I have just been sent this translation of the Editorial of the first issue of the Peruvian newspaper Lucha Indigena, 'Indigenous Fight' edited by my good friend Hugo Blanco. If you want to support or read Lucha Indigena please look at the website
Editorial
A NEW WEAPON
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION
One of our country's biggest problems is the discrimination that exists
against native (indigenous) peoples in all aspects of society. Native people form a majority of the populace
if we include acculturated natives, who also suffer many forms of
discrimination. Fortunately the
aboriginal peoples have been struggling against oppression ever since the
European invasion, never giving up, and in many ways we have been able to make
the oppressors retreat. Recently we have
achieved some important advances.
The Peruvian native
peoples' struggle is an integral part of the more general rebellion throughout
the continent and the rest of the world.
It is a struggle of aboriginal peoples against the oppressors'
eurocentrism that is shared by the dominant culture in the United States. In the eurocentric view, European-Yankee
culture is superior, representative of all that is "modern", while
others are "backward" and "archaic".
This view is a tool in
the hands of the big corporations that rule the world. It aids them in keeping the support of the
oppressed European and Europeanized peoples against us. We regard it as our task to bring those
people -- who are oppressed by the same forces that are keeping us down -- over
to our side.
A fundamental feature of
the great majority of native people in rebellion in our continent is their
non-exclusionary outlook. That is, we
are not fighting against non-natives but against the discrimination and marginalization
of which we are victims.
This publication aims to
serve as one of the movement's voices, but we make no claim to be the only
one. Fortunately, this struggle has many
expressions, especially through the internet.
We will report on the struggles of trade unions and other organizations
that work in favor of aboriginal peoples.
It is founded in a time of electoral campaigns, but our objective is not
to participate in electioneering. We see
elections as important, but they can also serve to divide us, and we intend to
be broad and inclusive.
There is no denying that
recent events in Bolivia have been a major stimulus in founding Lucha
Indígena. For the first time in our
continent there is a national president of native heritage who has not turned
his back on his race.
We hope to have the
support of all -- whether native or not -- who share our determination to put
an end to the unjust discrimination against our native populace. We call for collaboration in editing this
publication. We ask you to send us news
of the native struggle -- we repeat, the struggle -- as every day we
must fight a flood of abuses. We
especially want news of exceptionally strong attacks on native peoples and
their responses.
We also need
distributors. And we need economic support,
as we have no means. All who want to
help in this way can deposit into Banco de Crédito account no.
285-14217265-0-39 (soles) or no. 285-10047249-1-02 (dollars).
With your help, we are
confident of success.
