Indigenous Peoples & Peasants of Americas Promise to Globalize Resistance

[Say_What]

<clips>

“Let’s Globalize the Struggle! Let’s Globalize Hope!” is the slogan of the first International Encounter of Resistance and Solidarity of Indigenous and Peasant Peoples held in Caracas from October 11 to 14. Over a thousand representatives from over 20 countries of both North and South America and the Caribbean attended the four-day event of speeches and workshops.

President Hugo Chavez inaugurated the event saying, “today we will not give honors to Columbus, today we give honors to our indigenous peoples who heroically resisted being trampled upon. As Latin Americans we do not need to give honor nor tribute to Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus was the spear head of the invasion and the greatest genocide in recorded history of the people.”

Among the groups in attendance at the encounter were: Vía Campesina from Honduras; the Landless Movement (Movimiento Los Sin Tierras) from Brazil; the confederation of Indigenous Nationalities from Ecuador (Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de Ecuador); the National Indigenous and Peasant Coordination from Guatemala (Coordinadora Nacional Indígena y Campesina); the Movement towards Socialism from Bolivia (Movimiento Al Socialismo); plus numerous Venezuelan organizations, such as the National Indian Council (Consejo Nacional Indio); the National Agrarian Coordination Ezequiel Zamora (Coordinadora Agraria Nacional Ezequiel Zamora) and the Bolivarian Forum of the Americas (Foro Bolivariano de las Américas).

The purpose of the meeting was to celebrate the unity of indigenous peoples and of peasants and to support the Venezuelan process and the agrarian transformation in the country.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1066

[Judi Lynn]

1. Amazing to see these people coming together

after their horrendous suffering at the hands of invading Europeans:

(snip) One of Venezuela’s most important indigenous leaders, Noeli Pocaterra, who is also a representative in Venezuela’s National Assembly and the second vice-president of the assembly said that the Venezuelan process has given dignity back to the indigenous peoples of Venezuela. According to her, “We have been here on this land before anyone else and after many years we were made to feel like strangers in our own land.

[Maple]

2. And some of you DUers

think globalization is a bad thing!

It involves everything folks...not just corporations.

[Judi Lynn]

3. This measure is going to win Chavez some real enemies

(snip) Finally, Chavez also announced the creation of indigenous “micro credit banks”. Isa Sierra of Fondo de Desarrollo Microfinanciero (Fondemi) followed up this proposal the next day, saying that 33 such banks would be created with 10,000 million bolivares by the end of the year. The loans they provide would be at an interest rate of 1%. (snip/)

I could swear I've read that Cuban "exiles" have received low-cost loans as a special part of their benefits as part of the Cuban Adjustment Act.

Extending the same opportunities to mere Indian people could kick up a real #### storm among the controlling interests in Venezuela, no doubt. (Remember Schwarzenegger revving up his anti-Indian program of accusations of "not paying their share".)

Right-wingers don't like anyone benefiting who is not right-wing reactionary.

[gratuitous]

4. Golly, where's John Stossel when you need him?

He'd tell all these indigenous people that they're just too ignorant and backward to know what's really good for them, and how they should hew to the line of their benevolent overlords who have only their best interests at heart. The indigenous people's interest, I mean. See, by following their unbridled, naked greed, these robber barons are really improving everyone's lives. It's just that the indigenous people's turn comes, uh, later.

La lucha sigue!

[SpiralHawk]

5. When the Condor of the South flies

with the Eagle of the North, they will mate and time will turn.

So it has been said for 700 years.

Meegwich, SH