Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

August 18, 2007

Yaqui and O'odham unite to plan Zapatistas' summits

UPDATE: Topics of discussion for Indigenous representatives, delegates and commissions attending summits


Photo: Vicam Pueblo Gov. Loreto Ramírez Mapoumea and Pueblo Mayor Florentino Buitimea Yoquihua meet with O'odham in Mexico Lt. Gov. Jose Garcia in Rancho el Penasco, Mexico, to plan upcoming Zapatistas regional and international summits. Photo Brenda Norrell
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Vicam Pueblo Yaqui hope Yaqui in the United States, and Indigenous throughout the Americas, will work with them in a spirit of unity in the struggle for Indigenous rights
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By Brenda Norrell
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/
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RANCHO EL PENASCO, Sonora, Mexico -- Yaqui Zapatistas from Vicam Pueblo met with O'odham in Sonora and reached out to the world's Indigenous Peoples, extending a warm invitation to come and support the Zapatistas' regional and international summits to be held in October.

Gathered with O'odham at Rancho el Penasco, a dozen Yaqui Zapatistas from Vicam Pueblo, including Gov. Loreto Ramirez Mapoumea and Vicam Pueblo Mayor Florentino Buitimea Yoquihua, urged Indigenous from Alaska, Canada and the United States to join with Indigenous Peoples in northern Mexico for the North American Continental Regional Conference here, Oct. 8 -- 9, 2007.

"What happens here will determine how effective the Intercontinental Indigenous Summit is in Pueblo Yaqui," Gov. Ramirez said, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter.

"We are in solidarity with one another, and we want to be in solidarity with all of the Indigenous Peoples," Gov. Ramirez said during the reunion and planning meeting held Friday, Aug. 17.

The North American Continental Summit, Oct. 8 – 9, is one of four regional conferences. There are also Indigenous summits being held in Oaxaca, Oct. 4—5, Atlapulco, Oct. 6 –7 and Michaocan, Oct. 6 – 7, 2007.

The regional Indigenous gatherings precede the Intercontinental Indigenous Summit/Encuentro de Pueblos Indígenas de América, Oct. 11 -- 14 in Vicam Pueblo near Obregon in the southern part of the state of Sonora.

O'odham in Mexico Lt. Gov. Jose Garcia, among the O'odham who will host the North American Continental regional conference here, said it was wonderful to come together with Yaqui is such a spirit of unity and harmony.

"Respect," Lt. Gov. Garcia said was the feeling that permeated the meeting at Rancho el Penasco, an eco-tourism and biodiversity ranch located south of Magdalena de Kino, a 90-minute drive south of the Nogales, Arizona border.
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Topics of discussion:
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Garcia said the topics of discussion were established by the Intercontinental Indigenous Summit Commission (Comision Organizadora del Encuentro de Pueblos Indigenas de Americas.) The organizing commission includes the traditional authorities of Vicam Pueblo, National Indigenous Congress of Mexico and the Sixth Commission of the EZLN, as stated by Subcomandante Marcos in his August 15, 2007 statement.

The primary topic will be the war of capitalist conquest and its effect on Indigenous Peoples. The second topic is the resistance of Indigenous Peoples to this war of conquest in defense of Mother Earth and Indigenous territories and cultures. The third topic will be a discussion of why Indigenous Peoples are struggling.

The organizing commission said Indian tribes’ delegates, representatives or commissions are invited to bring the problems of their regions and discuss these topics at the regional and international summits.

Other attendees will be observers, without a voice or role in the decision-making process at the Indigenous summits, Garcia said, referring to Subcomandante Marcos’ statement.

Rancho el Penasco, near the US and Mexico border, has become a favorite meeting place for the Zapatistas from the south to meet with Indigenous Peoples from northern Mexico and the United States.

Subcomandante Marcos came to Rancho el Penasco in Oct. 2006 to meet with Indigenous Peoples in the north, then returned several times in the spring of 2007. Marcos said he found rest and harmony here at the ranch.

During the planning meeting Aug. 17, Yaqui from Vicam Pueblo offered to help in any way they could to ensure the success of the North American regional summit. O'odham appreciated their efforts.

"I think the most important thing is working together in unity. They talked about respect, which is sometimes only a word," Lt. Gov. Garcia said, emphasizing the respect shown by the Yaqui delegation.

Vicam Pueblo Yaqui said they are eagerly waiting to hear from Indigenous Peoples from throughout the Americas. They said they want input from the world's Indigenous Peoples and hope to hear news that Indigenous delegations will be arriving from throughout the world.

Yaqui extended a warm welcome to the world's Indigenous Peoples to attend the Intercontinental Indigenous Summit/Encuentro de Pueblos Indígenas de América.
Vicam Pueblo Yaqui extended a special invitation to Yaqui in the United States to work together with them a spirit of unity, in the struggle for Indigenous rights.

Garcia said Indigenous are welcome to arrive at Rancho el Penasco on the evening of Oct. 7th for the two-day summit. Camping is available. For those driving, there are motels nearby in Magdalena de Kino, located two miles north of Rancho el Penasco.
After the summit here, there will be a caravan of cars to the international gathering in Vicam Pueblo.

Brenda Norrell
brendanorrell@gmail.com
Contacts:
O'odham Lt. Gov. Jose Garcia
oodhamj@yahoo.com
Coordinator Martin Pina in Sonora, Mexico
mpina@guaymas.uson.mx
Vicam Pueblo, Mexico, contact:
Jahcabay@yahoo.com.mx
More information on summits:
Narco News
http://www.narconews.com/

TEMARIO:
1.- La guerra de conquista capitalista en los pueblos indígenas de América.
2.- La resistencia de los pueblos indígenas de América y la defensa de la madre Tierra, nuestros territorios y nuestras culturas.
3.- Por qué luchamos los pueblos indígenas de América
SEDE:
11,12,13 Y 14 DE OCTUBRE 2007
PUEBLO YAQUI DE VÍCAM, SONORA, MÉXICO

SUBSEDES:
4 Y 5 DE OCTUBRE 2007
Región Sur-Sureste: VALLES CENTRALES DE OAXACA
Responsable: CONSEJO INDÍGENA POPULAR DE OAXACA “RICARDO FLORES MAGÓN”.

6 Y 7 DE OCTUBRE 2007
Región Centro y Sudamérica: ATLAPULCO, Territorio ÑAHÑU, Estado de México
Responsable: CONGRESO NACIONAL INDÍGENA en Atlapulco.

6 Y 7 DE OCTUBRE 2007
Región Centro Pacífico-Centro Atlántico de México: NURIO, Territorio PURÉPECHA, Michoacán, México
Responsable: Purépecha-Ireta, Congreso Nacional Indígena

8 Y 9 DE OCTUBRE 2007
Región Norte del Continente Americano: Alaska, Canadá, Unión Americana y Norte de México: Rancho “EL PEÑASCO”, MAGDALENA, SONORA, MÉXICO
Responsable: Nación TOHONO O’ODHAM

INFORMES:
Comisión Sexta del EZLN, Correo electrónico: informes@encuentroindigena.org
Guardia Tradicional de la Tribu Yaqui, Vícam, Guaymas, Sonora, México, Tel. (045 ó 001)64 49 98 94 08
Organización de Comunidades Indígenas y Campesinas de Tuxpan, Jalisco: (01 ó 001) 371 41 764 15 comunidad_tuxpan@hotmail.com
Comisión Sexta: Enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx
Radio Bemba: vicam@radiobemba.org

COMISIÓN ORGANIZADORA: Autoridades Tradicionales de Pueblo Vícam, Tribu Yaqui; Congreso Nacional Indígena y Comisión Sexta del EZLN.
(Espanol) Enlace Zapatista
Pre-registration information for the intercontinental summit:
http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx/

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