Copyright 1993 InterPress Service, all rights reserved.
Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
Title: POPULATION: Trio of backers found for indigenous peoples' fund
by debra percival
brussels, sep 7 (ips) - belgium joined spain and portugal as the
financiers of a new international fund for indigenous peoples on
tuesday, allowing the fund to start work.
set up at the ibero-american summit in july 1992, the fund for
latin american and caribbean nations had 19 potential beneficiary
members in the region -- but lacked the support of at least three
donor nations to bankroll the projects.
spain and portugal immediately gave backing to fund work in
their former colonies, but it took time to find a third donor
nation, despite 1993 being the official united nations year for
indigenous peoples.
''belgium has broken with its own colonial legacy in giving
support to the fund,'' said an official at belgium's development
ministry.
the belgian government put up tuesday an initial 50 million
belgian francs (1.4 million dollars) towards funding of small-
scale projects promoting rights of indigenous peoples, developed
by the peoples themselves in latin america and the caribbean.
''it will promote indigenous solutions for indigenous
problems,'' said eddy niesten, spokesperson for belgian
development minister, eric derycke.
projects should either promote ownership of natural resources,
rights of the local population, or defend the culture or improve
education for indigenous people.
''in many latin american countries, there is no legislation on
the indigenous ownership of land,'' said another aide to derycke.
he said that the projects would back indigenous ownership of
land, and could hence have far-reaching effects in triggering
legislation reform in the region over land ownership.
the headquarters of the fund is in la paz, bolivia. the inter
american development bank has already pledged a start-up loan.
decisions over which projects to fund will be taken by a board of
nine representatives; three from the donor countries; three
representatives of the beneficiary countries and three
representatives of the local indigenous community beneficiaries.
derycke who steers european community development policy until
the end of the year under the current six month belgian presidency
of the ec said he would appeal to his community colleagues to
support the fund. (end/ips/dp/rj/93)
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