Statement from the U'wa regarding FARC

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STATEMENT TO THE REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
FROM THE U'WA
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF SANTANDER, NORTE DE 
SANTANDER, BOYACA,
ARAUCA AND CASANARE, AND FROM THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS 
ORGANIZATION OF COLOMBIA
"ONIC"
Y LA ORGANIZACI N NACIONAL INDIGENA "ONIC"

We have publicly denounced the kidnapping and subsecuent assassination of
the three North American environmentalists who were working internationally
for the defense of our lands and the u'wa people's right to live.  This act
violates international humanitarian law, human rights law and the right to
every people's self-determination.
        The Colombian government is obligated to investigate this act and
clarify to the U.S. government and the national and international community
the reasons why the FARC committed this genocide, which has direct
territorial, cultural and environmental repercussions [por desconocer el
derecho consuetudinario  del pueblo U`wa.]
         We reject the contents of the FARC communique read by their
spokesperson Raul Reyes, where they attempt to justify the triple homicide,
declaring themselves owners of the u'wa territory and denying our
legitimate and autonomous right to this territory.  According to our
ancestral laws, the
national constitution, the laws which come from our constitution, and
international treaties, it is the traditional U'wa authorities, the Werjays,
chiefs and our regional organizations who have the autonomy and authority
to control our territory.
         We ratify our firm purpose to continue defending the commands
given by our traditional indigenous authorities for the constitution of the
United Reservation of the U'wa People, which we have been maintaining and
re-creating from generation to generation.  Today we are sharing this
alternative proposal for conservation of the environment and natural
resources with various
institutional and non-institutional actors on the national and international
level.  Our proposal is based on the fundamental principles and concepts of
our culture.  We have expressed this position for life in different public
fora, the Ker Chicar document and our U'w Chit laws.  But because of the
prevailing economic interests of the state and the multinational corporations
(OXY, Shell) who are not concerned with out survival, our proposal has not
been accepted.
        We demand that the parties to the armed conflict respect our
autonomy, sovereignty and cultural integrity and cease all military actions
or efforts to control territory in our indigenous communities.
        We also demand that the national government and the multinational
corporation Occidental of Colombia make an official statement canceling the
oil exploration and exploitation projects in the U'wa Ancestral Territory.
We
make this same demand on behalf of the Guahibvo Indigenous Peoples in the
department of Arauca who have been victims of oil exploitation by OXY-Col
and today are on the brink of extinction.

Cubar , Boyaca,  Colombia, March 15, 1999

"THE VOICE OF OUR PEOPLE WILL NOT BE SILENCED WITH THE DEATH OF ONE 
LEADER,
NOR THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR ROOTS.  ONLY THUS WILL THEY BE ABLE TO 
MAKE
THEMSELVES OWNERS OF OUR TERRITORY."  U'wa teaching

ROBERTO PEREZ AGUABLACA                  ISMAEL UNCACIA UNCACIA
U'wa President and grand chief  President, CRIA

ARMANDO VALBUENA GUAORIYU
President, ONIC.