlle banks. biorechrwlogy & knowledge of ideas; it will be Indigenous and rradibiodivCI">ily programs. rional peoples rhemsclves who will. in Since the Earth Summir. dozens of man>' different ways. define Tradhionll conferences, seminars and workshops Resource Righrs rhrough practice and ha,·e been held by Indigenous peoples experimentation. VOi:SNo. 4 ator to work with both panies. On January 4. 1995. Siglo Veinliuno reponed that President Ramiro de Leon plans to sign a peace agreement on Februar>' 24. The more direct intervention of rhe UN Secretar)' General appe~rs to be producing results. but it remains to be seen. It is interesting to note that neither Lhe Government nor the URNG has clearl>' presented its respective posilion to the Maya community or to the Guatemalan populace. Each of the tWO seem to have used the Maya comnnmily as a pretext to drag out the process toward a peace that didn'l sui! either one. In times of peace. you cannot justif)' the e.xistence of a repressive military. nor of a radical guerrilla movcmenl. That is why we must contin\IC to rcasscn the final words of Se<:rctary General Ghali : "The participants in the Guatemalan pe-ace process must. renew their commiuncut to a dynamic negota· tion that provides clear direcuon towards a quick and just resolution lO the conflict." Along wirh Mr. Ghali. the Maya. the principal-and numerous-vic· tims of this conflict, request ..a jltSt resolution" for themselves, for their children and for Guatemala. 37 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 8, no. 4 (Winter 1994) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Guatemala Peace Talks: Are Maya Rights Negotiable? Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Estuardo Zapeta Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Winter 1994 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Guatemala Peace Talks: Are Maya Rights Negotiable? Item Type Journal Article Author Estuardo Zapeta Volume 8 Issue 4 Pages 26 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Winter 1994 Language English Abstract Note Dialogue between the Guatemalan Government's Commission on Peace and the National Guatemalan Revolutionary Union has lacked input from representatives from the Mayan community. Disappointed with the lack of progress in the negotiations, the UN issued an ultimatum to both parties. Attachment Title Guatemala_peace_talks.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Guatemala Guatemalan Government's Commission on Peace (COPAZ) Maya National Guatemalan Revolutionary Union (URNG) United Nations https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/100e87116b59abf8b7723e3720d6d673.pdf b6757a4db92def58fcff5f5ac40b7c51 PDF Text Text Once Divided: Indigenous Peoples in the US and Mexico Unite Across the Border based on article by Carolina de Ia Pefia and Eugenio Bermejillo, Ojarasca, Mexico In June of 1994, the First Indigenous US/Mexico Border Auka Maj Kuar Kuar Encounter took place in Tecate, Baja California. Unlike similar conferences, attendance was not limited to tribal leaders. Members of all ranks represented their communities at the Encounter. These communities included those associated with UECI (The Common Land and Indigenous Communities of Baja California Union), Peace and Dignity, and The Native Cultures of B.C. Institute. However, tribal leaders were by no means absent. Leaders from communities across Mexico, Baja California, and the US were present. The Encounter’'s purpose was to initiate communication among Indigenous peoples in Mexico and the United States. Several issues were discussed. One of the most important being the difficult situation faced by bi-national Indigenous communities (communities that are divided by the US/Mexico border). These discussions resulted in the drafting of a declaration concerning this problem that was later sent to bi-national Indigenous communities for approval. Part of the declaration reads as follows: "Our rights have been limited by the Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treatise of 1848, which does not recognize the historical and natural rights of freedom of movement within our Indigenous communities, linked both linguistically and culturally, on either side of the border." The signers of the declaration demanded the right to cross freely for ceremonial and religious purposes,advocated the toppling of existing barriers in order that members of Indigenous communities may visit one another and rekindle relationships with family members separated by the border, and requested access to natural resources necessary for cultural or medicinal purposes and for the construction of houses. Members of the Hia-ced O'odham, Yaqui, Kumiai, Kiliwa, Pa-ipai, Cochimi, Kikapu, Mono, and Cucapa communities signed the declaration. In 1989, at the Border Tribes Summit, similar issues were raised. Representatives from twenty Indigenous communities from the Sonora/Arizona border and from the Creek, Cree, Cherokee, Ojibwa, Mohawk, and other communities separated by the US/Canada border were present. One of the main topics of discussion was the declaration fi-om the O'odbam Nation calling for the restitution of its territory in Mexico, reduced from 4,800 to 20 square kilometers in the span of two centuries due to cattle ranchers’ invasions from both the US and Mexico. In July of that same year.; the O'odbam Nation had asked the United Nations Subcommittee for Indigenous Rights to intervene in this eight year territorial conflict that is still unresolved. The importance that Vine Deloria bestowed upon the Summit and the declaration from the O'odham Nation is true for all of the Indigenous communities that are separated by national borders: "The fact that the O'odhams present themselves as one nation, forces the governments of both Mexico and the US to resolve the conflict through negotiations among equals and prohibits them from just turning the matter over to the courts." The O'odham Nation did not actively participate at the Encounter in Tecate, which may help to explain the lack of continuity between this recent Encounter and the 1989 Summit. However, an Indigenous group that is associated with the O'odhams - the Hia-ced O'odhams - was present. The Hia-ced O'odhams have been struggling since the beginning of the 1980s to be recognized as a community. As a result of the Hia-ced O'odhams' rejection of several mining projects, it became increasingly clear that they continued to exist as a group with the necessary strength to rejoin the O'odham Nation. But the Union Congress, at first, rejected an initiative to recognize the Hia-ceds as part of the O'odham Nation due to a lack of information regarding the number of people in this group and location of their communities. Marleen Vazquez said that faced with this problem, "a small group of people went out to visit houses in the Hia-ced communities and took down names of people, genealogies, photos, and even visited cemeteries. We sent all of the information we received to the O'odham Nation, and they accepted us. In 1984, 250 of us became members of the tribe. Since then, 1,200 of us have been inscribed, and there are 300 individuals whose acceptance is pending. The most difficult cases are found in Mexico. The Mexican O'odhams can't be legally inscribed in the tribe, until we have enough resources to complete the investigation as required." Another group also separated by the US/Mexico border; the Kikapu, presented its list of problems at the Encounter and drafted a series of needs and demands. The Kikapu descended from the Algonquins, and after seven successive migrations, finally settled partly in Oklahoma and partly in Muzquiz, Coahuila. Since 1947, they have enjoyed the right of free movement across the US/Mexico border. During the summers, some Kikapu work on farms in Oklahoma and return to Mexico in the winter. Because they are a migrating culture, they have called for the simplification of customs procedures so that needed resources can reach the Kikapu in Mexico. These resources include tule acuatico, a basic material used in the construction of homes and in the making of crafts and automobiles. The importation of resources into Mexico requires fiscal registrations and credit cards, both of which they do not have. “The Constitutional Reform, which holds the State responsible for the preservation of Indigenous cultures, is not carried out here," declared Jose Ovalle, an anthropologist that was invited to the Encounter by the Kikapu. Ovalle spoke at the Encounter about the newly implemented customs procedures at the US/Mexico border that make it neady impossible for the Kikapu on either side of the border to communicate. For further information, see Ojarasca #38-39, (November-December 1994). AUKA MAl KUAR KUAR was the First Historical Encounter of Indigenous Peoples of Baja California and the United States border states of New Mexico and Arizona. At this encounter, Indigenous peoples divided by nation-state borders attempted to rebuild their sense of unity by exchanging views and analyzing their current position regarding the ongoing process of organizing on a regional/eve/. What follows is a brief report on this encounter. 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. 9, no. 1 (Spring 1995) 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 Once Divided: Indigenous Peoples in the US and Mexico Unite Across the Border Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Carolina de la Peña Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eugenio Bermejillo Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring, 1995 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Once Divided: Indigenous Peoples in the US and Mexico Unite Across the Border Item Type Journal Article Contributor Carolina de la Peña Author Eugenio Bermejillo Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 10-11 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring, 1995 Language English Abstract Note AUKA MAH KUAR KUAR was the first historical encounter of indigenous peoples of Baja California and the United States border states of New Mexico and Arizona. At this encounter, indigenous peoples divided by nation-state borders attempted to rebuild their sense of unity by exchanging views and analyzing their current position regarding the ongoing process of organizing on a regional level. Attachment Title Once_Divided_Indigenous_People_in_the_US_and_Mexico.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] borders Deloria Vine Kikapú O'Odham The Common Land and Indigenous Communities of Baja California Union https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/c4a4d8f53647e8e2bd64870662a2a9af.pdf 34b0cab19aaae786aa3cda6e457e8c9c PDF Text Text INDI GENOUS WOMEN ORGANIZING _ _ _ _ __ ,_ The Right to Love and Politics: An Indigenous Activist's Perspective Eulalia Yagari Gonzalez. a Chami woman activist In Colombia. was elected as a member of the regional parliament of Antioquia on Marcil 8. I 992 (/ntemational Women's Day). In this interview, she speaks to us of her life and hardships as an Indian woman activist. Eulalia is convinced that the struggle of Indians in Colombia for land. culture. and autonomy must be conducted on many different fronts simultaneously. Her struggle is not only relevant to Indigenous communities but to all oppressed people in Colombia. particularly women. (~~ w~ Eulalia Yagari Gonzalez Why did you agree 10 be an Indian candidate for the senate elections? eforc I ar\Swcr your question. let me just say thnt the political par· B lidpntion or Indian women is nothing new. We ha-·e always been in,·olved in pollucs rn the sense that we\-. always defended our interestS, our rradrtron, our culture. our fellow men as wdl as our whole people and our land We fought for 500 )UIS until our valetS wen: nnally heard. Now Colombia has a new constitution. A cenain sector or the lndran population, Blacks, and other ethnic groups have united in a political alliance, which will not only defend Indian interests and nghts. but also those of Black people. the lower classes--in fact all marginalized groups. When they were looking for c:andidatcs and they noticed that I'd been politlc:ally active for tweh·c years and was <:<>mmlttcd 10 the rights of women. children and our entire people. they c"- me. Actually I only agreed 10 the candrdatun: after they opproaehed me for the rhrrd ume But as an Indian woman I don' just wnntto fight for the interests of Indian women. I also want 10 fight for the rights of all women in this society, the workers. the campesinas, the Black women who have always been discrimmated against umU now, the women of other ethnrc groups like the Gypsies-l»sically all women who an: pohurnlly ond SOCt311y active m this counrry. But when I demand their rights I don\ jusc wont to make supem· cia! political spoechcs. No. If I get elect· ed to the Stnote, I'll fight for quite specific proposals and proJetiS promoting the social development of women: the right 10 prenatal c:are, ror recognition of womens panlclpauon. and power for women to achieve their right to work and decem jobs. not Just jobs that are almost ~yond physical endurance. What could Indigenous women achieve in tht Stnate if they wtre elected? We could Stan by tmplementmg evetythmg the new <:<>RSIIIULion has assured us ol. We must form alliances with othtr progressrvc forces. with spe· dfic groups on the left, but also on the right. We'll see what the politicians will actually do. Of course, In the election campaign, they pz-omised all sons of things. Personally I don' have any rllusions about what I can do for the Colombran people, firstly brcausc I'm awan: of my limtlatlons and secondly brcause we don\ l!.tve the finanoal means. We havr lllr 100 little power in the state to n:ally chong< 50Ctety. All I can do is simply devote oil my Slrtngth and intelligence 10 the wk in h:tnd. I'll also use my feminine cunning. becnuse in all honesty, we women are very cunning. Women nn: capable of n grcot deal. its just thnt we' vc always been undermined. Our rights were taken away from us and we were underv~1l~ ued. Women were there for sex. childrearing and maybe the odd bit of poll· tics. We never had nny more space than that- So we're well-placed 10 flin with our bodfes, but also with our lnttlli· gence, our dtSCtmzng noture and with our cunnmg. We have m:tn)' abrlities we can use 10 change thiS sociel)\ As an Indian woman, I can\ spcok such high I'J:t(a Yala News �INDIGEN O US W 0 MEN ORGANIZING along the street together. And there$ no time to keep the family together or bring up the children properly. Who are your children growing up with? class Spanish as a big politician. but that docsn\ mean I have no right to be heard. Despite all my limitations, I imend to fight in the senate-albeit cautious1y, because the senate is a completely new ball game for us. I ha,,c a difficult relationship with him. We love each other but o~tr political struggle in this quagmire of violence and war makes it impossible for couples to live in peace with one another. We' re not the only ones in this position in Colombia. Hundreds or us women. You just said you only let yourself be nominated as a candidate after the third invitation. Why were you so hesitant initially and why did you accept in the end? Basically I never wanted to get imo big politics. I've been pushed imo it. The work in the senate seemed to me like the struggle of a little fish r.1ced with a shark. And besides. this work means giving both In)' daughters to someone else to look after. I've also got a partner whos politically active as well . Vol. 10 No. 1 lnditm women, campesinas. women from the popular moven1ems. workers and trade unionists aren't able to have happy relationships with their partners. Conunitment to the cause takes away the ability and time for love. R elationships often break ''P· because there$ a lack of opponunity for the joys and pleasures of love. affection and togetherness. Sometimes we're only at home for one or two days and often only for one night . There's no time to sleep with each other or even just stroll With relatives. But of course an aunt or granny can'o replace a mooher. You can't just switch ernotional tics. Traditionally, we Indian woman always have our children with us. Indian children grow up differently from other children. From binh we carry children around with us. In many communities they're only weaned when they're fo1 ·e or six. I suckled Marcela for four years. Because of my work I had to wean Patricia after two years. I think this long and close relationship early on helps Indian communities to develop a strong sense of solidarity. We may well have political differences, but we still feel ourselves to be Indigenous people. Today our children. the children of the popular leaders, are growing up with traumas and psychological problems -as a result or the perrnanent state of war. They have no home. no parents who love each other, they don't feel protected ao\d they don't have a good education. Lots of children are constantly in day-nurseries. We leaders and women at the head of the popular movemems sometimes find ourselves on our own in the end. not because of the political work in itself, but because itS being conducted in;\ war situation. You're a membe r of 1he Antioquia Organization of Indigenous Peoples (OIA). What type of women 's l>rogram do you have in the OlA? 'vVe don\ have a specific womenS program which renects the fact that very few women are in leadership positions. Crlstiania is an Indian community where many politicians like to have a finger in the pie. Women have achieved a lol of political space but many arc nol in a position to take on politic.~! functions. In n1y opinion we need a new policy for liberating women. but I don't mean a policy like the ones introduced here from Europe and Nonh America. 11 �IND I GENO U S WO ME N The cultures and societies arc totally different there. My positive image of women is not just limited to Indian women. I feel that women in general are amazing. lovely creatures. Women-Indian and black women. French, Cubans. Soviet Ctli· zens, Chinese women-all women are the most beautiful people in the world. On the other hand, some women who used to suffer and were repressed and put up with being beaten. have managed to liberate themselves. But what happened? They now act like they're on another planet and behave just like men. I know its great to feel free at last. But do we really want this type of freedom? I don't think so. I want liberated women to strive for something different. Women must change the course of this universe. But to do this we're going to need all our willpower. How do yo u defend yourself agains t machismo? Well, I've had to put up with all kinds of stuff. There are foolish, uncouth types who shout at you and don't let you Gnish speaking. So you ha,•e to grit your teeth and 5a)' to them: 12 O R G ANIZ I N G "listen, you may be physically stronger, but I've got more inside my head. And if we're seriottsly fighting for the s.'me cause. then no one just gives orders and no one just obeys." On the political circuit I've put up with some difficult situations. If they're uaveling whh n woman as a meanber of a delegation. the men are right in there trying to go to bed with her. And afterwards they've got nothing better to do than talk about it and then it becomes the latest gossip. "Oh, so you went to bed with her, as well? And what was she like?" After that the woman is Ut\ished politically. A friend of mine was done for because 15 men claimed to have slept with her. And they laughed themselves stupid over it. ThatS machism.o in its purest form. As a woman involved in polirics. you still have to deal with stuff like that. But we can1 wage this struggle the husbands all their lives without even realizing it. Don' t you think that's g radually changing? Certainly there are women who thlnk the same way I do and are workIng towards a different educational policy. But its not just a question of dis· cussing things with men because men :\5 individuals and the system which represses are not one and the same thing. Men are also our lovers, our friends and our brothers. The problem is that in Colombia and in the whole of Laun America there are still far too few men who :l.Cknowledge our true worth. What \V"ill you do if you don't get into the senate? I'll work in the communities again. I have a piece of land I'll cultl\oate. I enjoy same waY. eve1ywhere. You have to go tilling the soil. sowing, harvesting. I'm about it differently when you're dealing actually a campesina. I used to grow whh women who think of themselves coffee. I worked hard at it and carried as the slave at home and nothing else. heavy loads. But with the money I In this country there are still a lot of earned. I used to buy myself nice women who believe they can't ex·peri- clothes. I'd happi.ly do that again. '1l ence any sexual pleasure because that's simply a man's prerogative. Many allow Map1e<l from OlmfW)CJ'G< Gaby (<d), themselves to be repressed by their l.<Jtrdooc I.AB mtd Montldy Re\1ew """'· 1992. KllPf""' Acya Y News ala � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 1 (Spring 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Right to Love and Politics: An Indigenous Activist's Perspective Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eulalia Yagari Gonzalez Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 1996 Spring 1996 Language A language of the resource English, Spanish English Zotero Title The Right to Love and Politics: An Indigenous Activist's Perspective Item Type Journal Article Author Eulalia Yagari Gonzalez Volume 10 10 Issue 1 1 Pages 10-12 Publication Title Abya Yala News: Journal of the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Spring 1996 Language English, Spanish English Abstract Note Eulalia Yagarf Gonzalez. a Chami woman activist in Colombia. was elected as a member of the regional parliament of Antioquia on March 8. 1992. In this interview she discussesf her life and hardships as an Indian woman activist. Attachment Title abyayala_v10_n1_p10-12.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Chami Colombia Indian woman activist Yagarf Gonzalez Eulalia https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/94c6fd85f9ec56ee658fe517c43eb9e3.pdf 740362d6f548f0d2ffde4b912085ada6 PDF Text Text PERSPECTIV ES ON (HIAPAS Democracy, an E.nd to Discrimination and Regional Development: THE lAPA TISTA NATION LIBERATIONARMY PROPOSALS AL he extent to which the Zapatista onny h:ts been able to communi c:ue itS positions and observauons to the nauonal :md international press Is unprecedented in the recent h1SIOI)' of 1..1\un American anned uprisings. On June I 0, 10 a rejection of the go,·emment"s peace proposal the EZLN 1ssucd a "Second L1candon Declaration" (the Rrst being the January I delcar:uion of war). In addition to rciterotlng old demands for national democracy. the EZLN proposed a new T conslilutionnl convet"'lion. • .. .We address our brothers and sisters in different non-governmental organiz:uions. in peasant and indigenous organmulons. workers in the cities and in the counti)'Sidc.teachers and students. housewives ond squatters, anIStsand mtellectunls, membersofindependcnt pohucal panu:s, Mexicans. We call rou all to 3 nauonal d~alogue with the theme of democracy, freedom and justice. For thlsreru;on, we put forward the following invitntion to a National Democmtic Convcmlon ... we call for a sovereign ondrevolutionary National Ocmocmtic Convent ion to createa tran· sit ion govcmmem and a new national law, a new constitution that will guarantee the lcg.1l futnllmem of the people's will. This soverctgn revolutionary convention \\11l be n.11ional in that all st:ues of the federation "~ll be represented. It '"ll be plumI m theser~Sethat all patrioucsectorswill be represented. It Will be dcmocntuc in the W3)' in whtch n wtll make decisions by na16 tiona! consultations. The convention "~II be pre51dcd over, freely and voluntarily by cn1llans. prestigious public figures. regardless of thetr poliucal affiliation. race,rehglon,sexorage. The convention will be launched b)' local, state and reg1onal commmees in every ejido, seulemem. school and factory. These committees Mil be charged with collecting the people's proposals for the new consmuuon and demands to be carried out by n new government following the convention. The convention should demand free and democratiC eleCtions nndshould fight for the people's will to be respected. The EZLN w11l recognize the Nauonnl Dc:mocmucConventionasthe authenuc rcpresent.11ive of the interestS of the Mextcan people m their transnion to democracy. The EZI..!.'I is now tO be found throughout the nauonalterntory and IS m a position to offer itself to the Mex1c.'n people as an amt)' to guammee that the people's will is canird out. Fort he first meeting of the Nntlona l Democratic Convemion,the EZLN offers as a meeting-place a Zapatista settlement with all of the rcsotn•ces to be found there.. ." Apart from the fatrly geneml comuni EZLN St:tted ItS positions rnostspccificaUy in the1r now fnmous 34 point peace proposal last March. fhlS proposal included dcmandsformuonaldemocmcy, regional economic development and in general. the abobuon of d~SCnnunatOI')' auitudes. poliCies and go'-emment rept1!SSion. The foiiO\-.ng IS a bst of central demands in each of these catej,'Ones. Political Change 1. We demand free and democrauc elections wnh equal rights and obligauofiS for all pohucal org:tmzations conu:ndmg for power, true libeny to choose one or another proposal and respect for the majority's "111 Democracy tSa fundamental right of all Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Without democmcy there can be no Iibert)'. justice or dtgnity and \\1thout dignity there is nothing. 2. To ensure free and trulydcmocrauc elections it is ncccs.o;.1ry for the Federal Execuuve and occupantSof state offices who reacheclthetr positions of power through electoral fraud to resign. Thclnitlesdonotcome from majomy consensus but mther are the result of usurpauon. Consequently, 11 will be necess.•ry for a tranSitional government to be fonncd. 3. The recognition of the EZu'-1 as a belligerent force. 4. A new pact between federation members to do away with centralization and ollow regions, indigenouscommunlticsand municipalities to govern themselves with political, economic and cuhuml autonomy. 5. Genernl elecnons m the state of Chtap.'\Sand the legal recognition of all the state's political forces. Regional Development 6. It IS of the utmOSttmponance that all Chiapan communmes recel\·e Abya Yala News �P ERSPECTIVES ON ( HIAPAS a) Chtldborth clinics with gyn~colo­ gists: b) Child-care facilities in all communities: Membol$ of tho EZlN general command ot press conference in San Cristobal do 1M C&os electricity nnd that a certain perdependent radio station th.•t IS directed and opemted by mdigcnous cemagcofthe t:Lxeseamed from the commerc~alizallon of Chtapan pe· people. troleum be applied to mdus11ial, 11. We demand tha1 housmg be buolt in all rural communities m Mexico, agrocuhuml, commercJal and social :md pro,~ded with necessary serinfrastructure projects for the benvices such as: light, running water. efit of nll Cltiapanecos. roads. sewage systems, telephones. 7. The revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement signed with public transportation, etc. And also the l)nitcd States and Canada. Inus that we be granted the benents of the city such as tclcvboons, sto,·es. present form it does not take Into rdrigerators, washmgm<tchines,etc. account the indigenous populauon Furthermore, 11 represents a death ll.We demand an end lO illiteracy in md1genous commumues. For thiS sentence ix'cause it docs not mwe need better elementary and seccludr any labor qualifications what• soever. ondary schools'" our communities 8. Article27 oftheMagnaCanashould which provide free materials and have teachers with unovcrsity derespect the originalspirit ofEmlllano Z.1pata: bnd is for the indigenous grees who arc at the seo·vice of the people and peasants who work it, pCO!>Ie and not just defending the wcahh)•. not for lmifwulisws {large landowners), In addition, the proposal calls for 9. We demand that the go\'ernmcnt jobs with fair salaries for all, cancellabutld hospitals in the capotals of tion of htgh-imcrest debts held by the all municopalities whtch are poor, an end to hunger and go\'cmcquopped with spectahzed doc- ment supported eoopemtl\·es stores in tors and sufficient medicme to at- each community. and access to free tend to all patients and rum! clln· markets without intem>ediarics. This ics in smaller communities with ' Indigenous Women's Petition• was tminlng and fair salaries for health also included: representatives. 10. That indigenous people be guaran- We, Indigenous peasant women, deteed the right to information on mand the immediate solution 10 our lac:~!. regional. state. national and urgent needs which ha,·e long been internationalle,<els through an In- ignored by the go\'emmcnt Voi.8No. 1 &2 c) Sufficient food for all children in ruralcommunlttcs including: milk. corn nour. rtcc. corn, soy. oil. beans. cheese , eggs. sugar, soup. oats etc: d) Fully-equipped popular kitchens for children on the communities: e) Community gnnding mills and tortilla presses depending on 1he number of ramilies in each community: 0 Poultry. r:obbit, sheep and pig farms: g) We dem:1nd projects for baked goods: h) ArtiSan workshops well equipped "ith m.•chlncry lnd primary matertals. i) Markets m which to sell our crafts at fa1r prices: j) Technical tramlng schools for women: k) Preschools and maternal schools: I) Adequate mcansoftmnsponation. Discrimination and Repression The propos.•! also called for an end to discrimtnauon of all kinds. respect for digntty of Indigenous cultures and languages, and bilingual education in the schools. Fmally, 1hc EZLN demanded that federal security forces be baned from entering their communities. rcforn1 of the state penal code to pem1it free political expression, release of pohtical and poor prisoners •who are being held unjustly in Me.'<ican jails". and Ml end to expulsions of dissidents from lndtgenous communities. tmponantl)', lhC)' also called for "pohucal trta!s• for former state officials Patrocinto Gonzalez Blanco Garrido. Absalon Castellanos Dominguez and f:lmar Setzer M.--all accused of abuse of power, corruption and more serious crimes such as murder while in office. The EZLN propos.• I stales that all accords should be enforced b)' a Nauonnl Commission for Peace with Justice and Dignity. ..., 17 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 8, nos. 1 &amp; 2 (Summer 1994) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Democracy, an End to Discrimination and Regional Development: The Zapatista National Liberation Army Proposals Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource EZLN Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1994 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Democracy, an End to Discrimination and Regional Development: The Zapatista National Liberation Army Proposals Item Type Journal Article Volume 8 Issue 1&2 Pages 16-17 Publication Title Abya Yala News Date Summer 1994 Language English Abstract Note The EZLN list of demands for Political Change, Regional Demands, Women's Projects, and an end to discrimination and repression Attachment Title abya yala p16-17.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] political change regional development Second Lacandon Declaration Zapatista Demands https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/6126c5b16e8f7e8bc1cb1c1ea22b40b4.pdf 90d83498c6055cbd4f62d0d28495c13d PDF Text Text VOLUME 8, NUMBER 3, fAU.1994 • • • • Uprising in Ecuador Convention on Biodiversity Update on Chiapas International Meeting of Indigenous Women ~~ LINKING INDIAN PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAs _ _ __,___ _ �c 0 T E T s Abya Yala News Editors: SAIIC 8o¥d of ()Wcctors Cooro:NtOt'$! Conswv.a Q.W'O. O.wid Ted:lin Oe,;go & L>yovt Alfonso )aramillo Enpsh Copy Editoc Cheryl Musch Intern: R.ebec<.l Kapur Editorial. ... . . . .. . . ... ... . . . ....... .. .. . . . .. .. 3 SAIIC Scaff In Br ie f . ... .. .. .. ........ .. . ............ .... . . 4 Perspectives on the Ele ctora l Process Director. N !lo Q:~ .,,.,;m Office Manager. Chc')i MU1dl ~~->:irOOit?osa Devclos>ment As>st.lnt Ro>a Al¢&fia Convnunic.ations Coon:ft\atOI": M.)rc S«lcet' Mexico: Indigenous Suffrage Under Protest .. .... .. .... 6 S AIIC Board of Directors Bolivia: Reconstruct ing the Ayllu .. ........ .. .. . • . . .. 9 W>n Alderete (Calchaqu;·Argetltina) Alejandro NnMu Argvmedo (Quechu.l·PC<V) N lo CaMU<O (~·Argetltina) Guatemala: Maya Political Crossroads .. .. ..... • , .. . . 1 0 G.Milemlo Dclg•do (Ouechu.l·SoM.) Colombia: Special Indian Districting . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . 14 a.1os M-th (M;,k;to.Nmgvo) CoN P<Kaldo (Son a.1os J\pW>c/CJ,;c..,.) Int e r natio nal _ , Hu<m (CIV<an;ooJa) M>reos Yoc ('W•·Qu;cf,./Guat<mab) Subscriptions: Declaration of Barbados Ill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Se lf-dete r m ination a nd Territory Second Indian Uprising in Ecuador . ..... .. . ..... ... . 19 Bilateral Agreements in Bolivia .... .. . . ... .. ...... .. 22 Organizing from Oaxaca to California . . .. .. . . .. . ... . 24 C.;iapas Updat e Six Proposals for a N ew Mexico .. .... ... .... •• . .. . 27 Environm e nt and Developm e nt Abya Yala NeviS (tSSN 1071·3182) is available for )n annual $ IS pc<'SONI ~. $2S for I~SOO.I justice non-pro!rts.. ~;o institutions. For Canada. and Me?oco add $5, for all other intetn:.~tion.lJ ~ps. add $10. We .......cl<omc sOOmissicns of artides.lett¢f"S. pho1ogt'i)Phs and telev¥1t VlfOlTT'I.ation. Leners and 31ticl¢s may be edited for -:« r""' """>«= length. 10 • '""""""~ """'-"'""" on paper ¥ld ¢n,v\~<OI'T'f)o'll:ible 3 tn. Wlch cJ:sk Send ;)I corSAIIC P.O. Box 28703 Oakland, C A 94604, USA Phone: (S 10) 834~42 6 1 Fu' ( S I 0) 834·4264 e-mail: sallc@igc.apc.org Biodiversity Convention .. .. . .... .. .. .. . .. ...... .. 30 W e would like t o thank the following individuaJs a nd organizations for their gt:nerous assistance to Abya Yala News W omen lleto llcwg«. Jo<ge Second Encounter of Indigenous Women .. ......... . . 34 Wayu Women Imperilled by Drug Trafficking ..... .. ... 35 Organiza tion and Commun ication .. .. . .. .. ..... 36 Calendar of Events ... . . . . .. ....... .. . ..... . .. 38 SAIIC N ew s .. . ........ • ..... .... . ... • . ..... . 39 On the Cover: R..esidtoc of San Crist~l de las Casu. Chiapas. cuti11g his vote f<>r the 199<4 Pres.idenliaJ elections In Mexk:o. Photo: Courtesy o! Global Exeh~ngo BriU>ol s...n.- (~ Anu). ~-'"""" ~ ~Gonzalez. M.lri>.-.. ~ ~ Mendo<.\ M.Wna Mo<>. V<tor Montcjo. Gullc>mo f'>do. o.n ~......._ KaO. T.,.,.._ l!ily R Trice~. Ste(ono v....,. and spe0>1 Wl'\k:s to Vd.y WMJ O rganlutlons: Amerincb ~). CEOCB ~). OoOp ($»~ Gu.lt_,. Ne..,. and In~ Mansi< M<descnte< <NM"'Y~ Q'-1)0 K>Nman:a (VSA~ U<nzo (P<N~ RliniOteS' Action Ne:twclfi(.(USA), THOA (Bo"Ma), TIPI {Noway·~). t..m G<onYold (NoN"Y). a...-..u. w"""' Publications: NAORP (VC OM USA), Prcsend.l!Aeraria (BoiM.l). !Wv.a OjuaSCol (Mt>;<o). Re.lsu u;,., (SoN&). Th:tnks to t he following founda t ions for t heir gene,... ous s upport: joM D. and Catherine T. Mac /vVP.Jfr Fovndation. ~a.l ~e Foundation. Pubfic Welfare F~. The Tides Found.ltion. f~tlOC'I for ~ Ecology. SA IIC Rprest:ntatives abroad: )\>oft ~ Lar.l·RECNSUEN (Nonv>y). Raf>d ~ (Gcnrony). A'<jand<o ~ & Susan O'Oonel (CWd.l~ �E D I TO R IAL he so-c.1lled "cold war" between Capitalism and Socialism has been redefined. Instead of a conflict between "East and West," it now appears as a problem of North versus South . Today, the military impositions and economic propos.1ls expressed in the concept of a "New World Order" do no more than fortify policies of oppression against Indigenous nations and territories. For the Indigenous peoples, the oppression that beg.1n with the western invas•on. and which has just completed its 502nd year, still continues as more threats loom over the honzon. International agreements such as the North American Fr« Trnde Agreement {NAFTA). General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organizauon {WTO) are nothing more than new legal instruments which serve to increase transnational companies' power to exploit natural and human resources without regard for Indigenous territories. It should not be forgotten that a large portion of these natural resources, such as biodiversit)'. petroleum. timber, minerals. etc. arc found within Indigenous territories. for their pan, the nation-states still largely refuse to recognize Indian territory and continue 10 dispose of it as they will. most recently, b)' ceding it to national and transnational companies within the new Neoliberal programs. Governments and parliaments continue to make decisions for the oppressed majorities. Constitutional changes. new Agrarian laws. privatizauon of b.1Sic sef\ices, etc. are legal•nstruments, created without consulung the Indigenous organ•zauons, in the name of "democracy." The Indigenous people demand participation in all dectsions directly affecting Indigenous nauons. territories, and cultural systems. and reject the assimilauonist policies of the nation-state. Without entering into an in-depth analysis of the concept of democracy imposed by the Western nation-state on the Indigenous nations "~th cosmic-spiritual-territorial bases. we have tried in this journal to present an {admittedly incomplete) picture or Indigenous participation in national elections. The diverse experiences illustrated here demonstrate that Indian organizations offer new possibilities to renovate the nation-state. The)' also reveal the need for autonomous political positions and the formation of coalitions under equal conditions. Of course. not all of the Indigenous experiences have been positive. However, many of lhese, both good and bad, provide lessons from which we can learn in order to reformulate our future stralegies. Indigenous participation in the nation-states' electoral processes is only one aspect of the differem strategies we need to pursue. Access to parliaments gives us more power to propose and pressure for the adoption and approriate implementation of progressive international agreements such as the International Labor Organization's Convention 169, which is currently only recognized by seven governments. Other international agreements such as the UN Declaration on the Principles and Rights of Indigenous peoples require further pressure from the Indigenous organizations to the U.N. bodies in order to obtain an international convention signed by the colonial governments, recognizing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and not just a Declaration without implementing measures. We believe that u is Imperative for the Indigenous movement to work in coordinated fashion at the continental and world level to produce joint proposals for appropriately adopung and furthering the scope of these mternauonallegal instruments. ~ have to remember that, although the legal instruments are avilable. they need to be ratified by nauon-states, but also, in some c.1ses. those legal instruments need to be taken furhter, according to Indigenous organizations' understanding of such matters. Otherwise, these! instruments will remain In the hands of nation-states without Indigenous input. T SAIIC Board of Directors Vol. 8 No.3 3 �IN BR I EF Massive Coca-grower's March on La Paz, Bolivia Bolivian security forces unsuccessfully tried to turn away a protest march of severn! thousand camp.:;i110s headed for the capital city of La Paz in early September. Over fifty leaders were arrested. police confiscated baggage and even sandals in an attempt to pre,·ent campesinos from joining the march. The coca-growers were headed for La Paz to demand fair treatment for those who make their living growing coca. Coca leaf has long been important in the Andes because of its cultural and rnedicinal elemems. but in recent years it has acquired significance as a cash crop which is used in the production of cocaine. Protesters are demanding the demilitarization of the Chaparc region, protection of 1he coca·growing industry. com· pliance with agreements previously signed with the government, and the release of arrested activists. After three attacks by security forces. marchers chose to stay ofT the main roads to avoid funher confrontation. Campesinos have been subjected to increased arbitrat)' arrests and seizures, intimidation and harassment. sexual abuse or women. and tor· ture. Religious workers in the coca-growing Chapare region. say that the area has been completely militarized. and that the gov· emmem has also been cracking down on non·govemmental organizations who are supportive of the Indigenous camtJtsinos. The country's rn.ost powerful labor union. the 13olivian Workers Central (C06). held a 48-hour strike in La Paz on Sept. 15 and 16 to pressure the government on the cocagrowers' behalf. In response. President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada called a national dialogue to discuss the ..cocacocaine'" problem and to seek consensus solmions. The coca-growers emerged from this dialogue with a preliminary agreement which rneets several of their key demands. Leuu s demandi11g respe" for the human rigJus of c;amf'(Sinos <Jnd NCO workers in the coca regions c;a~t be sent to Bolivian President Gom::alo Sanche:: de ~ada, Fax: 591 -2·391216 Adapl<d from : \Vtekly N t h'S Upd<lle. 011 tilt AmcriC Nicamgua Solidarity Network tJf (IS, Greater New Yor·k. 339 Wfayeue Sl.• New Yorh. NY 10012. Argentina: Constitution Finally Recognizes Indigenous Rights ArgentinaS constitutional revision on Aug. 11 this year rec· ognized Indigenous peoples' rights after a series of postponements by the dmfting commission. After much debate. Article 67 of the constitution was modified to read : (the slate/ relognizes concwn:ncly with the provinces, the pre· existence of the lndgenous peoples that make up the Ar:geminian nation, guaranteei,lg respect for their elhnic and cultural identity. the legal sw1us of their communities; the tmession and communal 4 ow11crship of lands that they tradilio11ally occupy; mal1i11g a"ailable sufficient and suitable lands for their lwman development. which will be h1alienable and not subjeCl to seiZl~re; assure their access to bilingual ancl inrerculwral education: and their lHH'tici· palion in <lecisions n:gardirzg the rational use, administration <Jnd consen•ation of natural re:sour·ces: in the developmcmt of their interests; and in national life. Nonetheless, the final text relating to communal ownership of trnditionally-occupied lands ended up only partially satisfactory. The original Indian proposal used the word •guarnntecd" in respect to ownership of these londs. The governing justicialista Party, alonned by the supposed legal and economic consequences of this proposal. pushed the d rafting commission to rephrase this with the word ..regulatc..-which obviously has different implications. In the final compromise. the commission settled on the word "recognize)!o which implies at least that communities wilt be able to secure ownership or lands for which they already have titles. Settlement Between Texaco and Ecuadorian Government Sidesteps Indigenous People U.S.-based multinational oil company, Texaco Inc. and the Eeuadorian govemmem have reached a tentative agreementsubject to Ecuadorian President Sixto Duran Ballens approvalon clean-up and restoration of fom1er oil production sites in Ecuador's remote Oriente region. The populations. panicularly Indigenous peoples. whose communities ha"e been devastated by twenty years or accumu· lated toxic dumping and oil spills. were never consuhed in the process of negotiating this settlement. Indigenous and colonist organizations have been fighting for yec1rs, in alliance with envi· romner!lal groups and lawyers. to force Texaco to carry-out a thorough clean-up and restoration of the areas it polh.ucd and to provide health services and monitoring of oil related ailmems within affected comrnunities. Texaco$ oil operntions have spilled some 16.8 million gallons of crude oil into the Oricme. The company also voluntalily dumped 20 billion gallons of water containing toxic hydrocarbons. chemicals and heavy metals. into the regionS waterwa)'S. Roads built by Texaco have blazed the way for deforestation of O\rer 2.5 million acres of rainforest by opening previously isolated Indian territories to colonization by fMmers and mnchers. On tenninating its operations in 1990, Texaco made no effon to clean up the toxic mess it left behind. Indigenous umbrella organizations including COICII. CONAIE and CONFENAIE as well as the environmental coalitions CEDENMA and Amazon For Life "ill not accept this exclusive bilateral settlement between Texaco and the Ecuadorian government. The governmentS interests and the IVYya Yala News �IN communities' interests are n ot congruent. The sune-own.cd oil company CEPE (now Pcuocc-uador) worked in conson.ium with Texaco as a co-polluter and will ha"e to pick up the tab for 65.5% of any remediation bill. Given the ccuadorian govern- ment's financial liability in this situation, organizations fear that their government will not adequately meet the needs of the communities that have been impacted. For this reason. Indigenous org~nizmions must be fully involved in negotiating any settlement if a tmly effective plan for environmental reStoration and human heahh care is to be designed, financed and implemented. Pleas.: write or fax Texaco and dtt &uadorian gwcrnment immediarcly exp~ming your conetnt. Presid<nte SL, to Dur.ln Ballen. Prosideme dela Repblica dd Ecuador, P:llacio PrtsidencW, C'lle Garcia Moreno, Quito, Ecuador. Fa." 593-2-580-735 Alfred C. DeCrone Jr.. CEO and Chainnan of the Board, Texaco. Inc.. 2000 Westchester Ave.. \Vhite Plains, NY 10650. Fax: 914-253· 7753 lnfonnation supplied by the Rainforest Aaior~ Nawork Paraguay-Parana Waterway Threatens Largest Wetlands in t he Americas BR I EF mental costs, a nd comprehensively evaluate the waterway's impacts. including those to all 2,000 miles of river that will be affected. lnfonnatio-n supplied by tltt lnctrnational Rivers Nuworh. Venezuelan Indians Seek Constitutional Rights R epresentatives of Venezuela's twenty-seven Indigenous peoples began a series of meetings at the Latin American Indigenous Parliament Center in Caracas to demand that their rights be included in the national constitution, which congress is current· ly attempting to reform . jest\s j im~ne.z , Vene.zuela~ only lndigneous congressman, explained that the 350.000 Indigenous people living in this country seek inclusion for their rights tO land, usc or their languages and recognition of dual citizenship for those peoples living along the Colombian and Brazilian borders. Jimenez pointed out that ColombiaS Indigenous legislation guarantees dual citizenship in such cases. including for the 10.000 Wayu who inhabit the Colombian-Venezuela border area. The Indigenous repre-sentatives will also try to secure guarantees for participation in legislative powers at the national, regional. municipal. and local levels. Injorm<Hion COU1'te$)' of Ansa Nt.WS Agency Inc. " More than fony scientific, environmental and indigenous o rganizations launc hed an international campaign in early Sept. to protect the vast Pantanal wetlands from a .. mega-project'" known as the Parana-Paraguay Hidrovia (or watenvay). Organizations rne1 in Chapada dos Guimares in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso to discuss the Pantanal's current situation and the proposed waterway. According to these diverse organizations, the Pamanals already suffer tremendous impacts caused by gold and dia mond mining. logging, u rban sewerage. industrial po llution. pesticide and herbicide run-off and overfishing. The proposed waterway would include several massive engineerin_g projects to straightel't, deepen and "regulate" the c hannel of the Paraguay River. The governments of Brazil. Argentina, Bolivia. Paraguay and Uruguay hope that the watcrwny will open the riverS upper sections to year-round industrial shipping. and have applied to the !mer-American Development Bank and other sources for funding. International funders are wary, however, u mil an environmental impact statemem (ElS) has been completed. T he groups meeting in Chapada dos Guimares are therefore demanding full participation in the ElS process. They also demand that it take into account all social and e nviron· Vol. 8 No.3 5 �P ERS PECT I V ES 0 N TH E E L E C T O R'.!~_!....!R O~:..:E S :__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ~ A L P ~ C ~S In the following section we present a review of the Indian movement's experiences with electoral processes over the last year. Members of the movement p rovide analyses intended both to expose the problems and dangers of the nation-state's existing political processes. and to evaluate the Indian movement's political weaknesses. and thereby strengthen future political participation. Opinions in these articles belong to their authors. and are not necessarily those of SAl/C. Elections in Mexico: Indigenous Suffrage Under Protest By Araceti Burguete Cal y Mayor T he Mexican Constitution was modified in 1992 to include certain new tures. Faced with this situation, nearly 100 politically diverse Indigenous organizations met in Mexico City on Indigenous rights. Unfonunately, ingly doubtful about working through the March 4 and 5 10 develop a common this rdonn has never been implcmcmcd. political parties. Consequently, the tradi- national electoral strategy. The and Indigenous fonns of social organiza- tional parties have gradually lost political Convention presented presidential candi· tion and democratic representation still control within the coumryS Indigenous dates attending the meeting with a con· lack legal recognition. Despite many efTons regions. sensus program with universal to pass legislation guaranteeing Indian repThus, despite the high turnout of Indigenous demands. At the same time. resentation in congress over the p."lSt three Indigenous voters for the Aug. 21 presi- the Convention demanded candidates to years, none have been adopted because dernial elections nationally, several specify their policies on the right to selfIndigenous organizations still lack allies to lndiger'IOUS regions refused to vote in detennination, as well as representation suppon these proposals. Thus. Mexico's their entirety. A significant number of in congress. The Assembly's program Indigenous peoples have access to the community assemblies, like that of &In demanded that political parties agree to nation's congress only through panicipa- juan Comalapa in Oaxaca. rejected the the creation of a Sixth Electoral District. tion in the political panies. establishment of polling places in their exclusively for Indigenous peoples, and At the same 1ime. there is ample COE communities and decided to remain out· that they reserve a quota of 10% of their 'Isensus among the nation's Indigenous side the electoral process. Not just this candidacies for Indigenous representaorganizations that the political parties are town. but practically the entire Triqui tives. not adequate mechanisms for bringing region in Oaxaca boycotted the election . Although the candidates reiterated Indigenous representatives to congress. Of those Indigenous people who voted their commitment to the Indigenous peoThis conclusion has been reinforced by nationwide. many did so under protest: ple-especially due 10 the pressure the marginal placement of Indigenous unhappy with the panisan system , but caused by events in Chiapas-they did demands in the political parties' agendas, conscious of the need to contribute with not adopt the demand for a new district· in addition to the absence of Indigenous their vOle to the country's political future. ing as their own. Only the Party of the represemmion in their leadership stn1c· Democratic Revolution (PRD) responded National Indigenous Electoral b)' reserving three cand idacies in the Araa:li 8urgucle I a Chiapas ,uuivc as well as Convention s lower house and two in the senate for Technical and Research Coordinator for the For the first time in contemporary Indian leaders. Though not insignificant, lndtf'(nclem Indian Pcoplc.s Front. Mexican history. delegates representing this gesture is cenainly limited-especial· 6 Indigenous people have become increas· I>Jyya Yala News �PERSPEC TI VES ON THE EL ECT OR A L PROCESS ly if it is taken into account that Mexico~ Indigenous people constitute more th~t 15% of the population. The governing nizations and individuals from through· out the country to a National Democratic Convention (CND) from Aug. 8 to 10. Institutional Revolutionary Party will have no more than two Indigenous wilhin Zaptuista territory in the Lacandon jungle. AStonishing!)', over 6.000 delegates from throughout Mexico made the long joume)' to attend this event in the isolated and previously obscure comrnunity of Aguascaliemes. As with practical!)' all events organized by the ..civil society"'-that is, mestizo society-Indigenous panicipation was marginal and the number of delegates was scarce!)' significant. Despite the limited number of panicipams. Indigenous orga· nizations came to a consensus proposal for use in the discussion table. Thus, half of the resolutions at the round table for a Constitutional Congress and a New deputies and one lndigenous senator. National Democratic Convention in Chiapas On june 13, based on the overwhelm· ing majority of the vote within their sup· porter communities the Zapatista National Liberation Arm)' (EZLN) refused the Mexican government's peace pro· pos~l. At the s~me time the EZLN announced ~ strateg)' to seek unit)' the civilian 1novement pushing for a transition to national democracy. To this end, they surnmoned a diverse group of orga· Vol. 8 No.3 Constitution related to Indigenous peo· pies rights. gathering in a S)'nthesis of the proposals presented b)' the Independent Indian Peoples Front (FIPI). along with those of other delegations. The final text of the Convention read as follows: As ctmcems the Indigenous peoples, the National Denux mcic Converllion resoh·es that their autonomy, sclf·<iecennination and territorial rights bo recognized; char che customary riglu of lndiger~o~ts 1>eople be elevated to a constitutional right; that a new chapter on hldigtnousr>eoplc. elab· omced by che llldigeiiOilS r<or>les themselves, be integrated in the New Cor~scicution. Tite policy will bo elaborated on seven axes: lcmd, emJ>loymem. justice, economy. freedom, hullch and ed1•C a· tion. Thac articles 115 thro~tgh 122 be 7 �PERSPECTIVES ON THE ELECTORAL PROCESS rc:viscd to srrc:ngtltcn nwnicip<1lities <md establish the Indigenous regions, Tlwt the fourth article be mO<Iified to co•iform a Sixth Plurinominal Districting for lr1digenous representation, that the right to tulucacion be made effective and llwc this education respects and iruegrates the diver>ity of all Indigenous peoples, their traditions, customs. and languages. Education should be free at all levels, democratic, lay. scientific. humanistic. national and critical. Education for Indigenous people must be bilingual at all levels. In spite or the importance or this pamgmph, it is important to acknowledge that Indigenous perspectives and the aspimtions or the Indigenous people in Mexico were not the centmlthcme or the CND- opposmon to the government and the again appropriated-through rmud and official (PRI) party. Predictably, the gov- multiple electoral transgressions that have ernment ~ried to rorestall CEOICs partic- not been investigated- over 90% or the ipation in the CNO by trying to crea.te seats ror in the House or Deputies and divisions within the coalition. almost I 00% or those ror the Senate, Unronunately, these prospered. Hair or Nonetheless. the d isappointment relt by CEOIC-made up or organizations large- Indigenous peoples d id not coalesce into ly financed by the government or the a post-electoml struggle, When the elecPRI-stood against participation in the tions were o,·er. Indigenous organizations Convention, The other hair-the selr-pro- returned to their previous stntggles and daimed Independent CEOIC-<:ndorscd. tactics, The PRO vote cast by the majority and then joined the CNO, The indepen- or Chiapas' Indigenous peoples was not a dent CEOIC maintains a line of civilian truly partisan vote. The PRO was persupport ror the Zapatista proposals and ceived as the best party at hand, but not negotiations, and continues to contribute necessarily as their own party, or as one significantly to the extension of '"civilian that identi fies wholly wilh their interests. bridges· into the conOict zone. Votes garnered by the PRO in Chiapas awarded two seats in the lower house to Elections in Chiapas Indian leaders. These are: Antonio this despite the conventionS location in August 21 , election day, was particu- Hernandez (see interview in VoL 8:1&2). the heart of the conflict zone, wilhin ter~ larly significant ror Chiapas, The states Maya-Tojolabal, state leader or the rilOry held by an army, nearly all of whom elections commstcd sharply with those in Independent Central or Agricultural arc Indian. the rest or the country, For the forst time Workers and Campesinos (CIOAC), and in the highland and jungle regions or M ario Landeros. candidate for the Xfnich Fragi le Coalition Divides in Chiar>as, Indigenous people exercised organizmion of Palenque. Elsewhere. Chiapas their citizenS right to vote in massive Martin Equihua rcpreseming the A political watershed leading up to rashion. For the forst time they voted or Guerrero 500 Years or Indigenous the National Democratic Convention their own free will. without impositions. R esistance State Council also won a seat was the fragnlcntation into two halves or and without being coerced. For the forst in the lower house through the PRO vote, the Indigenous and Campesino State time the Indigenous vote in Chiapas was Euldarico Hemandez. Chontal writer and Council or Chiapas (CEOIC), It was evi- not ror the PRL leader rrom the state or Tabasco. sec\lrcd a dent that the Convention would express At the national level. the PRI once seat in the senate, along with Hector Sanchez, leader or the Worker·C.1111pesino Student Coalition or the Isthmus, The present political balance is certainly not what Indigenous or ganizations demand, nor what justly corrcs1>0nds to their peoples, Nevertheless, the Indigenous movement will have at least three authemic advocates in the next legisla· ture. These delegates are committed to constitutional rcrorms elabomted by the Indigenous National Electoral Com•en· tion including: rhe right to govern their territories according to norms established by their customs and usage. and the right to Indigenous representation in congress through special districting without Maya residents o f Altamirano, Chiapas U up to vote; o bservers at polling place s ne in the town reported significant irregularities. dependence upon the political l>arties. -., 8 AIYya Yala News �Reconstructing the Ayllu: toward Renewal of the Bolivian State By Maria Eugenia Choque and CariDs Mamani ast years eltcuons m Bolivia culmi· noted m August Wlth the victory of ·ealthy mdustriahst Gonzalo ("Goni") ~nchez dt Lozada and Aymara Indian intellectual Victor Hugo Olrdenas, leaders of tWO distinct political traditions: Coni !rom the leftist-turned-centrist Nationalist Revo lutionary Movement (MNR) credited with •modernizing" Bolivia. and Victor Hugo !rom the Aymara Tupac Katari Revolutionary Movement of Liberation (MRTKL). Their election trig· gered celebrations among various sectors or the Bolivian population. On the mght or Aug. 5. the coliseum in La Paz was the scene or a grand. picturesque ceremony organized by the MNR. Indigenous people panicipatcd in a ntual of homage and recognition in which representatl\'eS of almost all o f the native groups in the country presented symbols of power and authority to Gonzalo Sanchez and Victor Hugo. It symbolized their acceptance as ··n:nive authorities... The presentation took place in a colorful atmosphere o f wiphalas (multi-colored patchwork Aymara Oags which have come to represent Indian Unity). The ceremony was a perfect an1ftce: showing Indian inte· grauon and ascendance lO po\1 ter-by Marla fugmla Olotr-" is a luslonan and Dir«IIJI' of the Alldtan Oral Hwory llbrl>shop m l.n Paz. Carlos Mamanl also ..00.0 as a luslorian m l.n Paz. Vol8 No.3 Marching for territory and dignity way or the vace-presadent elect. Funhermore. the president appeared (how marvelous!) to be seeking Indigenous recognttaon before taking power. Alliance with the Tupac Katari Revolutionary Movement of Liberation (M R TKL) wns a great success for the MNR, leading to a decisive electoral victory. The MRTKL, for their part, gained five seats in Congress. a small role in the administration or the Slate, and the creation or a National Secretariat of Ethmc Affairs. Quruitath·ely. howe,·er, their presence in parliament as more hmucd than that of the first Indian depuues m parh•mem (including Olrdenas hamseiO m the 1980s. Since the elecuon, pohuc::al propag;mda has tned to show that the indigenous mo,·ement-wuh Vfctor 1-iugo at its head-is pan of the government. Or, at least, that it Is willing to wait to be vindi· cated through reforms proposed by the government in llCW hlW'S O( popular par· ticipation. cdu~tion , :1nd privatization. The situation in UoHvia C;ln be under· stood as the continuation or an inter-eth· nic relationship an which the criollo (people of European descent) groups in power use the an of samulaung lnd.,n political pan.capauon. to perfecuon. They accomplash thas b)• puttmg on shows such as that descnbcd obo\'C and through their newly acquued ~bthty to integrate Indigenous andavaduols mto the politic::al elite. These and"'duals must only pass an exam where saenficc. higher education. desire !or power and presuge, and the denunciauon of their adeals appear to be the deciding factors. Wlthm this context. it is not saying too much to point om that Victor Hugo appeared in electoral propa· ganda representing the COntinmuion of the stateS intcgmtiomst policies such as the agrarian refonn of 1953. Given the StateS VISible securily in hs control over the lndagenous popubuon, \\'C ask here. what is the state or the Indian MO\'trnent? History of the Movement Todar~ lnd.,n n>ovement os neuher a recent phenomenon, nor the result of the 1952 revoluuon. It as the conunuation. although in fragmented fonn, of a ffiO\'C· ment of C<ICiqut'S (tradltionul chiefs) which was led in the first hal! or this century by Santos Marka T'ula. Eduardo Nina Qhispi, Gregorio Ventura, Rufino \C,IIca. Feliciano Aruquipa, Celcdonio Luna. Mateo Alfaro, and others. These caciques struggled !or the survival or the Indigenous people and proposed the "renewal Of 8ohvi3" With the InstitUtionalization or respect !or dovcrsoty and pluralit)' In thear analystS of domeStiC: and international pohcaes (1920-1936) , they Continued on page 33 9 �PERSPECTIVES ON THE ELECTORA L PROCESS Photo : Gvatemal3 NC\'/S and Information 8ure3u Guatemala: M aya M ovement At The Politica l Crossroads Maya " Communities of Populations in Resistance"' (CPR's) left hidden communities in the lxcan jungtc in February of this year to establish an open potiticat presence. By Estuardo Zapeta. n june of 1993. following the failed self-coup d'ttat by former President jorge Serrano Elias, the Pem1anent Maya Assembly submitted a list wi1h three names for the Vice-presidency. This act in itself shook the Guatemalan politi- I C.."'..I establishment, demonstrating the new asseniveness of the coumryS Indigenous movement. This p reviously little known polhical curre m is now one of the strongest in Guatemalan society. Paradoxically 1he ..Serranazo," as Serrano Elias' attempted coup was nicknamed. helped the Maya movement emerge o nto the national stage. Nonetheless. and perhaps due to a lack of political experience. Maya organizations have fallen fa r short of their political potential in recent years. This year, two political C\'CntS rencct on the situation faced by the movement. On jan. 30, a majori1y of voters approved Esruardo Z<lp•:~a is Maya-Caqchiqu<l and works wirlt rhe Ctmro de Esrudios dela Culwra Maya (CECMA) of Cuaremala. 10 newly-appointed President Ramiro de Leon Carpio$ proposed constitutional revision a midst massive abstentionism. Then. on Aug. 14. parliamentary elections were held in which fonncr military d ictator Rios Mont , whose administration from 1981-82 was responsible for the bloodiest repression of the Maya population in rcccm history. won a seat in congress. The Political Movement: Internal and External Factors Maya Indians arc the majority in Guatemala with over 60% of the I>Opulation. ThC)' are also victims of the \Vestem Hem isphere~ longest and most bloody modern civil wars. Understanding the discovery of the Americas in 1992 unified organizations in a common cultural and political cause. Second. numerous Mayan organizations have fonned in the country- side. These range from agricultural cooperatives to a national system of Mayan schools. and they have begun 10 consolidate local power as the basis of an effective political panicipation. Third. ethnic issues have become a maucr of national debate since the agenda for peace talks between the govem mem and the guerrilkl movement was modified to include a point on "ldemi1y and Rights of the Indigenous People." Advances made by t he movement have unfonunately been undem>ined by e rnerging Maya political participation power struggles within the Indian leader- requires a look a1 both internal and external factors affecting the movement in ship. Fueled by the lack of clear I>Oiitical objectives, this in-fighting slowly gnaws away at achievements 1 nadc over the last three years. Additionally. one effect of the recent years. There ttrc three major internal innuences on Maya political activism. First, strong Op(>OSition to celebration of the Quincenrenary of Columbus' so-called diminished influence of Marxist d iscourse has been the new recognition of previous- ly ignored cultural differences among the !Wya Y News ala �PERSPECTIVES Maya peoples. Th<S< dtfferences h3\·e in ON Thts ts true. first of all. because only tum, accclcr.ued the mttrnal competition 20% of the electoratt voted. Second!)\ for power. Rtos Mont exploned law and order Externolly. Moyo pohllcal panicipation rhetoric tn a count')' where criminal foces chollenges generated by last years activity tS second only to poveny as a failed coup d'tun, the nations general social problem. The ex-dtctator is also a democratic crisis and the Aug. 14 con· born-again Protestant. and could there· gressional elections. International pres- fore count on nc:uly un:mimous suppon sure OJ\ the Guatcmahm government has from the evangelical Protestont popula· also contributed to the opening of politi· tion. In 1990. 36% of the population was cal spaces for the Maya. estimated to be l'rotestant. the highest proportion or nny country in predomiOf Elections And The Elected nantly Catholic latin America. The lndtgenous movement discovered Evangelical advances are not surprising in its first '"polittcal thermometer'" in rural. Mayan commumues. Thts success Prestdent Carptos referendum for the results from a well-planned and well· proposed con.sutuuonal revision. The funded wave o( e'"ngehcal mtssionizing rtVtSlon was 01med ot purgmg the corrupt from the Untted States. Serrano congress and represented a funThe Maya people and the former dicdamental clash between the executive and tator w>ll face thetr real challenges in the legislative powers. The Indigenous mo,·e· Nov. 1995 prcstdenual elections. Unless ment could have exploited this division. Rios Mont can eng1neer a constitutional but political inexperience limited any revision. he will be b.1rrcd-as a former gains. The principal Mayan organizations dictator-from seeking the presidency. At threw their supJ behind the president~ the same time, moderate right-wing par>Ort constitution•! chonges. In exchange, the ties. who are best placed to \vin the pres· president approved a National Indigenous ideney. have shown liule concern for Rios Fund. The Maya people could have Mont and are turning their :mention to gained much more. the 1ndtgenous vote. For instance. the President C.1rp1o~ constitutional revi· National Advancement Party (PAN). has ston was approved with a majority )-es· been in ·secret• tolks with the vote on Jan. 30. but turnout \1>1\S a shock· Autonomous Movement of Masses. an mgly low 16'10 of the dectora.te. Poor orgamzauon worktng for poliucal educa· commumcauon btlwetn the Indigenous tion and org:t.mz;mon m poor Indigenous nauonal and grassroots 0rg.1niza1ions pre· and mtsti.c;o rommunu1es. ''ented any stgmficant political panicipa· tton. Yet Mara Orgllmzations ha\'e learned Military Ethno-hysteria that politicians now place imponance on Withtn the politico! process. the the Indigenous vote. Indigenous rno\·emem c:mnot underestl· National congressional elections were mate the anny$ presence and power. held on August 11. 1994. Surprisingly. This institution. which has systematical· (ormer military dictator Errnin Rios Mom ly opposed any Moya political panicipa· and his Republican Front pany emerged lion, is undergoing one or its worst with a significnnt vtctory. R ios MomS times . It's important to remember that tenure as dictator in 1981-1982 was one the :mny has free nnd permanent access of the bloodtest ever endured by the to most Maya communmes through Mayon people. At that ttme. his "bullets paramilitary squads known as Civil and beans· counter·tnsurgency program Defense Patrols 11 has established razed hundreds of Mayo villages to the throughout the countrystde. The current ground. H1s VICtory howe,·er is not~ sur- number of 3Ctl\'C members m the Civil pnstng as 11 appe3rs. Defense: Patrols 15 esttmated at O\"tr Vol. 8 No.3 THE ELECTORAL PROCESS 500.000: 95% of these are Maya A senous tntemal dJ\'tSton. '"loss"' of the commumst enemy, a re--defimtton of its role after mmal peoce talks. and a problem of · unage· both at the nauonal and internauoMIIcvel. are JUSt few of the problems foced by the Guutemulan army. The appoumncnt of General Julio Otzoy Colaj. Mnya-caqchiquel from the town of Comalapa. as Vice-Minister of Defense is widely percei,'Cd as on auempt to tum back Maya poliucal odvances. Otzoy never tdcnufies htmself as Mayo and leads the army's ultra<Onservative sector. 0tzoy explamed m a 1\~nt tntervtew thot "due to the senous ethniC problem· facing Guatemala. there \S g7t3t nsk for the emergence of an •ethntcally·based guemlla mo,-ement" m the next ten years. The recent ·Maya Nauon h)-pothests• and the new ideas on Mt\)'0\ :.'lutonomy have increased Ouoys fears. Although these ideas arc mere speculations. the conserva· tive military lllCrcaslngly accuses Maya organizations or subversion ond sep.1ratism. The ultra-right is olso haunted by the possibility that the Guotcmolan govern· Ex-dictator Rios Montt's amp&ign slogan prodaiming "'With us.. your vote counts.• 11 �PERSPECTIVES ON THE ELECTORAL ment might ratify Convention 169 of the labor Org:mizmion on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries. This would International increase the international legal validity of rights claimed by Ma)'a organizations. PROCESS at the end of the 1980s. The Indigenous National Front (FIN) was fou nded for this purpose. This political organization faded out. basicall)\ because it had neither the people nor the monel' to be heard at the national level. Work at the local level has Indigenous leaders who participated in Christian Democratic President Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo's administration . Many outstanding accusations of corruption and financial mismanagement remain against them. Though Minister Tay Coyoy is the first Indian to r each such a high position in Guatemalan government, the ract that his activities cominue to be opaque h as not helped the consolidation of the political party. The Maya dilemma has always been whether to participate in the electoml systemS existing panies in order to gain new spaces. and eventually rise to shape party platforms themselves or to create their own political associ· ations. capable of partici- pating at the national level. The Indigenous movement is also limited by a Jack of economic T army maintains a political presence in most Maya communities through the Civil Defense Patrols. he Recent publication of Rujunamil Ri Mayab' Amaq (Rights of the Maya Peo1>le) has also fueled the am1yS fears. In sum. these military sectors see any Indigenous political been visibly more effective 1han at the national or regional level. For example, the Came Civic Committee, an Indigenous grassroots organziation. has kept power. Maya organiza· tions are facing financial crise-S at the national, regional, and local levels. This has only been overcome at the local level, where the Maya ob,oousl)' have more opportunities. progress as a national security threat. However, the " young officers" sector and the anny:S so-called Mprogrcssive wing" arc to some extent forcing the ul~ra-con­ servative groups to be more lOieram toward political indigenous participation . control of the Mayors office for the last The Chall enge Ahead ten years, even while competing with the Though many have argued that the congress elected on Aug. 14 represems a It moted formation of a political pany. This who represem a challenge to the congress. The congress$ shon d11ration (one year) Maya organizations to take advantage of commiuee is covertly directed by the cur. these divisions within the anny. rem minister of education. Alfredo Tay and its ideological composition which leans heavily lOward the right wing ""II be up to the political abilities of the established national parties. The most recent national efforts for Maya political participation was through the Sociedad lxim, a committee 1hat pro~ Coyoy. Dilemmas and Limitations of Political Participation The first Maya auempts at direct national political participation took place 12 Maya-K'iche' from challenge to Mayan political participation. the opposite is in fact true. h i.s the Maya Quetzal- (which ignores Indigenous demands). tenango. Chrisitan Democratic parties bcnh wilhin Guatemala and Europe are indicates that the Indigenous movernem should take the time to re-evaluate its also supporting this effort in ncar secrecy. Among the ranks of this group are Guatemala's socio·polilic31 reality. position and design Strategies that renect PIDya Yala News �PERSPECTIVES The foll0\\1ng pomts require t\'aluation: a) Substantial changes in the political diseourse. The radical nature of ahe Mayan political discourse-based on s tagnant leftist Ideas from the 1960s-has become obsolete in 1994. This discourse d oes not help Ind ian political participation : 10 the contrary, it reaffi mts the fear and cahno-hystcria of the army and the economically powerful sectors. In short, this discourse is characcenzed by mconsistent pop· uhsm. the InSIStence that the MayaS only problem is unJUSt land distribuuon, and b)' a rod1cal envuonmental· 15m th31 defends the adopuon of exouc hfesayles. Thts is not ahe Mayan people's dascourse. but rather results from an inOux of ideas from M:lrxisl. environmental and ocher radical groups fro m Europe and ahe United States. b) The c re:uion of a solid base of lead- ON O\'crcome m order to achieve effective pohucal parttcipation. This lack of leadershtp w;u patently ob,ious durmg the recent congressional elections. Although a good number of Indian candtdatcs ran for offiee, only fiveout of a congress with eighty mem- bers-were clec•ed. Abstentionism added 1 the fact that Ma)oan candi0 dates were virtually unknown, guaran· aced this result. Remarkably, the five winning candidates ran wilh right· wing parties. An urgent imperative for Maya org.1nizations ls to ..train.. new leaders who can act as catalysts for the thoughtS and feelings of the Ma)'3n people <)Clarification and unification of realistic goals and objectives. The current debate 0\'er ahe Mayan Vol. 8 No. 3 E LECTORA L PROCESS autonom. lS a perfect cx.•mple of confuSIOn Wlthm the lndrgcnous movement of tiS 0\\'ll pohucal objecd,·es. When lndtgenous nglus. Ma)oan education. the Guatemalan lndrgenous Fund, and that some nght-\\1ng panres demonstrated ao''"'rd Rtos Mont must be seen by the lndtgenous mo"cment ;u represemmg a range of possibtlilies for par- compulsory milnary service-to men· lion just n (cw national issues-are must take ad,oamage of the liberal added 10 subject of autonomy, the con- ticipation. The lnd1genous movement mindsets of the ccmer.right panics' younger gcncmtions, fusion becomes even more app.1rem. The Mayan org,1nizmions. independent of ahe mearlS they decide to adopt, must together clanfy their objectives and sea goals for the short and longrun. The current political confusion naturally suppons the St..ae~ argument that·· the Mayas don' know what they want or wht:rt they w3nt to go: \Ve muse recogruzt: m :td\'3nce that this process or clanficauon and unificalion of goals does not nooess.1nly imply a political homogeniution. Unity within di\·ersit)' h.._'\5 sustained the mo\'emem up to now. l11is claim is supponed by way In which the d ifferem Indigenous froms united In opposition 10 the 500 years celebration . ership. The lack of Maya leaders is another challenge the mo\'ement will have 10 THE d) Political education at the community level. In Guatemala, the Maya ,,;II ha"e 10 redirect their effons 10\\'ard an effecti\'e pohucal pantctpauon Within the commumues. In :1 country where power ts htghly cenamliud, traditional pohucs have completely neglected the rural areas. The consolidation of Maya o rganizations throughout the country is the best indication that cffons for political educ.1tion at the community level arc feasible. In this sense. the army also has recognized the political potential of the rural areas through the Civil Self-Defense patrols. c) A relations hip with the moderate right. The senous constderauon of possible rebuons \\1th a Congress dominated by nght·Wlng parttes hos become necessary. The strong mllial opposuion 0 Dc~minorizntion of the n'Htjorily. In a country where the Mayan majority has always been perceived and treated like a m•nonay, it is necessary to intelhgenaly demonstrate ahe numencal posstbihues. In principle. poh11cs as a numbers game. The lnd•genous mo\'cmcnt must take ad\'antage of liS maJonty status 10 win 1he necessary SOCial and economic changes. g) Continuing diplomatic work at the international level. The Mayan people must cominue to carry out diplomocy nt a global level. This has been an extremely effec1ive political aool that would be unwise 10 neglect. In ahe final analysts, the new generations of Guatent3lan Ma)'aS. the so-called ·children of repressaon: have the greatest challenges and responsabthttes toward their people. The challenges they confront are many. and changes at the national. regional and global le,-el are rapid. Achieving change at the nauonul levcl ,,;II depend on a realistic vision of goals and political means congruent with global political c hanges. Posa-war Guatemala represents a nother challenge at ahc macro-social level for contemporary Mayans. Having been born and raised in waNime, the new Maya generations, as well as the new nttSHZO generotions. will have 10 look for \\'a)'S of peaceful and respectful cocx~Sicnee tn a multicultural and multihngual country hke Guatemala. All Guaacmabns \\111 ha,·e 10 tnsist on the possibrlny of umty wllhtn di,·ersity. .., 13 �PERSPEC TI VES ON TH E EL EC TORAL PR O CES S Special Indian Districting: Unresolved Political Problems in Colombia Members of the Colombian Indigenous movement are now trying to critically evaluate the movement's political participation in order to surpass the constraints that have kept many Indigenous objectives out of reach. The following article reflects this process of self·criti· cism. as well as the movement's search for new solutions. by A lfonso Palma Capera and Oskar Benjamin Gutierrez W ithout doubt one of the worst "hettdaches" that the Indigenous movement has endured is the problem of electoral panicipation. In 1990, when Lorenzo Muelas, Alfonso Pena Chepe and Francisco Rojas 6irry panicipated in construction of Colombia's new constitution the}' were sure that il would be extremely difficult to carry out the reforms they were outlining. Four years and two parliamentary elections later. Indigenous political panicipationwithin those spaces that Indigenous peo· pie themselves have forced open-is in deep crisis due to the political inexperi- ence of Indigenous representatives. lack of unity among Indigenous organizations and panics. and failure to skillfully manage relationships with the govermncnt. On March 13 of this yMr, Indigenous communities elccu~d Lorenzo Muclas and Gabriel Mujuy as their representatives to the Senate thanks to the system of Special ElectOral Oistricting (CEE), one of the most imponant political achievements of seats in the senate for Indigenous candidates. The CEE allows Indigenous "lists" (names on the party ticket) registered under the special district to compete fo r these scats independently or the senate races for the other one hundred scats within the National Electoral District. The Indigenous movement won the CEE through its advanced level of organization in a bitter struggle with the traditional institutions. It should not in any way be seen as a gift from the Colombian state. The proliferation of ettndidates this year~ight different Indigenous listsreflected the moven1ents lack of unity. In many cases, the vote was split even within the same ethnic group. Many Indigenous people who wanted to suppon their own cause did not know for whom to vote. Not knowing the candidates, the electorate was forced to decide "by sight" which candidate on the ballot seemed to represent their cause. The Indigenous candidates used their experience in previous clec· tions, and attempted to extend their the Colombian Indigenous movcmcm. appeal to the population in general and Article 176 of the revised constitution capture votes in non·lndigenous cotnmu· created the CEE as a system reserving two nities. This may explain why only three Indigenous parties registered their list Alfo>~so Palma Cap<ra is the jon>1er prtside>ll of under the CEE. while five sought office lht National lncligenous Organitation of through the National Electoral District, Colombia (ONIQ. Oskar Benjamin Culitm:z is competing with the other political groups a journalist and ONIC collaborator. under equal conditions. 14 The results were clear. On one hand, the Indigenous vote was diluted. This reflects d isunity and lack or coordination among so many candidates, but it also reflects the immense level of abstention among ethnic minorities. On the other hand, the large number of votes obtained by some Indigenous candidates in the urban areas suggests that non.Jndian vot· ers looked to Indigenous candidates as an alternative capable of generating debate with the traditional panics. First Experience Three different lists registered for the 1992 senate and chamber of deputies elections. The first was headed by Gabriel Muyuy for the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC): the second, was backed by the Indigenous Authorities of Colombia (AICO) headed by Floro Alberto Tunubala; and the third. that of the Indigenous Social Alliance headed by Antonio Quira GauM was created by a faction of the Indigenous movement especially for electOral participation and registered within the national district. For the first time in Colombian history, three Indians held scats in the senate as representatives of their own communities. The Indigenous lists succeeded in that moment largely due to their usc of an Indigenous program of action titled "The i>J:Jya Yala News �PE R SPEC TI VES Colombia that We Want.• This platform reflected a conception of Indians not as islands. but as part of a diverse country, and reached out to all the sectors of the country. It was grounded in culture, plurality and tolerance and called the nationstateS attention to a new and independent discourse with alternative proposals. This proposal was elaborated by working groups at the local. regional and national levels d\Jring the National Constitutional Assembly. These groups sought to develop a clear legislative agenda and plan the new constitution's design and implementation. These work groups. however. were not re~assembled in fol~ lo" ;ng years. and the task of continuing to develop an Indigenous policy was left to the regional organizations which gener· ally lack the advice and resources available to Indigenous Senators. ON TH E E L EC T O R A L PROCESS paigns without first drawing lines to dis- irresponbilities tinguish the two activities. In this way obtained some important seats (ma)•ors, congressmen. senators), but who lacked leaders of some organizations enter polit- ical life and never return to work with their organizations. This situation has made many indigenous organizations skeptical and concerned about the rela· tionship between politics and the organi- zations. For this reason the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC) did not endorse any candidate in this election and does not plan to do so in the future, considering that doing so f could deepen existing divisions. or candidates who training and experience in govemment. Minorities Supported? Operation of the special electOral district which Indian groups fought for so long to establish is now being questioned. Its establishment probably numerically increases minority representation and pennits those sectors less involved with traditional politics to reach office. But there is also the risk that this mechanism could distort the expression of the ethnic Alliances and Alternatives In order to gain access to public office. Indigenous candidates have sought the support of different movements that do not represent Indigenous interests. Several of the Indigenous candidates ran with the Conservative and Liberal parties. communities political will. Since voting within the special districts is not closely regulated, majorities may end up decid- ing \\•ho is elected in the name of the minorities. Many sectors within Colombia request a stricter regulation of the Disuicting. in order to strengthen the eth- The Problems Increase nic communities· participation . In spite of the political space obtained. the participation and inOuence of Indigenous peoples in projects and discussions has been limited due to the dis- The problems described above have resulted in the loss of many votes o f those ·clean" candidates or programs for gov- advantage of having only two senators as ernment. compared The Colombian Indigenous movement is now suffering from a state of apathy, finding hope only in what new laws can offer, rather than pressuring the State through marches and mobilizations. The to ninety from Colombians who did not find new or the Conservative and Liberal parties and ten from other sectOrs. In addition to the corruption of these political entities. Indigenous representatives' progratns have received little respect. As a politically inexperienced minority, the Indigenous representatives have not been able to resist the machinations of the traditional parties. Confusion Between Organizations and Parties presence of the Indian parliamentarians has helped establish the fundamental rights of ethnic groups and to open spaces One of the first Indian scnotors. Anatotio Ouira. played a k<ty rote in promoting Indian potitical participation d uring his tctm in otftec. for participation. However, it is now nee· essary for them to work toward recon· struction or their own fragmented forces in order to jointly face the t raditional political establishment. Common p roposals must be elaborated to fonn an electoral strategy capable of uniting with In addition, the Indigenous movement suffers serious internal problems. The ln consequence, many Colombians who previously saw the Indian candidates as a organizations have not completed enough respite from the political panorama were dis.,ppoimed at these alliances and the appearance that the Indian parties were immediately falling into the same old political customs. These doubts have committed to this end, and the communi· ties themselves will verify its develop been reinforced by the inefficiencies and ment. .., basic work with their members to help them differentiate clearly between the political campaigns and their organizations. Regional organizations frequently support their members' political camVOl. 8 No. 3 other sectors proposals who have tradi· tionally shown solidarity with 1ndigenous peoples. The Indigenous movement is 4 15 �I H T E R H A T I 0 H A L ~_ _ _ _ __ Barbados Ill: On Democracy and Diversity We ptint below excerpts from the third declaration by the Barbados group of social scientists. The Barbados I declaration was an early and extremely Influential document written by an intematlonal group of academics In support of Indigenous people 's struggles. It is accompanied by an introduction by Stefano Varese. one of the group's founding members.' n 1971, on the Isle of &rbados. a Six )'<31'S !:Iter, an 1977, the group met by Abya Yala Press m Quuo) auempt to group of L:mn Amencan anthropolo- again an Barbados. thas ume accompanied clarify some of these problems and conIJlStS met under the auspices or the by a matehang number of Indigenous tribute to the construction of a more just vn"·erstt)' of Zunch, Swuzerland. and the leaders and antelltctuals. By this time, the and dtgniOed future for the Indigenous World Councal of Churches. The meeting Latin American pohtical context had suf. people. took place at a time when the expansion fered a radacal change. The national polit· of development in Amazonian Indigenous ical projects for rcfom1 In Chile, Peru, Barbados Ill Declaration: territories was escalating and when Bolh•ia and Panama had been defeated Articulation of Diversity dependent capitolism's modernization and the most violent forms of State More than two d ecades after our forst project met wilh strong resistance from repression and terrorism had been insti· declaration ( 197 1). the members of the the Indigenous and peasont peoples o f the tuted in a great number of coumries in Barbados Group gathered in Rio de Andes and Meso-America. the region. An armed revolutionary strug· janeiro. Bmzil. to rcOcct on the situation Simplistic political interpretations gle seemed a real possibihty to many of of the lndagenous peoples in Latin which employed an analytical framewo rk the continental Indigenous mO\'Cments. America and to document the persistence overly concerned wath economic issues The &rbados II Decl>rauon reOected this of secular forms of dommation and had the reahty of ethnic conflicts during new reahty. Unfonun:uely us impact on exploitation that affect them. The develthat neocolomal penod. LeftiStS argued nauonal SOCICUes and the organized opment of new forms or colonization th.'i only the tnumph of a socialist revo- lndtgenous mo\'emtnt was not of the ha\·e aggra\'ated th1s SHU3uon. \Ve arc lution would soh·c the problems which same magnnude as the previous one. witnesses 1n each of our countries to the 1ndagenous groups faced. Finall)•. In December 1993. the repeated Y10l3ll0n5 of thetr right tO life, The &rb:ldos I Declaration which Barbados Group met agaan m Rio de their dignity, and to the cultural a.nd resulted from that meeting. and the long Janeiro, 8raztl, tOasses the situation of the human uni,·ersc of their local expressions. book documenung it, had strong reper· Indigenous populations in the context of At the same time we connrm the cussions among ::tcademics, the indigenist the sudden anack of Nco· Liberalism and Indian peoples' will to resist and to live. sectors of the State bureaucracies. renewed fonns of Nco-Imperialism. The expressed through the multiplicotion or Catholic and Protcsumt missionaries, and. new conditions facing the 1ndigcnous their ethno-politlcal organizations, and or most of all. among org.1nized Indigenous movement m the end of the second mil- the daily afr.nnation of cultural speciOcigroups. Barbados I took on a life of its lennium include the collapse of the ties that manifest the resilience of their own among some Indian organizations in socialist "utopia." the veniginous expan· civili.z:ations. Latin Amenca. who adopted it and used it sion of drug trJfficking. the involvement The above stated. together with as an anstrument or struggle. of the Unated States in the promotion and lndigneous peoplrs' demographic - - - repressaon of drug traffickang. and the rise growth. defies the current proJCCI of glob· Sttftl110 \llrnt Is Prc{tsSC< of Nali•'< Ameritml and urgency of envaronmental issues. alization. whach leads us towards a worldand Chila"" Stud~ at lht University of The Barbados lll Declaration. a.nd the \\ide homogemzouon that as enforced by book that attompanaes it (to be published the expansJon of and dominauon by a CalifMil4'" ~ll I 16 �IHT £ RHATIOH A L western-oriented integrationist market system, whose technical, economic and Ideological projects recewe multi-national flnoncing. The umlonnuy bemg pursued has genemted profound political, economic and social asymmetry, C\'eO in the dominant countries. The individualist and competitive Neo-Liberal discourse masks the real make-up or the growing inequality and or the conOict between nauons. ethnic groups, classes and other soc1al groups. creaung an illusory equality, when in reality it confronts nation against nation, people agninst people, community against community. This is contmry to the spirit or solidarity of communities which is mor.: conducive to human kinship. A world without alternate communities, wuhout differentiated social groups, would be a world condemned to a lack ol creativity and fraternal loyolti<s. Just as for centuries each ethnic group was forced to integmtc and incorporate itself into the ineffable vtnues of an illdefined national life. the same compulsive proposition is currently made to latin American countries. wtth the intent of cementing their imegrauon nod incorpora~ tion into a planetary order controlled by a type or transnational oligopoly. Simultaneously. the scientific knowl· edge brought by ecology. together with the well-founded warnings or environmentahsm. ha,·e been mtsmterpre<ed and redefined by a tendency Wlthm this social movement. It seeks to impose the theory or the global management of natural resources but h ignores or minimizes the vernacular 'visdom and knowledge. considering them incapable or creating a global environmental solution. Howe,·er. th1s knowledge constitutes the social bases that maintain the bases or biodiversity m the world. Today. the forces that dominate the regions with the grMtest biodiversity have grown. Territories that were before the exclusive lands of Indigenous peoples \<ol8 No.3 have been opened to colonizing expansion Wlth the purpose of expropriating the trop1cal regions' enonnous natural reserves hke oil. minerals, umber and hydroelectric sources. This distonang tendency presents obstacles to the alliance of the diverse human coznmunilics that defend the ownership and usage of the natural resources under a socio-environ· rnentahst current. which constitutes one of the most accurate and cffcc:dve criti· CISmS of the Neo-liberal premistS of unlimited growth. V...'e observe the existence of processes istic. united. nnd complementarily-articulaced societies. The fragile Latin American Democmctes, still monopohzed by the inttreslS of conservati\'e sectors who in their majority descend Irom old European and colonial elites. have failed to generate the political spaces or legislative and admlnistmtive mechanisms necessary to allow Indigenous people to progress in butldmg their own future. ln pantcular. mihtary 1deologies which frequently degenemtc into geo-political paranoia, see Indigenous societies as potentially subfor ethnic reaffirmation. conducive not versive groups which threaten national only to cultuml reproduction but also to unity, mther than as different peoples. the recovery of loyalties and potrimonies Indigenous peoples demands lor territorwhich were apparently lost. In the face or this the domanont Democracy. as the philosophy of a SOCltty responds with new ronns Western social system. is centered for the destruction or diversity. on the individual and excludes collecwith obstacles and repressive tives like Indigenous peoples i>Oiitical and judicial changes. Furthermore, the persistence of multiple lonns of racism that clisquahly and destroy .. ,periences or alter- ial reorg.1nlzation and more cultural and noll\'( Civilizations is generating processes lingUtsuc •utonomy are thus seen as sepor "de-lndianization: which lgiiOr<S the anutst effons. fact that each culture destroyed or termiWe exhort the presidents ol the nated is an Irretrievable loss lor the whole republics ol Latin America to comply with the promise made to the Indigenous peoof humanity. Democracy, as the philosophy of a ples ht the Declamtion of Guadalajam \Vestcrn social system. is centered on the (Mexico, july 1991). In which they ind1v1dual and e.'cludes coll<ctives like solemnly promised to ensure their ecolnd1genous peoples. ln thts way an objec- nomiC and social well being. as well as to ti\•ely VIable plurality has been denied at the obhgauon of respecting their rights the hngmstic, social, economic and cul- and cultural identity. We also belie"e it tural levels. The deferred democmtization necessary to approve the Chaner of the of L.1tin America will continue to be an Rights of Indigenous Peoples which the empty discourse and favorable only to the UN promoted as well as the International groups with hegemonic power if it does labor Org.1nizat ion~ Convention 169. We hkewise demand that legislative not take mto account the nect':SS.1ry rede· l'inuion of the current States' territorial, and JUdiCI31 powers and pohucal panics pohucal, social and cultuml spaces. frame their Jaws. resolutions and activities Buildang future democracy Wlll require an with respect lor ethnic pluralism and the increase in the presence and representa· inalienable rights to Hie. land. freedom tion of different cultural communities and and democracy. And especially. for them the respect for their political logic, which to carry through an effective effort to •viii contribute to the formation of plural- guarantee the respect for these rights at 11 �INTERNATIONAL tial of political projects upon which Indigenous organizations embark. where Indigenous peoples live. \:Ve recognize the initiatives fonnulated We believe that the Indigenous organiin re<:enl years b)' international organiza.* zations should reflect on these problems tions (United Nations, UNESCO, and re<:tify the individualist and competiOrganization of American States, UNICEF. tive behaviors of those leaders who have OIT and others) in favor of the Indigenous diSianocd themselves from the spirit of solpeoples of the continent and the world. idarity in which their organizations were Nonetheless the results have been limited. fonned. This is the only guarantee for More pressure and vigilance regarding progress toward the crystallization of a just Indigenous peoples' current situation is society. no1 only for the Indigenous people necessary. The imcmational organizations but for all of the oppressed sectors of must pressure the latin American heads-of- humanity. state to ratify and comply with internationMany of Latin Americas intellectuals al conventions on Indigenous peoples.. . continue to produce speeches referring to There is a simplistic and erroneous supposedly homogeneous national com\~Sion of what Indigenous panicip:.:uion munities. devaluing or lending a folk stigshould be in the actions and elaboration of ma to altemate cultural presences. ll is lndigenist policies, in the formulation of equally neocssary 1 mention the historical 0 community programs and of aid, and in the respot>Sibility that belongs tO the right wing polilical process of mobilization of the civil- in the fonnulation of the ideological paraian society itself. Such perspective assumes digms that guide the cultural and physical repression of Indigenous peoples. On the other hand, some A world without alternate communities. dogmatic sectors -guided by thewithout differentiated social groups, oretical mistakes- produced would be a world condemned to a lack political practices that have conof creativity and fraternal loyalties. tributed 1 the repression of eth0 nicity by considering it coumerthat Indigenous peoples simply copy mod· productive to the cla..<S struggle... II is also neocssary to realize a radical els of or ganization fron1 unions or other sectors of the population. The ethnic conti- questioning of some currents in the social nuity of Indigenous peoples cannot be sole- sciences and in ctrtain anthroJX>logy which ly understood as tenitorial control, but il is oriented more toward the aesthetic and requires the incorporation of political con- Sterile critique of its own disciplines than to ceptions that are part of the diversity of political thought and action. This is also the their cultures. case of a sector of linguistics that does not Indigenous organizations have fulfilled cooper.ne with ethnic cotnmunities, as well a fundamental role in the revindication of as not favoring the most appropriate the rights of the peoples they represent and methodologies for codifying. recovering in the construction of spaces for dialogue and consolidating autochthonous lanwith ea.ch other and national and interna- guages. tional powers. V.le cannot omilthat some of There ha\·e been advances in 1he fommtheir leaders have abused the mandate they lation of bilingual and intercultural educareocived from their peoples and communi- tional policies, but these are far from being ties to embark upon a career of personal implememed. Education often plaocs chilaccumulation and power. When they dren against the family environment-even a5Sllme the Criollo model of Clientelismo. from the pre-school level-at critical times and, more than a few times. of com..1ption, of primary socialization and learning of these leaders not only discredit themselves their m.other tongue. This results in a subbut they threaten the continuity and poten- sequent deculturation in which languages the level of the regions or territories 18 are convened into crutches for the acquisition of the dominant language and their own culture is lOSt to the hegemonic society. 'Whereas until now the State as well as private and religious groups has used the formal educat.ional system to undennine ethnic identity. the school can eventual!>' become a factor for cultuml reproduction if Indigenous people effectively appropriate il for their own historical and cultural imer· estS. .. Indigenous people have an undeniable right 1 their history and cultural heritage. 0 II is the obligation of the State and of secular society 1 promote an orderly and effec0 tive process for returning the knowledge collected on such peoples. A process of Latin American democnuization that effectively includes Indigenous peoples 'viii not be viable if it does not take imo account the necessity for geopolitical re-ordering that contemplates the specificities of Indigenous peoples' territoriality. In this sense. the concept of "peoples" corresponds to socially-organized human popu· lations which are ethnically defined and endowed with a spacial dimension that is their territory. This is conceived as the confines defined by the total and struciUred SCI of ecological. social and symbolic relations between a society and the geographical continuous or discontinuous space upon which it acts. This should include the numerous cases in which Indigenous peoples have been divided by State borders. where it is their right to aspire to circulate freely in the tenitory of these bordering r~ations, in accordance wilh their situations. In any case, tenitOrial autonomy ,viii imply not ot\ly decision-making in the case of tt..1..tural and economic resource use but also in political and cultural self-detern>ination, in the framework of a self-dctcnnination COtnpatible with and complementary to the sovereignty of national States. '!I Rio de janeiro. December 10 . 1993. Th~ full ltXl of rhis declaration is a\'ailablt upon request from SAIIC, or can bt fmmd in the SAIIC conj<rtne< (SAIIC.fndlo) on P<actnc<. I>Jyya Y News ala �SE L F DETERM I NAT I ON AND T E R RI T O RY Ecuador: Second Indigenous Uprising Secures Concessions on Agrarian Reform by Robert A ndoUna bill through congress. Over the objections of CONAIE and other popular organizaEcuadorian Indigenous move- tions. President Sixto Dulin Ballen signed mentS capacity to mobilize tnasses of the bill into law on june 13. supponers to defend the interests of this Indigenous organizations rejected country$ Indigenous population . In a numerous aspects of this law that either mobilization reminiscent of the landmark ignored or threatened interests or uprising in 1990, Indigenous org:mizations Indigenous agricuhurnl communities, as nationwide blocked the country$ roads and well as those of 90% of the rural populahighways. in order to prevent implementa· tion. The law would have encouraged the tion of a new ..Law for Agricultural disappearance o£ Indigenous communal Development" enacted by the government lands in order to promote fom>ation of agrias p.tn of its structural adjustment pro- cultural "enterprises." Rodrigo Carrillo, gram. For a tw<Hveek period, commerce member of the press conunission for the throughout Ecuador ground practically to a Indigenous Movement of Chimborazo halt. As with the uprising four years ago. (MICH) explained, "You cannot simply Indigenous organizations paralyzed much conven Indigenous communal production of the country, endured military repression, imo agricultural businesses. This law forcing the government into negotiations, imposes a vision of agriculture that doesn' and finally emerging with significant gov- fit within Indigenous thought and practice: Indigenous organizations were outraged ernmental concessions in hand. Over 3,500 Indigenous communities as not only by the law~ content but by the well as campesino and popular organiza- undemocratic and unconStitutional me.th· tions mobilized under the leadership of the ods used by the Social Christian Pany to Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities railroad it through congress. The National of Ecuador (CONAIE) the National Agrarian Commission (CAN), formed by Ecuadorian Federation of Camj)<Sino and CONAIE and other Indigenous peasant Indigenous Organizations (FENOC-1}, and organizations, had drafted (over a period of the Evangelical Federation of Indigenous two years) a detailed proposal for refom> of Ecuadorians (EFIE). Over the course of two the nations agrarian laws and had submitweeks. at least five Indigenous acth;Sts ted it to the legislature for consideration. were killed and many more were hospital- The President and the legislature completeized, mostly from gun shot wounds. An ly ignored this project. unknown number were jailed. In addition, the PSC failed to submit the Panies from throughout the political proposed law to each member of congress spectrum have debated refonn of the coun- for consideration at least 15 da)'S prior to try$ outdated agrarian ktws for years. On passage, as required by law. CONAIE criti· May 18. the conservative Social Christian cized the politicians for disobeying the funPany (PSC) forced a radically new agrarian damental laws of the land, for excluding the intereSts and participation of Indigenous Robert Andolina is a grad1uzte student in Latin people in the development of the law. and American Studies al the University ofTtx(IS, and for their refusal to develop a law of nationha.s volunt«r<d , ;ch CONAIE in Quiro. al consensus instead of one that serves the T his june, international observers were once again stunned by the Vol. 8 No.3 interests of a small, wealthy sector of the population. For all of these reasons. CONAIE convened an emergency assembly on June 7 and 8 to prepare for a national "Mo,;lizaci6n por Ia Vida" (Mobilization for Life) to protest the law iJ il \vere to go into effect. CONAIE released a resolution calling for repeal of the Agrarian Development law. The resolution addressed other issues, to Stop unrestrained oil exploration and persecution of Indigenous leaders among other demands. Fundamentally, however, the mobilization was called to protest the PSCs Agrarian La'v. Ecuador Paralyzed On june 13, President Dur.ln signed the Agrarian bill into law. Indigenous protes· tors converged on strategic points, building roadblocks that paralyzed much of the country Demonstrations in urban areas and occupations of public buildings also took place. Ten provinces in all 'vere heavily affected. Despite the government and mass mediaS distonion of events. protestors remained firm in the Streets and the blockades were very effective. Albeno Saeteros, Secretary of the Provincial Union of Cooperatives and Indigenous Communities of Cat,ar (UPCCC) Stated, "Here in Cai\ar we met \vith the people in the communities to explain to them the negative effects or the law, and we then wem out to paralyze traffic to the nonh, south, and west." Ignacio Grefa, President of the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Napo (FOIN) reponed. "We maintained the roadblock for a week -nothing got through." Non-Indigenous campesinos, workers and some urban citizens expressed consid· erable sotidarit)' for the mobilization and 19 �5 ELF 0 E TERM I ~ A T I 0 ~ A~ D TERR I T 0 R Y- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Indigenous Community Center Destroyed uring the "Mobiliuuion for Life," a major community center belonging to the Union of Cooperatives and Indigenous Communities of CaMr Province (UPCCC) was a{{acked and burned to the ground. The UPCCC is Canars regional Indigenous organization and is affiliated with CONAIE. The D following are excerpts from an interview 'vith UPCCC Se<:retary General Albeno S.-u~teros. Why did the auack take p lace? Who kets. nor poisoned the water like they damages, and was involved? claimed. The attack itself was very violent. They came with pistols. homemade cannons, and tear gas. One of our activists, that the government offer compensation . Have you received 3 tl)' financial -As you know. we participated fully in the mobilization called by CONAIE in opposition to the recently passed Agrarian Oevelopmem law. This law was not only illegal, but also threatened the interests of Indigenous people. We cut the area off by blocking the main highways. Because we were winning in the struggle. the followers o f Jaime Nebot and the PSC (Social Christian Pany) decided in desperation to a"ack us. It wasn't just because of the mobilization, but also because of our alternative market which cut the '"'middleman" out of the sale of our products. We were. therefore, competing 'vith the Manuel Mestas Yupa Yupa died from a bullet wound to the head . We also had 38 injuries and a number of disappearances. Many poople are still unaccount· ed for. The community center was sacked and burned. What d id the police and military do during the auack? ·They did a lmost nothing to prevent or inhibit the attack. Moreover, the military shut down our radio station which made it difficult for us to communicate speculators living in the area, many of with the people. to tell them what was whom are Nebot supporters. happening. Indigenous leaders have Additionally. we were a{{acked because of long-standing racism against Indigenous people. been pursued and in some cases jailed. Right now we are conducting investigations into the action or the police and )'OU have demanded help from the state? -No. We haven't received a cent. And from other sources? -A little. Some popular sectors have offered assistance both in terms of money and labor to help us rebuild . \¥e have a couple of new machines in the carpentry center, and we should have a new FAX machine soon. But as you can see, this is a very small part of the rebuilding that needs to be done. For thi.s reason. we are calling on our allies and sympathizers here in Ecuador and in the international community to show their solidarity by sending us financial suppon so that we can rebuild our office and community center. Many people here ' viii benefit if we can rebuild. mili1ary during the a{{ack and during What happe ned during t he auac k itself? -The a{{ack was carefully orchestrated by a relatively small group of people; the general population was not against us, nor were we against them. This small group told all sons of lies in order to make us look bad and to justify what they did. We never auacked the mar- 20 the mobilization as a whole. What was damaged during the auack? -Everything. Nothing was left untouched. The damage t<xal has exceeded 10 billion sucres ($5 million). U PCCC h as argued that the govern- ment is in part responsible for Lhc Do you have any final comments? This attack was motivated by a desire on our enemies pan to break the will of the Indigenous leadership and the movement here in Cat'lar. Although our office is destroyed. our determination is not. 'J!le will continue with our struggle. In fact, we are more determined and unified than ever. ~aYala News �SELF offered their suppon. Ldt and center-left political panies demanded the Agrarian law be revoked. Hector Villamil. President of the Organiz.11ion of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza (OI'IP) noted , "Some campesinos and workers mobilized with us. We see this as a positive and significant change. ln the 1992 OPIP March on Quito many campesino-colonists reacted against us." According to Rodrigo Carrillo of MICH. · tn general, the people of Riobamba (capital of Chimborazo province) understood the imponant role of Indigenous producers in the supply of staple foods and offered us help during the mobilization." DETERMINATION Security forces also threatened or shut down Indigenous and popular radio sta· tions in Tungurahua. Cotopaxi, Chimbcr razo. and Cat)ar. making it difficult for activists to transmit news tO the population at large regarding human rights violations and violence perpetrated by the military and para-military forces. Fortunately, the military was more restrained in some regions. Hector Villamil , president of OPIP. reponed, · we in Pastaza are lucky not to have experienced repression this time. Before, we considered the military and police to be enemies, so we see this as a TERRITORY include two representatives of lndigenouslpeasant organizations on its executive council. Ownership of water will remain public, and more emphasis 'viii be gi\'en to production of food for internal consumption to meet the needs of Ecuadorian soci· ety. It also recognizes Indigenous agricultural knowledge, and respects the cultural and social valt~es of the ,,.rious peoples who are involved in agricuhural activities. lmponantly, the reformed law also calls for continuation and improvement of the agrarian refom1, including land distribution. as well as increased access 10 credit, good sign. However, we technical assistance. and better infrastruc.. denounce the repression that took place in other provinces. and for that we remain suspicious of the anncd forces... M ilitary Counter-Mobilization A week after the tnobilization began. President Durftn offered to negotiate. CONAIE. however. found the presidents Commission For Dialogue mediation commission wlacceptable. stat- Formed ing that its representation was heavily CONAIE leaders in hiding called for an weighted in favor of the govcmmem and end to the militarization and organized a the landowners. mediation commission composed of The following day, President Duran national and international religious and declared a military "State of Mobilization," human rights representatives. Under conand decreed that blockaders would receive siderable national and intemational pres· one to three year jail tem\s. Arrest warrants sure, the president agreed to lift the state of were issued for Indigenous lc.~ders, includ- mobilization and agreed to a compromise ing the CONAIE leadership. Highways and on the committees formation. Congress Indigenous communities were occupied by also pledged to revise the agricultural law. the security forees. Although protestors Negotiations began on june 30 and contin· abandoned highways peacefully when the ued into mid-July. military arrived, several were killed and dozens or possibly hundreds were injured. The Struggle's Results: Words or Police sa,,.gely beat protestors, includ- Substance? ing children. in the provinces of Cotopaxi The negotiations, like all those where and Chimborazo. In what was perhaps the actors with vastly different interests take MobilizationS worst moment, a mob of pan, were tonuously difficult. Perhaps in Social Christian Pany supponers attacked an effon to save face. President Duran. on and destro)•ed the office and community the one hand hailed the dialogue as a succenter of the UPCCC in Cat ar. The com· cess. while also stating that only words but ) munitycemerserved tosuppon alternative not substance had changed. However, it is fomt of education. commerce and medicine the nature of law.making that words are more suited to the needs of Cm)ar's substance. The refom1ed law-which wem Indigenous and poor peoples. One into effect on Aug. 3-did include real Indigenous activist was killed and thiny- improvements for lndigneous peoples, eight injured in the auack. which also camfJtSinos and Ecuadorian society in gen. reduced a market , carpentry center. library. eral. It will penn it the maintenance of comcomputer center. radio station. fax and munitarian. cooperative. and small-holder photocopy machines. and several \'Chides fonns of agrarian organization. The new to ashes (see accompanying intel"'ocw). state agrarian development agency 'viii Vol. 8 No.3 AND ture. It demands the protection of national parks and reserves, and recognizes Indigenous peoples' rightS to live from and manage forests. Finally. the law calls for the fomlation of markets tltat pennit indige· nous a.nd peasant prod\1 cers to cut out speculati'" middlemen. Indigenous peoples gains in this mobi· lization go beyond these legal refom\S. Again, the movement demonstrated its strength. This time, Indigenous people sat f~ce to f~ce at the bargaining table \vith those who used to be their "patrons" (land· lords). As described by Rodrigo Carrillo of MlCH, "The government now knows that it has to include the interests and panicipa· tion of Indigenous people in the future. We arc now recognized as thinking human beings 'vith rights, not as lazy animals." Ignacio Grefa commented on the process, ..V.le have won new political space and have fonified the space we earned in the 1990 uprising. In that sense this is just a contin· uation or that mobilization and of our struggle for the past 500 years. This struggle 'viii continue in the future." '!I For adclirfonal infonnalion: UPCCC. Correo Centro! CMar. Ca!'lar, Ecuador Fa.x: (593 7) 235 266 To contriblltCIO lite n:buildir;g of llu: UPCCC com· munizy ctntcr . plwsc saul Cashier's Ot«hs ma.cle our to UPCCC, to: CO:-IAIEAv. de Los Gmnados 2553 y 6 de Didembrec.stlb 1717·1235EI 8.11:m. Quito Ecuador. Specify on the chedc that it is for UPCCC. 21 �SELF DETERMI~ATIO~ A~D T ERRITORY Original Nations and Bi Iateral agreements with the Bolivian Government Governments and corporations across Latin America are turning to limited two-party agreements as a means to resolve conflicts with increasingly forceful Indigenous orga· nizations. As experiences in Bolivia demonstrate, this "bilateralism · offers certain gains. but in the process challenges the Indian movement's unity and strength. his year. SAIIC received reports from Bolivia pointing out parallels between several connicts that were settled through bilateral agreemems T Guarani were Hving under conditions of virtual slavery on the cattle ranches of the Gran Chaco. Among those cattle ranchers between Indigenous organizations and the government. h> large pan. these are driven by the new assertiveness of rently practice debt·peonage are several politicians of the the governing MNR party and of the opposition righHving Bolh;a's' National Secretary for Ethnic Affairs, which has take11 a leadership role in brokering such agreements. The three pany. This year, a congressional investigation launched by Guarani congressman Sihri.o Arnmayo and others in Bolivia's who have stolen Guarani lands and cur· cases below offer some interesting exam- house of deputies found that the earlier ples from three very different regions. estimate was extremely conservative, and Guarani: Debt-peonage and Bilateral Commissions that the actual number of Guarani living in debt-peonage is closer to 40,000. The Guarani successfully mobilized on the heels of this publicity. Their Since our report on the Guarani of Mato Grasso do Sol, Brazil, in the last journal. the political conditions for the Guarani lh;ng on the Bolivian side of their territory have improved slightly. Within Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina, the Guarani, remain one of the most tragic examples or systematic racial discrimination in the Americas: living as landless peasants \vithin systems of debt-peonage. Suffering from poverty and repression, \vith a territory that is fragmented by the borders of four nation states, they have been unable to regroup and make their demands as a unified people. Last year, national attention in Bolivia focused for a brief moment on the Guara11i after press accoums that 10,000 22 largest organization. the Guarani Peoples Assembly, threatened to march on the capital if the government of Gonzalo Sanchez de Losada and Aymara Vice-President Cardenas did not respond to their demands of free· dom for all enslaved workers and the return of ancestral territories. The government invited Guarani representa· tives to negotiate. and the march was deferred . Three bilateral commission s com· posed of government representatives and Guarani delegates were formed as a result of this dialogue. Each a imed at solving one of the Guarani$ key problems: land, labor, and political participation. Guarani delegates Guido Chumiray. Envin Cuellar and Marcelino Robles signed the prelirni· nary agreement with representatives from the governmentS two ..supcr·mlnistries'" o, Human Development and Sustainable Development, as well as those of minor ministries such as Ethnic Affairs. Guido Chumiray, stated: · when we implement the agreement to solve the concrete problems of land and labor, the Guarani people 'viii hopefully regain territories and labor rights that belong to us. This is a not a favor given to us by the government. It is our right. V..1e deserve it... Indigenous Organizations Sign with Loggers in the Beni Deforestation continues to spread across the Bolivian Amazon-at the rate of 80,000 hectares last year alone. In the northern Amazonian province of Beni, Indigenous organizations will finally expel three logging companies from the Multi-ethnic Indian Territory (TIM) \vith· in the Chimanes Forest region which stretches from the Andean foothills to the Beni's extensive savannahs. Mojer"to, Movima. Yurncare and Chimane communities won a de jure entitlement to ..sustainably manage· this region in 1991. This summer. the regions Indigenous federation, the Cemral de Pueblos lndigenas del Bcni (CP16). representing the region's M:t-{a Yala News �------------------------'S E.!: f~D E T E R M I NAT I 0 !.!:. L.! ~ Indigenous communmes signed an "upgrading of their habitat." Under the agreement with the Herve!. C IMAGRO, agreement, a study will be carried out of and Montegrande. logging companies the ecological collapse affecting the Uru which will force companies to abandon Nation and potential for governmental the TIM by july, 1995. Paradoxically, Mr. assistance to help them survive under bet· Roberto Velasco. a caHle rancher and ter conditions. This agreement will also owner of Herve! reported!)' presented consider programs for land distribution Traditional Uru-Murato the agreement to be signed by CPIB. programs. with the Secretary of Ethnic Affairs act- authorities also requested the liberation of ing as b roker. The companies and com- Uru Indians Paulino Flores. Rogclio munities have been in a-at times Choque, Anacleto Garcia. Angelica Flores armed-stand-off for years. Since title de Garcia and Justina Opida who have was granted to the Indigenous commu~ been accused of '"environmental vandalnitics. logging companies have post~ ism• for hunting namingos that nock on poned the date of their departure from lakes within their territory. Sadly, it seems the TIM se'•eral times. Although calling easier to find Indians guilty of "environfor ren'IO\ral of the companies, the agree- mental vandalism.. 1han to arrest loggers ment is in effect, yet one more postpone- whose blatantly illegal destruction of the ment-and one which will allow the Chimanes Forest goes far beyond mere companies to extract all the remaining vandalism. valuable woods (mahogany in particular) Each of these bilateral agreements won from accesiblc areas. small advances for Indigenous communiCPIB President, Marcial Fabricano. ties. as a whole. however; the)' may have noted. ·we have to deal \\oth clandestine functioned to undermine the strength of a loggers and chain-sawers who intimidate coordinated Indigenous movement. us with guns. This is one of the problems Unfortunately, the movement has been faced by our communities." He added unable to establish a position of bargainthat, "V../e are also now insisting in the ing power which would allow il to press recognition of our traditional authorities, for their acknowledgement would mean that the Bolivian nation indeed is a full democraC)~,. Fabricano. however. remains skeptical. In 1990 CPIB led the "March for Territory and Dignity" from the Beni to La Paz. This was positively received, and achieved many governmental commit· mems. including establishment of the TIM. None of these, however, had any enforcement power. N AN D TERRIT0 RY for "Territory and Dignity" for all Indigenous peoples. The governments new Secretary of Ethnic Affairs has contributed to this weakness. in ilS attempt to act as sole broker between Indigenous organizations and the government. Bolivian anthropologists have often followed the govemmems lead and contributed to establishing isolation rather than coordination. Finally, there is " 1despread disapointment within the lndigenous movement \vith the performance of the Vice-president Victor Hugo Cardenas. His candida~ cy with the l<atarista pany raised expecta· tions as he is the first Aymara Indian to reach such a high governmental post. He has, however. used his power to little or no effect since taking office. A handful of Aymara Kataristas have been appointed to govemment posts. Unfortunately. these few have made a series of raciSt staternents against non·lndians which are of grave concern to the Indigenous move· ment. Although the vast majority in the movement do not share in these opinions, they already arc suffering from the backlash they have generated. ~ Government and Uru Sign agreement to Improve their Habitat The Bolivian government recently signed a bilateral agreement with the highland Uru Nation. of whom scarcely 2,000 remain . This agreement addresses the need to assist the Uru Nation in lhe 1101.8 No.3 Logging companies have postponed departure from the Multi-ethnic Indigenous Territory tong enough to remove thousands of giant mahogany trees like those pictured above. 23 �SELF DETERMIHA TIO H AHD TERRITORY Organizing from Oaxaca to California ,~~~4 Rufino Dominguez This October. SAIIC had the opportunity to interview Rufino Dominguez. Secretary General of the Organization of Exploited and Oppressed Peoples and Sub-coordinator of the Oaxacan Indigenous Binational Front at his office in Fresno. California. long with Chlap>S, the highland state of Oaxaca is one of Mexico~ most Indigenous regions. The Mixteco people arc one of the many Indigenous peoples living In OaxaC3; they have also Immigrated to the North in larger numbers than any other Indigenous people m Mextco. This exodus has been dnven by a number of factors common to many of Mextco~ lndtan groups. Although MIXleco communities have secured legal =ognnion for communal land titles that predate the Mexican re\·olution, there Is sullinsufficlent land to go around. As In Chiapas. local cadques have consolidated ownership over the best lands. At the same time, years of deforcsuuion has tronsformed much of the ter· United States. These mlgronts have often faced not only the exploitation commonly suffered by migrant fannworkers, but also discrimination for being Indian. The emergence and linking of Indian organizations throughout the p3th taken by this exodus is one of the maS> encouraging and intrigumg examples of cross-border orgamzing on the AmeriC3S. Rufino Dommguez grcw up in Oaxaca's Mixteco temtory. on the town of San Miguel Cue,,as or. Nu..Vucu. which means on top of the mount..'\tn in hls nati\'t language. He C3me to the US for the first time in 1964. Uke many Indigenous immigrants. he h>S conserved much of his community's culture. Indigenous Oaxacan immigrants In the US generally keep conritory into ncar desert conditions. \Vith tact with their communities at home. This insufficient land. and fewer opportunities is perhaps beS> exemplified by formation of for wage employment. a steady stream of the Indigenous O=C3n Binational Front Indigenous lmmtgrants have left to look simuluneously in O:lx.1ca, &ja C.lifornia for work elsewhere. Thousands went to and C.lifornta (U.S.). SAIIC had the work m the fields further Nonh, first in opponunhy to mterview Dominguez the S>ates of Stnaloa, Veracruz, the Federal regardmg hiS work wnh the Front in Oislnct. •nd Bop C.hfornta and later in Oaxaca and the Central Valley of agriculturalarus throughout the Western C.lifot1lla. A 14 Can you tell us about when the Mixtccos began to immigrate. and then later, to organize? -The firS> Ml><tecos beg<ln to immigrate in smaU numbers ln the 1960s. but it wasn't until the period known as "the braceros· in the 1980s when we S>aned immigrating as enurc famthes, and in large numbers. When we amved, we worked in the fields in Orcgon, V.'ashington and Alaska. We MtXtecos ha,-. mostly engaged in field work. The truth Is that we began to organize ourselves back in our communities [in OaxaC31. because there were so many injustices there and the authorities abused many of our people. The authorities then beg.'n to kill and threaten our leaders. burned several houses nnd all thnt. They also imprisoned many of our people. This was In 1981-83. Thus. we organized ourselves and it took us one ye-ar to rtmO\'t those authoriues from office. So those who came here already had expe.rie.nces in organizing at home in Oaxaca? Pbf• Yala News �SELF DETERMI N ATION AHO T ERRITORY ·Yes. but back m our communities. our organiza1ion dtdn't htwc a name. \Ve were was just n community committee. Then. I moved to Sinaloo after having won the battle with those people. My companions in Sinaloa had asked me to help organize an assembly. They thought h neccss..1ry to name the or ganization and continue figh ting. and that in this way. our actions could scr"'e the community in at home. What did you call the organization? -The Org.1no.z.1uon of Exploited and Oppressed People. That was the majorities' cho•ce. They ~•d that we are exploited by the econom•c Situation. and oppressed by the nch. What's the relationship between the Organization of Exploited and Oppressed Peoples ond the Indigenous Oaxacan Binational Front? -Well. the Front is an umbrella group or many org.1nizations. What ore it's objectives? -At the org.1n1zoUonollevel, our objecti\'t tS to mcorpor.uc all the lndigenous organtzations th:u agru wnh our princi· pies and our program of actiOn. And our objecu,·e IS to fight for JUStice for all the Indigenous communiues of Oaxacabecause we ha\'t learned that if we are organized. the go"ernments have to pay attention to us-;tnd ir we arc not, they pay no attention to us. Here In the U.S.. the f-ront is involved in labor organizing. in denouncing rocism against Indigenous people-not just o f white americans. bUl or other latinos as well-m denouncing Governor Wilsons anti·immigmnt attacks and in uniting ""'h other latmo org.1niz.1tior1S to oppose the raciSt ballot measures (in California$ Nov. elecuons). \Ve ~lso work v..fth our members to help them get citizenship and emer the country$ pohtical sysrem. Vol. 8 No. l \Ve The Organization ol Exploited and Oppressed Peoples: 500 years of Mixteco Resistance. have 15-20.000 members in California. \:Ve also suppon the From:S activism in Oaxaca b y pressuring the Mexican consulates here. There. the Front works for to get land. basic services in the communitics; for potable \VOter. clinics, electricity, schools. \Vc ha\·e also entered into agree. mcnts with the Federal and State governments to promote small busmesscs m the commumues. Indigenous peo plts throughout the continent have a 1cndcncy toward autonomy and self-d etermination. Do the Mixteco people have as1>irotions to govcn'l yourselves in thls way? -Of course. We all need common objectives. Its vital for us to struggle for autonomy-because unfortunately the Mixte:co communities are not currently autonomous. 1t's unportant to struggle for the autonomy of our community's customs because these are currently threatened ot their rootS. We heard that the Front's organizations met in Tijuana this past month, what happen<d there? -The meeting '""s for all Indigenous Oaxaquei"'os in exile. We met to change the organization's rtttrnc. because new members were entering who speak differ· em languages. llcforc. we were called the Zapoteco-Mixtcco Bmauonol Front. but it turned out that Oaxaca has more than 16 Indigenous peoples. Our brothers, the Triquis. Mcxes and Others groups who had asked to, JOmed the Front. We now include f\\'e lnd•genous peoples, and renamed the orgamz.1uon the lnd•genous Oaxacan B•nauonal Front. We also decided at the meeung to continue the camp.1ign ng.•inst [Go,·emor) Wilsons rocism. reformed our basic anides. named new officers and established c:ornmiuees or coordination ror each region. However. before the meeting, which took place on Sept. 3, the PAN (the right -of-center Nauonal Acuon Party) governor Ernesto Rufo repressed a march or ours which was commg from S.1n Quintin to Mexicali. They were demandmg th." wages be mcrcascd to a JUst le"el. dignified housmg. rural chmcs ond the introducuon of potable water to San Quintin. 25 �SE L F DETERMINATIO N AND And the government's response? ·Seveml protestors were imprisoned; more than 32 comrades went to jaiL TERRI T ORY The National Solidarity Program paid campesinos so that they would vote for the PRL But, we know that this won't bring us out of the misery. This only happens during the elections. There was also lotS of bad information-tnany attempts to discredit the opposition panics. Are there any parties w hose platforms include Indigenous peoples' rights to a dignified li fe, to autonomy and selfdetermination? -They do it in a very panial, Rufino Dominguez (center) Signing agreements intellectual and campesino form. of mutual respect with the UFW. We don\ believe it should be this way. Rather, they should Thirty were wounded. This was an awful include us, as the Indigenous activists, to response from the government: neverthe- give our point of view regarding our less. we were not deterred. We returned autonomy, and what we really want . to regroup and the government accepted negotiations. Two days later. the govern- ls this campesino (or peasant oriented) ment met all our demands except that for approach a result of the first Zapatista a higher minimum wage. which. they revolution, the revolution of 1917? -The (revolutions o0 1910 and 1917 claimed was under the federal governments jurisdiction. Thanks to the interna- had no effect in the Indigenous commutional community'S intervention. we also nities. I say this because we have seen won release of all our prisoners. no changes. To the contrary. there was (Many thanks to all those who wrote more racism and discrimination toward letters in support or the imprisoned pro- the Indigenous people. We are finally testors, your leuers were critical in secur- seeing change now, with the uprising by ing their safe release. eds.l the Zapatista National Liberation Army in Chiapas. They have provoked a You have said that the PAN d id this in change at the national level. Now there Baja California, but doesn't the PRJ do is talk of autonomy for the Indigenous the same in Oaxaca? peoples, there is talk o f education, peo-Actually. the Pany has never taken ple are talking-but these are demands that altitude toward the Front. that I doubt the government with comply with. Definitely, the previous revoluSo, w hat do you think of the PR!? tions did not benefit the Indigenous - 1 totally repudiate that pany. It has communities. done nothing to bring the Indigenous communitie-s out of their misery. It isn't Do you thin k that the Zapatista posicapable of curing a single Indigenous tions go beyond a merely a campesinista child. 1 don't see the PRI as an option for position? Mexico. Speaking of the last election, I -Definitely, they are very much in know the PRIS tactics in the rural areas. agreeme-nt with the Indigenous struggles and they arc cxpen in maintaining power objectives, because they truly take into because they have a giant lpoliticall account Indigenous peopleS necessities. machine. There was lots of manipulation No other political pany has taken this and lots or money exchanged for votes. position. Their platfornt of anned struggle 26 includes the necessities of the Indigenous peoples. W hat about conditions here in California? Have things gotten any better? -No there have been no changes. The farmworker continues to be exploited. They are not paid minimum wage. They work many hours without the right to rest 10 minutes. Women are sexually abused. The contractors and landowners rush the workers to do more than than human beings are capable of. ls the Front affiliated with any union? We're not affiliated.just one year ago. we signed an agreement of respect with Cesar Chavez's United Fannworkers of America. This is, however, nOthing more than an agreement of respect and cooperation. How do )'OU see Indigenous unity in Mexico and at the continental level? Has there been progress in these last few years in organization. communication and solidariry? -At the organizational level. I believe we still have a lot to do in Mexico. There are a great number of Indigenous organizations, and we haven't united. It's the same at the continental level . We need to get better organized, to strengthen the coordination between the Indigenous organizations if that~ possible. Even though it's tme that we have some organi~ zations that arc already very well connect· ed, still we have a lot to do. In relation to communication, only the most important organizations have good communica· tions, and the others have nothing. With SAilC 1 have seen that there is more communication, not juSI. at the continental level, but worldwide. And l think that is where we should focus ourselves. Our objective is to strengthen this communication at the cominemal and global level between all the organizations...., For Mort informacion, comaa: Frentc ind1gtrta Binacional P.O. Box 183, Uvingswn, CA 95334 Ttl: (209) 577·3077 Fax: (209) 577·1098 Abya Yala News �CHIAPAS UP Update on Chiapas D A T E --- A ugust 6 -9, the National Democratic Convention (CND). organized by th e EZLN in Aguascalientes. Chiapas, emerged as one of the most significant political gatherings in modern M exican history. Six thousand delegates from all over Mexico aLtended. The cemrnl theme was the .. transition to democracy.• Several local. regional and national Indigenous organizations partici· pated (see article below) . Most were not entirely satisfied with either the CND's structure or results. but have chosen to \ \· continue panicipating. October 8 . the Zapatista National Libenuion Aml)' broke off negotiations with the government , stating that the Salinas administration was not acting in good faith , and was preparing a military assault. The EZLN also claimed lO have mined the roads leading to their territory. October 10, peace mediator, Bishop Samuel Ruiz expressed ·grave· concern regarding the tensions in the state, and called on both sides to maintain the ceasefire and return to the negotiating table. October 12. the CND reconvened in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. With the support of thousands of local Indigenous supporters, the CND then symbolically and peacefully took over the town. The convention declared itself in permanent session. stating that a civil insurgency is necessary in order to topple the PRI from power. The CND also called for nation·wide mobilization on Nov. 5. to prevent President-elect Ernesto Zedillo from taking office. The EZLN has maintained a p resence in Chiapas's principal city, San Cristobal de las Casas: mini Zapatistas for sale. Six Principles for a New Mexican State he following an icle is based on a proposal titled "Six Principles and Six Proposals" wriuen by the Independent Indian Peoples From (FIPI) T Vol. 8 No.3 and the CommiLtee for the Support and Defense of Indian Rights (CADDIAC). After e xtensive consultations with Indigenous organizations, FIPI con- tributed this document to the working roundtables established at the National Democratic Convention. Although written for Mexico. the analysis could apply 27 �~~ I ~ P_A S ~ P~ ~T E --------------------------------------------C H~ A~ ~~ U~ D~A ~. to the other L.nin American states who · conceive themselves to be mestizo. I. An end to the " Mestizo-cratic" state In Mexico, ethnic homogeneity was considered a necessary precondition in the c remion of the nation·state, and in consolidation of a market cconotn)'· Indigenous peoples have therefore been subject to hostile policies. ranging from physical extennination to "'lndigenista .. strategies whose aim has been to assimilate us. As a result . we have not had. as Indigenous peoples. a dignified place in Mexican society. Not only has our right to exist as a collective entity been denied, bm also our rights as a peoples. Today. we continue living under a neocolonial oppression promoted by the State and perpetuated by mestizo people who ben- efil from this siluation . They, in turn, pr oblems we face, and thus must be mod· believe themselves to be the synthesis of iOed. It was modified in 1992 in a way the Mexican people, the embodiment of that was both limited and has not been the nation, and to have created a State in enforced. Additions to 1\nicle Four recogtheir image and likeness; that is to say, a nize the plurality of the M exican nation, "mestizo-cratic" State. Thus, by the light but this plurality i.s not rcnected in the of comemporary morality. the position of State, which should be structured in the 'Mexican State and the mestizo peo~ order to rcnect this fact. pies is illegitimate: both arc based upon This problem is compounded by the the displacement and the abrogation of fact that Indigenous rights arc located the rights of Indigenous peoples, and under Article Four. which guarantees upon excluding us from collective partic- individual freedoms, rather than within ipation in the nation and the state, which the constitution's principal anicles (ani· has bound us in a neocolonial relation· cles 39, 40, and 41, which have to do ship. with sovereignty and the fonns or go"ern· mem. and ankles 115 to 122, which II. Revise the constitution to eStablish the basis for our federal strucserve as the foundation for a wre). The location or our rights under new, democratic, mult iArticle Four signifies the go"ernmemS national, and popular state refusal to recognize our collective rights The constitution is a key source of the as distinct peoples. recognizing only our looking toward the National Oemocrc.tic Convention. 28 N>ya Yala News �CHIAPAS UPDATE affected the territorial rights of Ind igenous peoples. In many cases, the ejido continues to function in a destrucis a multiethnic nation as it is to recognize tive and assimilationist manner in that Mexico is a multinational state. This Indigenous territories. The new reforms is why the central project is to divest the to Article 27 constitute a fi nal blow constitution of its ..mestizo-cratic" cast. towards the dismemberment of Indigenous territories. the state and the Indigenous peoples: between the Ind igenous and nonIndigenous peoples: between the federation and the elements thereof: between the capital and the provinces: between the p rovinces and the Indigenous regions, etc. Ill. Building a new federalism on the basis of a new understanding of territory VI. A transitional government: towards a multinational state individual rights. This is a fundamental and significant difference, as il is not the same thing at all to recognize that Mexico The ideal of federalism -for which thousands o f citizens, Indigenous and non·1ndigenous, have struggled- has not been realized in our country. From the very beginnings of the Republic, the Mexican people agreed to constitute a federatio n: however, in prac tice our government has been centralist, subject to an overly powerful presidency and to the domination of 1he State by one party, leading in effect to a dictatorship. In order to ful fill the precepts o f fede ralism. it is necessary to redefine the notion that through federation we shall .. unify our diversity". Although t his is a valid concept. it does not acknowledge nor include the continued presence o f distinctive peoples within a federation. Thus indigenous peoples are left out of the fede ral structu re of our cou ntry. Some of the worst consequences o f this exclusion are found in the territorial reorganizations which decisively and negatively impacted the social organization of the original peoples of this land. From that moment to the present, Indigenous territories have been continuously divided. The federalist policies did not take into account the preexisting territories nor acknowledge them as a basis for a re-organization. Instead. they were deeply genocidal, placing Indigenous regions under the tutelage o f the H lndigenista"' ann or the government. Today the few remammg Indigenous territories face new threats. The land redistribution that took place throughout the country based o n an ejido concept of occupancy. instead o f on a communitarian basis. has greatly Vol. 8 No.3 IV. Democracy for Indigenous peoples: only within the context of a democratic nation justice \viii prevail for indigenous peoples only if there is democracy in the rest of the count!)< And democracy can exist only if governments are created that are respectful o f diversity and able to share power, not only 'vith different political parties but also with different ethnic groups. As Indigenous peoples we have often been d enied the vote and been prevented both from choosing our own legit· imate representatives as well as fr exerom cising our right to represent others. As Indigenous peoples, we add our voices to the national clamor for democracy. yet we add that no d emocracy \viii be a true detnocracy if it does not resolve the amidemocratic relationship between Indigenous people and the power of the state, as exemplified in our ability to participate and be represented in the structures of govcrnmem. V. Towards a new covenant between Mexicans The road towards democracy must necessarily take us through a process o f democratizing the relationships between Indians and non-Indians. It is u rgent that as Mexicans we re..1.ch a new national accord, a new social covenant that is based on a new ethic of tolerance and respect towards diversity and plurality that will allow us to live together in peace. But this pact c..1nnot rest only upon individual efforts or moral values; we believe that it must be affirmed by our Constitmion . The State must address this covenant by creating the foundation for a democratic relationship between the State itself and the Mexican people: between It is not possible in this day and age to defend an ethnocratic nation-state. As we seek to give power to the people, we are led to question the legitimacy of the mestizo population being the sole holders of that power. The need for a transilional government means that we need to create a new national model that is no longer an ethnocrntic nation-state, but instead a multi-national state. The creation of a truly multi-national state implies the acknowledgment of the free self-determination of Indigenous peoples, and the embodiment o f those rights through the cr eation of autonomous regions. Six Proposals Included within the six proposals are: !)the constitutional recognition of Ind igenous autonomy through the fo rmation of '"Autonomous Pluriethnic Regions": 2) an addition to Article 42 . and 3) to Article 43 o f a section guaranteeing the existence of the Autonomous Indigenous Regions: 4) refom>s 10 Article 11 5 10 acknowledge the Autonomous Indigenous Regions (referred to as Pluriethnic Regions) as fundamental elementS of the political and administrative struclUrc of the country: 5) modifications to Article 73 and 6) modifications to Articles 52. 53. 54. 55. and 56. which refer to political participation. in order to redraw electoral districts in Indigenous regions. In this way, a sixth d istrict will be drawn to provide for election of Indigenous congressmen and guarantee the presence of six Indigenous senators. '!I 29 �ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT The Convention on Biological Diversity: An Imperative for Indigenous Participation The Biodiversity Convention. one of the world's most important pieces of environmental legisla tion, will be finalized at the end of this year. Whether it will provide tools to defend Indigenous bio-cultural resources remains unclear. By Alejandro Argumedo A t the 1992 U.N. "Earth Summit" in Rio de janeiro, over 150 governments signed the International Convention on Biological Diversity (Biodiversity Convention), which , came into force last December after the required ratification by more than thirty national legislatures. After two-and-a-half years of negotiations, the Conference of Parties (COP) which was eStablished as the Convention's governing body will meet for the first time from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9 in the Bahamas to further define the treaty's implememmion. The Convention has yet to establish the scope and nature of Indigenous peoples' rights to their bio.cultural resources. Thus, this meeting will either help ascenain native rights, or function as yet another intema· tiona! mechanism to legitimate the theft of Indian resources. The Convention is the first global agreement committing signatory nations to comprehensive protection of Mother Earths biological giftS. Provisions stipu· lating specific commitment towards achieving this goal are covered in forty· two legally-binding articles. This legal instrument addresses issues of tremen· dous significance for the world's Indigenous peoples. Alejandro Argumcdo is Q11ec.hua from Peru, a SAIIC board member aru1 Dire<tor of Clllt11ral Survival Canada. 30 Biodiversity and Indigenous Land Up to the nineteenth century, Indigenous peoples exercised de facto control over most of the world's ecosystems. Today, only an estimated 12·19% of the earths land area is home to the four to five thousand Indigenous nations of the world. Even diminished to a mere fragment or what they were, our homelands constitute an important ponion or the globe's relatively intact ecosystems, and shelter an even larger share or its b iologi· cal diversity. ll is no coincidence that the habitats richest in natural diversity are usually home to Indigenous people as well . By some estimates, Indigenous homelands shelter more endangered plant and animal species than all the worldS ..namre reserves" combined. Through millennia we have depended on the diversity of lire around us: uncovering its secrets, and learning how to increase these riches, for example. when we create new genetic diversity within a species. We possess a knowledge that is not only innovative and cognizant of eco· logical processes and uses of biodiversity, but also uniquely holistic for its spiritual and ethical components. That is why the conservation of all components of biodiversity-genetic, species and ecosys· terns--is crucial for our survival as cultures of the land. For Indigenous peoples biodiversity means just that: the land . The recognition of inherent rights to our tra- ditional territories is the foundation both for our survival as peoples and for the conservation and sustainable use of biodi· versity and its components. ln this context the Biodiversity Convention could provide an imponam mechanism to pro· tect Indigenous Peoples' rights over bio· logical resources. The Convention: a Significant but Flawed Tool Disturbingly, there has been liule participation by Indigenous people in developing the Convention. As usual, we have been viewed as the objects (another endangered species) rather than subjects of the process. Most Indigenous people know little, if anything, about the Con· vemion. l'iowever, the treaty does recognize our contributions to biodiversity conservation. In addition, appreciation of our · use of the medicinal, agricultural, and other useful properties of endemic nora and fauna.. i.s increasing. Nonetheless. parties to the Convention are now meeting behind closed doors tO determine what rights we will have over our knowledge. innovations and practices, for which we currently lack any legal Instruments of protection . Bio· cultural pirates are currently plundering these resources \vithout prior infonned consent of Indigenous communities and organizations. Free access for free value is the common practice. For the first time, Abya Yala News �ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT provisions of the Biodiversity Convention may offer opportunities to effectively pro· teet rights to biocultural resources. With the increasing focus on Indigenous territories as reserves of genetic diversity for use in the food. agriculture, pharmaceutical, b iotechnology and other industries, Indigenous peoples presence in the ConventionS develop· ment is crucial. The Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Network (IPBN). a global coalition of Indigenous peoples' organizations formed to protect biocuhural resources, has been lobbying for Indigenous peoples' rights within the Convention. In order to promote greater Indigenous innuence within the treaty. the IPBN. SAIIC and the Abya Yala Fund, an Indigenous foundation that supports Indigenous-based sustainable development in the b .tin America, are jointly working to facility increased panicipation Potato crop d iversity developed atongside Andean cultures in the Altiplano region, where hundreds of varieties can be found in tocat markets. of Indigenous peoples from South and Meso America. We need to monitor. ana· lyze, and seek greater mmsparency and accountability from all panics, in addition to promoting policies that protect our local rights and inte rests. The Convention's value lies in the comminnent of signatory nations to work for a common cause. h also supports national sovereignty and each country$ right to benefit from its own biological resources. It funher specifies that each country should ha\re access rights to new technologies. including new biotechnologies. which could assist in conservation efforts or prove useful in the exploitation of biological resources. The Convention does not recognize Indigenous peoples' rights over their traditional tenitories and resources. But it does rc<:ognize the importance of our cultures' survival to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It also recogn.izes that first nations should share in the benefits deri"ed from their knowledge and innovations. Unfortunately, the ConventionS provisions leave it up to n..1tional governments to decide the scope and nature of Indigenous peoples' rights. Currently, few colonial nation-states recogVOl. 8 No.3 nize Indigenous land rights or rights to customary practices on the land (biodiversity). Inserting these adequately imo the treaty is a serious challenge for the signatory members of the Con"emion , and \viii be a tough figh t for the Indigenous peoples working within the process. The ConventionS existing mandates can be grouped into several broad categories. these are briefly summarized below. National Action Plans and Environmental Impact Assessments One of the Convention's central mandates is to ensure adequate planning and decision-making to protect biodhrersity at the national level. Each country will be Environmental Impact Assessments. This Article may provide Indigenous peoples with a forum-which they have often been lacking-for voicing opposition to senseless · mega-development" projects that affect their human and territorial rights, such as the COI\Struction of hydroelectric dams, highways. tourist resorts, tnining. oil exploration and exploitation, and logging. Protection In tem'ls of concrete protective mea· sures, the Convention has three require· mems: control sources of significant injury to biodiversity. establish systems of protection . protected mnural areas, develop and implement policies for in situ conserva· tion. Indigenous participation is critical Indigenous organizations should panici- both in designing protected areas and in pate in designing these plans because new managing them. First, because Indigenous communities often have extensive knowledge regarding the land· scapes at stake. Second to ensure that these actions are complimentary and required to formulate a national action plan for biodiversity policies will affect their communities the most. Implementation of these plans, is of course. another mancr. and Indigenous organizations will have to monitor this process as well. Secondly for all individual projects "likely to have significant adverse impacts on !biodiversity)" governments will be required to develop compatible \vith pre-existing Indigenous land rights, rather than-as we ha,rc seen in some previous cases-an auempl to clrcumvcm them. 31 �ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT The Convention specifically recommends the application of traditional knowledge and conservation practices. This is a very valuable recognition of Indigenous practices, Indigenous organizations will have to be proactive in the implementation, financing and monitoring or these mea- sures. Research and Indian Lands reliable biodiversity indicators than science. Monitoring the status of ecosystem and species can be done by Indigenous peoples along with scientists if the integrity, and rights to our knowledge is respected and protected. At the same time. parties to the Convention are supposed tO identify and monitor activities that are likely to have significant adverse impacts on biodiverslly. In In addition to protecting biodi\'ersity, the Convention is supposed to promote · sustainable use of biological resources through governmenllprivate sector cooper- ] ation. ln the past, such bilateral coopera- ':' tion has nearly always sidestepped ~ Indigenous panicipation (e.g. "Texaco & """ Ecuadorian Government Settlement" on pg. 4, eds.) The Convention continues to favor bilateral rather than multilateral agreements. Multilateral agreements are more favorable for Indigenous organiza- al action plan should include the following economic activities in their list of harmful processes reqltiring monitoring and mitigation: mining, oil exploration, agribusiness, commercial logging and cattle ranching. Financing The Convention mandates the industri· alized countries tO provide developing countries with new and additional funds to meet its implementation costs. The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) ' vas chosen as the Convention's interim financing mechanism. The panies \viii select the per- manent mechanism at this meeting in Nov. and Dec. Institutional Structure And Intergovernmental process At the international level, panies to the Convention will meet regularly in a Conference of the Parties (COP). A tions: these are more transparent and Secretariat will provide administrative str· vices. An interim Secretarial has been estab· involve a range or concerned sectors who can act as our allies, support our rights, and lished in Geneva, $\vitzerland. In addition, a scientific and technological advisory committee will give technical assistance to the COP. At the COP. panies \viii report on compliance's and consider measures for strengthening the treaty. They 'viii also address, among other issues: a) administer- help to monitor the agreement. Indigenous peoples' organizations should consider multilateral agreements for decisions affecting biodiversity in their tenitories. Identification and Monitoring of Priorities and Problems ing the financing of arrangements under Parties to the Convention are required the treaty; b) seuing up a clearinghouse of infom1ation on teclu1olog>1 transfer and other areas; c) establishing cooperative pannerships on research. information sharing. and technology transfer. "!) to identify priority ecosystems. species, and genomes for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. These priority areas ";11 largely be congruent with Indigenous terri- tories. and Indigenous communities could benefit from research acti\;ties that help to ascertain territorial rights (e.g. ecosystem research). Since the Convention recognizes the merits of Indigenous knowledge in relation to biodiversity, Indigenous peoples should participate in this research as equals with \Vestem researchers. In addition to biodiversity identification. parties are required to monitor the sta- tus of their countryS biodiversity resources. Here. in particular, Indigenous knowledge has a critical role. In many instances. Indigenous knowledge can provide more 32 Chimane farmer shows just one of the several hundred different domesticated and semi·domesticated plant species he cultivates- a local variety of peanuts. many countries Indigenous organizations are the first to identify and denounce large- scale envirorunemal irnJXl.ClS (see for exam· pie Vol. 8: 1&2. Oil exploration in Peru, eds.). Panies should provide Indigenous groups \vith resources for in-depth and continuous monitoring ofhannf\1 activities 1 in their regions. In addition, every nation- For furt.ll<r infonnation 011 the B:odiwfSfO' Conwnllon and lndig<nQ\~ '-"'«$ p/c<U< """"" d-~ folfq,fr.g; M.s Angela Cropper, fx«uti\'t S«relary Col'l\'tndon on Biological Oi\·crsily IS Ootmindc$,~ncmortS CP 3S6CH·12I9 O.aU:laiu Ccllcva. SuiU:crlaltd Td: (i 1-22)979-9J 11 Fax: (41-22)979·2.512 Tht Abya Yala Fund P.O. Box 2&386 Oakland, CA, USA Td: (510) 834-4263 F<JX: (510) 834 -1264 Indigenous P(Oplt:S' 81odiver'$iry Nc:(w'Ori: 62(), l Nic.holas 5-l. Ouawa. Ontario, CanaM. KJN 787 Td: (613) 241 iSCOFax: (613) 241-2292 Abya Yala News �BOLIVIA : Continued from page 9 stmggled untiringly for the establishment of a commission to verify boundaries between conununal and individual proper· ty: between canton. provincial. and departmental jurisdictions: and imen>ational bor· ders. This mo,-emem had a vast and exten· sive organization which included the Guarani people in the fonn of their Captain Casiano Barrientos as well as leaders of the Indigenous people orTarija and Beni. The llolivian state could not tOlerate an autonomous Indian Movement with such extensive organizational capacity, especially since Eduardo Nina Qhispi. one of its bold· est leaders, favored the "Renewal of llolivia" and to that end declared himself President of the Republic of Qullasuyu. creating a parallel Indian State (He was imprisoned by President Salamanca from 1932·36). Thus, in 1945, the government of President Villarroel, in which the MNR fonned one RECONSTRU CTI NG emerged in the 1970s. This mo"ement exposed the nature of colonial domination and sought to develop an alliance between the different Indigenous nationalities in the country. All of the mainstream panies immediately labeled this emerging Indian THE AYLLU ... Reconstructing Traditional Forms of Organ ization In response to the traditions of political manipulation and \\;,s,em "ci\;lizing" syn· dicalism. Indigenous communities in the highlands are reconstructing Ayllu federa· Movement "'raciSt ... The KatariSta panics. tions which maintain traditional structures supponed as they were by the church and although in segmentary fashion. Thus com· the MIR, also condemned the lndianist munities have begun reconstructing ancient position, the recognition of ethnic differ· identities which the Toledian refonns had ences, and the use of native languages, and destroyed centuries earlier. This movement were obliged to testify for a "llolivian" grounds itself in the rights to tenitorynational idemily. understood as physical space, the soil, sub· The 1980s \vitnessed the Indian move· soil; the place where families are rooted. ments premature collapse, weighed down According to Indigenous organizations, by caudillismo {strong individual leaders what lies within the boundaries of demar· who manipulated organizations for their cmed tenilOries belongs to the community own benefit), corruption, and internal divi· and not to the State. Their demands for sions. The movementS ideological consis-- tights to territory and the e:<ploitmion and tency and institutions could not resist the administration of the resources oomained power (and violence). financial resources. 'vitl\in it, are based on titles granted by the and the privileges (congressional seats, gov· Spanish Crown. The govcnuncmS new pan, moved to co-opt indian organizations. ernment jobs. or cash) of the traditional laws, such as that for "popular panicipa· The government organized an Indigenous panies which. for the sake of capturing tion'" fail to ~cognize this concept. and Congress in which the legitimate leaders of Indigenous votes, incorporated Indian therefore remain null. the movement were thrown out by SC(.Urity cadres into their circles. In contrast to the rural unions. the Ayllu forces. After the triumph of the revolution. By the 1990s. Indigenous political insti· federations have reestablished traditional the MNR (\vith the experience of 1945) tutions were practically destroyed, barely authorities as weU as an autonomous admin· rapidly engaged in organizing campesinos leaving behind acronyms and their con-e· istrntion of economic and social resouras and imo a National Federation of Campesinos. sponding caudillos. Finally, the 1993 elec· of justice. E.'O!mples of this are organiz.1tions NuOo Chavez Oniz, a descendent of the tions resulted in an auctioning ofT of Indian such as FASOR (the F ederation of Ayllus to founder of llolivias second largest city, was panies. the South of Omro) with respea to the placed in charge. This elTon ushered in an At the level of the national unions, the Quillacas-Asan.1ques chiefdom, FAONP (the ern of i><mgutajt politico, or political patron· innuential Aymara Genaro Flores was OtlSl· Federation of Ayllus to the Nonh of Potosi) age. which has endured until toda)< This ed as leader of the nations largest rural jach'a Karangas which reconstituted the large system guarantees Indian bondage to the union, the Single Confederate SyndiC>te of Karang.'\5 in La Paz where FACOPI (the benefit of the Pany and the State. Peasant Workers of llolivia (CSlJTCB), and Federation ofAyllus and First Communities of Nevenheless, the political control which his MRTKL pany divided. Thus, the criollo the Province of lnga,;) revindicated their the MNR and the llolivian State exercised political panics fought to gain control over Pakaje origin. and more recently the fonna· over Indian groups could not last forever. what remt'\ined of the lndigenous-annpesino tion of the Supreme Council of llolivian Ayllus In the mid·l960s Indigenous groups arose, organization-viewing it as war booty. in the depanments of La Paz. Omro, and seeking to reclaim their traditional fonns of This sitt"1tion, although gloomy in its Potosi. FACOPls Organic Statue is insuucti\·e. organizalion and to develop their own ide· outlook, has given way to the strengthening in the way it emphasizes the value of culture, ology. The traditional system of control of grassroots organizations in the Andes. In history, and Indigenous language which con· founded in 1952 'vas also battered by other the Oriente (the upper Amazon Basin). stitute the basis for identity and self-detenni· pressure groups. Among these, the military however, the situation is very different and nation. with ilS own attempt at peasant co-optation more closely resembles the organizational The re·establishment of Indigenous ian· through a military-campesino paCt, and the process of CONAIE in Ecuador. There, guage. culture, identity. territory. and SO\>er· Leftist Revolutionary Movement (MIR) Indigenous organizing has always been cignty is the goal of the Indian movement. 'vith its call for independent labor organi· closely tied to idemit)\ and the Indian orga· represented by a variety of grassroots orga· zations figured largely. niz.ations have not taken up the camptSino nizations working for the rights and dignity Thus, an energetic Indian Movement rc- banner. as often occurred in the highlands. of Indigenous peoples. .., Vol. 8 No.3 33 �W 0 ME N 3. Establish relations with national and inte- national organizations and particr ipate actively to articulate, promote and project the demands of women and Indigenous peoples. In order to achieve these objectives, the committee members established the regional bases for a continental communication and infom1ation dissemination net· Women from around the continent ca me to La Paz to b uild commu· nication and plan future strategies Strengthening the Network: Second Encounter of Indigenous Women from South, Central America and Mexico work. These will be, the Council of Maya Organization of Guatemala. the Workshop of Kuna Women-Association of Napguana (Panama), the Foundation of Educational . Social and Economic Development FUNDASE (Guatemala); the Coordinating Committee of Indigenous Women of Bolivia and the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (USA). The CIMI issued a statement pointing out that eventhough there has been progress in tenns of strengthening com· munication and women's participation in the organizations, there are still abuses against women like physical violence and basic rights , such as education. continue to be discriminatory.( ...) The statement also points out that: ..Neo-Hberal policies of the Latin American governments are he Executive Committee of the T Coordinating Body of Indigenous Women of South and Central America (CIMI) met in La Paz. Bolivia, from july 4·6 of 1994 in preparation for the General Assembly that will take place in Mexico in August of 1995. and for the Founh World Women's Conference of the United Nations in Beijing in 1995. The meeting in La Paz was hOS<ed by Centro de Discusion ldeologioo de Ia Mujer A)onara (COlMA) and attended by delegates from Guatemala, Panama. Mexico. Venezue]a. Nicamgua, Peru. Argentina and a representative from the Coodinadom de Mujeres lndigenas de Bolivia (CMI6). Background: In August of 1990. the Sabmi Women's organizations fron1 Norway organized an international Indigenous \-\'omen's Confe- rence. At that C\'Cnt, women representati\'es from aU coumrics in the American continent 34 were present and decided to ca11 a meeting to set up a network o£ Indigenous \'\bmen from Mexico. Central and South America. The First Encounter of Indigenous \\llmen from South and Central America took place in Uma, Peru. in March of 1991. At that meeting the Coordinating Body was fomted. This Encounter in 1...:'1 Paz was initiated with an Aymara·Quechua ceremony which is the \Va:..:t'a. offer to the Pachamama (mother can h). The committee affimted the following broad objcetives: l. Promote permanent communication between existing Indigenous wo1nen's organiutions in order to develop a network of solidarity at the national and international level. 2. Promote the exchange of cultural and organizational experiences between Indigenous women's organiz..1.tions. putting the Indian communities under more threats. Our territories and the Ecosystems will be more exploited and contaminated."( ...) Members of the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Women are planning to travel to the Fourth \.Yorld ~'omen's Conference in Beijing to organize a Workshop on the issue of domestic violence. "il For mo~ infonnation you can contact: Sm. Maria Riquiac Morales Consejo de Organizacioncs Mayas de Guatemala - l'UNDASE 10 Calle 5-21 Zona 1 CHICHICAS Chirnaltenango . GUATEMAUI Telcfa., : 502-9-561018 Fany Avila Eleta Taller de Mt~eres Kuna Apartado 536. l>anama. Rep. de Panama Ph: 507-696525 Fa." 507·693514 You can also concaa SAIIC. N>ya Yala News �W 0 MEN Drug Trafficking and Strip Searches Place Wayu Women in Peril The following statement regarding "La Requisa lntima"-The Strip Search. was made by Dalla Duran of the Indigenous Movement for National Identity CMOIIN). and appeared in IWGIA he Way(l people have lived on Guajira Peninsula between Colombia and Venezuela since before the Spanish arrived on this conti· nent. This coastal and semi·desert territo· ry of vast planes is the home of our matrilineally organized society. Way(l women are the axis of this society: inheritance and the last name follow the mothers line. Women:S presence and participation arc funda mental in the development and T continuity of each clan . Nonetheless. in the last few years, the menace of drug trafficking has begun to shake the foundation of our community and the position of women Within it. In contrast to many other regions of South America, drugs arc neither grown. nor processed in Guajirn. However. our location , which for years kept us isolated from European innucnces and the missions. has today become our biggest problem . Over the last twenty years, the Guajira has been converted into a giant landingsuip and a port of transit for ships. Drugs arc launched from here to the drug consuming countries of the world . Drug trafficking has had more than a transitOT)' presence. Huge quantities of money have allractcd cheap labor to the region: men • women and children act as guards for the landing strips and illicit ports which appear and disappear as if by magic on the savannas and coasts. Dntgs are stored in the workers' houses, involving entire families in this activity. VOl. s No.3 The quanlllles of money paid to the "mules" work should be stopped. we canworkers transforms our communities' not accept the treatment that our women traditional values. Our society's mea· receive daily on crossing the border check sured balance with the environment, points. The searches that arc carried out based on taking only what is necessary are inhuman and undignified. The from our habitat, is evaporating. At the national guard. police and customs offisame time. violence has grown. as has cials assume that every woman dressed in the nun1ber of anns-which are required traditional clothing or having our featu res in the functioning of the drug trade. is a ..mule." During these searches, even Thus, the model of life based on respect women~ genitals are examined in small for women and on strong commu· nity solidarity is at risk. For five "For five centuries. women have centuries, women have exercised a exercised a fundamental role in fundamental role in the defense of our traditions along the long road the defense of our traditions ... • of European colonization. and the place of women emerged strengthened by this process. Despite the cubicles in front of the other traveling Spanish conquistadors' plundering o f companions and without any kind of san· our society, it never uprooted the status itary control. Only the poor and humble of women in WayU society. \VayU women who travel by truck or bus Throughout the world, drug traffick- are searched in this way. Those who trav. ers use '"mules.. to transport small quanti· el in private cars are not affected. ties of drugs from one spot to another. h is no exageration to call these strip Here, drugs need only be carried the few searches a violation of our fundamental kilometers from Colombia to the frontier rights. The searches violate our dignity as cities of Venezuela. In this activity, Way(l human beings, it is not only an ass.'luh on women are in demand for their stamina, our morality, but only exposes the popuaudacity and capacity to overcome fear. lation to venereal diseases and conNonetheless, the government's actions tributes to the deteriorating physical. to arrest violence generated by the drug emotional and mental health of the Way(l trade have put Indigenous people at the women. We hope that this statement center of a connict which. in many cases, causes renection on this issue. as our jeopardizes women the most. Even people are living under inhuman condithough we understand that the authori- tions under the indifferent glances of the ties reaction is logical, and that the authorities. ~ 35 �ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATION Indigenous People's Alliance <IPA> Update countries to panake in the next encounter. Those pre-.sem emri. Indigenous Peoples Alliance (IPA) members auended the Tohono O'odham Human Rights Conference in Sells. Arizona, on july 29-30 in the lohono O'odham Nation, extending alliances across the Mexico/U.S/Canada borders. Following the conference in Sells, the IPA convened in Phoenix for a strategy and planning meeting on Aug. I. Representatives from sioned the promotion and encouragentcnt of elders around the Tonanrzin, Indigenous Environmental Network, En'owkin ciples for the CONIC constitutional convention were distributed for cotnment and discussion on recruitment strategy undenak· en. Members were updated on the situation in Chiapas by was the 1heme of this congress sponsored by the CH1-G (Council of May Education of Guatemala), Aug. 8-11, 1994, in Que1zahenango attended by approximately 350 Ma)'a teachers. In discussing 1he needs of the Maya, their reality and cosmovision, spirituality and philosophy, 1he teachers recommended Marcos Perez Gomez from ORIACH (Organizacion Regional de los Altos de Chiapas). the initiation of Maya curriculum in both rural and urban areas. including: Mayan mathematics. astronomy, medicine, linguis· Center, and Peace and Dignity Project auended. The draft prin- For' mon: information. Contact: Tonatiern. POll24009, Phoenix Az 85074 Tel: 602- 254-5230 Fa." 602-252-6094 First Encounter of Maya Elders and Spiritual Guides in Guatemala Maya elders and spiritual guides met on March 13-22. 1994, at the different cardinal points in Tecpa'n, Guatemala. This gathering wns a chance for an exchange of information on Maya astrology with an ernphasis on predicting cycles which can aid elders in their healing rituals. The Maya Calendar was a major point of discussion. Some people believe that the prophecies o f the calendar will have a great impact over the next 20 years. A council of elders and spiritual guides fonned at this encounter with the intention of unifying Indigenous communia ties. The panicipants also decided to invite elders from other world to practice, exchange, and impan their traditional teachings and healing practices. First Congress of Maya Education "The time has come that we re-initiate the cirdc of light. .... tics, ans. philosophy. productivity and culture. They also called for the opening of more schools for training bilingual MayaSpanish teachers, and the institutionalization of21languages by the Academy of Maya languages. Workshops to Train Indigenous Journalists Planned in Norway SAI IC·Norway representative Sebastian Lara and Sami journalist Unni Wenche Gronvold are establishing an Indigenous journalists Project in Oslo, Norway. The p roject will o rganize training workshops for Indigenous journalists from throughout the conrinent. These workshops will strengthen the lntemalional Association of Indigenous Press (AlPIN) which is currently broadcasting from Mexico City. SAIIC-Norway is seek- ing economic assistance from governments who are sponsoring to 1he U.N. Decade for Indigenous Peoples, as well as from the Spanish News Agency EFE. The Foreign Relations Office of the Norwegian government is now swdying SAllC·NorwayS pro· posal. This project will enable more Indigenous journalists to repon on their own struggles. F4r m4rt infonnatlon and to send a$$fSrancc: SAIIC-Norge. Torgatta 34.0183 Oslo. Norw.>y Free Workshops For the Women of La Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina The women of Quebrada de Humahuaca Province. in the Republic of jujuy, Argentina. have been organizing . Recently, this work included designing n ew practical components for the States educational system, including the prac1ice of preserving fruits and vegetables, weaving, hcahh education, ceramics. music and dance, and especially the recuperation of their native language Kechua. This project results from free workshops orgaInd igeno us w o men's committee meets betow the wip h&t& 36 nized independently by women in various localities. Also the educational amhorities. OIGEMAS. and the Ministry of Culture M:Jya Yala News �ORGANIZATION and Education all included the women~ proposals into the state system. The workshops' primary objectives have been to achieve incen- tives for panicipation through collective organiz.. 'l.tion. incentives for production based on a subsistence oconomy, incorporation of modem techniques, re-valuation and advancement of the culture, recovery of the native tongue. Kcchua. and improving the standard of li'""&· For mort: infotmalion~ J~ de Ia lglesia/2238-Cu)"'ya·Son Salvador de jujuy Rcp~blica Argcntin.V Tel: 29605 Ecuadorian Indigenous Women's Forum The forum was held between july and Sept. . in preparation for the Fourth Women$ Conference. Women from the Quichua. Slmar, Achuar. Siona, Cofan, Secoya, lioao. Awa, Chachi, Tsachi and Huancavilcas prepared the document "Women of Yesterday, Women of Today, Always 'Women, \Ve weave the Fmure of Our People.. which analyzes their situation within the communmes and within Ecuadorian society in general. They demand recognition of the different Indigenous nation· alities within a Plurinational state, demarca· tion of Indigenous territories, and the granti· ng of communal ownership over them. At the same time, they requested govern· ment attention to improving agricultural and anis..·m production and commercialization. better infrastruc-ture. education and health services. They also demanded respect for Indigenous peoples human rights and the par· ticipation or women in the processes that affect them. For more informa!lon, or ro obtain tilt meeting~ final dccumcm: Agel'lcia latino:uncrica.na de 1nfonnaci6n (ALAI). Casilla 17-12-$77. Quito. Ec\lador. Av. 12 de oetubre 622 y Paula. Edificio 6ossano. Of. 503. Tel: (593) 2 505 074 Fax: (593) 2 505 073 First Regional Encounter of Mapuche Women in Chile The Mapuche Zomo Ni Unel Xawl"' (First Regional Encounter of Mapuchc Women) was Vol. 8 No.3 AND COMMUN I CATION organized by the Coordinating Commiuee of Mapuche Women\; Institutions of the IX Region on Sept. 5. Participants worked to analyze a number of fundamental cultural concepts in order to understand and implemem them from an Indigenous perspec· tive. Concepts like Mapuche identity; health and its relation to the sacred: education. and its relation to wisdom~ the exercise of memory and precision~ were central themes of the discussion. Finally they addressed the situation of Indigenous women who cominue to live in the communities as well as those who have migrated. �CA L E H D A R 0 F EV E H T S Oct.17-18 Nov. 30-Dec. 2 Seminar on Self-determination for Indian Peoples National and International Conference on NAFTA Indigenous people from throughout Mexico will participate in this conference organized by El Colegio de Mexico, under the leadership of Rodlofo Stavenhagen. The Aukir1 Wallmapu Ngulam (All lands Council) is calling this conference in Temuco, Chile out of concern fo r the governments plans to join NAFTA by the end of next year. Qmtact: Rod~fo Stavtnhagen, tcVfox: 52-5·645·59·55 ContGGt: Au.hifl WQ.Ilmapu Ngulam, General Mackenna 152 Ca.silla 448, Tcmuco. Chile teVfax: 56-45-235-697 Oct. 20- Nov. 15 Big Mountain to Chiapas Good Medicine Run This relay run will begin in Big Mountain and proceed to Brownsville, TX. (Oct.20·29). Second leg is from Brownsville to Chiapas (Nov. l-15). Each night of the run traditional exchanges or Native American cultures will take place. Sacrtd Run Foundation, Inc. PO BX 315 Newport, Kenrutky 41071 Td: (606)581·9456 Fax: (606)581-9458 Dec. 9-10 Summit of the Americas President Clinton has invited the other p residents of the Americas to Miami , Florida, to establish a strategy for develop· ing a new relationship between the American states. Clinton is ex1>ected to pressure the latin American states to accept U.S. patent laws and the international agreements of NAFTA and GATf. Indigenous people " "" work to establish an alternative Oct. 22-24 meeting, and pressure governments to accept Indigenous partie· ipation. Guatemalan Government and URNG Re-open Negotiations Peace negotiations between the Guatemalan government and the Dec. 12 National Revolutionary Union of Guatemala guerilla movement will re~open in Mexico City. lndian groups will be working to gain emrance into these talks which will affect Indigenous communities throughom Guatemala. Nov. 10-20 Symposium: " 502 Years of Denied Rights" The Centro di Doeumentazione della Etniein Firenze, Italy, is organizing this conference focusing on rights to land. spirituality and identity. Contact: Villa Fabbricoui· via Viu. .Emtlntu:lt 64, 50134 Flrcnzc, ltalla, tel/fax: 39-55·48860 Nov. 13 First Indigenous Autochtonous Festival Dancers and Musicians will be coming to La Paz from all over Bolivia to commemorate the deuh of Aymarn heroe Tupac Katari in 1781. Ccntatt: CED1MA (Aymara \Vom<n$ Center for ldcologtcal Dis<u5Sion. tel/fax: 591-2.35-48-74 38 Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples The United Nations will inaugurate the Decade for Indigenous People during International Human Rights Day in New York City. Indigenous leaders from around the world are expected to attend. Comact: Tonaticrra, 1818 S. 16!h St, Phoenix, AZ 85034 #418 T<l: 602-254-5230 Or conratt SAliC January. 1995 Indigenous Peoples, Customary Law and 'Intellectual Property Rights' Workshop The workshop \viii be held at the SAIIC offices in O..kland. Indigenous representatives from Meso and South America ' vill gather to develop Indigenous strategies for long-term survival in the face of new exploitation aimed at Indian lands. Sponsors are still needed to suppon participation of Indigenous delgates. Comact: SAIIC or the Indigenous PeopleS Biodi\'trsicy Network, Suit< 620. I Nltlrolas St. Ouawa, Ontario, KIN787 Tel: (613) 241 4500 Fax: (613) 241 2292 Abya Yala News �S A I I C News from S S~IIC ... AIIC is tn the midst of many changes. We h.-·e changed our name to the South and Meso American Indian Rights Center to bet· ter rcOcct the focus of our activit<>. Wlule rninee as international relat1ons coordinator. SAIIC board member and women's project coordinator. Wam Alderete fur· thercd her information g.11henng on tm· ditional health systems and auended a infonnation gathering and dissemination conference on women and traditional continue to be major projects fo r us. the health hosted by Way\1 Indians this new name describes more clearly our role September in Venezuela. In conjunction in International organizing: to fight for Indian peoples' rights. In a more concr<te change. we will also be mo,1ng tn No"ember to new office spaces at 171'1 Fmnkhn (3rd Floor). also in downtown Oakland. Tins large new sp3cc "111 acco· modate our expanded team or amcms and volunteers. 0\'CT the summer, we have focused largely on Issues o f biodiversity conserva· tion and Intellectual property rights. which are receiving increasing international attention. SAIIC board member and Cultuml Sur\-ival-Canada. exccutl\'e din:ctor. Alejandro Arnaru Argumedo spent se\'Cml weeks here in Oakland p3r· with The Book Publishing Comp3ny. we ha'" published the second edition of the women's book "Daughters of t\bya Yala" . For the fifth consccuuve ytar. Nilo Cayuqueo represented SAIIC at the UN Working Group on Indigenous Peoples meeting in GenC\•a. He also helped orga· nizc a planning meeting for 1he Coordinating Committee of Indigenous Nations a nd Organizations of the Continent (CONIC) in Bolivia. St\IIC is pleased to announce that Marcos Yoc, Maya·Caqchiquel from Guatemala, mil be joining the board of dtrectors. Marcos has been :acuve m the Chtmahenango area and works m Maya ticapaung 10 e\'tnlS relating to these 1ssues education. and planntng for our upcoming workhop on ''Indigenous peoples, Customary Law and 'Intellectual Propert y Rights."' This workshop " ;II take place in corly 1995 and will bring together Indigenous peoples from Nonh and South America who arc facing constant thrtats to theor survi"al as cuhures of the land. The work· shop \\111 be an opponunoty for lnd.g<nous peoples to dC\·elop pohey and suateg~es to enhance their struggles for ad,·ancing inherent rights and protecting blo-cultural resources and spiritual values. SAIIC assisted in organizing a plan· ning meeting of the Coord inating Committee or Indigenous women of Meso nnd South America. which took ploce in Boliva this june. SAIIC Mil con· tinue pan•dp3t1ng m the steering com- David Tecklin will be l<aving the SAIIC Office Coordinator position to renew work with forest conservation issues. Ch eryl Musch will be managing the office through the winter. We are also happy to welcome MacArthur Foundation Fellow Marc Becker here to work wuh us for the next y<ar. Marc ,viii be using h•s extensive experience with computer nctworklng to help us exp3nd our inforrnauon systems ~N0.3&4 via the internet. Marc li\'ed in Ecuador last year. where he will return ngain next )'C:rtr to finish research for his disscnation. St\IIC has established on electronic con· terence on PeaceNet called S(liic.indio. \Ve \viii be po&ing a voriety of new and histor· leal infonnation on St\IICs acth~ties and the Indian mo\'ement m thiS conference. The full text o( the &rbados Ill Declamtlon e.•cerpted u1 th•s 1SSue has been po&ed there in English and Sp3nish. To join PeaccNet. c:~ll ('115) 442.{)220. If you already ha"e all Internet e-mail account rou can be placed on a mailing list to receh'C the postings to the SAIIC conference by send· ing a note which simply s. ys "subscribe 1 saiic·l.. to majordomo®igc.apc.org. Over the summer, SAIIC has also been organiza· \'try busy Implementing se\'ernl tiona) str.ueg•es m order to strengthen our work. We completed one of the two public awareness c:amp.•igns planned for thiS )"ear. Approximately 5.000 people in the San Fmncisco 6.1y t\rea received news and information about SAIIC-most likely for the first time. This effort will also help to finance the second planned public aware· ness campaign targeting approximately 200 foundations in the United States. Broadening our base of subscribers to the journal IS cn1ieal m our move tov..ard more self-sustaLnabLiity. You can help with this elTon b)• sending us the names and addresses of anyone who might be interested in receiving infonnation about SAIIC and Abya Yala News. You are cordially invited to SAIIC's Offlce Warming Party 1714 Franklin, 3rd A. Monday. December 14. 1995 6:00-1O:OOpm Refreshments Mil be served. Office \vonning gifts glad I)' accepted. We still need office equipment, including: modems, a scanner, Macintosh or 486 PC computers. as well as alithe usual items. 39 �ITEMS AVAILABLE FROM SAIIC Daughters of Abya Yala Video: Rebuilding Our Communities Testimonies of Indian women orga. Indigenous leaders from Central and South America d iscuss the nizing throughout the Continent. SOO-years campaign, which began as an Indian response to the Quincentenary celebration and has developed as an ongoing d ialogue among indigenous activists. Produced by SAIIC. S18 + S 1.75 shipping. Statements from gra.ssroots Indian women leaders from South and Meso America. rndvdes resolutions from Indigenous women's meetings, a directory of Indian women's orga· nizations and key contacts, informa· tion on Indian women's proiects, and poems by Indian women. Forty-eight pages w ith beautijul black and white photographs. Printed on recycled paper. S6 + S1 .50 shipping. An updated, bound edition is also available for S8 + S 1.50 shipping. Video: A Skirt Full of Butterflies Amazonia: Voices from the Rainforest A resource and action guide with a comprehen.sive listing of international rainforest and Amazonian Indian organizatiions sponsored by SAIIC and the International Rivers N etwork, and pub· lished by Rainforest Action N etwork and Amazopia Film Project. 199 0. Available in Spanish or English for $ 4.50 + S 1.75 shipping. 15 minutes. A love poem to the Isthmus Zapotec women of south· ern Oaxaca, Mexico, by filmmakers E llen Osborne and Maureen Gosling. For every purchase made, a se<ond copy will be sent to an Indigenous women's organization as a gift. S19.95 + S3 shipping. Video: Columbus Didn't Discover Us Native people's petSpcctives on the Columbus Quincentennial based on the footage of the 1990 Quito Conference. 24 minutes. A co-produc· lion of SAIIC, CONAIE, ONIC and Tuming 1id<! Productions. Available in Spanish or E nglish. S19.95 + S1.75 for shipping f< handling . 1992 International Directory & Resource Guide An annotated d irectory of over 600 international organizations that participated in 500 Years of Resistance projects. Includes declarations from Indigenous conferences and organizations and information on curriculum resources, speakers bureaus$ computer netw orks, audio-visual resources and print resources. SS + S1.75 shipping. South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAil C) P.O. Box 28703. Oakland, CA 94604 Non-profit O rganization 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 Indian Movements and The Electoral Process Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fall 1994 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Fall 1994 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fall 1994 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 1994 Description An account of the resource Fall 1994 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Fall 1994 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Fall 1994 Language A language of the resource Fall 1994 English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Fall 1994 Relation A related resource Fall 1994 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Fall 1994 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Fall 1994 Subject The topic of the resource Fall 1994 Type The nature or genre of the resource Fall 1994 Zotero Artist Fall 1994 Attorney Agent Fall 1994 Book Author Fall 1994 Cartographer Fall 1994 Cast Member Fall 1994 Commenter Fall 1994 Composer Fall 1994 Contributor Fall 1994 Cosponsor Fall 1994 Counsel Fall 1994 Director Fall 1994 Editor Fall 1994 Guest Fall 1994 Interviewee Fall 1994 Interviewer Fall 1994 Inventor Fall 1994 Performer Fall 1994 Podcaster Fall 1994 Presenter Fall 1994 Producer Fall 1994 Programmer Fall 1994 Recipient Fall 1994 Reviewed Author Fall 1994 Scriptwriter Fall 1994 Series Editor Fall 1994 Sponsor Fall 1994 Translator Fall 1994 Words By Fall 1994 Item Type Fall 1994 Note Fall 1994 DOI Fall 1994 ISBN Fall 1994 ISSN Fall 1994 Abstract Note Entire issue Access Date Fall 1994 Application Number Fall 1994 Archive Fall 1994 Archive Location Fall 1994 Artwork Medium Fall 1994 Artwork Size Fall 1994 Assignee Fall 1994 Audio File Type Fall 1994 Audio Recording Format Fall 1994 Bill Number Fall 1994 Blog Title Fall 1994 Book Title Fall 1994 Call Number Fall 1994 Case Name Fall 1994 Code Fall 1994 Code Number Fall 1994 Code Pages Fall 1994 Code Volume Fall 1994 Committee Fall 1994 Company Fall 1994 Conference Name Fall 1994 Country Fall 1994 Court Fall 1994 Date Fall 1994 Date Decided Fall 1994 Date Enacted Fall 1994 Dictionary Title Fall 1994 Distributor Fall 1994 Docket Number Fall 1994 Document Number Fall 1994 Edition Fall 1994 Encyclopedia Title Fall 1994 Episode Number Fall 1994 Extra Fall 1994 Filing Date Fall 1994 First Page Fall 1994 Forum Title Fall 1994 Genre Fall 1994 History Fall 1994 Institution Fall 1994 Interview Medium Fall 1994 Issue 3 Issue Date Fall 1994 Issuing Authority Fall 1994 Journal Abbreviation Fall 1994 Label Fall 1994 Language English Legal Status Fall 1994 Legislative Body Fall 1994 Letter Type Fall 1994 Library Catalog Fall 1994 Manuscript Type Fall 1994 Map Type Fall 1994 Medium Fall 1994 Meeting Name Fall 1994 Name of Act Fall 1994 Network Fall 1994 Num Pages Fall 1994 Number Fall 1994 Number of Volumes Fall 1994 Pages 1-40 Patent Number Fall 1994 Place Fall 1994 Post Type Fall 1994 Presentation Type Fall 1994 Priority Numbers Fall 1994 Proceedings Title Fall 1994 Program Title Fall 1994 Programming Language Fall 1994 Public Law Number Fall 1994 Publication Title SAIIC Newsletter Publisher Fall 1994 References Fall 1994 Report Number Fall 1994 Report Type Fall 1994 Reporter Fall 1994 Reporter Volume Fall 1994 Rights Fall 1994 Running Time Fall 1994 Scale Fall 1994 Section Fall 1994 Series Fall 1994 Series Number Fall 1994 Series Text Fall 1994 Series Title Fall 1994 Session Fall 1994 Short Title Fall 1994 Studio Fall 1994 Subject Fall 1994 System Fall 1994 Thesis Type Fall 1994 Title Fall 1994 University Fall 1994 URL Fall 1994 Version Fall 1994 Video Recording Format Fall 1994 Volume 8 Website Title Fall 1994 Website Type Fall 1994 Attachment Title Fall 1994 Attachment URL Fall 1994