Following up from Iquitos, the newly elected Steering Committee made up of indigenous leaders from Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador came together for the first meeting in Leticia, Colombia last month (26-28 October) to plan for the Cross-Border Network’s 2010 activities. The meeting, which took place near the Colombia-Brasil border was organized with the support of Fundación Pachamama and brought together 11 leaders and their technical teams from the 5 Amazonian countries that constitute the Network. Augusto Falcon Peréz, the Secretary of ACITAM (Association of Indigenous Communities of the Amazonian Triangle) and Colombia’s delegate to the Steering Committee said of the symbolic meeting, “For ten years I have dreamed of getting to know other processes, experiences, and brothers/sisters…The fact that you are here is a dream realized, and we have a made a firm commitment to this Network with the highest of expectations. We now have clear and defined allies to work with on the judicial and administrative level in the difficult situation that the indigenous of Colombia face.” This year the Cross-Border Network will focus its work in five areas: 1) Organizational strengthening on a political level, 2) territory and well being, 3) freedom of movement, 4) collective rights, and 5) the formation of leaders and communicators.
Following the meeting, Fundación Pachamama conducted site visits in two Ticuna and Cocama communities on the shores of the Amazon River in Colombia and in meetings with leaders and elders Pachamama learned of new threats to indigenous territories in the Amazonian Triangle and strengthened connections with new potential members the Cross-Border Network. The mixed Ticuna-Cocama Community of Macedonia is renowned for their artisan crafts, but is at risk of losing their language and culture to increasing threats brought on by extractive industries, mega-projects, evangelical influence, and globalization; a clear example of the need for strengthened cross border networks.
Photo: Steering Committee 2010 of the Cross Border Network meet in the offices of ACITAM in Leticia
Photo credit: by Melaina Spitzer, property of the Cross-Border Network and Fundación Pachamama
