Good Morning Kossacks. This is the first in what I hope to be a weekly series. As noted in yesterday's diary by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, yesterday was World Indigenous Peoples Day.
Today's diary will focus on two urgent situations that happened yesterday. One in the Peruvian Amazon, the other in West Papua. Please read on and take action.
Peruvian Amazon
The Peruvian Government, in just the last few years, has divided up about 70% of the Peruvian Amazon into what they call "blocks", and auctioned them off to oil companies. About 90% of these blocks overlap indigenous territories that have been legally recognized by the government, and almost 30% of the blocks overlap land in which uncontacted peoples live (peoples living in voluntary isolation). This, despite last year's passing of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which specifically states:
Article 32
- Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands or territories and other resources.
- States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous
peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources.
and despite Inter-American Human Rights law, which recognizes the right of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights specifically states that FPIC is applicable when a state makes a decision
"that will have an impact upon indigenous lands and their communities, such as the granting of concessions to exploit the natural resources of indigenous territories."
So, yesterday, the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the peoples of the Peruvian Amazon launched an indefinite mass protest. Here are some photos:
Latest news from the protest:
- 1,500 Machiguenga people stopped transport on the Urubamba River, and non-violently captured a boat transporting petroleum from the company Pluspetrol. The boat is still being held by the protesters. All traffic on the river is stopped and protests will continue until the government meets with indigenous leaders.
- 150 indigenous people from the province of Daten del Marañon, non-violently gathered at Petro Peru's pumping station #5. The military has sent 100 soldiers to the area, but the people say they will not move until the government acts on their demands.
- Indigenous protesters have shut down traffic on the Ucayali River.
The protests will go on indefinitely, until the Peruvian government meets the following demands:
- Revoke Law #1073 and the 38 legislative decrees that put at risk the Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon and the campesino communities of the coast and sierra.
- Nullify the hydrocarbon, natural gas, mining and forestry concessions in indigenous territories.
- Re-establish the inalienable collective rights to indigenous territories, as established in the Constitution in 1979.
- Comply with Convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation, and comply with other demands of the country's indigenous peoples.
Send letters in support of the protesters to:
S.E. Alan Garcia
Presidente de la Republica del Peru
Palacio de Gobierno
Plaza de Armas
Lima 1
Peru
Send an email here
Ambassador Felipe Ortiz de Zevallos
Embassy of Peru
3001 Garrison St,
Washington DC 20008
fax: (202) 537-5827
e-mail: foz@embassyofperu.us
West Papua
I received some bad news early this morning. Yesterday, during a celebration of the United Nations Day of Indigenous Peoples, Indonesian security forces fired into a crowd of about 20,000 people in Wamena. I have received report that Mr. Opinus Tabuni, age 35, was killed. Mr Tabuni was a local activist and coordinator of the indigenous peoples day celebration.
The celebrants raised four flags during the event: the UN flag, the Indonesian flag, the Morning Star flag and an SOS emergency flag. For years, whenever the Morning Star flag is raised, the military responds with violence. Yesterday was no different. As soon as the flag went up, the military began shooting. The military is of course saying that they are not responsible for Mr. Tabuni's deat, and that "he may have been accidentally killed by protesters.."
Paula Makabory from the Institute for Papua Advocacy and Human Rights said today:
"The Indonesian Police also have the audacity to deny they have killed this man when he was shot infront of everyone."
Brian Keane, Director of the International Indigenous Rights organization, Land is Life, said:
"It is time for the government of Indonesia to hold the police and military in West Papua accountable for their actions. For over forty years they have illegally detained, killed and tortured the people of West Papua with impunity"
At least three others were injured in the shooting. It is feared that one of the injured was taken by the military.
Today, there are at least 10,000 indigenous people still in Wamena protesting. This situation could easily escalate into large-scale violence. The people of Wamena have showed amazing restraint. Contact the government of Indonesia and tell them to stop the violence and bring those responsible for the shooting to justice.
Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President
Republic of Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 3452685 or +62 21 5268726
E-mail: president@ri.go.id
H.E. Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat
Ambassador
Republic of Indonesia
2020 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington DC, 20036
fax: (202)775-5365
e-mail: komwsh@embassyofindonesia.org
If you send emails or letters, try to send copies to lil at igc dot org
Thanks.
PS. Peru photos courtesy of AIDESEP, West Papua photos courtesy of Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights.
PSS. Indigenous leader and human rights defender Leitanthem Umakanta Meitei has been awarded a two year scholarhip to the School for International Training in Vermont. He will in the Master's Program on Conflict Resolution. We still need about $5,000 to cover his fees, books and insurance. Donations can be made at Land is Life's website.