Friends,
Urgnt action is requested on behalf of the Mocovi peoples of the Province of
Santa Fe, Argentina. Indigenous organizations in Santa Fe have recently
learned that on November 18th the Parliament of Santa Fe quietly approved a
new "Law of Indigenous Communities", which was elaborated without
consulting any indigenous communities or organizations. Next week [DEC. 5-9]
this law goes before the Governor of Santa Fe for final approval. The Centro
Mocovi requests that letters be sent to the Governor urging him to veto this
law, as it will have an extremely negative impact on the indigenous peoples
of Santa Fe. The law does not recognize the collective rights of the Mocovi
People which have been established at an international level. Neither does
it recognize the the social, political, economic, cultural, or judicial
systems of the Mocovi people.
There are approximately 125 Mocovi communities in the Province of Santa
Fe, with a total population of over 45,000 people. Last week, representatives
of the Mocovi gathered in Melincue for an emergency meeting to discuss this
situation. At this meeting they decided on a plan of action, which includes
massive demonstrations outside the Casa de Gobierno, and elaborated their
position on this law in a letter to the Governor of Santa Fe. In this letter
the Mocovi call on the Governor to:
- Veto the "Law of the Indigenous Communities" which was approved by the
Parliament on November 18, 1993.
-Initiate a process of consultation with all indigenous communities in Santa
Fe Province to come up with legislation that is in accordance with the needs
and aspirations of the Mocovi people.
- Apply Provincial Law 10375, which was approved by the Parliament of Santa
Fe in 1989 . (This law recognizes some of the rights of the indigenous
peoples in the Santa Fe Province.)
- Halt the forced eviction of Mocovi communities, as in the case of the
community of Pig'nk. (In July of this year the residents of the community of
Pig'nik were forcibly evicted from their lands, because colonists in the area
"do not want indians near their property"."
- That the government of Argentina consult with the representative
organizations of all the indigenous groups in Argentina, and include a
chapter on "Indigenous Peoples" in the national constitution reform
that is planned for 1994.
Please send letters of support for the above mentioned demands to:
Don Carlos Reutman Dr. Carlos Menem
Governor of the Province of Santa Fe President of Argentina
Casa de Gobierno Casa de Gobierno
3000 Santa Fe Balcare 50
Argentina 1000 Buenos Aires
tel: 54-42-37700/39120 Argentina
fax: 54-42-551067 tel: 54-1-3433051 to 59
fax: 54-1-3316376
Don Carlos Bermudez
Presidente de la Camara de Diputados de Santa Fe
Palacio Legislativo
3000 Santa Fe
Argentina
Please send copies of letters to:
Rainforest Defense Fund Centro Mocovi
PO Box 38-2104 Casilla de Correo 36
Cambridge, MA 02238 2728 Melincue
Province of Santa Fe
Argentina
Tel: 54-465-99205
Fax: 54-465-99140
Thank you,
Brian Keane
Rainforest Defense Fund
I have included a sample letter from the Bank Information Center:
Dear Honorable Carlos Menem,
It is with great concern and urgency that we write to request your action
in assuring the rights of the Mocovi people. On November 18, 1993 new
legislation was passed by the Santa Fe provincial parliament without
consultation with the Mocovi. This legislation does not adequately
represent Indian collective rights and completely undermines all the progress
made toward guaranteeing these rights by, for example, the passage of the
Ley Provincial 10375 in 1989. The future well-being of these indigenous peoples
is now threatened.
We therefore call upon you to:
- Use your constitutional power to VETO or delay the "Law of Indigenous
Communities" aproved by the Parliament of Santa Fe on November 18.
-To recognize the aspirations and demands of the provinc's indigenous
communities by undertaking a process of consultation with all Indian
communities to develop adequate legislation, as weell as in the projected
1994 reform of the National Constitution>
- To uphold and make operational the Ley Provincial 10375
- To prevent the forced displacement of Mocovi Communities from the territories
reclaimed by them.
These requests and rights of the Mocovi people as well as all indigenous
peoples of Argentina are of critical concern and must be upheld. Thank you
for your immediate attention to this important matter.
Sincerely
Deborah McLaren
Martha Hall
Bank Information Center