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Canada should support Indigenous Peoples' Right to Participation in the Peace Process

Indigenous peoples' aspirations for peace and justice must be reflected in the Colombian peace process, Rights & Democracy and the Assembly of First Nations said today as its seven day mission to Colombia drew to a close.

BOGOTA, 04 June, 2001 ? Indigenous peoples' aspirations for peace and justice must be reflected in the Colombian peace process, Rights & Democracy and the Assembly of First Nations said today as its seven day mission to Colombia drew to a close.

The delegation also urged Canada to support an indigenous initiative to develop an arms free secure zone where aboriginal and civil society organizations could come together to develop their agenda for inclusion in the negotiations. As current coordinator of the group of Friendly Countries supporting the dialogue between the Government and the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia, Canada is in a key position to provide support for this initiative.

"Colombia's indigenous peoples wish for peace as much as any other sector of the country does," said Warren Allmand, President of Rights & Democracy. "Yet they have been denied participation in setting an agenda that addresses some of the root issues of the conflict. We support this important initiative that could allow them a voice."

"The aboriginals of Colombia are peoples, with their own legitimate rights and demands," said Ghislain Picard, regional chief for Quebec and Labrador of the Assembly of First Nations. "It cannot be assumed that the peace process will automatically address these - they have a right to make their demands heard."

The proposal to create a safe zone to bring together indigenous and civil society organizations has been articulated by the Regional Indigenous Organization of the Cauca as a response to the failure of the current peace talks agenda to include the indigenous peoples' demands for territorial and cultural rights.

These demands were reiterated to the joint delegation in Medellin, where the delegates travelled Thursday to meet with indigenous organizations in the north of the country. These leaders also gave chilling testimonies of violence against their communities by all sides in the conflict.

Embera Katio leaders reported the paramilitary kidnapping on May 20, of eight natives in the Kiparado community of the Sinu River reservation in the northern department of Cordoba, as well as a paramilitary murder on March 6 in the Tierralta community of traditional leader Jos Angel Domico Jarupia. In addition, Betin Bailarin, an aboriginal of the Wido community was killed by guerrillas of the FARC on April 1^st this year, the leaders reported. Leaders from the Choco department reported having been forced into hiding for threats on their lives, and all the leaders denounced armed groups' obstruction of the transport of food and gasoline to the communities, each armed faction accusing the people of supporting the other.

"The indigenous peoples of this region have made some important gains in terms of affirming their territorial rights," Ghislain Picard said. "But the conflict is preventing them from benefiting from the lands they have recovered."

Indigenous organizations have requested an international volunteer presence in some of the communities worst affected by the conflict, and the joint delegation urges the Colombian government to facilitate security to allow this important work of accompaniment and monitoring.

Delegates are: Mr. Allmand, Chief Picard, George Erasmus, Chair of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, MP Beth Phinney, Chair of the Human Rights Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Lydia Hwitsum, elected chief of the Cowichan Tribes on Vancouver Island who is also a member of the Board of directors of Rights & Democracy.

Rights & Democracy is a Canadian institution with an international mandate. It works with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad to promote human rights and democratic development through dialogue, advocacy, capacity building and public education. It focuses on four themes: democratic development, women's rights, the rights of indigenous peoples and globalization and human rights.