/* Written 12:23 am Jul 11, 1993 by act in web:gen.newsletters */
/* ---------- "The ACTivist Vol7-8, July/Aug 1993" ---------- */
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION
"We have decided that we will die before they come through our
land because an Indian without land is an Indian without a soul,
without anything."
State-controlled coal and oil companies look set to destroy Bari and
Yupka lands in Venezuela, unless the government puts a halt to their
activities. The Bari and Yupka peoples rely on their lands for
survival. Exploration in the area, especially opencast coal mining, will
cause pollution and devastation.
The Bari and Yupka tribes lives in the tropical forested mountain
range on the border of Venezuela and Colombia. There are about
2,000 Bari and 6,000 Yupka. Most of their food comes from hunting,
fishing and gathering. Given the constant desire for minerals and
cattle-raising land, the Bari and Yupka tribes have a constant battle
on their hands. Only full land rights will safeguard them.
The Venezuelan state coal mining company, Corpozulia, is without
a doubt the main offender in this invasion of tribal peoples' land.
It is also guilty of taking advantage of the fact that the land rights
of the Yupka have not been adequately defined or registered.
Coal mining in this area has actually been declared illegal by the
Venezuelan Agrarian Office and yet no moves have been made to
stop these companies ravaging the land.
After a year of continual harassment and no government help, one
Yupka village took action by setting up a blockade to stop Corpozulia
setting up equipment on their land. The result was that two leaders
were forced to flee to the mountains to avoid arrest.
As well as being threatened by coal mining, the Bari lands are
also being used for oil exploration. The national oil company, Maraven,
has already started to carry out seismic tests in the area
Although Maraven's drilling plans remain secret, Survival has
reports that some Bari are working in oil camps under
semi-slavery conditions.
A massive road and bridge construction project is underway to
serve the coal and oil operations. If this goes ahead, it will prepare
the way for settlement and exploration by other companies.
The Bari and Yupka tribes are in serious danger. The government
must put an end to mining and oil exploration in the area. To
safeguard against future threats of this nature there is only one
answer: full land rights.
Please write a courteous letter to the President of Venezuela,
Carlos Andres Perez, Presidente de la Republica, Palacio de
Miraflores, Carmelitas, Caracas 1010, Venezuela. Stress the
following points: that all mining on and around Bari and Yupka
lands be nullified -- these contravene Decree 105 of 1974 which
protects the Perija National Park; that Maraven cease all testing in
the Bari reserve; that the Bari reserve and Yupka land titles be
defined as a matter of urgency and in accordance with the national
decrees (article 77 of the Constitution and article 2 of the Agrarian
Reform Act) which guarantee them the right to their lands.