1 12 2 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/8d828f7daa7d4fb6031a7de701238f3e.pdf 124bd5a7404aec4b605aded70247c631 PDF Text Text IN BRIEF Indigenous Leaders Awarded Goldman Environmental Prize Indigenous Groups in Argentina Push for Rights Under New Constitution On April IS, 1994. Luis Macas president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAl E) and Mathew Coon Come. grand chief of the Cree were awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco, California. The prize includes a no-strings attached $60,000 grant. Macas was recognized for his role in the 1990 Le''llntamiento lndigena (Indigenous uprising) in Ecuador which forced the government to seriously negotiate the conditions for oil drill- The fifteen Indigenous nations in Argentina are ean;ing out a country-wide mobilization in response to the opening of ing in the Ecuadorian Amazon. He was also praised for his role in the negotiations between CONAIE and the Ecuadorian government which resu1ted in a sweeping settlement giving Indigenous nations title to three million hectares of rainforest in the Amazon. Coon Come has worked fordeeades to oppose the Quebec government's monumental plans for hydroelectric dam building in James Bay. Both these struggles put Indigenous and environmental organizations against some or the world's most powerful forces. With these a"'llrds, the Goldman foundation has helped give world attention and Stature to these leader's struggles. Following is Luis Macas' statement at the ceremo· nies. a process for constitutional revision. Indigenous groups are pressuring the national congress to finally include an article stating their rights under the constitution. Indigenous organizations held two assemblies regarding the issue of constitutional refom1 and have drafted a proposal for rights to be included in the new constitution. The proposal's most important points were recognition that Indigenous peoples existed before the creation of the National state and birth of the provinces; the recognition of the Argentinian Republic asa pluri-ethnic and pluri-cultural state; the inclusion of rights to communal land ownership as well as control of all natural resources found in these lands: the right to educate their children in their own language and culture~ and finally, the deletion of pan 15 of article 67 of the current constitution which states that the govenment should •main· tain a peaceful relationship with the lndiansand promote their conversion to Catholidsm•. After drafting these proposals. representatives of all the Indig- enous communities presented a declaration to the national con· gress to urge inclusion of these changes in the new constitution. ...1Virl1 the arrival of western civilization the plundering of natural rtsourGes was init'iatcd as ·was the taheove:r and destmclion of our mother earth and the exploitation of our people. This imcnsive and irrational exploitation of nmural resources ca11sed nor only impoverishment of the earth but has generated poverry and the violation of human rights among our 1>tople in the South. The culture ofcapitalism and avarice has forced itself on nature to achieve its goals no matter what the sacrifice. As a result, we an: 110w experiencing an accelerated process of true global collapse. As inhabitants of this planer, it is viral and urgem to stop these crimes against nature and life and worh tore huegrate ourselves with the natural world so as to redirec.rour path toward a more respectful and harmonious relationship wirh it. These beliefs motivate us to defend ourmotherea,.th and resist hcrdcstntction with her. Therefore it is important that we gain title to territories which will gtwrantee their proteaion, not only for us, but for the benefit of all life... We have to oppose destruction and death with justice. s11stainable development and life. 4 lnnu Activists Blockade Hydro-Quebec Roads lnnu from the Coalition for Nitassinan (their traditional lands) supported by observers set up camp on Ma)' 29. blocking the access ro.~d which Hydro-Quebec intends to use for construction of the massive Sainte-Marguerite Ill (SM Ill) hydroelectric project. Hydro-Quebec officials have reportedly sought an official injunction against the blockade in order to remove the protesters. The SM Ill project would be built in lnnu territory along the nonh shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. It would flood over 450 square km. and, possibly contaminate this area with the toxin methyl mercury. lnnu fear this contamination will render the region's fish, one of their main food sources. · 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. 8, nos. 1 & 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 Indigenous Leaders Awarded Goldman Environmental Prize Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource SAIIC Board of Directors Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1994 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Indigenous Leaders Awarded Goldman Environmental Prize Item Type Journal Article Author SAIIC Board of Directors Volume 8 Issue 1,2 Pages 4 Publication Title Abya Yala News Date Summer 1994 Language English Abstract Note Luis Macas of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities in Ecuador and Matthew Coon Come of the Cree received the Goldman foundation Environmental Award grant. Macas’ acceptance speech pointed to the need for environmental protection against exploitation and extraction at the hands of non-native people. Attachment Title abya yala p4.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Environmental Protection Goldman Foundation https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/1fc34befc3453ff05f13ff10b9df533e.pdf 49edfbab12131b4adc0ec8c2ab8ea642 PDF Text Text other problems, in the same way. And that's what is important for our people." He remains cautious, waiting for the national park to be officially sanctioned by Congress. "Quinquen is a symbol of the struggle of the Indians, of our people. So that's what we're struggling for. I can only hope that Oillean society would realize once and for all, that the authorities, who have always discriminated against us, would realize that this must not happen again... Pleose write today to encourage President Aylwin k.. continue pushing for this important legis lotion President Patricio Aylwin President of Chile Polocio de lo Monedo Sontiogo, CHILE Phone: 56-2· 714· 103 or 56·2·717·054 810-810 DAMS THREATEN PEHUENCHE (Chile) 1he mountainous river basin of the Bio-Bio is the ancestral land of the Pehuenche Indians. Their right to cultural and economic survival is now being seriously threatened by the proposal of Oille'selectric company, ENDESA, to build a series of six dams on the Bio-Bio. Approval for the first of the dams has already been obtained, but full-scale construction has been delayed pending a decision by the International Finance Corporation (the private sector wing of the World Bank) on whether to provide 25% of the Pangue Dam's funding. Chilean and international environmental and indigenous organizations have sounded a warning that the social and ecological costs of the project far outweigh any potential benefits. Perhaps the greatest indictment of the project is the fact that the Pehuenche, whose subsistence is directly tied to the river and its banks, have been almost entirely left out of the planning, assessment and decision-making process. At the eleventh hour, they have been told that their future is in perilous danger. If approved, the IFC loan will be the beginning of the end for the 5,000 Pehuenche inhabiting the region. Part of the Mapuche indigenous society that once inhabited much of southern Chile and Argentina, the Pehuenche are still living traditionally. 1he subsistence activities of the Pehuenche are carried out along the banks of the river and its tributaries where they live, cultivate, raise livestock, and celebrate their religious ceremonies. 1he proposed Pangue darn would have multiple "The flood.i ng, which is projected to be 14 kilometers in length, would directly result in the relocation of 600 indig· enouspeoples and 300 non-native Oillean peasants. Roadbuilding and excavation for construction materials would displace another 400 Pehuenches. Three of the six proposed dams would irreversibly destroy over one-half of Pehuenche territory. It's estimated that the flooding of the scarce flat and arable fields on the banks of the river will do away with almost all of the subsistence agriculture practiced in the region. 1he construction of roads and other structures is already having major effects on the physical landscape, and is causing culture shock in this formerly isolated region. Major tourist development of the reservoirs created by the hydroscheme is likely. Around the world, this type of development has been accompanied by environmental contamination and degradation, the loss of land ownership by poor and indigenous people, and dramatic changes in local subsistence economies. Already there is evidence that local landowners are using bribery and corruption to take advantage of the need to prove legal title to the land and claim traditional indigenous lands as their own. Human and cultural rights are guaranteed by international laws by which the new government in Chile portends to abide. The social and economic co~dl of the United Nations has prepared a Universal Declaration on Indigenous Rights which affirms the collective right of indigenous peoples to exist without being forced to assimilate, the right to their traditional property and lands, the right to indemnization, and protection against discrimination. 1he International Labor Organization has issued a similar document, signed by many heads of state including Chile's President Aylwin, manifesting their intention to 1espect the rights of indigenous peoples. Moreover, Chile's proposed new indigenous legislation reaffirms the right of Native people to maintain their ethnic identity, cultural customs, and the right to live on their ancestral land. In compliance with the most fundamental human rights principles, the government of President Aylwin and the IFC must reject any project which could adversely affect the traditional way of life of the Pehuenche and Mapuche people. Because ENDESA is privatized and the Pangue Dam project has already been approved, there are limited avenues for Oillean organizations to apply domestic pressure. Still, they are hopeful that coordinated international pressure applied to the World Bank, ENDESA and President Aylwin, will give them leverage to convince the government to re-evaluate the project. Please toke action todaylll Write to the World Bank, encouraging them not to fund the Pangue Dam project: BarberConable, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW Washington, DC 20433, Fox: 202·477·6391 direct and indirect consequences for the Pehuenche people. Vol6 Nos 1&2 5 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 6, nos. 1&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 Bio-Bio Dams Threaten Pehuenche Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1991 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Bio-Bio Dams Threaten Pehuenche Item Type Journal Article Volume 6 Issue 1&2 Pages 5 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1991 Language English Abstract Note Part of the Mapuche, the Pehuenche's way of life would be terminated if the delayed project to build dams for electric power goes through and the river ends up being dammed. Attachment Title Bio-Bio_Dams_Threaten_Pehuenche.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Biobio River Dam Chile Environmental Protection Pehuenche