OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC
Unified Indigenous Reserve, Cubará, Boyacá, May 22, 2008
URGENT ACTION
THE INDIGENOUS AUTHORITIES OF U’WA FROM BOYACÁ, SANTANDER AND NORTHERN SANTANDER, AND BRANCHES OF ASO U’WA, PUBLICLY DENOUNCE THE PRESENCE OF ARMED GROUPS FOUND WITHIN THE U’WA PROTECTED TERRITORY.
Just five (5) days before the beginning of our spiritual/cultural activities, the communities of Cobaría, Bocota and Tegría, are alarmed at the presence of armed groups, both legal and illegal, in their territories. Their presence began in January of 2008. Initially, and until this moment, the U’wa have not denounced the armed groups because they believed that their presence was temporary and that their behavior would not cause damage to the U’wa culture’s material and immaterial wealth.
Today the indigenous authorities denounce the armed actors for causing the following damages: during periods of fasting [U’wa’s sacred ceremonies] they have entered the U’wa territory without the [formal] permission of any indigenous authority; they are occupying indigenous homes, and have burned the [meager] clothes of indigenous people. These acts spiritually contaminate the families and they cannot re-enter their homes until they are purified by the medicine people/spiritual leaders. The [armed actors] take the harvest from family crops; harass young women; and take over lands, thus contaminating the waters [downstream] and [sacred] sites where we protect the flora, fauna and the natural landscape. [After being in our land], the armed groups have apparently determined that certain people have ties with armed groups, putting in danger the lives and the integrity of the U’wa people and our culture. Our territory is a place of peace and freedom for both humans and well as for nature and we do not want it to become a place of war, blood and destruction.
For the above-mentioned reasons, we request that legal and illegal armed groups demilitarize the U’wa territory as soon as possible. On May 28, 2008, the community of Cobaría enters the fasting period and once the community is meditating, no one will be allowed to enter or leave the territory.
THE U’WA TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES AND TRIBAL COUNCILS
