Communique from Ecuador

Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador - CONAIE

III Communique: To the country and to the world.


The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador declares its profound astonishment and concern about the accusations made yesterday by the interim government of Alfredo Palacio that the indigenous movement sees to destablize Ecuador. These accusations come from a government that has prohibited on the basis of confidentiality clauses that the negotiators of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States divulge and communicate the agreements reached, from a government that has protected the transnational oil companies - as in the case of OXY, from a government that has appointed a representative of the flower exporting industry, a principal beneficiary of the signing of the FTA, as minister of the economy, from a government that has dedicated more than half of the national budget to the payment of foreign debt, and hence been unable to carry out urgent social projects, from a neoliberal and repressive government that is basically handing over the sovereignty of the Ecuadorian people to the USA.


CONAIE wants to declare to the country and to the media that our mobilisations aim to defend national sovereignty and to enable democracy in such fundamental decisions as the signing of the FTA. Because of this, we consider it essential to hold a referendum on the FTA, and while the people are being consulted, to inform everyone about everything that has been negotiated so far, by eliminating the confidentiality clauses and opening a transparent debate about the real consequences of this treaty. Therefore, the government has to immediately suspend any kind of negotiation about the FTA with the United States. If the
government respects democracy, only the people, properly informed, can decide upon this treaty. If not, it would be an imperialist imposition that the indigenous peoples, the poor
of this country, and the dignified social sectors will radically reject.


CONAIE salutes all the nationalities and peoples that have risen with dignity, heroism and commitment; we also salute the social organisations of the provinces El Oro and Pastaza, the evangelical indigenous organisations, and the farmers organisations, who have decided to get involved in this mobilisation in defense of life and self-determination. We moreover thank the migrant organisations of Spain that have proclaimed their solidarity with our mobilisations.


CONAIE repects the request of its grassroots to not negotiate this national mobilisation for life and self'determination and to radicalise this mobilisation if the government does not show any clear signs of obeying the will of the people that demands transparency, democracy,
justice and equity.


Faced with the statements of the Chamber of Commerce that there are no alternatives to the FTA, and that this treaty will by necessity have to be signed, let us recall that dignified
and sovereign alternatives do exist: There is the "Alternativa Bolivariana de las Américas" (ALBA); there is MERCOSUR, with the support of the democratic and nationalist governments of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay; and there is the reinforcing of the Andean Nations Community (CAN). Alternatives of dignity and self-determination do exist.


CONAIE declares that the mobilisations in different regions of Ecuador continue, that at the moment there exists no type of negotiation with the transitory government of ALfredo Palacio and that the indigenous communities and indigenous, farmer and other social movements are preparing the march towards the Ecuadorian capital , for Life for Peace and for Self-Determination.


Luis Macas, CONAIE
Riobamba, 16 March 2006
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The assembly of CONAIE of March 16, 2006, agrees upon the following:

1. to ratify once again and firmly the decision to continue with the national mobilisation of the indigenous people and nationalities of Ecuador.

2. to reaffirm that our demands are: NO to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the USA; NO to the continuation of the contract between the Ecuadorian State and the oil company OXY; NO to Plan Colombia, and the call for a National Constitutional Assembly (NB: to review and rewrite the constitution).

3. to reject the repressive actions of the government of Alfredo Palacio against the indigenous peoples who are fighting to defend the dignity of our country.

4. to call upon the whole of the Ecuadorian people to rise and unite in this struggle of the indigenous peoples to defend together the dignity and future of our country.

5. to salute the firm decision of our protestant brothers that in various provinces have risen to participate in this great MINGA of national mobilisation (NB: minga is a kichwa
expression for work done communally).

We conclude with the words of our elders who teach us that "we are like the grass of the páramo that even if torn out, returns to grow" (NB: páramo is the very particular grass
ecosystem of the higher Andes).

Shuk Shungulla, one single heart, shuk Makilla, one single fist, shuk yuyailla, one single thought.