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Utuado, Puerto Rico After their arrests on Wednesday, August 10,
Taino community leaders celebrated a victory in court on Friday,
when a local Judge refused to give an order to prevent them from
re-entering a state run archeological park they consider sacred. The
court did find however that the Taíno did not have the right to
"exert dominion and control of the park", at least temporarily. A
decision will be made on the issue of dominion at an upcoming
hearing.
The Taíno occupied the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Center in
Utuado for over two and a half weeks to bring attention to island
wide destruction of sacred sites and the lack of recognition of
their rights as indigenous peoples.
"The court basically is reviewing an injunction that seeks to
temporarily or permanently prevent us [Taino] from staying over
night on the grounds, which is a direct violation of our religious
freedoms" said Naniki Reyes Ocasio, founder of the Caney Quinto
Mundo. "The court and the [Puerto Rican] Institute of Culture view
`dominion' as a form of possession so it is obvious that they have
no concept of indigenous perspectives as they relate to those terms"
She continued, "If the Institute had their way they would have
barred any one identifying themselves as Taino from entering the
park permanently but this did not happen".
Reyes Ocasio was observing her 16th day of a hunger strike when she
and two other community leaders, Guatibiri Baez and Juana Griselle
Martinez Prieto, were arrested Wednesday inside Caguana Ceremonial
Center. Martinez Prieto and Baez are members of the Consejo General
de Tainos Boricanos.
"Seeing those officers trotting down to us in rows of five was like
watching something out of an old Western movie when the Calvary
moves in to attack an unsuspecting Native village" observed Reyes
Ocasio. With no arrest warrants presented, the three peaceful
protesters were forcibly shackled by hands and feet by a 15 member
special police tactical unit in full assault armor.
Reyes Ocasio, Baez, and Martinez Prieto noted that the police did
all they could to attempt to frighten and humiliate them. A previous
court negotiation assured the protesters they would be arrested with
their lawyer present and that Naniki would be provided a wheel chair
as she was having trouble walking; a result of her long hunger
strike. "They did not comply with any of conditions they agreed to
in court; this was a well calculated assault with intent to harm us"
she stated as she ended her 17 day fast late Thursday night.
Three other protesters, members of the Consejo General, Elba Anaca
Lugo, Taino Rosado and Margarita Shashira Muñoz, turned themselves
over to the authorities on Thursday morning. They were outside the
park at the time of the arrests. Charges were dropped against
additional participants of the occupation.
"Despite the harsh treatment, which even included a strip search of
two of our community members, we are celebrating a victory here in
Caguana for a number of reasons" said Reyes Ocasio.
The action has reportedly been an inspiration to many Taino
descendants around the island and beyond. A delegation of elders,
leaders and youth now plan to take the group's concerns and petition
to San Juan on Monday and deliver them to legislative
representatives, the Mayor of San Juan and of course to the
Governor.
"We have exposed the Executive Branch of the Government and the
Institute of Culture not only for failing to recognize indigenous
rights but they are now well documented to be publicly hostile to
the Taino People on the island" said Roger Atihuibancesh Hernandez,
a representative of the United Confederation of Taíno People.
"The Caguana action is a victory for all Taíno People as we have
raised the issue of Taíno rights, as well as the desecration of
sacred sites, ancestral remains, and sacred artifacts to an
unprecedented level here in Borikén" he continued. "We had regular
coverage in local papers and our leaders were interviewed on radio
and television throughout the occupation".
"Whether the press has been favorable or not is not the point, what
matters is that no one can say we have been silent on this issue"
said Atihuibancesh.
During the occupation local support gained momentum for the Taíno as
a group of prominent archeologists publicly supported the group's
actions. Although they were ignored by Puerto Rican Governor Anibal
Acevedo Vila, they were supported at the municipal level with a
special proclamation by the honorable Mayor of Utuado, Alan González
Cancel.
As the group celebrated their victories in Caguana, many lessons
have been learned and all the leaders remain extremely grateful for
the overwhelming support they have received from the local and
international communities.
As Taino leader Naniki Reyes Ocasio stated while enjoying a well
deserved bowl of soup, "this is just the beginning".
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