“Look at history, what’s happened to indigenous peoples, the deforestation, contaminated rivers…This is development? We don’t want this kind of development. Peru shouldn’t want this kind of development…But we are never consulted. They never tell us how they will assure that our children can continue to live in the forest, how they will protect the forest. We need a kind of development that starts from the forest and is for the forest; it will also be the best for Peru.”
The man who made this statement is in hospital, he was hit by 8 bullets, near death, he is danger because he has no funds for treatment, the government in Peru wants to put him in prison.
“We felt that the laws annulled our existence. That’s why we rose up,” said Awajún leader Santiago Manuin, who was seriously wounded in the most deadly protest at Bagua.
Real green politics is about defending men like this...globally people are kicked off their land by corporations, in Peru the indigenous have risen in unity to defend their land, they provide an example to people every where.
If you want to get involved in environmental change, whether you change a light bulb or join Friends of the Earth, number one action should be taking action in solidarity with people like Santiago Manuin.
There are some very useful points from Russell Means, the Lakotah leader
What the protests gained:
- Two laws that would have opened the Amazon to unrestrained exploitation by logging, mining and oil companies were repealed by Congress.
- A process of negotiations was established.
- President Garcia will meet with Amazon indigenous leaders on July 20.
- The national Ombudsman introduced a bill that would require consultation with indigenous peoples, in compliance with ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- A Truth Commission will investigate the military attack on indigenous protesters at Bagua that cost at least 34 lives.
Why more international pressure is needed:
Labor, environmental and indigenous organizations continued strikes this week, pressing Congress to repeal the entire packet of 99 laws that were approved to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with the US. President Garcia authorized a military response. The government issued arrest warrants on charges of sedition for indigenous leaders, forcing three leaders to seek political asylum in the Nicaraguan embassy.
Indigenous defenders of the Amazon rainforest are asking us to keep up the pressure on the President and Congress. Our letters should support indigenous peoples’ demands to:
- Cease the criminalization of protest
- Stop police and military actions against indigenous leaders and communities
- Align Peruvian laws with ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Guarantee indigenous peoples the right to free, prior and informed consent.
Please send letters to:
Excelentísimo Señor
Presidente Alan García
Despacho Presidencial
Jirón de la Unión S/N 1 cda
Lima 1
PERU
If possible, send copies of your letter to:
Rafael Vásquez Rodríguez, President of Congress
(rvasquezr@congreso.gob.pe, Fax +51 1- 311- 77- 03 )
Public Ombudsman Office of Peru
(centrodeatencionvirtual@defensoria.gob.pe)
Peruvian Ambassador in your country (for contact details - see http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Peru
UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(indigenous@ohchr.org)
1 comment:
I recall the 360 Bishnoi men and women who sacrificed their lives embracing trees against the king's army's axes, back in 1730 AD in Rajasthan. I recall my friend Somen Biswas of north Bengal who took 17 chopper injuries and 6 bullets to save wildlife from poachers in 1998, and was rewarded from the West Bengal govt with the title of "Criminal". These are the people who keep the lamps of our hope aloft and burning, and rejuvenate our zeal to do something for nature and life, for ourselves.
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