The first six months of 2010 have been a period of active mobilization by the Ecuadorian indigenous peoples, led by the organization that legally represents the national indigenous movement, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, (CONAIE). A recent peaceful march, led by CONAIE, has resulted in their leaders being charged with terrorism against the Ecuadorian government.
How the demonstration developed
The Ecuadorian Amazonian indigenous peoples and nationalities staged an 11-day march to Quito to protest what they call the racist politics of the government, to call attention to the need to continue in the struggle to protect human rights. This was brought on because of the government’s development agenda, which is based on resource exploitation with little popular consultation, especially with indigenous peoples.
After reaching Quito, the indigenous peoples continued to Otavalo, a highland town with a large indigenous population. There, a summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA in Spanish) was held from June 24-25 to discuss cultural diversity, climate change, racism, and foreign trade. Even though the summit was held in a prominently indigenous city, and was discussing issues of cultural respect, CONAIE was not invited to participate.
CONAIE’s response
In response, CONAIE held an alternative event to celebrate a Plurinational Parliament, to demonstrate to the heads of state in attendance at the ALBA summit that, without the presence of the indigenous movement in official dialogues, building a truly plurinational state in Ecuador is impossible (it is important to note that the construction of a plurinational State based on rights and justice it is a priority of the new Ecuadorian Constitution.)
On June 25, CONAIE led a group of 3000 indigenous through the city of Otavalo to where the ALBA summit was being held, to present a letter to Bolivian President Evo Morales, in his position as the first indigenous president of Latin America. The peaceful indigenous march was stopped by police mounted on horses outside of the summit and refused entrance. They asked, therefore, that Evo Morales come outside so they could present him the letter in person; instead, the Bolivian ambassador to Ecuador came out several times. Eventually, after President Morales did not come to receive the letter, the indigenous protesters peacefully left to return to their Parliament.
Charges of terrorism
This incident demonstrated the Ecuadorian State’s weakness at promoting a truly plurinational state, yet underlined the strength of the indigenous movement to maintain a peaceful and constitutionally guaranteed right to protest. In response to the protests of the summit, though, on June 26 the State began an official investigation declaring that the indigenous movement, led by CONAIE, conducted proceedings that threatened peace and went against the government. Further, they charged that at the ALBA Summit, CONAIE members shouted chants against the public order. The declaration also claimed that one protester stole a policeman’s handcuffs. Based on these arguments, the District Attorney is currently charging CONAIE with terrorism, a serious claim that could lead to four to eight years in an Ecuadorian jail.
Marlon Santi, president of CONAIE, with his lawyers, presented himself to the District Attorney to face the charges on June 28. He declared that CONAIE led a peaceful, legal mobilization that in no way could be seen as an act of terrorism against the government, but instead a lawful act in favor of the rights granted and guaranteed in the Constitution.
The role of Fundación Pachamama has been to support CONAIE and the national indigenous movement as they continue their legal struggle for respect of their human rights and cultural integrity.
More information, in Spanish, at http://www.conaie.org/home
