Feb. 25, 2000
From: U'WA DEFENSE WORKING GROUP

Thousands of Colombians Resume Blockades Near Planned Oil Well Standoff
With Oxy Escalating

Solidarity March Today In Bogota

Rallying behind the struggle of the U'wa people of Colombia, at least 2,500
people have arrived during the past week in the small community of
Gibraltar, in the department of North Santander. The town is approximately
6 kilometers from the site of the first well planned by Los-Angeles based
Occidental Petroleum (Oxy). The campesinos, students,
and union members have reportedly joined thousands of U'wa and other
indigenous peoples in resuming the blockade of the main road to Oxy's well
site.

"They are maintaining the blockade of the road that leads to Pamplona and
are taking shelter in the church, the schools and other sites," said Cesar
Hipolito Mora, the mayor of Cubara, a neighboring town according to
Tuesday's edition of El Tiempo, a Colombian daily.

The secretary of the local Association of Campesinos (ADUC), Reina Rojas,
said from Saravena that it is not a strike, but rather a mobilization which
involves representatives from the different guilds and unions.

"It's something indefinite that will only end with a commitment from the
Government to halt the petroleum exploration in the Samore Block. We ask
that the Ministers of the Environment, Juan Mayr, and of the Interior,
Nestor Humberto Martinez come and endorse this agreement," said Rojas.

Observers in the area report that a heavy military and police contingent in
the area is monitoring the protestors, and has stopped some shipments of
food and medical supplies bound for the U'wa. On February 11, the police
reportedly used tear gas and forcibly removed 450 U'wa who were
blockading the road, resulting in the reported drowning of three indigenous
children. The body of a four month old U'wa girl was found last week. Two
other children, ages 9 and 10, from the Guahibo tribe are still missing and
presumed dead.

Just one week ago, Occidental Petroleum Vice-President Lawrence Meriage
testified before the U.S. Congress in a subcommittee hearing on the
Military aid package to Colombia that "only two groups are intent on
blocking the project … leftist guerrillas… and non-governmental
organizations in the US." Meriage further implied that the U'wa were
merely pawns of others.

The U'wa issued a statement responding to Meriage's testimony saying: "We
demand that Occidental Petroleum and those in the media who have called us
guerrilla sympathizers, rectify these accusations immediately,
because they endanger the life of the U'wa community and of those that
support us. We fight to defend our cultural principles which benefit
society as a whole, and not those particular dark interests."

"Clearly, opposition to this project began with the U'wa and support among
Colombians is broad-based and growing" said Atossa Soltani of Amazon Watch.
"Given the widespread protests in Colombia by unions, farmers, students and
indigenous communities, the only responsible
course of action is an immediate suspension of this project pending a
negotiated settlement in which all sides participate."

In Bogota, members of Colombian non-governmental and indigenous
organizations will be holding a solidarity march at 2:00 p.m. today at the
Plaza Simon Bolivar which will culminate in a rally at the Ministry of
Environment. In the United States, supporters of the U'wa continue
to target the two most prominent Oxy shareholders - Fidelity Investments
and Vice-President Al Gore Jr. Over 40 nonviolent demonstrations have taken
place in the last several weeks.

 

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Distribuido por: Distributed by:
'AMAZON ALLIANCE' FOR INDIGENOUS AND
TRADITIONAL PEOPLES OF THE AMAZON BASIN
1367 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036-1860
tel (202)785-3334
fax (202)785-3335
amazoncoal@igc.org
http://www.amazoncoalition.org

Disclaimer: All copyrights belong to original publisher.
The Amazon Alliance has not verified the accuracy of the forwarded message.
Forwarding this message does not necessarily connote agreement with the
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Todos los derechos de autor pertenecen al autor originario.
La Alianza Amazonica no ha verificado la veracidad de este
mensaje. Enviar este mensaje no necesariamente significa que
la Alianza Amazonica este de acuerdo con el contenido.

La Alianza Amazónica para los Pueblos Indígenas y Tradicionales de la
Cuenca Amazónica es una iniciativa nacida de la alianza entre los pueblos
indígenas y tradicionales de la Amazonía y grupos e individuos que
comparten sus preocupaciones por el futuro de la Amazonía y sus pueblos.
Las ochenta organizaciones del norte y del sur activas en la Alianza
Amazónica creen que el futuro de la Amazonía depende de sus pueblos y el
estado de su medio ambiente.

The Amazon Alliance for Indigenous and Traditional Peoples of the Amazon
Basin is an initiative born out of the partnership between indigenous and
traditional peoples of the Amazon and groups and individuals who share
their concerns for the future of the Amazon and its peoples. The eighty
non-governmental organizations from the North and South active in the
Alliance believe that the future of the Amazon depends on its peoples and
the state of their environment.
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