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Ecuador's indigenous suspend mobilization, present demands

by ANPE/translated by indybay (fishe [at] igc.org)
On February 16-17, two days of mass mobilizations in Ecuador shook the country. In a display of strength, indigenous and campesino protesters marched, strategized an open assemblies of thousands, blockaded highways, and occupied a telecommunications company. As provincial mobilizations continued (see articles in Spanish on Cotopaxi), the national indigenous/campesino leadership suspended mobilization and presented national demands.
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The mobilization is suspended without definite date for its reactivation

Quito, February 17th, 2004, ANPE

CONAIE: Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador

THE MOBILIZATION CONVOKED BY CONAIE ACHIEVED OF THE REARTICULATION OF THE INDIGENOUS, SOCIAL AND POPULAR MOVEMENT

Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, CONAIE, has decided to suspend the national mobilization in conformance to what was planned, and after having achieved the objective of rearticulating the indigenous, social and popular Movement which has demonstrated its capacity for mobilization and convocation against the government of Lucio Gutiérrez who is now obligated to make a turn in the political and socio-economic direction of the country.

The president of CONAIE, Leonidas Iza, clarified that the demand for the resignation of President of the Republic Lucio Gutiérrez. “This position is unrenounceable for the Ecuadorian people who feel today more than ever betrayed. The true destabilizer and the one who changes governments in Ecuador and other countries is the IMF,” he concluded.

The suspension called for by CONAIE should not be treated as a definitive suspension because of the fact that it can be reactivated at any given time, and may even convert itself into an uprising [Levantamiento -- the term used for past uprisings that of overtaken the national government -- trans] if the government does not understand the message the we have sent, Iza signaled.

CONAIE has returned to take its place in Ecuador's social and political struggle and will maintain vigilance over the fulfillment of a new Mandate (FOR PEACE AND LIFE WITH DEMOCRACY AND SOVEREIGNTY) which will be delivered to the national government in the coming hours.

We claim as our own the provincial, regional and local mobilizations which the people of carried out to demand the fulfillment of their aspirations. We support the petitions document of the Cotopaxi Provincial Assembly as well as the sovereignty of the actions they choose to achieve their objectives such as the construction of that plurinational state.

CONAIE reiterates its repudiation of the violence against and persecution of indigenous, social and media leaders, demands a full investigation of the actors, accomplices and concealers of the murders and attacks against sectors of the political opposition. As well, it demands compensation for the families [of those killed] and those with gunshot wounds from their oppression of the armed forces in the Cantón Nabón province of Azuay and the province of Cotopaxi, and the immediate freedom of all those detained in the mobilizations.

The Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador will deliver the “MANDATE FOR PEACE AND LIFE WITH DEMOCRACY AND SOVEREIGNTY” which constitutes a new instrument of urgent demands of the Ecuadorian people to the government.

Ama Shwa, Ama Llulla, Ama Killa

ANPE: Plurinational News Agency of Ecuador

[translated by Carwil James, San Francisco Bay Indymedia]


Mandate for Peace, for Life with Democracy, and for Sovereignty

CONAIE [Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador], Ecuarunari [Federation of Peoples of the Quichua Nationality of Ecuador], CONFEUNASSC [National Confederation of Campesino Social Security] and social and popular organizations have demonstrated through the mobilizations of February 16-17 there unshakable unity and mobilizing capacity. [The organizations] appreciate the solidarity and commitment shown by the Ecuadorian people and their rejection of the politics of terror, repression and violence generated by the National Government.

The social and popular organizations that participated in the day of struggle and mobilization in defense of peace, democracy and sovereignty demand:

1. Reject the policies of terror, persecution and repression generated by the National Government.

A. Demand an immediate investigation into the attacks on our compañeros Leonidas Iza and Patricio Campana, and the threats and persecution of leaders (imprisonment of compañero Humberto Cholango); and demand punishment for the intellectual and material authors of these attacks and threats.

B. Immediate compensation of those wounded in the mobilizations an immediate freedom for those detained and Nabón-Azuay and Cotopaxi.

C. Respect and guarantee of freedom of expression, free exercise of the media (radios La Luna, Tarqui and Quito) and guarantee of the right to protest.

2. Demand the national government take the necessary measures to confront the agricultural/pastoral crisis in Ecuador and implement clear policies and strategies for the reactivation of Ecuadorian agricultural production, especially by small and medium producers.

A. Implement State policies on: credit for medium and small producers, irrigation, commercialization, supply, prices and technologies.

B. Create the Campesino Irrigation Institute.

C. Create a $200 million compensation fund which will confront the agricultural/pastoral crisis caused by drought, frost and ash.

D. Facilitate and smooth the access of small producers to credit from the development bank ($250 million) by diminishing requirements and paperwork.

3. Reject the “New Horizons” Plan of the U.S. Southern Command and the Cabañas military exercise, which are strategies to involve the country in Plan Colombia and demand that the Joint Command Chief explain to the country the commitments that are being assumed with the Southern Command of the U.S. Army.

4. Demand that the government immediately suspend all negotiations related to whatsoever treaty of free trade with the United States that damages the interests of the Ecuadorian people.

A. Reject the negotiations of the FTAA and the [U.S.-Ecuador] Free Trade Agreement and demand their immediate suspension.

B. Demand the National Congress immediately suspend debate on the Law of Biodiversity.

5. Demand the government suspend payment of the external debt and conduct an immediate audit of it.

6. Demand the National Government have sent to Congress a reform of the Law constituting FEIREP [oil stabilization fund holding revenues from new oil development], in such a way that 70 percent of this fund will be destined for education, health and the reactivation of production. [under agreement with IMF, "Ten percent of the resources in the FEIREP are dedicated to social spending; 20 percent will be saved to help deal with contingencies, such as a natural disaster or a sharp decline in oil prices; and 70 percent would be dedicated to debt buybacks" -trans]

7. Demands the National Government budget the necessary funds to attend to the necessities of Bilingual Intercultural Education, the Directorate of Indigenous Health, and the Council of Nationalities and Peoples of Ecuador.

8. Demands of the National Government the following points regarding Social Security:

A. Creation of the Social Bank of Ecuador.

B. Expansion and improvement of the services provided by the IESS and the SSC.

C. Payment of the $2,200 million debt owed by the state to the IESS.

D. Restoration of the $300 million cut from the budget of the IESS.

E. Guarantee the supply of cheap medicine for the dispensaries of SSC .

9. Support the provincial mandates and demand the National Government's immediate response and fulfillment.

Leonidas Iza
CONAIE
Humberto Cholango
ECUARUNARI
Cesar Cabrera
CONFEUNASSC-CNA

[translated by Carwil James, San Francisco Bay Indymedia]
§Burning Tire makes a Roadblock
by ANPE/translated by indybay (fishe [at] igc.org)
ecuador1.jpg
§Quito, 16 febrero 2004
by ANPE/translated by indybay (fishe [at] igc.org)
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