-Caveat Lector- Dave Hartley http://www.Asheville-Computer.com http://www.ioa.com/~davehart INDIGENOUS RESISTANCE IN COLOMBIA EMBERA-KATIO PEOPLE OPPOSE MEGAPROJECT Colombian Indigenous Leader, Kimi Pernia Domico, Traditional Leader of the Embera-Katio, arrives in Ottawa. **************BACKGROUND***************************************** KIMI PERNIA DOMICO, traditional leader of the Embera-Katio People arrives in Ottawa to give testimony at Parliamentary Review of the Export Development Act. In Colombia's northwest, in the ancestral territory of the Embera-Katio people, the 700 million-dollar Urra Hydroelectric Project has altered the waters of the Sin� River and threatened the livelihood and culture of indigenous communities. This dam was built with the help of an 18.2 million (US dollars) credit from the Export Development Corporation (EDC) of Canada. A Canadian firm named "Agra-Monenco" has been hired to monitor the project's environmental impact. Indigenous leaders, however, have expressed concerns that the Canadian Company has increasingly sided with the Urra Corporation. Since 1996, the Embera-Katio people have mobilized strong opposition to this project and a Constitutional Court has temporarily halted the filling of the dam. Right-wing paramilitaries, allegedly allied with local business/landowning interests, have threatened and murdered indigenous leaders in an attempt to weaken any resistance to this Megaproject. On November 16, 1999, a Parliamentary Review will be held to examine the Export Development Act, the regulatory framework within which the EDC operates. Kimi Pernia Domico will testify in front of this review to the effects the Urra project has had on their community, with the hope that the EDC will be obliged to follow an investment agenda more consistent with international human rights standards. It is hoped that Canada will also be persuaded to pressure the Colombian government into controlling the activities of the Urra corporation, investigate into the deaths and disappearances of outspoken indigenous leaders and human rights activists and act to protect the rights of the Embera-Katio. Kimi Pernia will arrive in Ottawa this Thursday, November 11 and will remain until November 16. He will be available for public speaking events, interviews with the media and meetings with interested groups to speak on the struggles of the Embera-Katio people against powerful economic interests within the context of Colombia's dramatically escalating internal conflict. These include the following: � A brown-bag to be held at the Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC), Suite 300, 1 Nicholas Street, Friday, November 12, 1999, 12:15 to 1:15pm. � An open public discussion will be held on Monday evening. The exact time and location are to be defined shortly. If you would like more information or would like to meet with Kimi, please contact Pablo Leal at (613) 747-9930 or E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******** ******** You are invited to a lunch-time discussion on : ===================================================== Human Rights, Colombia and Canada's Export Development Corporation ===================================================== Speaker: KIMI PERNIA DOMICO Traditional Leader of the Embera-Katio People Friday, November 12, 1999 12:15-1:15 pm CCIC Boardroom, Ste 300, 1 Nicholas Street In Colombia's northwest, in the ancestral territory of the Embera-Katio people, the 700 million-dollar Urra Hydroelectric Project has altered the waters of the Sinu River and threatened the livelihood and culture of indigenous communities. This dam was built with the help of an 18.2 million (US dollars) credit from the Export Development Corporation (EDC) of Canada. Since 1996, the Embera-Katio people have mobilized strong opposition to this project and a Constitutional Court has temporarily halted the filling of the dam. Right-wing paramilitaries, allegedly allied with business/landowning interests, have threatened and murdered indigenous leaders in an attempt to weaken any resistance to this Megaproject. On November 16, 1999, a Parliamentary Review will be held to examine the Export Development Act, the regulatory framework within which the EDC operates. Kimi Pernia Domico will testify in front of this review to the effects the Urra project has had on their community, with the hope that the EDC will be obliged to follow an investment agenda more consistent with international human rights standards. It is hoped that Canada will also be persuaded to pressure the Colombian government into controlling the activities of the Urra corporation, investigate into the deaths and disappearances of outspoken indigenous leaders and human rights activists and act to protect the rights of the Embera-Katio. Join us for a public discussion on the struggles of the Embera-Katio people against powerful economic interests within the context of Colombia's dramatically escalating internal conflict. Catalina. ******** The A-Infos News Service News about and of interest to anarchists ******** COMMANDS: [EMAIL PROTECTED] REPLIES: [EMAIL PROTECTED] HELP: [EMAIL PROTECTED] WWW: http://www.ainfos.ca INFO: http://www.ainfos.ca/org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! 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