Panel: Contributions of International Indigenous Peoples in the Construction of Peace

Samuel Ruiz, Former Archbishop of Chiapas, (Mexico)
William Alexander of the Haida Tribe, (BC, Canada)
Members of The Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca,
Ricardo Flores Magon(CIPO-RFM) (Mexico)

Samuel Ruiz

• The damage from transculturation in Chiapas due to poverty in (indigenous) families means they can’t afford to care for their youth
• Both dominant political systems in Mexico are terrorists
• Millions of Mexicans have left for “El Norte.”
• He told a true story of two women, one indigenous and one mestizo, each with a baby to illustrate how much how much more community minded the indigenous are from a very early age. This was his point, to tell us how important our roles in community life are in the construction of Peace.

William Alexander

•  As late as 1930 his tribe was still self-sufficient. Then, in the 1930’s, the electric company came around and hired their men to build a dam, thereby making money. This made it easy to not pay much attention to traditional skills. However, the tribe has never recognized the government of Canada, a theme I heard frequently from other tribal groups at the WPF.
• Tribal partners are helping their youth to learn more real life skills like hunting, fishing, trapping, and making things by hand to get them away from too much high tech, computers, etc.
• The Haida have a special house in the forest where they take their youth 4 times a year to teach them more of their language, and other traditional skills. They have realized that younger children a needing this retreat too.

Several members of the CIPO-RFM,

Things have been hot politically in Oaxaca recently with schoolteachers on strike and some getting killed or injured, but these folks are feeling positive about it. The teachers’ strike is about better wages, meals, and materials. It went on for 33 days before 1500 police attacked them. Recent counter demonstrations since then have occurred drawing, respectively, 100,000, 200,000, and 400,000 people. Samuel Ruiz is now helping to resolve things, but dialog hasn’t worked yet. It felt very positive to me to hear them, as they seemed inspired.

•  The CIPO has been organizing for some time now and has brought 26 of the 570 Oaxacan communities into the fold. They are into fighting peacefully for improved conditions for indigenous people by doing workshops to educate and to identify issues and solutions. And to understand their community and the world.
• They are into making agreements, electing Reps., addressing issues to recover stolen resources, like schools, health clinics, supplies, and economic development (fishing, ranching projects, animals, and organic plantations for local consumption).
• Three Areas of Projects is how they organize

1.     Area of Women, dealing with skills and crafts, human rights, and equality.

2.     Area of Youth, dealing with education, skills training, technology, organizing and sharing

3.     Area of Communication, dealing with print medium, radio, video.

         The use of non-violent political pressure is one of their important processes.