MIV Report on Guaviare | Amazon Watch
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MIV Report on Guaviare

September 29, 2006 | Campaign Update

International Verification Mission on the Human Rights and Humanitarian Situation for Indigenous Peoples in Colombia

Report from the Commission to Guaviare
27 September, 2006

During the visit the commission met with members from Nukak-Makú and Guayabero communities, representatives from the Colombian government and State authorities, and members of the civil society in San José del Guaviare. The visit with the Nukak-Makú people was held in Puerto Ospina.

The commission would like to thank the indigenous communities, other members of civil society and their organizations, and official authorities for their interest in the Mission. Likewise, the commission regrets that the visit was short, and that it was cut even shorter than originally planned. The members of the commission believe it is extremely important that another special mission visits the region to meet with the same people in the near future; and that dialogue continues around efforts to resolve the problems observed as regards the human rights of the Nukak-Makú and Guayabero peoples, and that the monitoring of the respect for the human rights of indigenous people in Guaviare in general is strengthened.

General Preliminary Conclusions:

In terms of the demographic and geographic situation of the Nukak-Makú, the commission learned that the population has decreased from approximately 1,300 persons in 1988 to some 400 or 500 persons at the present date. Of these, approximately 200 to 250 members of this ethnic group were displaced to San José del Guaviare, as a consequence of the presence of armed actors in their ancestral territories in 2004, when they were temporarily moved by governmental authorities to Guayabero territories in Barrancón. Several weeks ago, at least 160 people were displaced to Puerto Ospina, in the Guaviare region. They have also declared their interest in returning to Nukak-Makú territories, where they lived before being forcibly displaced. Some have already begun their return. The situation for the indigenous peoples of Guaviare is of particular concern, given that some are at risk of extinction.

For their part, representatives of the Guayabero people told the mission about the inhumane conditions in the Guayabero territory of Barrancón, where they are affected by, amongst other things:

– the construction of the Barrancón Special Armed Forces School within their territory,

– the location of the School in indigenous territory in Barrancón since 1990, and the installation of a shooting range, which has caused the food chain of the Guayabero people to begin to break down, making vulnerable both their territory and their integrity.

Preliminary Recommendations:

We request the Colombian government to adopt a differential policy in all its interactions with Indigenous Peoples, taking into account the differences in each culture, especially when dealing with forced displacement.

In terms of the Nukak-Makú people:

We request the FARC to respect Nukak-Makú culture, and their decision to their ancestral territory within indigenous lands.

We ask the Colombian government:

To facilitate the means so that the Nukak–Makú people, who are currently located outside their lands, can return if they so request, paying special attention to their current health situation;

To agree the methods for their return with the Nukak–Makú people and to respect their decisions;

To study the proposal to establish properly equipped health posts within their territory;

To ensure, in consultancy with the community, an education which responds to their need to preserve their culture and territory; and

To work with the farmer settlers living near Nukak-Makú territory so that they understand that these lands are not unoccupied; they belong to the Nukak-Makú.

We request the Congress of the Republic to make changes to the Law, thus establishing the rights of people who have no recognized traditional authority to receive annual funds from the general participation system.

In terms of the Guayabero people:

We request the authorities of the Colombian government:

To relocate the Barrancón Special Armed Forces School to a place outside of the Guayabero lands in Barrancón;

To attend to the critical humanitarian situation of the Guayabero people, in particular as regards food security, by exercising the broadest interpretation of Colombian and international humanitarian law.

In terms of the general situation for indigenous peoples in Guaviare:

We request the legal and illegal armed actors:

To restrain their movements and actions so that they completely respect the right of indigenous peoples to not participate in the armed conflict (principle of distinction and neutrality), and their right to the full ownership of their lands.

We request the authorities of the Colombian government:

To suspend the decision to fumigate within indigenous lands, and to adhere to the Constitutional Court ruling on the matter.

We call upon the other members of the Internacional Verification Mission who were not able to be present in the visit to Guaviare, and the organizations and bodies they represent:

To prepare, in coordination with the Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia – National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC), the Organización de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía Colombiana – Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon Region (OPIAC), and the Consejo Regional Indígena del Guaviare – Regional Council of Indigenous Peoples in Guaviare (CRIGUA) another follow-up mission to Guaviare, in order to monitor the general human rights and humanitarian situation of the indigenous peoples in Colombia, in order to give continuity to this initiative designed to support their survival and welfare.

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