COLOMBIA: The Indigenous Continue to Walk
December 30th, 2008
in:
CPTnet
30 December 2008
COLOMBIA: The Indigenous Continue to Walk
by Chris Knestrick, Kim Lamberty and Sandra Rincon
After marching for over a month, ten-thousand representatives of Colombia's indigenous peoples from 102 towns arrived in Bogotá on 20 November, where they camped on the grounds of the national university for five days. They sought a meeting with President Uribe and the Colombian government to demand that they respect the rights of the indigenous communities. They also wanted to build solidarity with other sectors of Colombian society to join the struggle for a more peaceful country. Â
This mobilization of the Indigenous Communities, or the "Minga," which means a gathering of the peoples, started on 10 October in the south of Colombia. Shortly after the Minga began, the Colombian police opened fire on the marchers, killing three and injuring 130, according to the National Organization of Colombia Indigenous. The marchers continued on saying, "We are peacefully exercising our rights to social and civil resistance and will continue to do so." Even after President Uribe vowed to not allow the marchers to enter Bogotá, the Minga continued and on 20 November entered the country's capital. The following day, in an amazing show of solidarity, thousands of students, social organizations, and unions joined the marchers in one of the largest demonstrations in recent Colombian history.
A "Minga" is only called during a serious and important time. This Minga lifted the voices of Colombia's indigenous peoples and brought two central messages to the people of the Colombia: First, that all the victims of the war in Colombia must raise their voices to end this war and build a new Colombia that serves everyone. Second, the government must stop giving the land of indigenous communities to multinational corporations that exploit the nation's natural resources and destroy the land.
The Minga proposed specific actions to fulfill those demands: 1) reject a free trade agreement with the United States; 2) form a joint commission to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses; 3) honor all past agreements with the indigenous peoples; 4) reject Plan Colombia; 5) apologize and pay reparations for the three people killed and the 130 injured during the Minga; and 6) institute a number of legislative and constitutional reforms that would guarantee sovereignty, peace, and co-existence for all peoples of Colombia. (For more information, see http://www.onic.org.co/.)
Many of the social sectors agreed to the six points brought to the government by the Minga. The individuals most affected by the war – the indigenous, women, Afro-Colombians, campesinos, and laborers – vowed to continue the work together for a more peaceful country.
President Uribe refused to meet with the marchers. The Minga representatives met with other government officials until early December when leaders decided to not continue. "With our dignity and the conviction from our heart, the Minga returns to the regions of Colombia and will continue spreading around the word. Because of the lack of answers, the continued lies and the irresponsible affirmations about us from the national government, we the spokespeople of the Minga of Social and Community Resistance return to our lands spreading our message by ‘Walking the Word’ throughout the country and the world," said their release. The Minga reminds people that the movement will continue in its struggle for indigenous rights and the end of violence in Colombia and everyone is welcome to join. Â
[CPTers Sandra Rincon, Kim Lamberty, and Chris Knestrick, accompanied the Minga from 16 to 24 November.]
30 December 2008
COLOMBIA: The Indigenous Continue to Walk
by Chris Knestrick, Kim Lamberty and Sandra Rincon
After marching for over a month, ten-thousand representatives of Colombia's indigenous peoples from 102 towns arrived in Bogotá on 20 November, where they camped on the grounds of the national university for five days. They sought a meeting with President Uribe and the Colombian government to demand that they respect the rights of the indigenous communities. They also wanted to build solidarity with other sectors of Colombian society to join the struggle for a more peaceful country. Â
This mobilization of the Indigenous Communities, or the "Minga," which means a gathering of the peoples, started on 10 October in the south of Colombia. Shortly after the Minga began, the Colombian police opened fire on the marchers, killing three and injuring 130, according to the National Organization of Colombia Indigenous. The marchers continued on saying, "We are peacefully exercising our rights to social and civil resistance and will continue to do so." Even after President Uribe vowed to not allow the marchers to enter Bogotá, the Minga continued and on 20 November entered the country's capital. The following day, in an amazing show of solidarity, thousands of students, social organizations, and unions joined the marchers in one of the largest demonstrations in recent Colombian history.
A "Minga" is only called during a serious and important time. This Minga lifted the voices of Colombia's indigenous peoples and brought two central messages to the people of the Colombia: First, that all the victims of the war in Colombia must raise their voices to end this war and build a new Colombia that serves everyone. Second, the government must stop giving the land of indigenous communities to multinational corporations that exploit the nation's natural resources and destroy the land.
The Minga proposed specific actions to fulfill those demands: 1) reject a free trade agreement with the United States; 2) form a joint commission to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses; 3) honor all past agreements with the indigenous peoples; 4) reject Plan Colombia; 5) apologize and pay reparations for the three people killed and the 130 injured during the Minga; and 6) institute a number of legislative and constitutional reforms that would guarantee sovereignty, peace, and co-existence for all peoples of Colombia. (For more information, see http://www.onic.org.co/.)
Many of the social sectors agreed to the six points brought to the government by the Minga. The individuals most affected by the war – the indigenous, women, Afro-Colombians, campesinos, and laborers – vowed to continue the work together for a more peaceful country.
President Uribe refused to meet with the marchers. The Minga representatives met with other government officials until early December when leaders decided to not continue. "With our dignity and the conviction from our heart, the Minga returns to the regions of Colombia and will continue spreading around the word. Because of the lack of answers, the continued lies and the irresponsible affirmations about us from the national government, we the spokespeople of the Minga of Social and Community Resistance return to our lands spreading our message by ‘Walking the Word’ throughout the country and the world," said their release. The Minga reminds people that the movement will continue in its struggle for indigenous rights and the end of violence in Colombia and everyone is welcome to join. Â
[CPTers Sandra Rincon, Kim Lamberty, and Chris Knestrick, accompanied the Minga from 16 to 24 November.]
