France plans the ethnocide of three indigenous ... - naturvoelker.org

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“National policies and programs shall be planned and implemented with due regard forthe legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.” (Art. 5, §1)“States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights setforth in the present Declaration.” (Art. 7).The attitude of the French Government and of the WWF, to establish a national park within anIndian sanctuary, is in contradiction to a new scientific study of “Forest Trends” (Whoconserves the world’s forest’s?), which confirms that indigenous people are the bestconservationists. A co-operation between conservationists and anthropologists regarding anyfuture planning of such projects should be set as minimum requirement. 6Last but not least - until today, the French Government refuses the acknowledgement of theindigenous as a ‘minority’ in FG. Multiple rights could be derived from this status for theIndigenous.In his report to the UN about nature preserves Markus Colchester of the World RainforestMovement even goes one step further and declares that a national park may never beestablished within the habitat of indigenous people as the presence of visitors wouldinevitably lead to the destruction of the indigenous culture (Colchester 2003: 151). Besides,there’s the immediate danger of lethal diseases introduced by tourists.The non-acknowledgement of the indigenous as minority and the influence of the gold lobbyare probably two of the reasons for the fact that all preparations on the part of Franceregarding the establishment of the national park in the South were - and are being - heldbehind closed doors. There are neither any official meeting on EU-level, nor do the Frenchofficials try to obtain the co-operation of scientists (biologists as well as anthropologists) ofthe European universities.On the other hand, France uses funds of the European Union (71% of the budget of FG, afterall) for a policy, which is detrimental to the tropical nature as well as to the inhabitingindigenous. Therefore, France avoids with good reason to include representatives, taxpayersand other members of the EU in its decision making process.6Contact: www.forest-trends.org6
4. The indigenousFrance intends to establish a national park inthe rain forest of FG before the middle of2005, without any public announcement, andthus to sacrifice an area which is reserved forthe Indian population since 1970. The formerIndian territory with its 30.000 squarekilometres would be lost. If the park wereopened for visitors, the Indians would turninto objects of tourist curiosity, which willinevitably lead to their ethnocide. The Minister in charge in French-Guyana, Leon Bertrand,has already announced first steps to get the national park open for tourists. But that sameminister has admitted in a letter from May 2003, addressed to Thierry Sallantin, that theIndians object to tourists. A statement of the Indian representative of the Teko people(Emerillion), Mrs. Ti”iwan, confirms the objections of the Indians concerning tourists (Michel2002: 278ff):“If we talk about the inherent principle of the national park, we want to makeclear that the Indians do not want any tourists in that area, neither in theirvillages, nor in the – as the brochure describes – “centres to formulate firstproposals concerning the project of a tropical rain forest national park Guyana.”You have to interpret this as to mean that the “villages Maripa Soula, Saül andCamopi will become (open?) Gates into the park specially designed for thereception of visitors.”At present, the indigenous try hard to maintain the status quo of a “restricted area”. Thiswould mean that large parts in the inside of the planned park would only be open for peoplewith special authorisation.The press release of the Wayana of Twenke of June 1998, which was signed by the GrandMan Amaipoti (Silberstein 2002: 275):“Hunting, Fishing, the harvesting and the gentle utilization of the forest resourcesare part of our life, harmonizing with the forest. The Establishment of a nationalpark and the anticipated rules resulting of this national park directly contradictthis symbiotic way of life and the freedom. Thus, the Wayana definitely object to7
Page 2: France violatesa) Article 8 of the
Page 8 and 9: this project. Likewise, as indigeno
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France plans the ethnocide of three indigenous ... - naturvoelker.org

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