Stories about Indigenous from February, 2012
Video Highlights: Defending Human Rights
A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories on video advocacy including indigenous rights and recent news from Latin America, East Asia, Western Europe and Sub Saharan Africa selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.
Guatemala: Speaking Out on the Genocide of Indigenous Women
The 36 year civil war (1960-1996) that ravaged Guatemala left more than 200,000 people dead and at least 100,000 women raped: most of the victims were Mayan. Finally, the sexual violence perpetrated against Mayan women is being investigated as part of the genocide proceedings taking place in Spanish tribunals.
Bolivia: A Book on the Indigenous March in Defense of the TIPNIS
A book gathering a detailed recount of the indigenous march in defense of the Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS for its initials in Spanish) has been published in a digital format. Fundación Tierra [es] edited the book, titled “Indigenous March for the TIPNIS: The Struggle in defense of...
Martinique, USA, France: Jesse Jackson's message to Serge Letchimy
B.World Connection posts a letter [En/Fr] with the heading of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition whose leader is Reverend Jesse Jackson: apparently, the Reverend would support the reaction of MP Serge Letchimy, discussed here, in the name of the Black Diaspora and all humanity.
Bolivia: Conflict Over Road Through TIPNIS National Park Continues
In October 2011 President Evo Morales signed off a law declaring the Indigenous Territory National Park Isiboro Sécure "untouchable", cancelling the road project that sought pass through its heart. However, the conflict has resurfaced.
Video Highlights: Video Advocacy and Recent Events
A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories on video advocacy including indigenous rights and recent news from Latin America, East Asia and Sub Saharan Africa selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.
Martinique, Guadeloupe, France: MP Letchimy Against Minister Guéant
Bloggers and mainstream journalists around the French-speaking blogosphere have been buzzing once more about French Minister of Home Affairs, Claude Guéant, who is notorious for suggesting extreme right-wing policies about national identity, religion and immigration.
Paraguay: Displaced Indigenous Community to Return to Land
Intercontinental Cry re-posts a report by Amnesty International: “After living next to a major highway for nearly two decades without access to water, regular food supplies or even land to cultivate–the Enxet community of Yakye Axa can finally return to a normal way of life on their ancestral lands in...
Antigua, Guadeloupe: From the Common Past
For the past decade, the tight historical and geographical bonds between the West Indian islands of Antigua and Guadeloupe have been analyzed by historians. A recent conference entitled “Antigua: From the Amerindians to an Independant Nation” [Fr] was organized in Guadeloupe by the group Yo Té Pou Nou Sé. Bloggers...
Palestine: Rare Photographs of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948
Blogger Iqbal Tamimi posts rare photographs of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948.
Panama: The Indigenous Leader Who Took on the Government
Amidst Panama's current crisis is a woman who has emerged as the standard bearer of the indigenous struggle: Silvia Carrera who, after being the first woman elected to the position of cacique or tribal chief, has risen up firmly against the mining intentions of the current government.
Panama: Government and Indigenous Peoples Reach Agreement After Clashes Over Mining
The anti-mining protest which had paralysed the country for five days was violently suppressed by the national police, provoking serious confrontations with the indigenous people. Finally, on Tuesday, February 7, the government ceded to the demands of the Ngäbe Buglé, prohibiting the use of the region for the exploitation of minerals or water.
Bolivia: Blogger Interviews Indigenous Leaders on TIPNIS Conflict
Blogger Dario Kenner from Bolivia Diary interviewed indigenous leaders who are against and in favor of building a road through the Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro Sécuro (TIPNIS).
Bahamas: University of the Bahamas?
Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit wonders what the keep-back is with establishing a Bahamian university, saying: “An autonomous university would be a big step to achieving such a counterweight to political inertia (and I suspect that's the real issue here).”
Brazil: Indigenous Guarani Kaiowá's Letter Asks for Survival
Blogger Sonia Matuscelli posts a letter [pt] written by the leaders of the Guarani-Kaiowá people of the Ñanderu Laranjeira-Rio Brilhante settlement, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, saying that they “want to physically and culturally survive as a Brazilian original people”, in face of the genocide they...
Panama: Indigenous Mining Protest Blocks Pan-American Highway
Indigenous tribes of Ngäbes Buglé in Panama have closed the Pan-American Highway to demand that the government fulfills what was agreed upon in the negotiations regarding mining in the area. On social networks, President Martinelli's position has been repudiated, but so has the selfish attitude of the protesters.
Colombia: What is in a name?
The Born on December 31st documentary by Priscila Padilla exposes a human rights violation the Wayuu indigenous group have been under. Many of their national IDs, mass produced to get important votes in election periods, state they were all born on the same date and feature offensive made-up names; which...
Bolivia: Chiquitano Indigenous Create Twitter Account to Promote Their Language
Members of the Chiquitano indigenous community in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, have created the Twitter account @monkoxbesiro [es] to promote the use of the Chiquitano (Bésiro) language in Bolivia.
