En Camino

Below is a note from the Regional Indigenous Organization of Cauca, translated by the UK Colombia Solidarity Campaign. It is on the ongoing land struggle in Cauca, where the government has escalated the violence dramatically in recent days.

TANKS USED AGAINST INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN EL JAPIO, COLOMBIA.
CRIC, 9 November 2005.

MORE THAN 500 TROOPS AND TANKS ATTACK DEFENSELESS COMMUNITIES IN EL JAPIO,
CAUCA.

Using the argument of not initiating talks with the indigenous communities
until they have left the 15 land holdings that they have liberated in El
Japio, Cauca, National Government has given the order that the communities

Naomi Klein wrote an article for the Nation on Manuel's case and Cauca more generally. It is archived at ZNet here.

It was also republished in Toronto's NOW Magazine. That link is here.

Here is a radio interview with Manuel - en espanol - by Radio Nizkor.

The Price of Our Struggle: Individuals and Groups, using threats and dirty war, seek to silence us

Action Alert

Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN)

October 29, 2005

The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN) –CXAB WALA KIWE, announces the following to national and international public opinion.

1. In the past several days, a wave of threats has fallen over various of our community members, leaders, and authorities. To us this translates to a clear message that there are those who seek to destabilize the process of the indigenous communities in the northern zone of the department of Cauca.

Greetings from En Camino.

Author: Indigenous Authorities of Cauca

DECISION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE FACE OF LAWS THAT GO AGAINST MOTHER EARTH

June 24, 2005

The Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca (CRIC), the Association of Indigenous Authorities of Northern Cauca (ACIN CWAB WALA KIWE), and the Environmental Economic Authority, in the face of the legislative bills on Waters, Forestry and Mountains that is being processed by the Fifth Commission of the Senate of the Republic,

URGENT COMMUNIQUÉ: “SILENCE THE GUNS SO WORDS CAN BE HEARD”

In face of the escalation of the war in our territory, and taking into account the difficult situation in which we are living, we the Nasa Paez communities reiterate before national an international opinion – as has already been expressed in the official communiqués of the ACIN beginning on April 15, 2005 (see www.nasaacin.net) – our call to a:

CEASE FIRE, COMPLETE DEMILITARIZATION OF THE AREA, AND THE BEGINNING OF CONVERSATIONS TO SEARCH FOR A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION TO THE ARMED CONFLICT IN COLOMBIA.

An Open Letter to the Combatants in the Colombian Conflict, FARC and the Government of Colombia.

Since April 14, 2005, the territories and communities of Northern Cauca have been transformed into battlefields. Only the representatives of armed factions have been heard. Civilians have been displaced, wounded, and killed; their houses, churches, schools, and hospitals have been destroyed. Their voice, the most important voice in the conflict, has been drowned out.

WE MUST MAKE OUR WORDS MOVE FORWARD

February 18, 2005

Public declaration of the indigenous and popular congress
Call for a citizen's popular consultation

The First Popular Indigenous Congress

The Indigenous and Popular Mandate of the Minga for Life, Justice, Joy, Freedom, and Autonomy

Cali, September 18, 2004

The Challenge Before Us