Call to the (American) Continent- Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador Demand Democracy
Candela | 24.03.2006 00:46 | Repression | Social Struggles | Zapatista | World
This is a letter to the Government and Peoples of the USA from NAHUACALLI, Embassy of Indigenous Peoples.
NAHUACALLI
Embassy of the Indigenous Peoples
March 21, 2006
To: The Government and Peoples of the United States of America
President George Bush
Members of Congress
It is with the great dismay that we receive news and direct testimony from our relatives of Tawatinsuyo regarding the physical repression and threats against the leadership of the organizations of Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador.
At a time when the cause of democracy is being propagandized to support a war in Iraq, we face in this hemisphere a policy being promoted by the US government
that denies the right of popular participation of the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador in determining the future of their country.
During the past week, under the present administration of Ecuadorian president Alfredo Palacio and in collusion with a small minority of wealthy economic interests including OXY Petroleum, the US government has launched a direct attack against the right of self determination of the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador and the civil society as a whole. At issue is the strong-arm tactics of the US government in attempting to force the Ecuadorian Peoples and their
national government to accede under threat and intimidation from the US to be signatories to the Free Trade Area of the Americas, in violation of the necessary principles of democracy and transparency in the negotiation processes.
These tactics by the representatives of the United States will not be tolerated by the Indigenous Peoples of the continent, not now or at any future time.
We therefore demand the RECALL of the US representatives in Ecuador who are negotiating behind closed doors a so-called Free Trade Agreement (FTAA) with the present government of Ecuador until the following condition are met:
o Immediate end to the repression and threats against the leadership and member organizations of the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador in violation of the right of Self Determination.
o Prior, Free, and Informed CONSENT by the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador for any terms of such treaty to be negotiated, via a popular national assembly of constituents including all sectors of civil society and with immediate
public transparency.
o Recognition and support for alternative models of sustainability and indigenous proprietary rights in terms of economic development, as evidenced by the Indigenous Peoples and territories continentally, in contrast to the
corporate extractive models that dominate the present regime of Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) policies.
These conditions are basic to establishing a framework for peaceful dialogue and mutual respect, without which we as Indigenous Peoples of the Continent can only expect the continued genocide and colonization of over five centuries.
In this spirit of self-determination, we now address this message to the government and peoples of the United States, and the world community as a whole.
Signed,
Tupac Enrique Acosta, Yaotachcauh
Tlahtokan Nahuacalli
NAHUACALLI
Embassy of the Indigenous Peoples
C/o TONATIERRA
Tel: (602) 254-5230
P.O. Box 24009 Phoenix, AZ 85074
Email:
chantlaca@aol.com
www.tonatierra.org
Embassy of the Indigenous Peoples
March 21, 2006
To: The Government and Peoples of the United States of America
President George Bush
Members of Congress
It is with the great dismay that we receive news and direct testimony from our relatives of Tawatinsuyo regarding the physical repression and threats against the leadership of the organizations of Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador.
At a time when the cause of democracy is being propagandized to support a war in Iraq, we face in this hemisphere a policy being promoted by the US government
that denies the right of popular participation of the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador in determining the future of their country.
During the past week, under the present administration of Ecuadorian president Alfredo Palacio and in collusion with a small minority of wealthy economic interests including OXY Petroleum, the US government has launched a direct attack against the right of self determination of the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador and the civil society as a whole. At issue is the strong-arm tactics of the US government in attempting to force the Ecuadorian Peoples and their
national government to accede under threat and intimidation from the US to be signatories to the Free Trade Area of the Americas, in violation of the necessary principles of democracy and transparency in the negotiation processes.
These tactics by the representatives of the United States will not be tolerated by the Indigenous Peoples of the continent, not now or at any future time.
We therefore demand the RECALL of the US representatives in Ecuador who are negotiating behind closed doors a so-called Free Trade Agreement (FTAA) with the present government of Ecuador until the following condition are met:
o Immediate end to the repression and threats against the leadership and member organizations of the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador in violation of the right of Self Determination.
o Prior, Free, and Informed CONSENT by the Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador for any terms of such treaty to be negotiated, via a popular national assembly of constituents including all sectors of civil society and with immediate
public transparency.
o Recognition and support for alternative models of sustainability and indigenous proprietary rights in terms of economic development, as evidenced by the Indigenous Peoples and territories continentally, in contrast to the
corporate extractive models that dominate the present regime of Free Trade of the Americas (FTAA) policies.
These conditions are basic to establishing a framework for peaceful dialogue and mutual respect, without which we as Indigenous Peoples of the Continent can only expect the continued genocide and colonization of over five centuries.
In this spirit of self-determination, we now address this message to the government and peoples of the United States, and the world community as a whole.
Signed,
Tupac Enrique Acosta, Yaotachcauh
Tlahtokan Nahuacalli
NAHUACALLI
Embassy of the Indigenous Peoples
C/o TONATIERRA
Tel: (602) 254-5230
P.O. Box 24009 Phoenix, AZ 85074
Email:
chantlaca@aol.com www.tonatierra.org
Candela