Association of U’wa Traditional Authorities
Decree No. 1088 of 1993 – Resolution of Register No. 003 of January 1997
Indigenous Affairs – Minister of the Interior
Pronouncement to the National and International Public
Kera Chikara – Ancestral and Sacred Territory of the U’wa People
November 4, 2000
The traditional authorities of the sovereign U’wa community, Werjayas, and the highest U’wa council, by way of this document make an official pronouncement to the international and national community: we reject the manner in which the media, national radio and press (RCN TV 7:00 P.M.) have informed the public that “on November 3rd at 4:00pm Occidental Petroleum of Colombia Inc., has finally, after all the inconveniences presented by the U’wa, been able to begin the drilling on the Gibralter 1 well, where they will have five months to definitely confirm if hydrocarbons exist in this site which they expect to be larger than the Cusiana Reserve.”
We reject the manner in which this information has been presented through the report on the RNC News, which says: “The U’wa have accepted the exploration on the Samore Block, known in the high government as the Siriri Project.” All this report does is damage our image, placing barriers of conflict between all sectors and the community in general, communities that have brought assistance in this peaceful fight in defense of our territories.
As it is known to the U’wa community, and to both the national and international communities, the final drilling machinery was transported to the Gilbralter 1 well site. But before all of this, we emphasize that we have never accepted and never agreed, and always informed the media that our position is that we reject petroleum exploration and exploitation; even though this is not what the media informs the public now. What is informed by the televised media is different. The company will always have inconvienences with the U’wa because we will never permit that our highest law be violated by the Riowa (outsiders).
The U’wa have never negotiated because it goes against our cultural principles¾right of life and respect for the environment.
The only thing that has been accomplished, in Cubara on July 7, 2000, is an agreement between the high government and the U’wa which states the following: “conform a work commission for the explanation and evaluation of the environmental, social, territorial and cultural impacts of petroleum exploration in the Samore block and to discuss the general problems of the U’wa community.”
U’WA TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES AND THE U’WA COUNCIL
KUIRASIRU BARROSA
Traditional Authority
ROBERTO PEREZ GUTIERREZ President of the U’wa Council Association
