Indigenous Peoples and Peasants of the Americas Promise to Globalize
Resistance
By: Venpress and Venezuelanalysis.com
"Let's Globalize the Struggle! Let's Globalize Hope!" is the slogan of
the first International Encounter of Resistance and Solidarity of
Indigenous and Peasant Peoples held in Caracas from October 11 to 14.
Over a thousand representatives from over 20 countries of both North and
South America and the Caribbean attended the four-day event of speeches
and workshops.
President Hugo Chavez inaugurated the event saying, "today we will not
give honors to Columbus, today we give honors to our indigenous peoples
who heroically resisted being trampled upon. As Latin Americans we do
not need to give honor nor tribute to Christopher Columbus. Christopher
Columbus was the spear head of the invasion and the greatest genocide in
recorded history of the people."
Among the groups in attendance at the encounter were: Vía Campesina from
Honduras; the Landless Movement (Movimiento Los Sin Tierras) from
Brazil; the confederation of Indigenous Nationalities from Ecuador
(Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de Ecuador); the National
Indigenous and Peasant Coordination from Guatemala (Coordinadora
Nacional Indígena y Campesina); the Movement towards Socialism from
Bolivia (Movimiento Al Socialismo); plus numerous Venezuelan
organizations, such as the National Indian Council (Consejo Nacional
Indio); the National Agrarian Coordination Ezequiel Zamora (Coordinadora
Agraria Nacional Ezequiel Zamora) and the Bolivarian Forum of the
Americas (Foro Bolivariano de las Américas).
The purpose of the meeting was to celebrate the unity of indigenous
peoples and of peasants and to support the Venezuelan process and the
agrarian transformation in the country.
Rafael Alegria, the leader of Via Campesina, from Honduras, said,
"Venezuela is the only country of the Americas to have designated
October 12th as the day of indigenous resistance and for this reason it
deserves the recognition of all international indigenous organizations."
Also, Alegria added, Venezuela deserves recognition for being the only
country in which there is a true agrarian revolution. Nearly 2 million
hectares of land have been transferred to peasants in the past year.
One of Venezuela's most important indigenous leaders, Noeli Pocaterra,
who is also a representative in Venezuela's National Assembly and the
second vice-president of the assembly said that the Venezuelan process
has given dignity back to the indigenous peoples of Venezuela. According
to her, "We have been here on this land before anyone else and after
many years we were made to feel like strangers in our own land. With out
incorporation into the constitution we have achieved that the indigenous
peoples are not seen as a folkloric issue or as stone statues
("convidados de piedra").
President Chavez' weekly television program, Alo Presidente, was devoted
to the international encounter of indigenous peoples and campesinos. In
the course of the program Chavez announced that he named a new
presidential commission, Mision Guaicaipuro, which would guarantee the
implementation of the rights of Venezuela's indigenous peoples. Among
other things, it would demarcate the land of the indigenous population.
It will be headed by the minister of the environment, Ana Maria Osorio.
Chavez also read from the literacy campaign textbooks, Mision Robinson,
written in several of the different indigenous languages - more than a
million people have so far benefited from the program after only three
months of its existence - also, the mission Sucre will prioritize the
poor and indigenous populations, giving 100 thousand scholarships of
$100 per month.
Finally, Chavez also announced the creation of indigenous "micro credit
banks". Isa Sierra of Fondo de Desarrollo Microfinanciero (Fondemi)
followed up this proposal the next day, saying that 33 such banks would
be created with 10,000 million bolivares by the end of the year. The
loans they provide would be at an interest rate of 1%.
The encounter concluded with a statement in solidarity with the
indigenous people of Bolivia, which also denounced the repression by the
neoliberal government, in which more than 80 people have died in the
last days.
--
Macdonald Stainsby
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope
--Brecht
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