From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES REJECT 500-YEAR COMMEMORATION
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 09:23:07 GMT

/** native.1492: 122.0 **/
** Topic: LATIN AMERICA: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES R **
** Written  8:47 pm  Apr  6, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:native.1492 **
From: News Desk <newsdesk>
Subject: LATIN AMERICA: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES R

/* Written  3:03 pm  Apr  5, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "LATIN AMERICA: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES R" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: LATIN AMERICA: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES REJECT 500-YEAR COMMEMORATION

panama city, apr 2 (ips/silvio hernandez) -- officials from 18
latin american countries wednesday agreed in panama to ''reject
energetically'' the commemoration of the 500-year anniversary of
the european arrival on this continent. they say it is an insult
to their people.

nearly 40 indigenous legislators, making up the 'indigenous
parliament of america' which represents over 80 million native
americans, met for three days in this capital to define a common
position on october's 500-year anniversary celebrations.

a joint statement signed at the close of the meeting wednesday
night said that the delegates, in addition to rejecting the
commemoration, ''would actively participate in all events of
resistence'' opposing the official celebration.

they will mobilise ''to revive the culture, values,
independence and development of indigenous peoples.''

the statement said that indigenous people played an historic
role in the construction of the modern world, providing ''labor
and intelligence.'' the parliament denounced ''the systematic
violation of indigenous rights, the marginalisation of their
cultures, and the destruction of their ecosystems.''

they further opposed ''the usurpation of our mother earth and
the imposition of economic systems that have nothing to do with
our values or societal structures, and that have condemned the
children and true heirs of this continent to poverty.''

the delegates promised, among other things, to fight for the
earth, human rights, equal rights and pay for women, and an
integrated educational system that includes native cultures and
languages.

founded in 1986, the indigenous parliament of america helps
create laws that benefit native americans, restore their ancestral
lands, promote respect for their traditions and cultures, and
preserve the ecosystems where they live.

several delegates consider the anniversary to be ''a means of
masking what the europeans are truly celebrating.'' bolivian
delegate ceverino juaita, for example, questioned the aid that
organizers of the 500-year anniversary are providing to countries
in the region.

juaita said that funds ''destined for the commemoration are not
reaching indigenous peoples, those most affected by 500 years of
conquest; instead the money goes to urban centres'' throughout
latin america. (more/ips)

latin america: indigenous (2)

honorary president of the paliament, fermin gomez of guatemala,
said, ''we must not accept the aid they offer, because that would
be an endorsement of the invasion and indigenous genocide that
followed it.''

''we will mobilise indigenous groups in every country to
catagorically reject any act that offends the men and women who
died during these 500 years,'' he said.

over 60 million indigenous americans died during the european
conquest. the parlamentarians have deemed the european arrival on
their lands as a ''day of sorrow, pain and blood for our
peoples.'' (end/ips/trd/pr/sh-cs/eli/lp/92)

** End of text from cdp:native.1492 **