Northern Cauca

As I thank you for the good-bye letter you sent me and made public, I need to recognize that there is a lot contained in your words. I will reply as I can, knowing I will not be able to do them justice. Your letter expresses a spirit that moves and inspires me to honor it on its own terms. This is why I start from the wisdom expressed in the conclusion, where you invite me to keep the friendship and gratitude and to continue without resentment and bitterness.

Indigenous people in Colombia are fighting their perpetual struggle against the militarization of their communities. In a horrific incident earlier in February, Colombia's guerrillas (the FARC) massacred dozens of Awa indigenous people in Narino. FARC claimed the massacre was a reprisal for Awa's cooperation with the military, who came earlier and coerced some people to cooperate with them.

The international Freedom of Expression Exchange has a good article on the press aspects of the indigenous march in Colombia.

Below is a declaration of European Parliamentarians.

Parliamentary declaration
About the repression of the indigenous and trade unionist movements in Colombia

We have been sending a great deal over our list but not posting it here - apologies.

Please see Mario Murillo's reports on the situation in Cauca.

See also this key statement of demands, which was accompanied by the text below:

An Historic Day for Indigenous Peoples

This commmuniqué from CRIC was translated by Elena Renderos.

05/22/2008
Author: ELDER COUNCIL – CRIC [Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca]

Interview with Manuel Rozental, Recorded July 27-2007
By Maria Olaya
Produced by Cailey Campbell
Far Too Canadian, Friday mornings from 7-9am on CFRU 93.3 FM in Guelph
www.cfru.ca

AUDIO OF THE INTERVIEW WITH MANUEL

AUDIO OF AN INTERVIEW WITH MAURICIO

Maria: We have with us on the line Manuel [Rozental] and going to talk with us about what is going on in Colombia and specifically in the North of the Valle of Cauca with the Nasa community marching [to] Bogota.

We are very pleased to report the following news. The maximum authority of the indigenous territories of Northern Cauca, the Indigenous Tribunal, has found, after the report of its Investigative Commission that worked for a year and four months on the investigation, that the accusations against Manuel Rozental are entirely unfounded, without evidence or merit, and that the accusations represented an attack on the indigenous movement.

This is from our friend Pablo Leal, in Oaxaca...

México, December 6, 2006

Dear friends and compañeros,

The repression against activists and militants who participated in the Oaxaca Commune is escalating. Two days ago, three leaders of the Popular Assembly of Oaxaca (APPO) were arrested in Mexico City.

Those who have not been arrested are either in hiding or out of the city.
The EZLN has called for world wide mobilizations in solidarity with the Commune on December 22.

Despite all the violence, the over 300 political prisoners, the torture, the over 30 disappearances, the more than 10 assassinations, the Commune has not been defeated.

Bulletin 053, National Indigenous Organization of Colombia
Friday, May 12, 2006
www.onic.org.co

TO:
Communication media
People's Defender
Office of the Inspector General, Ethnic Affairs
National and international NGOs dedicated to human rights advocacy

Warm greetings.

The National Indigenous Organization of Colombia announces that on Monday May 15, 2006, we the diverse indigenous peoples will carry out a great National Mobilization Summit, with a call to wake up and not conform passively to projects of death that threaten the life of the peoples and national sovereignty itself.

This is a communique from ACIN about the May 15 Mobilization in Colombia.

All this is difficult to see, understand, resist, and change. It demands unity, creativity, intelligence, solidarity, commitment, sacrifice and much work, but also much joy and much desire for life. -- The Indigenous and Popular Mandate

The mobilization has begun. The demand for the right to a different country. In an uprising of consciousness, humble gifts are brought together to generate liberty, solidarity, and justice.

Colombia is not the country we have dreamed of. Today more than ever, we stand by what we stated in the Indigenous and Popular Mandate: “The state that should protect us persecutes us.” Recent events confirm this. Under the banner of the mobilization, the Black, Mestizo, and Indigenous communities of Suarez and Morales have marched to the city of Cali to demand fulfillment of the agreements that have gone unfulfilled for 20 years. In Cali they were met by ESMAD (public forces). There are wounded and detained. In recent days advisors of Piedad Cordoba and Carlos Gaviria have been assassinated. So have 10 campesinos in Meta. One group of social organizations has been threatened with death by "demobilized" paramilitaries.