Statement from the Nasa Indigenous groups of Norte del Cauca on the current protests in the southwes

La Libertad Sublime wanted to share this translation of a statement from the Nasa indigenous leadership in relation to the current protests across various departments in Colombia. It is vital that the indigenous voice is heard in Colombia.

Pronouncement of Clarification for the National Press.

Since the 10th of March, different sectors of society have been mobilized in protest across various parts of Colombia, a situation which has been portrayed in a distorted manner, as ever, by the national media. This leaves the regional, national and international community misinformed regarding the causes and pertinent details of this struggle.

Media reports are focusing on the presentation of details and figures related to the economic losses as a result of blockades, and with information on what has supposedly been invested in the indigenous communities of Cauca in terms of health, education, territories and production. What they have not reported are the political matters and rights claims which are spurring this great minga (Indigenous tradition of cooperative and voluntary work for the common good) in defense of life, land, democracy, justice and peace.

We want to declare that this minga does not only involve indigenous groups belonging to the CRIC (Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca), but also from the CRIDEC (Regional Indigenous Council of Caldas), CRIHU (Regional Indigenous Council of Huila), more than 10 indigenous townships from the department of Valle de Cauca, and sectors of the rural community associated with PUPSOC (Process of Popular Unity of Southwest Colombia), as well as the National Agrarian Coordinator (CNA). In addition to this, we are also united with the cause of truckers, workers, students and teachers who have recently marched in defense of the JEP (Transitional Justice Process related to the 2016 Peace Agreement with the FARC), and the peace agreements which run the risk of being “torn to pieces”.

We are all representative of organisations and sectors of society which have been affected by Human Rights violations since the victory of the “No” vote in the plebiscite (on the peace agreement in 2016). We have suffered persecution and killing, a blood bath which has gone from a drop to a steady stream; a situation against which the Colombian government has not shown a will to act in a meaningful manner. It is certain that we are demanding guarantees, and the inclusion of the four year plan realized by the joint commission on the decree 1811 of the national development plan (PND). However, we are also motivated by the disgraceful fact that the ethnic chapter only appears as an annex to the PND, which today is associated with a finance law (tributary reform) that favours the most wealthy to the detriment of true equity.

Furthermore, the reform of the law 160 (related to the formalisation of ownership over uncultivated lands), the ZIDRES law (Zones of Interest for Rural, Economic and Social Development), the use of glysophates, and the extractive mining and energy models which have today opened the door to fracking constitute mortal measures which go against our right of prior informed consent and our duty to care for mother earth. These themes go hand in hand with the recognition of rural communities to enjoy rights based on their anthropological differences in terms of territory, use and customs. For the purpose of dialogue, there is now a commission assigned, and an agenda which is awaiting response from President Duque.

Such a deluge of mass, systematic and media fueled misinformation is an attempt to break, obscure, taint, and erode our protests, in order to justify a violent crackdown. We wish to demonstrate that our brave minga is not only on a conflictive level, but also involves political and structural themes which positions it at odds with the capitalist, corrupt and rent based model of the elites who have run this country for the past 200 years. Such a model is contrary to notions of living well, exemplary government, care for mother nature and the territory which our authorities and organisations, in defense of collective and community based power, carry in their hearts. It is this feeling which drives the participants who today feel the need to protest.

“Things in life unite us every day and make up siblings in the struggle for liberty”

*This blog post is a translation of statement in Spanish which can be found at https://nasaacin.org/pronunciamiento-aclaratorio-frente-a-los-medios-de-comunicacion/