Colombia: A violent eviction has been ordered against the U'wa indigenous people

An army convoy asked the Uwas to let them through their territory from Cubara to Saravena. The indigenous people accepted this request without being aware that amongst them were antimob police. What resulted was a surprise attack that left people injured and 33 people from the community detained. Four of them are seriously injured and are in medical care.

Since the 22nd of May the U'was have maintained a peaceful blockade on the road that leads to the State of Santander, in a place called "Soberanía". This protest is another act in their continuos struggle against the drilling plan initiated by the OXY multinational Oil Company in their territory.

This blockade is a way in which the Uwas are trying to call public attention to the serious threat proposed by oil exploitation on their cultural survival and the preservation of the natural ecosystems of the region.

According to Colombian legal procedures, this case has not been resolved.

We would like to commit yourselves to take the following actions:

1. Send letters to president Pastrana expressing your concern about the displacement of the U´wa people of their territory. See sample letter

Sr. Andrés Pastrana
Presidente Constitucional de Colombia
Palacio de Nariño
Santafé de Bogotá
Fax: 571 562 9300 / 571 336 2109
e-mail: pastrana@presidencia.gov.co  

With copies to:

Juan Mayr Maldonado
MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Jmayr@minamb.gov.co 
FAX: 57 -1 - 2889892 57 - 1 - 288 97 54, 288 98 35
TELEPHONES : 57- 1 - 340 62 89, 57 - 1 - 288 68 77

Dr FERNANDO CASTRO CAICEDO,
Defensoria del Pueblo,
Santafé de Bogotá.
Fax : 57 -1 - 640 35 32

Dr. NESTOR HUMBERTO MARTINEZ NEIRA
Interior Minister,
Fax ++ 57 1 341 95 83

2. You can ask occidental if violent actions, like the ones happening in Colombia is part of their public relation program and if they are going to do the same in your country.

Mr. R.R. Irani CEO
Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Fax: 001-213-443-6684

3. If you have access to oil-energy union workers, ask them to write to Occidental, asking them to clarify the company `s responsibility on the facts taking place in Colombia

4. Ask members of your parliaments, people in the locals governments, embassies or any other people in positions with power to demand Occidental Oil Co. To explain the facts which are taking place in the Samoré block.

Please remember that any pressure that you can put to Occidental in our countries, will affect the company, and will help the stuggle of the U'wa People.

Please ask as many people as you can to write these letters.

Argentina: Persecuciones a los mapuche-tehuelche por el reconocimiento de sus
Derechos como Pueblo Originario (only in Spanish)

A LAS AUTORIDADES NACIONALES Y PROVINCIALES:
A TODA LA SOCIEDAD:

La Comunidad Mapuche-Tehuelche "Vuelta del Río" reclama por su derecho a vivir en paz y dignidad en la tierra que ocupa ancestralmente en el Departamento Cushamen, provincia del Chubut, donde se encuentran gran parte de los sobrevivientes a la mal llamada Conquista del Desierto.

El Pueblo Mapuche-Tehuelche de Vuelta del Río exige el inmediato reconocimiento de sus Derechos preexistentes al Territorio que originariamente ocupa, de donde hoy pretenden expulsarlos mediante un constante acoso judicial, y una perversa omisión del Estado, que provoca un estado de incertidumbre y olvido hacia los Pueblos Originarios de toda la provincia del Chubut, Argentina.

FIRMAN: Faustino Troncoso, Celedonio Huilinao, Desiderio Tranamil, Segundo Calfupan, Omar Retamales, Victoriano Huilinao, Alberto Huilinao, Daniel Calfupan, Marcelino Yanquetruz, Inés Huilinao, Segunda Huenchunao, Gladis Llancaquo, Leonardo Huilinao, Mauricio Fermín, Silverio Russo, Roberto Tranamil, Gustavo Manuel Macayo.

Para poner fin a estos constantes atropellos apelamos a tu solidaridad con la Comunidad Mapuche-Tehuelche Vuelta del Río.

Pedimos el envío de mensajes o el texto que acompañan esta líneas exigiendo el cese de las persecuciones a los mapuche-tehuelche y el pleno reconocimiento de sus derechos como Pueblo Originario.

Fernando De la Rua
Presidente de la República Argentina
Balcarce 50 - 1064 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires - Argentina
Fax: +54 11 4 331 63 76
e mail (Sec. de Prensa y Difusión): spyd@presidencia.gov.ar

Instituto Nacional de Asuntos Indígenas
Presidente Perón 524 4º Piso - 1038 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires - Argentina
Fax: +54 11 4 342 17 34 / 15 84
e mail: templar@siscor.bibnal.edu.ar

José Luis Lizurume
Gobernador de la Provincia de Chubut
25 de Mayo 550 - 9103 Rawson Chubut
Tel.: +54 2965 48 40 04

Dr. Oscar Colabelli
Juez de Instrucción en lo Penal - Juzgado de Instrucción de Esquel
Av. Alvear 509 - 9200 Esquel - Chubut
Tel Fax: +54 2945 45 12 36

Dr. Edgardo Gómez.
Presidente de la Cámara de Apelación
E mail: camesq@teletel.com.ar

Héctor Capraro
Ministro de Justicia de la Provincia de Chubut - 25 de Mayo 550
9103 Rawson
Fax: +54 2965 48 22 68

Chad-Cameroon pipeline project:
Sign on letter to Exim's Board of Directors

Exim's (Export-Import Bank of the United States) decisionmaking process related to Chad-Cameroon pipeline project takes place after the WB and includes a 30 day review by Congress.

Please click here to download the sign on letter (in word format) to Exim's Board of Directors regarding the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project...and indicate whether you can sign on as soon as possible sending your support to Jon Sohn: jsohn@foe.org

Exim is requested to immediately postpone consideration of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project ("the project"). While we appreciate opportunities to discuss the project with Exim, a number of outstanding environmental, social, capacity building and human rights issues were identified at our recent meeting at Exim offices, and they remain unresolved. Taken as a whole, these outstanding issues lead us to believe that Exim support of the pipeline project will increase rather than decrease risk to U.S. taxpayers.

The current configuration of the project and supporting environmental analyses violates applicable policy standards and U.S. law. These violations include: (1) failure to prepare an adequate plan to respond to oil spills, (2) failure to consider the risk to international and U.S. waterways posed by invasive species harboring in vessel ballast water, (3) failure to consider the projects threat to the climate by contributing to global warming, and (4) failure to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") and the Endangered Species Act ("ESA").

A decision to postpone further consideration of the project is required to avoid taking action that is arbitrary, capricious, and in violation of law and policy. As is explained in detail below, it is necessary for Exim prepare the necessary plans to avoid the risk of oil spills and transport of invasive species, and to comply with NEPA and the ESA by completing an environmental impact statement for the project, a programmatic environmental impact statement for all Exim activities related to financing fossil fuel projects, and commence agency consultation as required by the ESA.

Chad Cameroon pipeline - urgent sign on letter

The World Bank has postponed its decision on the Chad-Cameroonian pipeline from 23rd May to 6th June. Meetings held between Bagyeli and Cameroonian NGO representatives and World Bank staff earlier this month contributed to this decision. Those decisions need to be reinforced with a follow-up letter supporting the indigenous concerns about the project.

If you would like to sign on to the attached letter, please send a message to Dorothy Jackson: djackson@gn.apc.org  (Africa Programme Coordinator - Forest Peoples Programme) before Monday 5th June.

A copy of this letter will be sent to the UK Executive Director. Sign on letter follows.

Stephen Pickford
UK Executive Director
World Bank
1818 H Street NW
Washington DC 20433
USA
Fax: 001 202 623 4965

30 May, 2000

Dear Mr Pickford,

Re: Chad- Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project

We are forwarding the attached letter from Mr Jacques NGUN, a Bagyeli indigenous representative and Programme Coordinator for the Bagyeli organisation CODEBABIK, to Mr Wolfensohn. In his letter Mr Ngun calls for the proposed oil-pipeline project to be suspended until specific measures have been put in place to safeguard Bagyeli Pygmy communities living in the area of the proposed pipeline in southern Cameroon.

Mr Ngun and Mr Didier Amougou (coordinator of the Cameroonian environmental NGO Planet Survey) participated at a workshop with indigenous peoples from three continents and World Bank/IFC staff in Washington from 8-10 May. At this workshop Mr Ngun and Mr Amougou presented a case study describing their own evaluation of the consultation with affected communities carried out by French and Cameroonian social scientists on behalf of the Cameroonian Oil Transportation Company (COTCO) which forms the basis of the project's Indigenous Peoples Plan. The major findings of Mr Ngun and Mr Amougou's case study are summarised in Mr Ngun's letter to Mr Wolfensohn.

During the workshop Mr Ngun and Mr Amougou raised grave concerns concerning the failure of the COTCO consultation and IP Plan to meet the requirements of the World Bank's indigenous peoples policy (OD 4.20), including the failure to address the social inequalities between Bagyeli communities and the neighbouring Bantus and the crucial issue of the Bagyeli's landlessness. World Bank and IFC staff at the workshop were not
able to give satisfactory responses to the concerns raised, in particular to the issue of regularisation of Bagyeli customary land tenure (para 15c of OD4.20) which should be undertaken 'before the initiation of other planning steps that may be contingent on recognized land titles'.

On May 12th Mr Ngun and Mr Amougou met with the German and Dutch Executive Directors and the US, Canadian, Italian and Swiss assistant Executive Directors. At these meetings Mr Ngun and Mr Amougou underlined the cultural inappropriateness of the consultation (for example, by employing two local Cameroonian  academics who were already implicated in the dominant relations that exist between the Bantu and Bagyeli in the project area) that has prevented full participation by Bagyeli communities. They also expressed their astonishment at the French consultant's statement during the preceding workshop that he himself doubted that indigenous peoples existed in Africa. This opinion is strongly contested by African Pygmy spokespersons. Mr Amougou also raised concerns about the mis-appropriation of compensation by Bantu people on behalf of Bagyeli whom they consider to be 'their property'.

In view of the grave reservations raised by Mr Ngun and Mr Amougou, we strongly urge you not to approve the oil-pipeline project until the measures requested in Mr Ngun's letter to Mr Wolfenson have been put in place.

Yours sincerely

Letter from Jacques Ngun to World Bank:

Mr James Wolfensohn, President
The World Bank
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433

25 May, 2000

Dear Mr Wolfensohn,

Following the decision to postpone the World Bank decision on the Chad-Cameroon oil-pipeline until 6th June, I urge the Board to take account of the serious reservations expressed by my indigenous Bagyeli Pygmy organisation, CODEBABIK, concerning the inadequacy of project preparation. Studies carried out by CODEBABIK, in association with the Cameroonian environment and development NGO Planet Survey, reveal the lack of adequate consultation with Pygmy communities, lack of access to information, lack of informed participation, culturally inappropriate methodologies, unfair compensation, and the increasing social tension between the Bagyeli (Bakola) Pygmies and the neighbouring Bantus.

CODEBABIK is specifically asking the World Bank to ensure that before commencement of the project a) full participative consultations with the Bagyeli communities are carried out again, by a team independent of the local elite, in a culturally appropriate manner so that the Bagyeli are fully informed of the negative and positive impacts of the pipeline; b) the Cameroonian government is educated about the general situation of Pygmies in Cameroon; c) the Cameroon government formally regularises the land tenure situation of Pygmies and allocates land to them; d) measures are put in place to combat the inequalities which exist between the Bantu and the Pygmies, facilitate access to schooling, health services and help Pygmies to obtain official documentation such as birth certificates and identity cards.

All of these actions are necessary to enable the Pygmy communities to take control of their own destiny. The Cameroonian government should support the existing initiatives of Pygmy organisations for their development and self determination.

Jacques NGUN
Programme Coordinator
CODEBABIK

Support to People's Version of the Community Forest Bill

Dear friends,

We have received from Thailand a request for support to the People's Version of the Community Forest Bill. Given that there are other versions of a Community Forest Bill proposed by the Royal Forest Department and by various political parties, the proponents of the People's Version need to receive as much support as possible to have their version discussed and approved by Parliament.

Please let us know if you are willing to support the letter (see below) and if so, just reply to wrm@wrm.org.uy and provide us with your name, organization and country.

Thank you in advance,
Ricardo Carrere

Letter follows:

Dear Prime Minister, Speaker of the Parliament and Senators,

As members of a worldwide network which has been working for many years to promote forest conservation, responsible land use and the recognition of community rights to land and forests, we have been following with great interest the progress of different versions of a Community Forest Bill proposed by popular groups, by the Royal Forest Department, and by various political parties. We have studied the progress of many forestry-related laws in countries around the world and are extremely impressed with both the content of the People's Version of the Community Forest Bill in Thailand and the very long, careful and democratic process of consultation among local peoples, academics and other experts, and Royal Forest Department officials which gave rise to it. The fact that the People's Version we refer to is supported by the signatures of 50,000 citizens, and indeed is being introduced into Parliament as a result of this support, is one indication of the popular backing the People's Version enjoys.

This People's Version, by promoting people's participation in land management and recognizing local people's knowledge of forest stewardship, genuinely responds to the diverse needs of rural people and clearly constitutes an important step forward in forest protection.

We therefore very much hope that the People's Version of the Community Forest Bill supported by 50,000 signatories is given immediate consideration by the Parliament as a matter of the highest priority. Given the long gestation and extreme importance of this petition-backed People's Version, we feel that it should be considered prior to the versions recently formulated by the Royal Forest Department and various political parties. We look forward to hearing good news about the passage into law of the People's Version of the Community Forest Bill.

Sincerely,

Indigenous Peoples Rights Threatened by Satellite Launching Deal in Guyana

While the terms of the agreement with Beal have not been disclosed to the public, this much is known: 25,010 acres of land will be sold at US$3 dollars an acre, a 76,000 acre buffer zone will be established around the area sold and 50-80 Indigenous families will have to relocate the area - Beal has set aside US$400,000 to compensate those relocated. Beal has already been granted an interim environmental permit to begin draining and clearing the wetlands and mangroves in the area even though a full environmental impact assessment is not required for over 18 months.

The area to be sold is presently occupied and used by Indigenous peoples and has been since time immemorial and is therefore subject to common aboriginal title rights. These rights will be unilaterally extinguished once the sale goes through. The buffer zone affects at least six Indigenous communities, all of whom presently have communal title to their lands and have registered a claim to additional lands inside the buffer zone. It is unknown how the buffer zone will be regulated and what rights the communities will have therein. The communities affected by the buffer zone believe that, despite promises from the former President, the agreement now means that their land claims in the area will be ignored.

Consultation with the communities, both in the area to be sold and in the buffer zone has been virtually non-existent. A recent investigation conducted by the APA documents that discussions were held only once for less than two hours with less than 30 percent of the communities involved. The vast majority of persons in the area did not have any understanding about what the purpose of the Beal agreement was and what the implications may be. They were promised employment and large amounts cash compensation. Jean La Rose of the APA told the Guyanese press that: "The APA has not been happy with the deal from the first time it heard the government was considering it. This is a blatant disregard for the rights of the people in the area given that people have been asking for land rights for the longest while. Government has had no consultation with the people in the area and the few people they did speak to were used as spokespersons only to announce the positives. The 76 families are not happy about the relocation and this just continues the trend of non-consultation with the Amerindians over their rights and wishes."

Opposition political parties and a wide range of civic and labour groups have strongly criticized the agreement, describing it as a sell out of Guyana's natural resources, a surrender of the country's sovereignty and an insult to the Indigenous people living in the area. They note that Beal will receive a 99 year tax holiday and will pay far below the fees charged by other countries hosting launch sites. It is estimated that Guyana will receive US$175,000 annually from the agreement with Beal. For the deal to be finalized, Beal will have to receive a technology transfer permit from the US State Department, political risk insurance, most likely from the US Congress-funded, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and an environmental permit, once its EIA has been submitted to and approved by Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency.

Beal is owned by Andrew Beal, a Texas banker and owner of the Beal Bank, the largest private bank in Dallas, Texas. Beal Aerospace has never launched a satellite before and only recently began looking to establish a launch site, looking first to tiny Sombrero Island in the British Virgin Islands. Sustained criticism of from environmentalists in the UK, particularly as Sombrero Island is a bird sanctuary, and allegations that Beal misrepresented scientific data in its Environmental Impact Assessment forced Beal to look elsewhere, hence Guyana.

According to Guyanese newspaper, the Stabroek News, "The government has acknowledged that it has relied on the Internet as the source of information on rocket launching to aid its negotiations. According to Prime Minister Sam Hinds on a television programme, it did not also see the need for Beal to submit a business plan for approval before a deal was signed and did not find it necessary to do a due diligence on the firm, because it was mentioned in reputable magazines. It also intended to sign a deal with Beal even if there was sustained opposition to it, hoping that once the agreement was laid in parliament, Guyanese would find the terms comfortable."

The terms of the agreement were not even shared with Members of Parliament. Rupert Roopnairine, leader of the opposition Working Peoples Alliance has this to say about the agreement: "I believe it would have been better if it had not been signed. The refusal of the government to disclose details and particulars of the negotiations especially to the members of parliament is inexcusable. . . . it is nothing less than perverse that in the face of a national outcry the government would persist in this method of doing business. It remains to be seen whether the Amerindian citizens who are destined for relocation would sit quietly by and accept this. We are extremely alarmed that the signing of the agreement came before the Environmental Impact Assessment which we have argued before does not include a cultural assessment especially as the Waini region had been designated one of the 100 most endangered cultural sites in the world."

Please join with the APA and write or send faxes to the Government of Guyana. See sample letter.

Address:
Hon. Samuel Hinds
Prime Minister of Guyana
Office of the Prime Minister
Whyte Lane
Georgetown, Guyana
Fax: 592-2-67563

Please send copies of any letters or faxes to the Amerindian Peoples Association at the fax or email address below. For further information, please contact: